The Danger of Texting and Walking: Teenager Fell Into a Manhole

Posted by Alex in Gadget on July 12, 2009 at 1:36 pm


We all know that texting and driving is bad, but texting and walking? Fifteen-year-old teenager Alexa Longuiera learned that texting while you walk may be dangerous the hard way: she fell down a manhole while texting!

Alexa Longueira, 15, was walking on Victory Boulevard with a friend at about 5 p.m. yesterday, preparing to send a text, when she felt the ground give way.

"She literally just handed me the phone and I opened it [and] I felt this big drop," the Susan E. Wagner High School sophomore said.

"It was four or five feet, it was very painful. I kind of crawled out and the DEP guys came running and helped me. … They were just, like, ‘I’m sorry! I’m sorry!’" [...]

The family said it intends to file a lawsuit.

Whether Alexa was sending a text or not shouldn’t make any difference, Mrs. Longueira said, because workers never should have left the manhole unattended. And while she’s thankful the sewer wasn’t full at the time, that didn’t make it any less gross.

"Oh my God, it was putrid," she said. "One of her sneakers is still down there."

The Staten Island Advance has the story: Link (Photo: Jan Somma-Hammel/Staten Island Advance)


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COMMENT

20 comments to "The Danger of Texting and Walking: Teenager Fell Into a Manhole"

  1. Skipweasel
    July 12th, 2009 at 1:43 pm

    Six of one, half a dozen of the other, innit. The hole should have been cordonned off, but then she should have been looking where she was going. Nest she'll be sueing trees and lamp posts.

  2. D Bozko
    July 12th, 2009 at 1:49 pm

    It wasn't a tree or lamppost it was an uncovered manhole. The DEP guys were at fault. However, only if she sustained monetary damages, ie; medical bills, should she be entitled to sue.

  3. Kalel
    July 12th, 2009 at 1:56 pm

    Clumsy kids today are all thumbs.

  4. Vonskippy
    July 12th, 2009 at 2:31 pm

    As a member of the human race we should get a class action lawsuit against the parents for giving birth to such a useless dilution of the human species (lets see how that "but it was an accident" excuse works for them).

  5. wow
    July 12th, 2009 at 2:42 pm

    dur hurr! my daughter is an idiot so imma gonnza sue!!

  6. Josh
    July 12th, 2009 at 4:02 pm

    Dont they usually put up a sign or put up cones with tape to block of open manholes? If there was none then they were at fault. If there was then she is at fault.

  7. LisaL
    July 12th, 2009 at 4:25 pm

    Idiot teen should've been watching where she was going.
    As Skipweasel said... next she'll be sueing poles, trees, and whatever else she runs in to. How about curbs as well. She could fall off one of those and break her ankle.
    Morons... sheesh...

  8. SenorMysterioso
    July 12th, 2009 at 5:05 pm

    Hey moron, you walked into a human sized hole in the ground because you were too stupid to watch where you were going. That is nobody's fault but your own.

    Text us next time you visit the grand canyon.

  9. wow
    July 12th, 2009 at 5:42 pm

    the sad part is someone will get fired for her extreme stupidity...

  10. edvim
    July 12th, 2009 at 7:03 pm

    It appears as if there is blame to be put on both parties -- the street crew should have had a few safety cones in place before they even started, but the girl also created her own accident. It's a shame her parents are using this situation in an opportunistic way instead of trying to use this as a values/life lesson she obviously needs more than the money.

  11. health
    July 12th, 2009 at 8:20 pm

    I don't come down to where you work and fall into holes in the ground, so fuck off.

  12. ted
    July 12th, 2009 at 8:21 pm

    She should only sue if she was injured. Her stupidity does not absolve the crew of any blame. I just can't wait until she starts driving.

  13. Xinavera
    July 12th, 2009 at 9:41 pm

    Stupidity should be painful. Glad this was.

  14. fun games for kids
    July 12th, 2009 at 9:44 pm

    Agree with you edvim. Think parents these days have become so protective of their children that they absolve any wrongdoing their children have done for them, not giving their children an opportunity to learn from their mistakes. Children more or less grow up thinking everything is "their right" or that their parents will fight for them every time they get into some trouble. I think in this case, it shouldn't be about suing and trying to find someone to blame, but for both sides to learn what safety is.

  15. Skipweasel
    July 13th, 2009 at 6:09 am

    I was at a banger race on Saturday. One young lad obstructed the faster drivers, largely ruining the race for everyone. He ignored two "allow pass" flags, two "stop racing" flags and a "you're in trouble" flag.
    When he met up with his family behind us in the stands he was utterly indignant because he'd been suspended for one race meet.
    Did his family say "Silly arse, you deserved it, perhaps you'll play by the rules next time"?
    No, they sympathised with him and asked whether he could appeal and if it might be better racing at another track.
    I guess he'll either learn or give up and forever feel he's hard done by.

  16. ted
    July 13th, 2009 at 6:24 am

    A banger race? They race sausages?

  17. Gail Pink
    July 13th, 2009 at 8:38 am

    HA! This story made my day, thanks!

  18. Mike.
    July 13th, 2009 at 1:35 pm

    She was walking WITH A FRIEND and still managed to fall into the three foot wide hole in the ground? No "Heads up, you're about to fall into the sewer" from unnamed oblivious teen #2? Those must have been some wicked awesome OMGROFLMAOWTFBBQs they were sending.

  19. ted
    July 13th, 2009 at 9:56 pm

    Mike, they were probably texting each other.

  20. Ali S.
    July 14th, 2009 at 10:27 pm

    Why her "BFF Jill" didn't text her the fact that she was walking towards a giant hole in the ground is what fascinates me.


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