chacal,
Dude, you woke me up. For a minute everybody sounded the same. You were pretty to the point.
Here's my version- which will sound much the same, but a little longer. I'm a bit long-winded, guys, sorry.
I had an incident where I was reversing out of my parking spot leaving the bank. I was looking backward, one hand on the wheel & the other on the back of my headrest (as the father of the deceased child's hands should have been). I always back out slowly, this time exceptionally slowly because I was parked between 2 SUVs & I drive a '98 Nissan Maxima- I couldn't see out any windows except the front & rear ones. Out of nowhere a car tears thru the parking lot- had 2 have been doing 40+ & I hit him. He's speeding, but I get a ticket! My first thought is "He had 2 see me backing up. There's nothing wrong with my reverse lights- Nissans don't have problems. A police car was nearby & swiftly approaching. 2 my dismay the policeman hadn't caught him speeding & must have heard the collision from the other side of the street where he was coming from. When I told the cop about this guy speeding, the guy I hit (teenager in a 1970's something) was silent & looking @ the ground. He even looked guilty. The cop was like,"I didn't have my radar on him- sorry." I got a ticket AND my insurance went up!!! I live in Oklahoma & by law, I wouldn't have won that one with OJ's lawyer. I had 2 fork over the money 2.
I learned a lesson that everyone has since started copying- I park backwards everywhere I go. The bank, the mall, the library, Wal-Mart- everywhere- beats some little camera any day! My brothers neighbors have started doing it, @ 1st my parents thought I was trying 2 sport my ride. I told them why I do it. They drive a Honda Odyssey & now they're doing it. It's just safer, yeah & it looks cool too!
I also have a daughter, she'll be 5 in may. I have a $1.5k DVD player in the dash that I bought separately 4 long trips- we've got family all over. My Nissan can handle the miles & everybody likes the movies. Anyway, it has a camera option a little over $300. The salesman of course tried 2 sell me on it. Didn't cost much compared 2 the DVD player itself, but the camera's worthless, just like that picture we saw earlier for the Q45's camera. Absolutely worthless- a dumb idea in my opinion. "If I can't see the whole back end of my car, I'm not paying the full price for the camera." I told the guy & he laughed because he knew it was a piece of crap too! He was doing his job trying 2 earn a little more commission- just like whatever Nissan designer was when he came up with the idea. The cameras just don't compare 2 a windshield view. You can't see below the bottom of the rear bumper with those things & that's where the little kids are. Maybe if they were COMPLETELY EXTERNAL & had some sort of tilt or rotational option, like a bending antenna with a camera @ the end- similar 2 the existing radio antennas on cars 2day, I would have considered it. That's the only way one would be able 2 see the entire rear of their vehicle. I don't know if the one on the Q45 had that option, but regardless they're wasting their money on this court case!
If they don't have any other children (*& nowadays, even if they do) the father is very likely 2 end up with a divorce on his hands. His wife may even sue him for running over the daughter, because she's got something 2 prove 2 not only herself, but now that this thing is public, probably everybody else 2. She- #1 doesn't want 2 feel responsible 4 her daughter's death & #2 the case is of course going 2 b a costly shot in the dark!
"Dad" on the other hand, knows he's responsible & will probably end up having 2 pay for both cases after the lawyer's through, child support on whatever other kids he had with her that he forgot 2 run over, plus alimony & the list goes on & on- but he'll probably handle his business with the shotgun before she gets any money out of him. Afterall, he has REAL balls. I know I wouldn't have sued.
Now I do feel this guys pain. Like I said, I've got a daughter, but no sympathy here. It was his fault & they both know it. They could have bought the crappy camera, but it wouldn't have helped anyway. I've done stupid stuff too in my lifetime, but I ALWAYS know where my little girl is. I may have trouble keeping up with her when she's a teen, but not now.
What should Nissan do? Go to court, fight, win, give 'em a free camera & let the healing begin.
I made light of this incident a few times, because this IS hard 2 write about. It really happened, it's not a story, but FACT IS, it's not Nissan's fault. My prayers are with the family. My mother died 2 days before Christmas after a long battle with cancer. So I know what a loss feels like, but step 1 on the road 2 recovery is acceptance. The little girl is gone. Treasure her memory "yes", blame others for her loss "no".
***May God help them 2 find peace & healing between their own personal relationship & that of their family & friends. Losing family is NEVER an easy test.