Texting Trolley Driver Is Transgendered
ABC News
By MICHELE McPHEE
BOSTON, May 11, 2009

http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=7561561&page=1

The Boston-area transit authority trolley driver who allegedly slammed into
another train while text-messaging his girlfriend Friday was hired as a minority
because of his transgendered "female-to-male" status and had three speeding
tickets on his driving record in recent years, ABC News has learned.
Aiden Quinn, 24, was
born Georgia Quinn and
boasts on an Internet networking site that he
was one of the first transgender hires by the
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.
The trolley driver lists his sexual orientation
as "FTM" and was hired as a minority using
his transgender status, two sources told
ABC News.

Texting while driving a transit trolley train. Shyeahhhh...That's real responsible

Quote from: Virginia Marie on May 11, 2009, 08:52:56 PM
Texting while driving a transit trolley train. Shyeahhhh...That's real responsible

You can tell what is important in peoples lives. He bet his life on it.

We all make mistakes.  The fact he is trans makes no difference.
But I am sure the right wing will use it against us.

Quote from: Virginia87106 on May 11, 2009, 09:53:09 PM
We all make mistakes.  The fact he is trans makes no difference.
But I am sure the right wing will use it against us.

Yeah, like we need anther media driven black eye

Quote from: lisagurl on May 11, 2009, 09:49:55 PM
You can tell what is important in peoples lives. She bet her life on it.

He. He's FtM.

Dennis

He's FtM

Only secondary.  He's an idiot.  That comes first.

Quote from: tekla on May 12, 2009, 02:32:08 AM
He's FtM

Only secondary.  He's an idiot.  That comes first.

Oh yes.

Jay

And what does his gender (or former gender) have to do with the price of tea in China? Aaargh.  He's an idiot.  Period.  That's all anyone needs to know.

Quote from: tekla on May 12, 2009, 02:32:08 AM
He's FtM

Only secondary.  He's an idiot.  That comes first.

LOL 

K that was funny.

I do agree that the Trans status should not matter. I'm afraid Virginia87106 is right though. It will matter. It will probably be a while before there are anymore out Trans trolley drivers unless it's San Fran.

It does show that those of us who desire to be public about our gender history will be held to different standards than the rest of society.  It sounds like we should have all expected something like this from such a pervert.

Kristi

It matters, if (and I think it was) a matter of him getting the job over other people because of his being trans, and transpersons being under-represented in the job force, so if he got that job though some special program, or some set-aside, then it's very important, as the classic argument against affirmative action programs is that less qualified people get jobs that ought to go to someone who, at least in this case, had two brain cells to collide with each other before doing something as (will be proven I'm sure) criminal as what went on here.

I think, yep, around two brain cells should be enough, for a person gets a "set-aside" to know that they shouldn't forget that they do represent a group pretty much, at least to the employer and to the public when idiotic stuff like this gets out. A "set-aside" or an employment that may be due to an affirmative action policy certainly doesn't make anyone sacrosanct, especially when they risk the lives of others to text!!

What an idiot!

I could easily see criminal charges, the act itself is reckless endangerment just for starters.

Too bad he can't be sued for "reckless endangerment" by the Boston area transfolk.

 

The only thing he proves is that "minority" hires should NOT cause companies to hire sub-standard labour.
He had three speeding tickets, that should have alerted the transit system that the man, regardless of his trans status, was maybe not the best driver for said job.

I just think someone that age, 24 I think he is, is a bit young to be running equipment like that. Just my opinion. I live in Boston and use that train a lot...Im not to worried. I think they are finally going to take all phones from operators before they start their shift. That should work. It goes the same for anyone, anywhere driving and texting. I see it all the time. It's beyond idiotic. Hey, at least he was upfront about his actions, there IS something to be said for that. I also think the MBTA should install safeguards so trains cant crash so easily. I mean an operator could easily have a heart attack on the job, causing the same situation. Sensors in the trains could prevent these things.

There is some information that when he changed his name it covered up moving violations that would have disqualified him from holding a commercial permit.  Other people are questioning what drugs - HRT, anti-depression and the rest he might have been on.  For sure, it's added fuel to the anti-affirmative action fire.

What I don't understand is how he has not be charged with an A felony count (counts) of reckless endangerment, or reckless disregard of human life, one count for every person on board both trains. 

QuoteWhat I don't understand is how he has not be charged with an A felony count

He is dead.

Quote from: lisagurl on May 12, 2009, 05:10:45 PM
He is dead.

Then someone should inform MTBA so they can stop scheduling meetings with him and also so they'll realize they don't need to fire him this week. Also the DA's office could prolly get more value for their money trying cases and filing criminal charges against living people rather than dead ones.

QuoteQuinn did not show up for a scheduled meeting Sunday between MBTA officials and National Transportation Safety Board investigators, claiming that he was sick, Pesaturo said.

Quinn could face criminal charges.

He will be fired later this week if investigators verify that he was using his cellular phone before the crash, MBTA general manager Daniel Grabauskas said.

He was only injured, he might well wish he had been killed before this is all done and over with however.

Quote from: lisagurl on May 12, 2009, 05:10:45 PM
He is dead.

He's alive. He's got a smashed wrist.

He got a lawyer today or last night. 

If I was him, I'd go to the hearing and let them yell at me.  May as well just get it all over with.

There have been a lot of probably too young people hired for the same job.  They are looking into that.