Photo of ferry pilot speaking on cell phone while piloting into LIC dock
13 Feb
Gothamist reports of a passenger on the East River Ferry that took a picture of the captain while he was docking into Long Island City.
The passenger, who asked to remain anonymous, was alarmed to see the captain talking on the phone yesterday morning while “awkwardly reaching across his body with his left hand to press controls on the right side, which is cool if he was spinning vinyl, but not something I’m looking for at that particular moment.” This culminated in what the passenger describes as ”the single shittiest docking I’ve ever experienced on a ferry bar none.”
Courtesy Queens Logic
More at Gothamist.com
This is not a surprise. Who uses the ferry anyways?
47, a lot of people.
I don’t think that many people use the ferry. The point of this post is that the captains of the ferry in NYC don’t care about the safety of passengers. They might as well be drunk off of their asses.
You had to post this? Why didn’t you just tell the guy how you felt? What a pricky thing to do.
You’re right, I’m sure the guy would have been pleased as punch to be confronted about his ferry piloting ability.
I don’t understand why this is an issue. The ferry docked without incident. No one was hurt, correct? How many times have people been in a cab with the cabbie talking on his phone? That doesn’t make the news does it? While I love local blogs that give interesting updates on the latest & greatest (or not so great) neighborhood stuff, I’m sick of anonymous citizen ‘reporters’ / wantabe investigative journalists making reports on non-newsvworthy events, mountain out of a mole hill kind of stuff…. blah!
This is an issue because the captains of these boats aren’t supposed to be on the phone. Just like cab drivers, train operators and conductors, etc. They aren’t being paid to talk on the phone while working. They’re being paid to transport people safely across the river and if they are distracted because they are on the phone, they could put peoples lives at risk.
Thanks John. This isn’t a token booth clerk sleeping in an empty station. This asshole is endangering peoples’ lives and should be called-out. Refraining from talking on your cell while on duty is a major condition of his employment. He could always work elsewhere.
I agree this is an issue. This is a smaller boat but there have been various ferry disasters in NYC. The witness said the landing was rough. Who knows if another time it might lead to an accident?
Good luck on confronting employees directly who are disregarding safety rules. They should be reported and exposure in the media (including blogs) helps raise awareness.
FWIW, I think tollbooth clerks sleeping on the job are an issue too.
(How do they know the station’s empty? Ever been the only person besides the tollbooth clerk in the Van Alt station at odd hours like 9 am Sunday? You’d be glad someone was a witness. But I digress.)
If you read the full article on Gothamist, the Captain stopped using the cell phone (in which he was talking to his office) just prior to docking. The picture was taken still quite a ways off the dock. Any bump felt upon docking was more due to the fact that the currents in the East River can be extremely treacherous. Add in the wind and sail area of the ferry and you can have a hell of a time docking.
I do not approve of ferry captains using cell phones while underway…however there were probably other factors involved that caused the bump during docking.
For all of you “armchair captains” or “sea lawyers,” I would refrain from chastising someone without knowing more information on the subject.
-Capt. Nemo
We don’t need more information when there’s a photo. If he was talking to his office, then his office needs to put in a dispatch radio.
What makes a “dispatch radio” any different from a cell phone? If anything a cell phone distracts less and is quicker than a radio convo.
VHF radio comm’s often do not work along the East River, especially near the UN. If they do work, communication is often unreadable or full of static.
Once again…knowing more information before commenting is key.
1. You can’t make phone calls on a dispatch radio.
2. There’s one button to hit, as opposed to dialing a phone number.
3. There has to be some sort of radio that works on the East River because boats go through there all the time and blocking all communications would be a huge safety flaw.
Once again, knowing how a dispatch radio operates before commenting is key.
John,
There are new modern phones available today that enable the user to dial a programmed number with the touch of one button or by voice. Hence no longer requiring users to dial a number.
Yes, VHF radios sometimes work near the UN. However when USCG vessel traffic cannot be heard or communicate with vessels in the area on channel 12, they too will call the vessel cell phone if they have it on file.
It is common for vessels near the Whitestone Bridge or Corlears Hook to relay messages from other vessels in the area due to the dead zones.
Information is key.
You’re an idiot.
I get that the East River Ferry Company endorses their captains using cell phones and is willing to assume every use of same is necessary and work-related.
I don’t get why they don’t have a decent hands-free headset (and maybe a phone which can take voice commands). It just makes sense from a safety standpoint.