Monthly Archives: February 2016

The AnnaLeah & Mary Memorial Facebook Page is now back up.

I just received a pop-up message from Facebook telling me that my page is now published. This is what it said:

Page Published
After reviewing your appeal, your Page In Memory of AnnaLeah 1995 to 2013 and Mary Lydia Karth 1999 to 2013 has been published. This means it can now be viewed publicly.
No further explanation was given.

Russell Mokhibar, Corporate Crime Reporter, told me, “I sent their press office a query yesterday, they didn’t get back to me.”

I am thankful that it is back up. But I still feel rather vulnerable.

Now I can get back to getting ready to take almost 20,000 Vision Zero Petitions to Washington on Friday.

Signer #19,726 commented on our Vision Zero Petition

I just checked the petition site and saw that we are at 19,726. Most recent person to sign added this comment:

Make USA safer, please. My girlfriend in USA got involved in a crash and it was just luck that saved her. She is worth more than any cost to me. Cost of a life is priceless. Please see the emotional side of all the world, please.

Vision Zero Petition Book Cover

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/417/742/234/save-lives-not-dollars-urge-dot-to-adopt-vision-zero-policy/

Byron Bloch on Auto Safety, Federal Pre-Emption & Vision Zero, Corporate Crime Reporter, Jan. 2011

I was interviewed yesterday by Russell Mokhiber, editor of the Corporate Crime Reporter. He just shared this 2011 article with me:

Byron Bloch on Auto Safety, Federal Pre-Emption and Vision Zero 25 Corporate Crime Reporter 3, January 17, 2011

Here is an excerpt from that article:

The case focuses on a federal rule that allows auto makers to use a seat belt only – without a shoulder belt – on seats next to an aisle in the middle row of a minivan.

In the case in question, the passenger in that middle row seat next to the aisle was killed when the Mazda minivan she was riding in was involved in a head on collision. She was wearing the only belt available – the seat belt – and she jack-knifed – causing fatal internal injuries.

Mazda argued that the federal rule allowing it to put only a seat belt on that middle row seat – without a shoulder belt – pre-empts state common law.

The appellate court agreed with Mazda and the plaintiff appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Auto safety expert Byron Bloch was at the Supreme Court when the justices heard the oral argument in the case last November.

He’s not optimistic about the outcome.

“Chief Justice Roberts focused on various of the economic factors,” Bloch said in an interview with Corporate Crime Reporter last week. “He thought that was an important consideration. Having a shoulder belt might cost Mazda more money. And shouldn’t Mazda be allowed to make economic decisions with regard to these various safety devices in a vehicle?

Very interesting. Safety vs Profit.

Safety is not a priority 002

Safety: I do not think that word means what you think it means.

Our Facebook Memorial Page was UNPUBLISHED due to supposed violation. ?

Save Lives Not Dollars: Urge DOT to Adopt a Vision Zero Policy Help us take 20,000 signatures to Washington on March 4. Less than 300 to go!

The AnnaLeah & Mary Memorial Facebook Page got Unpublished last night because someone flagged it for inappropriate content due to Community Guidelines. I had just posted this same call to action–only with a crash scene photo which I have posted countless times before.

See our Facebook Memorial Page here: In Memory of AnnaLeah 1995 to 2013 and Mary Lydia Karth 1999 to 2013

I had published the exact same post on our other Facebook site: AnnaLeah & Mary for Truck Safety.

There was no explanation of what post was “reported” or what the supposed violation consisted of and no way to ask any questions for clarification. Just a button to click: APPEAL.

This is what the Facebook Notification message said:

 Your page has been unpublished
Your Page is currently not visible on Facebook. It looks like content posted on your Page doesn’t follow the Facebook Terms and Community Standards, so your Page was unpublished. These Terms and Standards help ensure Facebook remains a welcoming, respectful environment.
We work hard to prevent actions that compromise people’s privacy or security on Facebook, including contacting people for commercial purposes without their consent.
If you think your Page was unpublished in error, you can appeal. Before you appeal, we suggest removing any violating content from your Page. Please keep in mind that if your appeal is denied, your Page will be permanently deleted.
You appealed this decision Yesterday at 11:44pm

Facebook Community Guidelines: https://www.facebook.com/communitystandards

I’m waiting to hear if my Appeal will overturn that decision. Please pray that it get resolved quickly so that I will be able to post updates on that page when we take the Petition to Washington on March 4.

And, because they say that the Page could be permanently deleted, I am concerned that we could lose the countless posts full of photos and memories of AnnaLeah & Mary which I listed here: Journey Through Grief.

