L Brooks injured in traffic accident. [Pays no seatbelt ticket]

**brizee** · August-10-12, 10:46 PM

**Kevgoblue** · August-10-12, 10:54 PM

The report says he has 2 broken wrists, broken ribs, a broken femur and a gash to the head. Sounds like he was driving, not the passenger.

**Goose** · August-10-12, 11:11 PM

12:10 am and they are still "investigating and re-creating" the accident scene..... lucky for Brooks he's not a 20 year old black man, or else they would have just swept up the glass and reopened the roads...

accidents suck, but one human life despite political and/or financial status does not make one more or less important.....

**Lowell** · August-10-12, 11:12 PM

His driver is in critical condition and has been taken to Detroit Receiving. L. Brooks is seriously injured but is said to be non-critical. [And, no, no alcolhol/drugs]. Preliminary reports blame the other party. Get well soon L. Brooks.

**Cincinnati_Kid** · August-10-12, 11:21 PM

Originally Posted by Goose

12:10 am and they are still "investigating and re-creating" the accident scene..... lucky for Brooks he's not a 20 year old black man, or else they would have just swept up the glass and reopened the roads...

accidents suck, but one human life despite political and/or financial status does not make one more or less important.....

I understand what you're saying, but it actually does. The police were johnny on the spot in 2 minutes, when they found out who was involved. The police-man that was interviewed, said L Brooks was at the hospital in 5 mins, even though the hospital wasn't that far from the scene of the accident. Makes you wonder if "Joe Schmoe" would have been afforded the same attention.

**jt1** · August-10-12, 11:37 PM

karma,,,,,,,,,,,

**Blueidone** · August-11-12, 07:36 AM

Originally Posted by Cincinnati_Kid

I understand what you're saying, but it actually does. The police were johnny on the spot in 2 minutes, when they found out who was involved. The police-man that was interviewed, said L Brooks was at the hospital in 5 mins, even though the hospital wasn't that far from the scene of the accident. Makes you wonder if "Joe Schmoe" would have been afforded the same attention.

In Auburn Hills, my answer would be "Yes". They are very close to a couple of hospitals. They have a larger police department. Their response times are much faster than in the City of Detroit. Perhaps LBP was treated well due to his status, but as far as response time and being taken to a hospital quickly, I think that no matter who was in the accident, it would be pretty close to the same timing.

**Gannon** · August-11-12, 08:27 AM

I'm guessing the longest-lasting casualty of this whole event will be the 'new type of traffic light' they experimented with at this intersection.

Flashing yellow is a warning to look...but in many instances it is the sign that you've got the advantage OVER a flashing red, so many take it as their right-of-way.

But solid green surely means you should be devoid of targets to t-bone.

Driver is supposed to be a trained professional...I don't care the situation, he should be a bit ashamed that this happened. A Professional Defensive Driver should be aware of the flow of traffic all around them...and with a prize like L. in the passenger compartment, be expectant of occasional attack.

Hope L. Brooks heals well and soon, and the driver of the VW gets a pass at any tickets. Bad enough they had to learn about this new traffic light this way.

Cheers!

**Zacha341** · August-11-12, 08:37 AM

OK, Gannon I wanna get this straight: You mean this was a scene where the traffic lights for one person has green and the other a flashing yellow!? I do not want to run into that scenario anywhere on earth. Though I've seen some service drive and other left turn odd lighting configurations...

Relativism in politics and culture is one thing but when I see a green I need to know the other party oposite is at an 'objectively' RED solid light!

Cheers back at 'cha!

**Gannon** · August-11-12, 09:02 AM

That was the thing that jumped out on this story. The fact that the lights were showing to each direction of traffic, and the follow-up from the police that it was, indeed, a new form of traffic light.

In my dreams, this is because the writer for the Freep actually asked the question...but I don't want to accuse anyone of journalism.

**Gannon** · August-11-12, 09:06 AM

Speed limits of each road are about 45 mph or better, and many drive much faster. Oakland County is the worst in the region for abject speeders, from my experience. Lotsa Type-As in the farburhood.

Whomever proposed this type of light should be forever outlawed from working on public traffic issues, ever. Those who agreed to it should be strung up by their private parts over this intersection, as an example to future policy changers.

It'll give L. a grin or two to help him heal. Surely he drives this way often.

**shovelhead** · August-11-12, 09:11 AM

Originally Posted by Blueidone

In Auburn Hills, my answer would be "Yes". They are very close to a couple of hospitals. They have a larger police department. Their response times are much faster than in the City of Detroit. Perhaps LBP was treated well due to his status, but as far as response time and being taken to a hospital quickly, I think that no matter who was in the accident, it would be pretty close to the same timing.

