Vehicle plows into crowd on Bourbon St., with 14 fatalities (5 Viewers)

[superchuck500]

I don't usually. should i be getting it?

I don't want to say anyone should get it - but there are some solid benefits and comfort that you get from it. I don't get it if I'm just taking flights to a city to hang out. But if my family is going somewhere with a resort stay and excursions or event tickets, etc., I get it. And I definitely get it for international travel.

For more typical domestic trips, the main benefits are only financial. So for example if your flight gets way delayed or canceled with one carrier, you have benefits that reimburse you for expenses including rebooking on another airline, a rental car, or a hotel . . . so you don't have to rely on the original airline's policy. It doesn't help you in that bind, but it gives you liberty to make arrangements knowing you'll get reimbursed. Another main area of benefits is lost luggage - or even delayed luggage. I once had bags delayed about 24 hours and we had a $500 benefit to go buy stuff.

But internationally, you want to have a policy with strong medical evacuation coverage. So for example if you catch a bad case of Covid in Spain or break your leg skiiing in Italy, or catch malaria in Cambodia, you have the option of being evacuated to the US for your care. And most policies actually have coverage for treatment of injuries or conditions arising on the trip.

The policies vary and you should consider what benefits are most applicable to any given trip. And I also highly recommend not buying a policy from a carrier like an airline - they're taking a basic policy and marking it up for their cut. I always use insuremytrip.com - they con't take a fee and allow you to compare policies (they have many policies from reputable, well-known providers).

 

[Paul]

I'm sure there are many of us that have a connection to one or more of the victims - I worked with the father of Tiger Bech, the young man from Lafayette who played football at STM and Princeton - I knew him as a toddler. My college kid was uptown and fortunately declined an invite to go to Rick's at 2:45am - several buddies of his (U. of Alabama DEKEs) ended up sheltering in place at the strip joint and were finally ushered out by law enforcement who told them "eyes forward do not look around" - of course they all did and saw all the carnage. Just a horrific event. I don't even know how to thinkg about it yet.

My son, 21, and his buddies also declined an invite to that area. They were on Magazine St. most of the evening and he decided to head back to his apartment in Baton Rouge around 2:00 am. instead of going to the FQ. He called me to talk on his way home which he typically does when it’s very late and he was telling me about running into his ex and that she was the one who invited him to Bourbon. Thankfully, he somehow convinced her and her girlfriends to also make their way back to Baton Rouge (they’re all LSU students).

When I woke up to this news yesterday, I was filled with gratefulness and extreme sadness at the same time. My son knows a couple of the victims and his mom and I will be flying down tonight to spend some time with him. This is awful and I’m sick of all the hatred and pointless loss of life. Sickening.

 

[Saint_Ward]

New Orleans attack updates: Suspect 'inspired by ISIS,' was military veteran

Fifteen people were killed and dozens injured when a pickup truck plowed into a crowd on Bourbon Street in New Orleans.

abcnews.go.com

Dunno if he was radicalized or just inspired by ISIS type attacks. They briefly mention him being angry about his divorce and wanting to kill that family. Then I guess he projected that rage outwards.

Regarding barriers. The fact they weren't in use due to upgrades really doesn't seem to factor. The sidewalks would still be vulnerable, I believe (unless I'm missing something about the design). But, I think moving forward, the Quarter should absolutely put barriers at the curbs/sidewalk.

 

[CapitalCitySaint]

Any time I see those press conferences no one ever looks very excited to be there so I just always assumed they were doing it because they all have to make a statement for their departments and drew the short straw. They all do it at the same time so they don't have to have 15 press conferences. That's always been my assumption.

I suppose that makes sense but just seems like it would have been better for each to just get up there, give a brief statement to include condolences, how their office will remain involved/apprised of anything and then yield to let the FBI - who is leading the investigation to field questions. That presser went off the rails and they should all be embarrassed. LaToya did an alright job and seems to be more articulate than the others but even she was doing her puppetry.

 

[Rickboy]

Yesterday, I saw several mentions of possible accomplices. Any updates on that?

