Random Factoid of the Day

"haveacarortwoorthree2" (haveacarortwoorthree2) 09/21/2020 at 11:02 • Filed to: None

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A FP comment reminded me of the story of Henry Bliss, the first person to ever be killed by a car. More specifically, he was hit by a NYC cab. Is anyone surprised that the first car-pedestrian death involved a NYC cab? 

ranwhenparked > haveacarortwoorthree2 09/21/2020 at 11:17

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Chariotoflove > haveacarortwoorthree2 09/21/2020 at 11:31

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Thanks, now I have my Dinner Fact for this evening.

Svend > haveacarortwoorthree2 09/21/2020 at 11:33

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Henri Hale Bliss died on the 14th September 1899. 

The Irish have ‘the world’s first car accident fatality’, as Mary Ward, on the 31st August 1869, she was the passenger of the motorcar travelling through Birr in Co. Offaly. She is the first to of died from riding in a car.

The British have the ‘first recorded case of a pedestrian to be killed by a car’ as the 17th August 1896. Her name was Bridget Driscoll (U.K.), after she walked into the path of a car moving 4mph, that was being demonstrated round Crystal Palace. The car was from the Anglo-French Motor Car Company. So Bridget Driscoll is the first pedestrian to be killed by a car.

haveacarortwoorthree2 > Svend 09/21/2020 at 11:39

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There’s history other than US history? Who could have imagined. lol

Thanks for the correction. I guess we claim the first pedestrian in the Western Hemisphere killed by a car.

haveacarortwoorthree2 > Chariotoflove 09/21/2020 at 11:40

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See Svend’s correction! 

Chariotoflove > haveacarortwoorthree2 09/21/2020 at 11:41

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Ah! thanks!

Svend > haveacarortwoorthree2 09/21/2020 at 11:45

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Lol. I dare say there’s ones much sooner than these in some parts of the world.

There was an American on Qi once who said, ‘America drives on the right, because we invented the motor car’, there was some sniggering and he was told, ‘not even close’.

John Norris (AngryDrifter) > haveacarortwoorthree2 09/21/2020 at 11:50

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Well actually Crystal Palace is west of Greenwich, so ...

Dead_Elvis, Inc. > haveacarortwoorthree2 09/21/2020 at 11:52

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Even if the Prime Meridian splits London, I’d say London counts as Western Hemisphere - at least where Crystal Palace is.

Svend > haveacarortwoorthree2 09/21/2020 at 12:04

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She’s accredited in the Guinness Book of World Records as being the first anyway.

The BBC did a good article on it on t he 17th August 2010.

Apparently she stepped out in front on the motor, the driver said he shouted and honked his horn but Mrs Driscoll hesitated and appeared ‘bewildered’.

At the inquest, Florence Ashmore. A domestic servant, gave evidence that the car, ‘went at a tremendous pace’, ‘as fast as a good horse could gallop’.

However the car's top speed was 8mph and even then limited to only 4mph. 

haveacarortwoorthree2 > John Norris (AngryDrifter) 09/21/2020 at 12:24

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Dammit. Ok, North America. Are you guys happy now? lol