From my experience inside a EMS unit [[a long time ago in the 1980's) as a EMT out west we never knew who we were "running" on, only thing you are dispatched with is location, type of run, how many casualties and in the case of domestic or violence if LEO were enroute or at the scene. When communications are between the rig and the medical facility they are much more detailed as in a sense you are alerting the hospital what to expect.

There are so many variables at an accident scene there is no textbook answer. MY EMS instructor told us to learn the book, but nothing in the book would prepare us for what we would be doing. No textbook can prepare you for having to remove two victims from a car teetering on a utility pole supported at the top by the front bumper while the back bumper is resting on two points, one a guard rail and the other a rock wall. Been there.

If in fact it was five minutes from the time the rig arrived at the incident, assessed condition and stabilized/extracted/restrained [[c-collar, backboard) and arrived at the hospital I would be very surprised UNLESS that patient was extremely critical. Load and roll is a good way to fparalyze your patient especially with possible cervical or spinal injuries. A last resort type of run only when it really is life or death at the scene.

Radio transmissions are kept at a bare minimum. Dispatchers are handling multiple incidents and they cannot "bog down" with details.
I've been on that side too as a dispatcher during the time I considered a career in law enforcement during that same time period.

Accident investigations are commonly done in SERIOUS collisions in case it turns out to be a fatality at a later time. If LBP's driver is a LEO and the collision occurred during on duty time it will be investigated by another agency also. Investigations of incidents like this are usually done "up the chain" by the next higher agency whether it is a Sheriff's Department or a State Police/Highway Patrol agency.

**Wheels** · August-11-12, 09:36 AM

Originally Posted by Gannon

I'm guessing the longest-lasting casualty of this whole event will be the 'new type of traffic light' they experimented with at this intersection.

Flashing yellow is a warning to look...but in many instances it is the sign that you've got the advantage OVER a flashing red, so many take it as their right-of-way.

But solid green surely means you should be devoid of targets to t-bone.

Driver is supposed to be a trained professional...I don't care the situation, he should be a bit ashamed that this happened. A Professional Defensive Driver should be aware of the flow of traffic all around them...and with a prize like L. in the passenger compartment, be expectant of occasional attack.

Hope L. Brooks heals well and soon, and the driver of the VW gets a pass at any tickets. Bad enough they had to learn about this new traffic light this way.

Cheers!

Flashing yellow for a left hand turn have been common for as long as left hand turn lights have been used? I would not want to ride with someone as uninformed as you.

**Gannon** · August-11-12, 10:06 AM

Originally Posted by Wheels

Flashing yellow for a left hand turn have been common for as long as left hand turn lights have been used? I would not want to ride with someone as uninformed as you.

I wouldn't have one so judgemental as a passenger, either. You just saved me from having to replace the ejection seat again. Those fuckers are expensive.

I misread the report. I looked at the damage on both cars and it looked like a full 90-degree t-bone...and thought the left turn the VW driver made was before driving through a flashing yellow full-flow light. I only caught that it was a left-turn flashing yellow on the reread after your generous post.

Why did the writer of the article say it was a new type of light? They might've just changed this one...either way, the VW was well into the right-of-way when L's driver hit it.

I used to live near that intersection, one of my favorite beer stores is at the corner there...plus the best VW parts place on the planet is nearby...and traffice control has always been a problem. Especially in rush hour, which is roughly when this accident happened.

I wonder what the speed recording in the little black box in his 300 reads...

**Islandman** · August-11-12, 10:11 AM

Originally Posted by Wheels

Flashing yellow for a left hand turn have been common for as long as left hand turn lights have been used? I would not want to ride with someone as uninformed as you.

Not true, that changed within the last 5-6 years. I noticed the change since I wasn't living in Detroit metro at the time of the change.

Shollin · August-11-12, 10:12 AM

Only two posts in and a race card was played. Seems pretty bizarre

**Gannon** · August-11-12, 10:19 AM

More I think about it, the traffic back-ups across the freeway bridge were legendary during rush hour...I'd bet the young woman dashed across a gap she thought was large enough in traffic. It might be something as simple as bad depth-of-field from lower testosterone or higher estrogen...I forgot what the Drs. Pease study indicated from their book "Why Men Don't Listen and Women Can't Read Maps".

Couple that with the standard government executive vehicle velocity, which would usually be well above the plebian limit...hey, time is money, right?!...and voila! A few weeks where new laws cannot be signed by the executive. Unless he's using a rubber stamp, I guess.

