An account worth reading

Bonefishblues
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Re: An account worth reading

Post by Bonefishblues »

Cyril Haearn wrote:There is a big problem with driving correctly, slowing down just in case when passing a bus &c
It is abnormal behaviour and irritates normal drivers
I have been driving regularly to work again, I thought I should always signal, but signalling to turn off on the nearside is often interpreted as an invitation to overtake, a lunatic made to overtake me before a blind bend

Driving safely and carefully provokes normal drivers, the best solution for me is to drive as little as possible (plenty of other reasons for that) but then the lunatics will take over the asylum :(

I still believe the impossible, mind (remember 1989!), that the cops will start enfarcing the law and that vehicles will refuse to perform illegal actions :wink:

I think that I have commented similarly before, but if people doing lunatic things around a driver is a regular occurrence, then the driver in question should consider what might be provoking such a response, because it's not routinely the case IMHO.
Bonefishblues
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Re: An account worth reading

Post by Bonefishblues »

Cyril Haearn wrote:I really think he should not have resumed driving

Not being in a situation to harm anyone else could have helped with his psychological problems

One wonders whether he is a normal driver now, or is he especially careful?
Has he taken a course such as those for drivers caught exceeding the maximum speed limit?

OTOH everyone has the right to rehabilitate themselves and from reading his account I have a sense that he will prove to be an exceptionally careful driver.
Mike Sales
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Re: An account worth reading

Post by Mike Sales »

Bonefishblues wrote:OTOH everyone has the right to rehabilitate themselves and from reading his account I have a sense that he will prove to be an exceptionally careful driver.


You may be right, and it is plain his remorse is real.
I would feel more sure that he will not make the same mistake had he realised that you should not drive where you cannot see the road is clear.
It's the same the whole world over
It's the poor what gets the blame
It's the rich what gets the pleasure
Isn't it a blooming shame?
Cyril Haearn
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Re: An account worth reading

Post by Cyril Haearn »

Mike Sales wrote:
Bonefishblues wrote:OTOH everyone has the right to rehabilitate themselves and from reading his account I have a sense that he will prove to be an exceptionally careful driver.


You may be right, and it is plain his remorse is real.
I would feel more sure that he will not make the same mistake had he realised that you should not drive where you cannot see the road is clear.

Sorry to disagree with you Mike :wink:
Whether his remorse as described is real I cannot judge, one knows smart people say certain things in court for example

Seems to me the message is, traffic must be slowed and reduced much more

A possible goal would be halving 'accidental' deaths in a year, and the next year

400 'accidental' deaths still far too many, right?
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Wanlock Dod
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Re: An account worth reading

Post by Wanlock Dod »

Bonefishblues wrote:...I have a sense that he will prove to be an exceptionally careful driver.

What a shame that it took somebody to die first, is it too much to expect people to be exceptionally careful whenever they are in control of potentially dangerous machines?
Bonefishblues
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Re: An account worth reading

Post by Bonefishblues »

Mike Sales wrote:
Bonefishblues wrote:OTOH everyone has the right to rehabilitate themselves and from reading his account I have a sense that he will prove to be an exceptionally careful driver.


You may be right, and it is plain his remorse is real.
I would feel more sure that he will not make the same mistake had he realised that you should not drive where you cannot see the road is clear.

It's a point you have made several times. If only he had realised that he couldn't see the elderly gentleman on that fateful evening.
Mike Sales
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Re: An account worth reading

Post by Mike Sales »

Cyril Haearn wrote:Sorry to disagree with you Mike :wink:
Whether his remorse as described is real I cannot judge, one knows smart people say certain things in court for example

Seems to me the message is, traffic must be slowed and reduced much more

A possible goal would be halving 'accidental' deaths in a year, and the next year

400 'accidental' deaths still far too many, right?


Yebbut, this was not his statement in court. It was an article he did not need to write. I am prepared therefore to take his remorse at face value.
It's the same the whole world over
It's the poor what gets the blame
It's the rich what gets the pleasure
Isn't it a blooming shame?
Bonefishblues
Posts: 11010
Joined: 7 Jul 2014, 9:45pm
Location: Near Bicester Oxon

Re: An account worth reading

Post by Bonefishblues »

Wanlock Dod wrote:
Bonefishblues wrote:...I have a sense that he will prove to be an exceptionally careful driver.

What a shame that it took somebody to die first, is it too much to expect people to be exceptionally careful whenever they are in control of potentially dangerous machines?

No it isn't. Unfortunately humans sometimes operate machinery like this. 99.9999% of the time, to an acceptable level of skill, but not on this occasion.
Mike Sales
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Re: An account worth reading

Post by Mike Sales »

Bonefishblues wrote:It's a point you have made several times. If only he had realised that he couldn't see the elderly gentleman on that fateful evening.


I am prepared to go on making that point until drivers observe that paragraph of the H.C.
He did not need to realise he could not see his victim. He needed only to make sure there was nothing in his path.
I find your sarcasm repellent, in the circs.
It's the same the whole world over
It's the poor what gets the blame
It's the rich what gets the pleasure
Isn't it a blooming shame?
Mike Sales
Posts: 7883
Joined: 7 Mar 2009, 3:31pm

Re: An account worth reading

Post by Mike Sales »

Bonefishblues wrote:
Wanlock Dod wrote:
Bonefishblues wrote:...I have a sense that he will prove to be an exceptionally careful driver.

