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06-21-2019, 03:47 PM   #1
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Landscape Photographer Dale Sharpe killed in freak accident

Well-known Australian landscape photographer and Nikon ambassador Dale Sharpe was killed in a freak accident in Kansas yesterday. The profession is not without its dangers.

Landscape photographer Dale Sharpe killed in tragic accident - Australian Photography

06-21-2019, 04:32 PM   #2
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Very sad

Took shelter at the wrong spot....our 'safe' spot is opersate to theirs.

Dave
06-22-2019, 06:14 AM   #3
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Assuming the accident description is correct, it sounds like the driver wasn't paying attention. Avoiding a stalled vehicle shouldn't require leaving the road.
06-22-2019, 06:31 AM - 1 Like   #4
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We always point out when people talk about canoeing, 5x times more people die driving to the park than die in the park. But he didn't die because he was a landscape photographer. He died because of unsafe driving. I understand hitting a deer, one once jumped over my car and almost cleared it. I never saw it until it was in front of my windshield in broad day light. It can happen. I don't understand not slowing down for an object in the middle of the road.

You drive like that where I live, and eventually you're going to hit a moose, and you might die.


Last edited by normhead; 06-22-2019 at 06:37 AM.
06-22-2019, 09:00 AM   #5
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Rural highway... the driver was likely going 70+ mph.
06-22-2019, 09:07 AM   #6
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QuoteOriginally posted by BugsDogsAndSunsets Quote
Assuming the accident description is correct, it sounds like the driver wasn't paying attention. Avoiding a stalled vehicle shouldn't require leaving the road.
It didn't say what time the accident happened; he passed away around 2am. So if the accident happened after dark, it's possible the photographer wasn't able to have his emergency lights on. In total darkness, you would happen upon the scene before becoming aware of it.
06-22-2019, 09:27 AM   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by csa Quote
It didn't say what time the accident happened; he passed away around 2am. So if the accident happened after dark, it's possible the photographer wasn't able to have his emergency lights on. In total darkness, you would happen upon the scene before becoming aware of it.
Personally, I drive much slower after dark, just for that reason. It's still on the driver. It's up to the driver to drive so that he can avoid stationary objects without leaving the road. Anything less constitutes dangerous driving.

I know of way too many people here in Whitney who have either hit moose or died driving too fast on dry pavement after dark. It's a condition caused by getting used to driving unsafely be cause travel times are so long, and because of almost non-existent enforcement. There may be half million people in the park at given time, but there is never the police presence there would be in town of half a million people. The locals curse the tourists who obey the speed limit. But, truth be told, some of those folks may have saved their lives.


Last edited by normhead; 06-22-2019 at 09:33 AM.
06-22-2019, 09:48 AM - 1 Like   #8
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QuoteOriginally posted by csa Quote
It didn't say what time the accident happened; he passed away around 2am. So if the accident happened after dark, it's possible the photographer wasn't able to have his emergency lights on. In total darkness, you would happen upon the scene before becoming aware of it.
more details about the accident from a local paper

https://www.kansas.com/news/article231767398.html

At 12:32 a.m. Sharpe was driving north on K-2 when he struck a deer, disabling his vehicle, which sat in the south-bound lane.

Sharpe was standing outside his vehicle in a ditch west of the south-bound lane at mile marker K42, when an oncoming vehicle attempted to avoid Sharpe’s abandoned vehicle by driving off the road into the same ditch, hitting Sharpe, according to the report.

The oncoming driver, 45-year-old Ronald Pinkston, was not harmed.

Highway Patrol spokesman Chad Crittenden said Pinkston was driving in accordance to the law and will not be charged.

Pinkston was driving south when he saw Sharpe’s vehicle, which he perceived at the time to be an oncoming vehicle. He did not hit Sharpe’s vehicle, Crittenden said.

“It appears he was in his lane, tried to make an avoidance to get out of the way for a potentially on-coming vehicle,” Crittenden said.

Last edited by aslyfox; 06-22-2019 at 09:54 AM.
06-22-2019, 10:54 AM   #9
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In my area, one should not walk (or ride a bike) on the shoulder of any road. Too many distracted drivers (texting, eating, smoking, talking, on drugs/alcohol, etc.). We may never know if the 45 year old driver in this accident was distracted or not.

In fact, for the last few years, Amish area residents have been killed driving their horse drawn buggies at an alarming rate. In fact, it got so bad that I heard rumors recently the hundreds of Amish around here packed up and moved to a more secluded area in another state, I assume that they moved in order to stop the horrible carnage.


