New Jaahnavi Kandula video broadcast by King 5

 Today's #JaahnaviKandula news item and partly repetitive rant with bonus based on some of the Twitter / X comments.

First the Twitter /X reference to the King 5 news story and other resources including an infographic on the Seattle DOT web site about likelihood of ped survival if struck by a vehicle going at different speeds. Short version: at 70 mph, odds of survival are almost ZERO

The officer was traveling at 74 miles per hour in a 25 mph zone just before his police cruiser hit Jaahnavi Kandula in January. https://t.co/yva4fwdWN2

— KING 5 News (@KING5Seattle) September 30, 2023

Repeating, slightly restating points RantWoman ranted in various comments.

1. PLEASE don't tell RantWoman or anyone else that it is normal procedure to be driving at 60-74 mph on a city street at night on the way to a call about a suspected OD. RantWoman REALLY wants to know more about this part of the situation.

2. RantWoman heard TWO siren chirps on the video, one at the beginning of the video and one VERY short one just before #JaahnaviKandula appeared in the crosswalk. RantWoman has less idea than ever how ANYONE would have been able to tell the chirp was coming from a speeding police vehicle. Dear @SeattlePD, Y'all have sirens. You NEED TO use them better, ALL THE TIME.

3. Honestly, from the video, RantWoman can barely tell whether the officer's lights were flashing. RantWoman does not disbelieve statements that the lights were on but given all the other lights flashing from multiple directions, RantWoman thinks even someone with more normal vision than RantWoman's would not necessarily have been able to tell there was an oncoming police car until the moment when Officer Dave barely chirped his siren. That was when Jaahnavi started to run. 

4. There is a lot of hate in the Twitter / X comments about King 5 News mention of what Jaahnavi was wearing. With respect to the infographic mentioned above, getting hit by a vehicle travelling at 70+ mph would have been fatal no matter what she was wearing. That said, EVERYONE can reduce their risk of falling victim to #TrafficViolence when travelling at night. Wear hi-vis outerwear. Add Hi Vis elements to bags, shoes, backpacks. Ask bicycle commuters for tips. 

5. Clothing and distracted pedestrian questions like whether or not Jaahnavi had her earbuds in are fact questions. Another fact of plain physics, not " #copaganda ": drivers at night can ONLY see what is within their headlight beams. Think of it as a kind of tunnel vision.

RantWoman has no idea what would constitute #JusticeForJaahnavi . Hopefully Seattle will also learn measures that address individual errors and implement other measures to address all the safety issues turned up in this incident and Officer Auderer's conversation with SPOG President Mike Solan.