 

[Saint_Ward]

Yesterday, I saw several mentions of possible accomplices. Any updates on that?

No. Just that the FBI doesn't believe he worked alone and they are chasing that down.

 

[GrandAdmiral]

I just read AMEX sample policy- they cover it. So for those who booked travel with/thru AMEX, and bought ( or had complimentary coverage using AMEX card ) they would have coverage if had to cancel. So long as the incident took place AFTER coverage eff date ( im assuming original travel date )

This is why I always book my trips with my AMEX.

 

[GrandAdmiral]

Yesterday, I saw several mentions of possible accomplices. Any updates on that?

There was a story about three men and a woman they were looking for here, but CNN reported last night that they were cleared and no longer PoI.

 

[Mr. Sparkle]

My son, 21, and his buddies also declined an invite to that area. They were on Magazine St. most of the evening and he decided to head back to his apartment in Baton Rouge around 2:00 am. instead of going to the FQ. He called me to talk on his way home which he typically does when it’s very late and he was telling me about running into his ex and that she was the one who invited him to Bourbon. Thankfully, he somehow convinced her and her girlfriends to also make their way back to Baton Rouge (they’re all LSU students).

When I woke up to this news yesterday, I was filled with gratefulness and extreme sadness at the same time. My son knows a couple of the victims and his mom and I will be flying down tonight to spend some time with him. This is awful and I’m sick of all the hatred and pointless loss of life. Sickening.

I generally hate the internet era for a lot of reasons, but I was incredibly grateful to be able to track my 20 and 22 year olds at 4am when my phone started blowing up with mass casualty alerts.

 

[DCSaints_Fan]

I suppose that makes sense but just seems like it would have been better for each to just get up there, give a brief statement to include condolences, how their office will remain involved/apprised of anything and then yield to let the FBI - who is leading the investigation to field questions. That presser went off the rails and they should all be embarrassed. LaToya did an alright job and seems to be more articulate than the others but even she was doing her puppetry.

Politicians will rarely turn down face time on a camera, if they think they can use it to their advantage

Kennedy in particular is a major grandstander - "raise fresh hell"

 

[CapitalCitySaint]

the FBI says there are likely more suspects at large but has no description or other information

We're doing great.

What I'm reading is that he left the IED's in the coolers in the various places and people unknowingly moved them or were interacting with the coolers in some way but it has been determined that they are not associated with the terrorist.

 

[guidomerkinsrules]

Also - our vacuum of leadership at every level really shows after catastrophes like this - our AG says don't play the Sugar Bowl yet, our governor says Play Ball, our Mayor was spotted at Houston's bar 30 minutes after the press conference, our Senator hints at a larger plot but no details, the FBI says there are likely more suspects at large but has no description or other information, and we have no definitive statement as whether there are any more IEDs. And then a 3 minute mumble from POTUS with no information and no questions.

We're doing great.

Is now the time to remind you where our state ranks in just about every important metric in the country?

 

[efil4stnias]

This is why I always book my trips with my AMEX.

Rental cars too. Learned this in Geneva upon returning a rental that i had hit a cone and scratched. Dude at counter was like " oh you booked thru your AMEX- all good"

im like " huh?" - he said your AMEX provides up to a certain limit of Physical Damage ( i think its 50,000/75,000 depending on card type ) when you book with AMEX so they will cover. I didnt have to do a darn thing. Got on flight and it was taken care of.

wild.

 

[Tater]

Hope this went through

 

[guidomerkinsrules]

Regarding barriers. The fact they weren't in use due to upgrades really doesn't seem to factor. The sidewalks would still be vulnerable, I believe (unless I'm missing something about the design). But, I think moving forward, the Quarter should absolutely put barriers at the curbs/sidewalk.

he went on sidewalk at first (going around squad car), but he had 3 blocks of unobstructed driving correct?
and while i'm certainly in the camp to make (most of) The Quarter a pedestrian zone, not sure I want bollards on the sidewalk as well - for whatever reason that feels like it creates more problems than it solves