Here in northern Wisconsin USA we have a high concentration of deer. You can't drive more than a couple of miles without seeing the dead remains of one that was hit by a car on the side of the road. On any given night while driving rural roads around here I'll see anywhere from 4 - 10 deer. While driving at night in deer country, the following techniques have helped me avoid hitting deer over these many years:

1. Slow down.
2. Keep your eyes moving from side to side, constantly scanning for any movement in the ditch/shoulder.
3. Deer travel in family groups. If one deer crosses the road in front of you, slow way down, there will likely be others following that first deer.
4. Travel with one hand on the horn, and the other on the high beam switch. Why? A deer will "freeze" when it sees oncoming headlights. If you see a deer in front of you, simultaneously: slow down, flash from high to low beam, and sound your horn. This practice has saved me from hitting a deer hundreds of times.

I don't believe Australia has deer, so the photographer who was killed may not be aware of these procedures. I'm wondering, are Kangaroos a similar exposure in Australia?
06-22-2019, 10:56 AM   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by normhead Quote
Personally, I drive much slower after dark,
I am with you on that one 100%.

On my last Boston to Vegas trip, I decided to go north and go through Denver. The last portion of the trip goes through Utah. I ended up driving at night with an allowed speed limit of 80mph in parts of Utah. Plenty of cars zoomed by me at 80 or even 90mph but I slowed down to 60-65 because of the deer signs on the road. I have never seen so many watch out for deer signs in my entire life. It was pitch dark and all I could see was a deer crossing sign every few mile with plenty of blood stains on the road in between the signs. I got the message. They have been a lot of hits. Once I saw the first of the blood marks on the road, I slowed down. I knew I could not react fast enough if a deer jumped out of the woods and that my little Honda Fit was going to be destroyed if it hit anything at 80mph.

Since we are on the subject, another quick story. One of our gym instructors in Boston area did not show up to work for a few days. I was curious as to what had happened to him. He ended up coming in a week or so later with a neck brace. Given that the guy is a former special forces member with a neck twice as thick as my thighs!, I was curious what could have put him in a neck brace. Come to find out on a trip to Canada, going through northern Maine, he had hit a moose head on. The car was totaled sending him and his wife to the hospital. They were lucky they came out of it alive.

---------- Post added 06-22-19 at 10:58 AM ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by Paul the Sunman Quote
Landscape Photographer Dale Sharpe killed in freak accident
Sad. What a senseless way to go.

Last edited by btnapa; 06-22-2019 at 02:21 PM. Reason: Typo
06-22-2019, 11:12 AM   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by aslyfox Quote
more details about the accident from a local paper

https://www.kansas.com/news/article231767398.html

At 12:32 a.m. Sharpe was driving north on K-2 when he struck a deer, disabling his vehicle, which sat in the south-bound lane.

Sharpe was standing outside his vehicle in a ditch west of the south-bound lane at mile marker K42, when an oncoming vehicle attempted to avoid Sharpe’s abandoned vehicle by driving off the road into the same ditch, hitting Sharpe, according to the report.

The oncoming driver, 45-year-old Ronald Pinkston, was not harmed.

Highway Patrol spokesman Chad Crittenden said Pinkston was driving in accordance to the law and will not be charged.

Pinkston was driving south when he saw Sharpe’s vehicle, which he perceived at the time to be an oncoming vehicle. He did not hit Sharpe’s vehicle, Crittenden said.

“It appears he was in his lane, tried to make an avoidance to get out of the way for a potentially on-coming vehicle,” Crittenden said.
I doubt he'd be so lucky around here.

A lot of the time backwater police are almost as bad as backwater residents.
06-22-2019, 05:04 PM - 1 Like   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by Fenwoodian Quote

I don't believe Australia has deer, so the photographer who was killed may not be aware of these procedures. I'm wondering, are Kangaroos a similar exposure in Australia?
I've seen a claim that one in five crashes in rural areas involve an animal.

Kangaroos are common. You can even buy so-called 'roo bars' as an extra layer of protection for the front of your 4wd.

Where funding is available, the fences next to freeways are extra high ... because they're jumpers!

There are escaped/wild deer in some parts of the southern states. Like rabbits and foxes, they were imported for hunting.



