Hyde v. Seattle Electric Co.
Hyde v. Seattle Electric Co.
Opinion of the Court
This is an action for personal injuries received upon the Madison street cable line in the city of Seattle. The testimony is undisputed. The court, after the testimony of the plaintiffs was in, sustained a motion for non-suit on the part of the defendant. The facts briefly are, in substance, as follows: The plaintiff Frank R. Hyde was riding on the Madison street cable line. The car upon which he rode consisted of a closed portion in the rear and an open portion in front, and had longitudinal seats in the open portion, the method' of getting on the car in the open portion being by stepping on a running board or first step, and if the passenger desired to go further and opportunity offered, to step from the running board onto the second step or deck of the car.
At the time of, and some time prior to the time when, the injury occurred, Madison street from Fourth avenue to Second avenue was being regraded, and dirt was being removed from the street and adjacent property by teams which came out of the excavations at the side of the tracks and down Madison street on the north side from Third avenue to Second avenue. The plaintiff Hyde testified that, as the car
It is contended by the appellants that the court erred in granting the motion for nonsuit and rendering judgment for the respondent; that a case was made which should have been submitted to the jury on the two main propositions, viz., whether there was any negligence on the part of the company, and whether there was contributory negligence on the part of the appellant Frank R. Hyde.
Appellants rely very strongly on the two cases of Weir v. Seattle Elec. Co., 41 Wash. 657, 84 Pac. 597, and Ranous v. Seattle Elec. Co., 47 Wash. 544, 92 Pac. 382. Reference to those cases convinces us that they have no bearing on the principles of law involved in this case. In the Weir case the plaintiff, relying upon the signal to stop at the place of his destination, took his position on the lower step with his hand on the extension ready to alight, while the car was
It would be a harsh rule to announce that a street car company would be responsible for any damages that might be sustained by a passenger, by reason of a vehicle coming in contact with the car. The car traveling on a fixed track has a right to presume that its right of way will be respected. Of course, this is aside from the question of the duty of the street car company to protect its passengers when danger from contact from the outside is known. But in this case the car was pursuing its way, and there was nothing to indicate that the wagon, which was traveling parallel with the car, would get any nearer to the track than it was. If danger from that source was apparent, it was just as apparent to the appellant as it was to the gripman, for appellant testifies that when he was at Third avenue, which is one block away from the place where the accident occurred, he saw and noticed the wagon. His attention having been called to the wagon at so short a distance from the scene of the accident, and knowing the condition of the street in that locality, he having testified that he had traveled on that car several times a day for a great length of time, it seems to us that the court rightly concluded that he was negligent in attempting to get pff in such close proximity to the wagon. Notwithstanding the presumption in which a passenger may indulge, that the street car company will use the highest degree of caution and care, both in protecting its passengers while upon the car and in furnishing them a safe place to alight from the car, the passenger must use some little caution himself, and will not be justified in stepping into a place of imminent and apparent
It is also contended by the appellants that the testimony shows that an inexperienced motorman was employed to operate the cars in this dangerous street, the grade here being exceedingly steep. But we think there is no testimony that would warrant this contention, or that shows any incompetency on the part of the motorman or other employees of the car company.
The judgment is affirmed.
Hadley, C. J., Root, Mount, Crow, Rudkin, and Fullerton, JJ., concur.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Frank R. Hyde v. Seattle Electric Company
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- Carriers — Injuries to Passengers — Collision with Vehicle— Contributory Negligence in Alighting — Evidence—Sueeiciency. In an action by a passenger against a street car company for damages sustained by reason of a collision with, a wagon, the plaintiff was guilty of contributory negligence, and there was no sufficient evidence of negligence on the part of the company, and a nonsuit is proper, where it appears that plaintiff was standing on the open deck of the car preparing to alight by stepping down to the running board, that he saw a wagon ahead at the crossing traveling parallel with and near to the side of the track where regrading of the street was going on, but stepped down onto the running board attempting to get off in close proximity to the wagon, the wheels of which slipped - or lurched toward the track, and collided with the running board, causing the injury. Same — Negligence of Carrier — Watchman at Crossing. In such a case it is not negligence upon the part of the company to fail to keep a watchman at the place who should have prevented the wagon from traveling so close to the track, as regards passengers alighting.