Life Jackets on Gondolas in Venice?
Feb 19th, 2004, 05:55 AM
#21
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NYCFS: I remember seeing the article about the capsized traghetto in Buongiorno Venezia. If I remember correctly it was felt the accident was caused by the boat being overloaded with too many passengers.
Will be interested in what you are able to find out.
Will be interested in what you are able to find out.
Feb 19th, 2004, 06:09 AM
#23
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regarding Venice and sewers, I could be wrong, but I've read elsewhere to the contrary. Perhaps "sewage treatment" is an overly optimistic term for me to use. But there are canals in Venice, and there are sewers (many of which unfortunately empty into canals or the lagoon), but they are not one and the same.
http://europeforvisitors.com/venice/...out_venice.htm
http://www.airvac.com/news.htm
http://www.dhi.dk/softcon/papers/042/042/042.htm
http://europeforvisitors.com/venice/...out_venice.htm
http://www.airvac.com/news.htm
http://www.dhi.dk/softcon/papers/042/042/042.htm
Feb 19th, 2004, 06:48 AM
#24
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Thank you, Giovanna and Holly, I will research further.
The NYTimes and the International Tribune came up with nothing in their archives, which surprised me. 16 passengers capsizing in Venice this past November seems like a story that would get published extensively. Yet, nothing on Google or Yahoo.
Elaine, there is tremendous hope that Venice will create a sewage system in tandem with the creation of Moses Gates. Many researchers are working on this issue and Airvac is just one company that has been able to achieve a little success (very little).
All of Venice's sewage is currently dumped into the canals and these are flushed (for lack of a better term) twice daily into the Adriatic Sea. This is just one reason why the Moses Gates project is so controversial. There is considerable fear of what might occur if you stop the constant circulation of canal water, even for just a few hours. It's a fascinating subject.
The NYTimes and the International Tribune came up with nothing in their archives, which surprised me. 16 passengers capsizing in Venice this past November seems like a story that would get published extensively. Yet, nothing on Google or Yahoo.
Elaine, there is tremendous hope that Venice will create a sewage system in tandem with the creation of Moses Gates. Many researchers are working on this issue and Airvac is just one company that has been able to achieve a little success (very little).
All of Venice's sewage is currently dumped into the canals and these are flushed (for lack of a better term) twice daily into the Adriatic Sea. This is just one reason why the Moses Gates project is so controversial. There is considerable fear of what might occur if you stop the constant circulation of canal water, even for just a few hours. It's a fascinating subject.
Feb 19th, 2004, 06:57 AM
#25
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There may be life jackets stored on vaporetti - but the passengers certainly don't wear them - and by the time they could be found, handed out and put on by a boat full of people - I'm sure the boat would have reached shore.
Feb 19th, 2004, 07:24 AM
#27
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For what it's worth, we did see someone wind up in the water at the beginning of January. Brrrrr. Cold!
Not sure what happened. We were walking in a somewhat remote area, and we heard a commotion up ahead on a canal bank. An older woman was in the water struggling to get out, and some people were helping to pull her out.
Looked like she walked down one of the canal stairways (which I would assume are used to access private boats) and fell in. A restaurant/pub was nearby, so we assumed she was drunk.
Moral of the story - boats in Venice are very safe. Foolish people, though, can be dangerous.
Not sure what happened. We were walking in a somewhat remote area, and we heard a commotion up ahead on a canal bank. An older woman was in the water struggling to get out, and some people were helping to pull her out.
Looked like she walked down one of the canal stairways (which I would assume are used to access private boats) and fell in. A restaurant/pub was nearby, so we assumed she was drunk.
Moral of the story - boats in Venice are very safe. Foolish people, though, can be dangerous.
Feb 19th, 2004, 07:48 AM
#28
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Why would 16 passengers capsizing in Venice make the paper in New York? No one said there were injuries did they?
