Emergency signal light
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — A Night to Remember
ranc1 — 2 years ago(June 27, 2023 12:52 PM)
Why they didn't shoot the fireworks signal onto the ship into the distance - instead of regularly shooting it up in the air?
IF the other ship is not responding, shoot them with fireworks to get their attention.
The other ship was convinced that Titanic is signaling ice bergs with signal lights.
If those signal rockets were fired in the direction of that other ship - they would understood that something is wrong with Titanic.
That is why egocentrism and herd mentality and conformism is so dangerous for human mind. Getting stuck with procedures and regulations is as much dangerous as not taking any precautions and safety procedures. -
huwdj — 2 years ago(June 27, 2023 06:11 PM)
I don't know how far away the other ship was but it was probably too far to be worth pointing a flair at. I assume from a distance it would just look like a point of light that didn't go as high as the other ones (that were fired straight up).
I have always depended on the kindness of Strangers - and the bastards let me down! -
john kenrick — 3 weeks ago(March 09, 2026 10:45 AM)
Good points, and I've never once seriously pondered the rockets issue at all; nor the distance between the
Titanic
and the other ship, a good deal smaller, but not that far away. The Captain and his men ought to have given a good deal of thought to this matter, for while it was known early on just how serious the damage to the
Titanic
was, while it taking in water at a fast rate, they still had the option of moving the ship.
They had, likely, a half-hour or, more likely an hour or more, to have changed the ship's course, which in turn would draw attention of I think it was the
Californian
. My knowledge of nautical engineering is slight, however a quick turn (as quick as possible) of the bow, and a steady turn in the
Californian
(and then, half-way there, the fireworks!) would have likely saved many more lives.
As I think about the movie, and it seems likely realistic and true to life, it's like no sooner had the ship hit the berg, nearly everyone in a position of authority on the frozen into a state of (understandable) PTSD, turned nearly wholly passive and fatalistic, aside from the admirable and heroic damage control mode they did go into, but which saved far fewer lives. As we look back on this, admittedly Monday Morning Quarterbacking (but WTF), the Captain and his chief offers could have responded differently.