06-22-2019, 05:33 PM - 1 Like   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by Fenwoodian Quote
.
In my area, one should not walk (or ride a bike) on the shoulder of any road. Too many distracted drivers (texting, eating, smoking, talking, on drugs/alcohol, etc.). We may never know if the 45 year old driver in this accident was distracted or not.

In fact, for the last few years, Amish area residents have been killed driving their horse drawn buggies at an alarming rate. In fact, it got so bad that I heard rumors recently the hundreds of Amish around here packed up and moved to a more secluded area in another state, I assume that they moved in order to stop the horrible carnage.


Here in northern Wisconsin USA we have a high concentration of deer. You can't drive more than a couple of miles without seeing the dead remains of one that was hit by a car on the side of the road. On any given night while driving rural roads around here I'll see anywhere from 4 - 10 deer. While driving at night in deer country, the following techniques have helped me avoid hitting deer over these many years:

1. Slow down.
2. Keep your eyes moving from side to side, constantly scanning for any movement in the ditch/shoulder.
3. Deer travel in family groups. If one deer crosses the road in front of you, slow way down, there will likely be others following that first deer.
4. Travel with one hand on the horn, and the other on the high beam switch. Why? A deer will "freeze" when it sees oncoming headlights. If you see a deer in front of you, simultaneously: slow down, flash from high to low beam, and sound your horn. This practice has saved me from hitting a deer hundreds of times.

I don't believe Australia has deer, so the photographer who was killed may not be aware of these procedures. I'm wondering, are Kangaroos a similar exposure in Australia?
Hi Fenwoodian

Where I live we are blessed with kangaroos and deer with also sheep cows and horses on or crossing the road. So yes slow down and drive to the conditions.
I have had many close calls with roos and deer. Dawn and dusk are the more worrying times .Roos think your high beam light are a heat source.Where practical I drive with low beam through the local hills and slow down of course Hit one ? touch wood not yet.

Dave
06-23-2019, 09:18 AM - 1 Like   #14
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QuoteOriginally posted by aslyfox Quote
more details about the accident from a local paper

https://www.kansas.com/news/article231767398.html

At 12:32 a.m. Sharpe was driving north on K-2 when he struck a deer, disabling his vehicle, which sat in the south-bound lane.

Sharpe was standing outside his vehicle in a ditch west of the south-bound lane at mile marker K42, when an oncoming vehicle attempted to avoid Sharpe’s abandoned vehicle by driving off the road into the same ditch, hitting Sharpe, according to the report.

The oncoming driver, 45-year-old Ronald Pinkston, was not harmed.

Highway Patrol spokesman Chad Crittenden said Pinkston was driving in accordance to the law and will not be charged.

Pinkston was driving south when he saw Sharpe’s vehicle, which he perceived at the time to be an oncoming vehicle. He did not hit Sharpe’s vehicle, Crittenden said.

“It appears he was in his lane, tried to make an avoidance to get out of the way for a potentially on-coming vehicle,” Crittenden said.
Those last 2 paragraphs you bolded does make it seem like Pinkston (the other driver) feared a head-on crash with Sharpe's (the victim) disabled car. Seeing the front of a car on his side of the road likely made Pinkston think of an approaching wrong-way driver. If I was in that situation, I would probably swerve right(*) while braking before my brain has time to process how quickly that car is approaching. Moving right might put me off pavement but that's likely better than a head-on collision.

Even if Sharpe was driving at a safe speed to stop for an animal darting across the road or a stalled car, an illusion of a car driving towards him would make him think that there wasn't time to stop. He was probably already swerved to the right off the pavement before his brain had time to process the full situation.

I'm assuming that Sharpe's lights were disabled in the initial crash. If lights were on then Sharpe would have had more warning time.

(*) Swerving to my left (assuming countries like USA and Canada where we drive on right) is bad because an oncoming drowsy or drunk driver is likely to swerve back to their side of the road.
06-23-2019, 09:39 AM - 1 Like   #15
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QuoteOriginally posted by DeadJohn Quote
Those last 2 paragraphs you bolded does make it seem like Pinkston (the other driver) feared a head-on crash with Sharpe's (the victim) disabled car. Seeing the front of a car on his side of the road likely made Pinkston think of an approaching wrong-way driver. If I was in that situation, I would probably swerve . . .
we have no idea of the terrain where the incident happened -

was there a hill, a curve affecting the view of the other driver

what was the shape of the ditch and did that have any part in the death

________________________________

all we know for sure is that a man lost his life and that has affected others

including the driver of the other vehicle who might go through his life questioning the decision he made and whether he should have done something different
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