Child hit by taxi at Public Beach car park

| 04/01/2013

(CNS): A four-year-old child was struck by a taxi van at the Public Beach car park on West Bay Road yesterday afternoon. Police say that the little girl, who is from Mexico, was visiting the Cayman Islands via cruise ship with her family Thursday but she is now being treated at the George Town hospital for leg injuries, which are not thought to be serious. The incident occurred around 2pm yesterday afternoon, when the child approached the taxi van and apparently fell over and was then hit by the vehicle. Police have called for anyone who witnessed the incident to call West Bay police station on 949-3999.

Meanwhile, rumours of a fatal industrial accident on Thursday were unfounded and police have confirmed that the incident in Britannia Drive, where contractors were drilling a well, turned out not to be serious. During the drilling process a metal rod struck a 39-year-old man on his forehead. He was taken to the George Town hospital, where he was treated for the cut and discharged.

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  1. Anonymous says:

    Where is the RCIP when these large tour buses are now stopping on the Ritz Carlton bridge so the tourists can see the golf course.  There is not enough shoulder to allow for this, but since whn has this stopped them.

    • Anonymous says:

      Are you kidding me, the Ex-pats nearly run yhou down if you are in the cross walk! While the buses may stop for the tourist to site see it is the ex-pats that re the true hazard. The Filipinos, Canadians and Brits are the worst of the bunch. Filipinos just have no driving skills and the Canadians and Brits act like they are in Toronto or London. They all need to take the written test again to learn that pedestrians have the right of way in the cross walks. Every Cayman and Jamacian driver always stops whiel th erest make you play Frogger!

  2. Anonymous says:

    Appauling driving standards. Caymanian drivers are dangerous and arrogant.

  3. Anonymous says:

    This was supposed to be our PUBLIC BEACH. Why is it overrun with dive operations?

  4. Anonymous says:

    I have a question for people who drive behind busses. If you see a bus full of tourists do you let them out ? If you see a garbage truck ? a car being driven by a pretty girl? 

    If you see a bus load of tourists and its coming near royal palms orcalico jacks do you drive close behind them? When their brake lights come on do you speed up and go around but signal your intention to the person ahead or behind? Do you think for a moment that the bus driver and yourself drive on the 7 mile beach road everyday there is a cruise ship? Did it occur to you that the bus or the taxi could be stopping when you see the brake lights come on just before reaching royal palms, calico jacks etc.? I grant you some drivers forget to use their turn signals but brake lights come on whenever you stop. If you almost hit the taxi or bus then you are driving to close. 

    Everyday i encounter cars driving on the road that don't signal their intention especially when they enter the roundabout. I'm sure you all do too. Of course cell phones are still being used while driving. 

    I suggest we all use turn signals more often . When you see a bus stopping by the gingerbread house and they turn their signal on  and you are stopped that is telling the bus driver he can go. You have to signal YOUR intentions before you go . Because how else will we know when it is safe to go? Thank you for your cooperation.

    • Anonymous says:

      It is one thing to be stopping in an area of interest like you mentioned. It is another to stop in the middle of a busy road and obstructing traffic. Not all taxi and bus drivers are bad. There are plenty of other idiots driving regular vehicles on the road.

  5. round-a-bout Rob says:

    Right before this accident happened, this same taxi driver was driving towards the public beach coming from town , when he saw two people walking in the same direction but on the opposite side of the road, this man put on his right indicator to do a right turn but pulled to the left to do a U-Turn, with an SUV and a truck behind him and other cars travelling in the other direction, Some of these elderly taxi drivers need to be taken off the road for their safety and the safety of others.

    Is there a law that says you’re too old to drive?

  6. Anonymous says:

    I was driving to West Bay yesterday when a tour bus driver stopped her full bus in the middle of the road by Public Beach and proceeded to unload her passengers. It was a dangerous area to do so. The only option for drivers was to pull into a busy turning lane. I am getting tired of dodging buses and taxis because they aren’t pulled over safely. It is only a matter of time before someone else is seriously hurt or killed.

    • Anonymous says:

      I have seen the same thing and at first thought the bus had broken down.  It hadn't . JACKASS JACKASS

  7. Anonymous says:

    It was only a matter of time! But as usual apathy and negligence until someone gets hurt or killed. The norm in Cayman – if it aint broken dont fix – but its been broken for a decade or more. 

  8. Anonymous says:

    Come on guys.  Cayman taxi drivers are certainly not the worst and I, for one, have had good experiences using the drivers here.  I wonder when  those that are criticizing here last used a taxi in NY or Miami.  I do monthly and trust me, Cayman  looks pretty good by comparison.

    • Anonymous says:

      You don’t understand. A subtle difference is that when a cayman bus or taxi indicates (if we are lucky) it means ‘I am going to’. In a civilized country it means ‘I intend to’.

    • Anonymous says:

      You said it all in you second sentence.  I, for one.  Proving the exception for every rule theory.  Unless your a taxi driver that can read and write.

    • Anonymous says:

       

      whatcha talking about? In US a taxi driver will lose his license and be never allowed to transport public. I wonder why passengers of buses and taxi do not complain directly to the driver for putting their life in danger. When government is not regulating and enforcing taxi/bus operations they are responsible for the outcome. Someone should sue them to set a precedent.

  9. Anonymous says:

    In most countries the taxi drivers are the best and most considerate drivers on the road. In Cayman they are not. They're innattentive, ignorant and oblivious of other cars. They don't indicate, don't give way, don't know how to use lanes correctly, drive way too fast or too slow and yabber away on their cell phones the whole time. I am surprised they don't cause more accidents.

  10. Anonymous says:

    Another reason why the Dart redevelopment of the public beach is needed!!!!

    • Anonymous says:

      Oh don’t be a tool

      • Anonymous says:

        Hmmm. Who owns the fleet of large Buses that currently ply West Bay Road now? You know… The ones parked by Camana Bay.

    • Anonymous says:

      Don't worry it will not be long before Dart owns the Public transportatin system also.. That is unless we stop his take over of Cayman now.

      • noname says:

        Oh the dollars I’d pay for a clean, safe and reliable public transport system. I beg you let competence take it over.

      • Anonymous says:

        Dont worry, by this time Ju Ju has made friends with him and is glad to be in that seat.

      • Anonymous says:

        Tool indeed!

        If Dart owned the transportation system it would actually exist and would actually work.

  11. Anonymous says:

    This is not surprising at all.  Taxi drivers world wide are bad drivers, but in Cayman they are some of the worst I have seen with little no regard for other road users.  Just the other day while on my bicycle approaching the turtle farm one pulled out in front of me without stopping at the stop sign.  Oh and my favourite is when they stop on the side of the road and wait until you are overtaking them to pull out into the traffic.  Absolutely awful driving standards.

  12. Anonymous says:

    The sheer agressiveness of these Taxi Drivers. The lack of response from Govt. Not Good!! 

    My best wishes for the child and Family involved. 

  13. Anonymous says:

    Hmmm..these taxi and bus drivers are horrible.  There needs to be proper training for these divers.