Would the evacuation of 16 people from an office building in Vienna - - due to a fire - - be expected to make the New York Times? If no one was injured?
Would the evacuation of 16 people from an office building in Vienna - - due to a fire - - be expected to make the New York Times? If no one was injured?
Feb 19th, 2004, 07:56 AM
#30
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Maybe, maybe not. In our town of Westerville, Ohio there was big coverage when candidate Bush came to our kids' high school. But then he came to the other two high schools in Westerville subsequently. Yawn.
Newsworthy depends on slow news days.
Newsworthy depends on slow news days.
Feb 19th, 2004, 08:45 AM
#31
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In the Dorsodoro area we watched either a drunken or a handicapped man (we couldn't tell from the distance) fall into the deep canal and pull his dog in with him. I didn't get to see what happened because we were on a vaparetto going the other way. It has worried me ever since.
Feb 19th, 2004, 09:13 AM
#32
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Oh Rex, puhleeeze. You're not that naive in Ohio.
Evacuating 16 people from an office building on fire in Vienna can hardly compare to 16 being capsized in the Grand Canal of Venice. Fires are far more common than gondolas capsizing with a boatload full in Venice. This is just the kind of item one might find on pages 2-3 of the NY Times Travel section or, especially their website.
Ira is right, I doubt CNN would ever pass on an item like this. Venice is a hot topic these days and every tourist (and writer) who visits this city can imagine themselves falling into the Grand Canal in absolute horror. Since when does someone have to get hurt to make the news?
Traghettos travel on the GC only and the GC averages a depth of 9 feet but can go as deep as 13 feet near the Rialto. The smaller canals range from 3-5 feet deep.
zootsi may think it's funny but doctors insist you can drown with just a teaspoon of water. Here's some interesting reading:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydispl...ondsubsection=
...and happy drinking and swimming everyone.
Evacuating 16 people from an office building on fire in Vienna can hardly compare to 16 being capsized in the Grand Canal of Venice. Fires are far more common than gondolas capsizing with a boatload full in Venice. This is just the kind of item one might find on pages 2-3 of the NY Times Travel section or, especially their website.
Ira is right, I doubt CNN would ever pass on an item like this. Venice is a hot topic these days and every tourist (and writer) who visits this city can imagine themselves falling into the Grand Canal in absolute horror. Since when does someone have to get hurt to make the news?
Traghettos travel on the GC only and the GC averages a depth of 9 feet but can go as deep as 13 feet near the Rialto. The smaller canals range from 3-5 feet deep.
zootsi may think it's funny but doctors insist you can drown with just a teaspoon of water. Here's some interesting reading:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydispl...ondsubsection=
...and happy drinking and swimming everyone.
Feb 19th, 2004, 09:22 AM
#34
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Okay, call me naive, but I would still submit that we have no idea how common or rare it is for folks to end up in the water while using public transportation in Venice. I also have no idea how common fires in Vienna are. How would I?
Feb 19th, 2004, 09:29 AM
#35
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Okay - - case in point - - a story in Corriere della Sera involving a gondola and 12 passengers; had to be evacuated; two minor injuries - - http://www.corriere.it/Primo_Piano/C.../gondola.shtml
This made news outside of Italy where?
This made news outside of Italy where?
Feb 19th, 2004, 10:04 AM
#36
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Good morning, I am sure it must have happened because that part of the family dwells on disaster news, they will pick out the tiniest article and talk about it like it happens every day.
My cousin is an adult, but really belongs in the Victorian Era, she is naive and just now starting to peck out of her shell. This is why I want to encourage her but not at my own (expensive) expense (she is deathly afraid of water after near drowning in a lake). She thinks you exit your hotel and have to tiptoe around deep canals in the dark (I don't want to come back after dinner so she won't fall in).
I have no idea what the canals are like so excuse my question - to me it isn't silly.
Even on this thread where you are all experienced travelers there is no certain knowledge if life jackets are provided in an emergency (thanks for checking the internet, I will read the articles now).