Meanwhile, please share this post and sign our Vision Zero Petition if you have not already done so. In memory of Mary & AnnaLeah. Thank you: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/…/save-lives-not-dollars-ur…/

Speak out for AnnaLeah & Mary

300 signatures away from taking 20,000 to Washington. Who’s counting? (Yours truly, apparently!)

Vision Zero Petition screenshot 004

Save Lives Not Dollars: Urge DOT to Adopt a Vision Zero Policy

“U.S. can do better than simply adopt Canada’s rear underride guard standard” IIHS Status Report

The Insurance Institute on Highway Safety issued their latest Status Report last week, including the article, “U.S. can do better than simply adopt Canada’s rear underride guard standard.”

A proposed upgrade to rear underride guard regulations for tractor-trailers is a move in the right direction but isn’t comprehensive enough to deliver the safety gains IIHS outlined in a 2011 petition for rulemaking, especially when it comes to preventing underride in offset crashes. . .

Thank you, IIHS, for your ongoing involvement in underride protection.

Trip North May 2015 153

Mary & AnnaLeah would have been sad today at the loss of a family pet.

Our son and daughter-in-law lost a beloved pet today. After having lost another one earlier this week. Mary and AnnaLeah would have been sad at their loss.

Here is a video of Mary with another one of their dogs (I apologize if you cannot access this link, as Facebook currently has our Memorial Page UNPUBLISHED): Mary & Django

Minolta DSC
Mary & AnnaLeah taking their brother & sister-in-law’s dogs for a walk. Family vacation, 2008

Less than 400 signatures needed to reach 20,000 on our Vision Zero Petition. Washington: March 4

Save Lives Not Dollars: Urge DOT to Adopt a Vision Zero Policy Help us take 20,000 signatures to Washington on March 4. Less than 400 to go!

The AnnaLeah & Mary Memorial Facebook Page got Unpublished last night because someone flagged it for inappropriate content due to Community Guidelines. I had just posted this same call to action–only with a crash scene photo which I have posted countless times before.

No explanation of what post or what the supposed violation consisted of and no way to ask any questions for clarification. Just a button to click: APPEAL.

This is what the Facebook Notification message said:

 Your page has been unpublished
Your Page is currently not visible on Facebook. It looks like content posted on your Page doesn’t follow the Facebook Terms and Community Standards, so your Page was unpublished. These Terms and Standards help ensure Facebook remains a welcoming, respectful environment.
We work hard to prevent actions that compromise people’s privacy or security on Facebook, including contacting people for commercial purposes without their consent.
If you think your Page was unpublished in error, you can appeal. Before you appeal, we suggest removing any violating content from your Page. Please keep in mind that if your appeal is denied, your Page will be permanently deleted.
You appealed this decision Yesterday at 11:44pm

Facebook Community Guidelines: https://www.facebook.com/communitystandards

I’m waiting to hear if my Appeal will overturn that decision. Please pray that it get resolved quickly so that I will be able to post updates on that page when we take the Petition to Washington on March 4.

Meanwhile, please share this post and sign our Vision Zero Petition if you have not already done so. In memory of Mary & AnnaLeah. Thank you: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/…/save-lives-not-dollars-ur…/

Speak out for AnnaLeah & Mary

 

Innovation to Make Highway Work Zones Safer

RoadQuake 2™ Temporary Portable Rumble Strip: Road Safety Reinvented!

 

RoadQuake 2 Alerts Drivers to Changing Road Conditions

Where daily installation and removal of the work zone is required for:

  • Pilot car or flagging operations
  • Lane closures
  • Traffic safety check-points
  • Routine maintenance projects
  • Paving operations

For speed limits of 75 mph or less, and temperatures from 0° to 180° F.

gertie 2946

The best kind of preparation for going to Washington to speak up for vulnerable road users. . .

I have heard this encouragement four different times now this week, through different means: Be strong and courageous.

I needed to hear that. Especially because I have had some hard days of missing AnnaLeah and Mary, at the same time that the task feels overwhelming.

One of the times was just tonight when I searched for a facebook post with a photo of a drawing which Isaac made of Mary at Lake Michigan. I haven’t found it yet. But I did serendipitously find some good treasures recorded in our Journey through Grief Page. They were the best kind of encouragement as we prepare to go to Washington next week.

September 14, 2013:

September 13, 2013:

Here am I, send me!  https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.511293028953216.1073741899.464993830249803&type=1

September 20, 2013:

My what a lot we have learned since then!

September 30, 2013:

October 3, 2013:

April 16, 2014:

8 Picture 657