What a shame that it took somebody to die first, is it too much to expect people to be exceptionally careful whenever they are in control of potentially dangerous machines?

No it isn't. Unfortunately humans sometimes operate machinery like this. 99.9999% of the time, to an acceptable level of skill, but not on this occasion.


In most fields where human error can kill other humans a death is cause for an inquiry into how it might have happened, and for recommendations to be made as to how we can stop it happening again.
Compare deaths on the railways for instance.
If nevertheless a death occurs in similar circumstances, then a further inquiry asks why, and makes further recommendations. Look at air accident inquiries.
On the road it is just one of those unfortunate things, can't be helped, never mind. Its just the price we pay for ubiquitous motor traffic, driven by scarcely qualified amateurs.
It's the same the whole world over
It's the poor what gets the blame
It's the rich what gets the pleasure
Isn't it a blooming shame?
Bonefishblues
Posts: 11010
Joined: 7 Jul 2014, 9:45pm
Location: Near Bicester Oxon

Re: An account worth reading

Post by Bonefishblues »

Mike Sales wrote:
Bonefishblues wrote:It's a point you have made several times. If only he had realised that he couldn't see the elderly gentleman on that fateful evening.


I am prepared to go on making that point until drivers observe that paragraph of the H.C.
He did not need to realise he could not see his victim. He needed only to make sure there was nothing in his path.
I find your sarcasm repellent, in the circs.

I was making a serious point actually. Taking it as sarcasm is your choice. We know little necessary detail about the circumstances here. We know that the gentleman seems to have walked in front of another car (or do we?) We know that the incoming car flashed it's lights. We know that the author saw him too late to stop. We don't know much more, but you seem confident to assert that a contravention of the HC has occurred.

I posted the link because I thought that the account of the driver who killed was of interest, and the thread has taken a familiar path.
Bonefishblues
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Location: Near Bicester Oxon

Re: An account worth reading

Post by Bonefishblues »

Mike Sales wrote:
Bonefishblues wrote:
Wanlock Dod wrote:What a shame that it took somebody to die first, is it too much to expect people to be exceptionally careful whenever they are in control of potentially dangerous machines?

No it isn't. Unfortunately humans sometimes operate machinery like this. 99.9999% of the time, to an acceptable level of skill, but not on this occasion.


In most fields where human error can kill other humans a death is cause for an inquiry into how it might have happened, and for recommendations to be made as to how we can stop it happening again.
Compare deaths on the railways for instance.
If nevertheless a death occurs in similar circumstances, then a further inquiry asks why, and makes further recommendations. Look at air accident inquiries.
On the road it is just one of those unfortunate things, can't be helped, never mind. Its just the price we pay for ubiquitous motor traffic, driven by scarcely qualified amateurs.

What do you suggest?
Mike Sales
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Joined: 7 Mar 2009, 3:31pm

Re: An account worth reading

Post by Mike Sales »

Bonefishblues wrote:
Mike Sales wrote:
Bonefishblues wrote:It's a point you have made several times. If only he had realised that he couldn't see the elderly gentleman on that fateful evening.


I am prepared to go on making that point until drivers observe that paragraph of the H.C.
He did not need to realise he could not see his victim. He needed only to make sure there was nothing in his path.
I find your sarcasm repellent, in the circs.

I was making a serious point actually. Taking it as sarcasm is your choice. We know little necessary detail about the circumstances here. We know that the gentleman seems to have walked in front of another car (or do we?) We know that the incoming car flashed it's lights. We know that the author saw him too late to stop. We don't know much more, but you seem confident to assert that a contravention of the HC has occurred.

I posted the link because I thought that the account of the driver who killed was of interest, and the thread has taken a familiar path.


If the driver had in fact made sure that he could see the road was clear (as the H.C. advises) then he surely would not have hit the pedestrian.
"If only he had realised...etc." seems pretty much like sarcasm to me.
It's the same the whole world over
It's the poor what gets the blame
It's the rich what gets the pleasure
Isn't it a blooming shame?
Cyril Haearn
Posts: 15215
Joined: 30 Nov 2013, 11:26am

Re: An account worth reading

Post by Cyril Haearn »

I suggest enforcement enforcement and enforcement
Plus psychological tests
Traffic would be halved immediately
Entertainer, juvenile, curmudgeon, PoB, 30120
Cycling-of course, but it is far better on a Gillott
We love safety cameras, we hate bullies
Mike Sales
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Joined: 7 Mar 2009, 3:31pm

Re: An account worth reading

Post by Mike Sales »

Bonefishblues wrote:What do you suggest?


That is a very open ended question, as you must know.
I would suggest a serious attempt to enforce traffic law as a beginning. The amount of lawbreaking by motorists is a scandal.
It's the same the whole world over
It's the poor what gets the blame
It's the rich what gets the pleasure
Isn't it a blooming shame?
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