Thanks again all of you, and keep me updated!
My cousin is an adult, but really belongs in the Victorian Era, she is naive and just now starting to peck out of her shell. This is why I want to encourage her but not at my own (expensive) expense (she is deathly afraid of water after near drowning in a lake). She thinks you exit your hotel and have to tiptoe around deep canals in the dark (I don't want to come back after dinner so she won't fall in).
I have no idea what the canals are like so excuse my question - to me it isn't silly.
Even on this thread where you are all experienced travelers there is no certain knowledge if life jackets are provided in an emergency (thanks for checking the internet, I will read the articles now).
Thanks again all of you, and keep me updated!
Feb 19th, 2004, 10:10 AM
#37
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Hi faith,
Venice has real streets, just like in the US. In some cases, there is a canal instead of a road between the streets.
Sometimes the street has a bridge going over the canal.
It is not easy to fall into a canal, even at night.
Venice has real streets, just like in the US. In some cases, there is a canal instead of a road between the streets.
Sometimes the street has a bridge going over the canal.
It is not easy to fall into a canal, even at night.
Feb 19th, 2004, 11:08 AM
#38
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You would really have to work at it to fall into the water. Most streets are not along canals. Streets along canals that tourists would wander about on are wide enough that there is essentially no danger of falling in. Getting onto and off of a vaporetto is very easy--you'd just about have to want to get into the water and make a big effort to do so.
Feb 19th, 2004, 11:32 AM
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<<Venice has real streets, just like in the US. In some cases, there is a canal instead of a road between the streets.>>
Oh, ira - - this is terribly misleading to tell a newcomer to Venice! Venice HAS NO streets on which any vehicular traffic occurs, except for a few handcarts. There are ONLY canals. Now its true, there are PEDESTRIAN "streets", some as narrow as a driveway, a few reminiscent of an outdoor mall. There are a modest number of big canals (meaning as big as a driveway, and only one GIANT canal - - the Grande Canal has (foot) bridges over it that are close to 100 yars in span, faith - - it's about as wide as a four lane highway, i.e, it's like a small river. All the canals have "sidewalks" (or pedestrian "streets" if you prefer) - - usually, but not always, on both sides of the banks. They might be as marrow as six people abreast, or as wide as 16. Along the Grande Canal, there are whole (little) restaurants at the canalside, with the tables pushed right up against the railing.
There is plenty of basis for reassuring you and your cousin, but telling you that Venice has streets, "just like in the US" is laughably misleading you!
Oh, ira - - this is terribly misleading to tell a newcomer to Venice! Venice HAS NO streets on which any vehicular traffic occurs, except for a few handcarts. There are ONLY canals. Now its true, there are PEDESTRIAN "streets", some as narrow as a driveway, a few reminiscent of an outdoor mall. There are a modest number of big canals (meaning as big as a driveway, and only one GIANT canal - - the Grande Canal has (foot) bridges over it that are close to 100 yars in span, faith - - it's about as wide as a four lane highway, i.e, it's like a small river. All the canals have "sidewalks" (or pedestrian "streets" if you prefer) - - usually, but not always, on both sides of the banks. They might be as marrow as six people abreast, or as wide as 16. Along the Grande Canal, there are whole (little) restaurants at the canalside, with the tables pushed right up against the railing.
There is plenty of basis for reassuring you and your cousin, but telling you that Venice has streets, "just like in the US" is laughably misleading you!
Feb 19th, 2004, 11:54 AM
#40
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Geez, I'm with you Rex, this strikes me as a perfectly rational question, given that in the majority of situations, the rule is: nonswimmer + boat = life jacket.
As for the amusing, I suggest this as alternative: if a tree falls in a forest and the NYTimes doesn't report on it, did it make a sound?
As for the amusing, I suggest this as alternative: if a tree falls in a forest and the NYTimes doesn't report on it, did it make a sound?