**Wesley Mouch** · August-11-12, 10:35 AM

A speedy recovery.

**RO_Resident** · August-11-12, 10:42 AM

Originally Posted by Zacha341

OK, Gannon I wanna get this straight: You mean this was a scene where the traffic lights for one person has green and the other a flashing yellow!? I do not want to run into that scenario anywhere on earth. Though I've seen some service drive and other left turn odd lighting configurations...

Relativism in politics and culture is one thing but when I see a green I need to know the other party oposite is at an 'objectively' RED solid light!

Cheers back at 'cha!

First off, angled left turn crashes are among the worst because of the speeds involved. Traffic folks have been trying their best to get rid of left turns across oncoming traffic--think of the number of 'Michigan lefts' and roundabouts in the Detroit area.

New-style yellow left-turn lights have been installed nationally to try to reduce the number of crashes.

MDOT's web page explaining the new system:
http://www.michigan.gov/mdot/0,4616,...7538--,00.html

A blinking red light means to stop then proceed when the intersection is clear. However, in common usage with left turns, people treat the blinking red as a blinking yellow [[proceed with caution). If you were the second car making a left turn at a blinking left and you came to a stop, the cars behind you would honk.

That's not to say that the new signals are perfect. With the blinking yellows, I see a lot of people creep into the intersection. When they get a solid red, they get stuck in the intersection. Stay back, folks.

**Gannon** · August-11-12, 10:49 AM

Wouldn't it be nice if they could get all this installed technology to work and play together?!

They should be able to feed a motion-sense trigger from the cameras to change a flashing yellow to a flashing red in the presence of any oncoming traffic.

If all the key intersections have these cameras...and they ARE supposed to only monitor traffic flow...why aren't all the lights tied to them as they are throughout all the newer communities in California?! When I lived there, the lights would change as you approached them [[some places in Orange County and up in Silicon Valley were almost magical to drive through, especially in the off-hours)...while the ones here always force you to brake fully until you cross that familiar loop in the road.

There are ways to keep things flowing and improve the left turn danger...without more of those idiotic roundabouts. I don't mind 'em, but they do induce a boatload of confusion to many.

**iheartthed** · August-11-12, 10:53 AM

He's had some pretty tragic things happen to him. His bestfriend died in the NWA plane crash at Metro in the late 80s, his son died in a snowmobiling accident several years ago, and now he almost dies in a car accident. I wish him well.

**Johnnny5** · August-11-12, 12:23 PM

Originally Posted by Wheels

Flashing yellow for a left hand turn have been common for as long as left hand turn lights have been used? I would not want to ride with someone as uninformed as you.

Flashing/steady yellow arrows [[The setup that was apparently at this intersection) are a very new thing for Michigan drivers and I would not be surprised if the driver that hit Patterson's car did so due to his confusion about the right of way at the signal. As someone that has seen them in other states I'll be honest that I was a bit dumbfounded by how they worked the first few times that I encountered one.

According to those who study these types of things they lead to less accidents and better traffic flow, but I think that's based on the assumption that drivers are familiar with how they function. I would not doubt if there are more serious accidents in the short term as these signals are installed elsewhere in Michigan and drivers get accustomed to them. [[They are eventually going to be replacing all blinking red lights for left hand turns).

Occurrence · August-11-12, 03:24 PM

Isn't L Brooks Patterson one of the idiots crusading against medical marijuana? I believe he said something along the lines of it being "the worst piece of legislature ever written".

I say karma. I hope he is in great pain the rest of his life because of this accident. I also hope he has a hard time getting access to painkillers. Maybe someone will attempt to block him from getting any kind of relief.

**cla1945** · August-11-12, 04:03 PM

Originally Posted by Occurrence

Isn't L Brooks Patterson one of the idiots crusading against medical marijuana? I believe he said something along the lines of it being "the worst piece of legislature ever written".

I say karma. I hope he is in great pain the rest of his life because of this accident. I also hope he has a hard time getting access to painkillers. Maybe someone will attempt to block him from getting any kind of relief.

Karma is one thing but to wish someone "great pain the rest of his life" because you want marijuana legalized is another. I'll know the next time you post something on this forum not even to bother reading it.

Occurrence · August-11-12, 04:21 PM

Originally Posted by cla1945

Karma is one thing but to wish someone "great pain the rest of his life" because you want marijuana legalized is another. I'll know the next time you post something on this forum not even to bother reading it.

I never said about wanting marijuana legalized. I'm wishing him great pain because he's wishing prosecution of medical marijuana patients who follow a law that was overwhelmingly passed by the voters of Michigan. Apparently it's bad legislation because he doesn't agree with it.