The Road Maniac and Pathetic Punishment Thread

[Drago]

I have a particular interest in this thread, I was knocked off my bike on a narrow country lane that was a NSL ( national speed limit ) with several bends and restricted 30 mph limits on it, the driver was rushing on his way to collect his parents from the airport, ,and lived locally , so they knew the area presumably, but the police reported that ,he wasn't speeding on that part of them road.
The driver lost control, hit the verge and collier with me,and 2 others, I was leading the group, I was airlifted to hospital, so presumably it was considered serious, spent 3 weeks in hospital, and of work a further 5 months, I don't feel I have eve fully recovered from the 'accident'.
So Dragos' assertion of Negligence, I fully support, the defendant got of very lightly in my view, 12 points, a fine, but his licence wasn't revoked, on the other hand my cycling was wrecked, and I had demolished his car, all on the assumption he wasn't speeding ,careless driving , yeah ,right ! Culpability ? what's that? He wasn't being distracted by anyone else in the car, recklessly driving down a road that plainly wasn't suitable to drive at the National speed limit, plain common sense says no, .
Pure & simple ,he was negligent, and driving recklessly

That's terrible, but good that you're still with us.

And that tale contains a salutory lesson. Just because you're driving at or even below a speed limit does not mean that its safe or that you're immune from prosecution if you get it wrong.

In this case the driver wasn't being a compete nutter by the measure ofmome on here. He wasn't on his phone. He wasn't speeding. He wasn't on crack or eating a dead baby. By their measure he was simply z bit careless and therefore should be treated more leniency. Hell, it could happen to any of us, right?

No. He was simply negligent, his priority that the time being the clock and not making safe progress by exercising diligence.

When it comes to the maiming or killing of innocent people where is only diligence and negligence. There is no shady middle ground that is somehow a bit understandable or forgivable. Some people here argue otherwise, but I guarantee once you've personally had to scrape brains off the surface of the road as I have, or when it happens to someone you know or love, you will have the benefit of a perspective previously denied to you. Only then perhaps will you see what bullsheet the contention of a third state really is.

 

[grldtnr]

That's terrible, but good that you're still with us.

And that tale contains a salutory lesson. Just because you're driving at or even below a speed limit does not mean that its safe or that you're immune from prosecution if you get it wrong.

In this case the driver wasn't being a compete nutter by the measure ofmome on here. He wasn't on his phone. He wasn't speeding. He wasn't on crack or eating a dead baby. By their measure he was simply z bit careless and therefore should be treated more leniency. Hell, it could happen to any of us, right?

No. He was simply negligent, his priority that the time being the clock and not making safe progress by exercising diligence.

When it comes to the maiming or killing of innocent people where is only diligence and negligence. There is no shady middle ground that is somehow a bit understandable or forgivable. Some people here argue otherwise, but I guarantee once you've personally had to scrape brains off the surface of the road as I have, or when it happens to someone you know or love, you will have the benefit of a perspective previously denied to you. Only then perhaps will you see what bullsheet the contention of a third state really is.

I agree with you, but then I am a product of someones negligence . ,I would be disposed to think that.
But there has to be some degree of culpability, in my case there's none, just negligence.
I have never been a mad tear away driver, I am perhaps a tad cautious , sometimes , but I never approach big junctions at speed , I am always looking for what is coming, not what's present if you get my meaning, to some I might stop short of a junction, but that's because I know I can get the best view with cars ,vans being parked close to junctions blocking the view.
Taking up motorcycling has taught me more about road conditions and what to expect, so I was really pleased when I got my A licence first go, it means I am a still a safe driver.
There is a lot to be said for the convoluted process to get a motorcycle licence, and perhaps it's something that ought to change, an element of being on 2 wheels would improve driver responsibility I think.

 

[Gunk]

Taking up motorcycling has taught me more about road conditions and what to expect, so I was really pleased when I got my A licence first go, it means I am a still a safe driver.
There is a lot to be said for the convoluted process to get a motorcycle licence, and perhaps it's something that ought to change, an element of being on 2 wheels would improve driver responsibility I think.

Most experienced motorcyclists seem to be better drivers. We have have more awareness.

 

[grldtnr]

I agree, there is too much sanctimonious twaddle here, it’s too late punishing after the event. We need to focus on changing the behaviour and methods to control speed. Smart motorways, although far from perfect IMO have worked, speeds have dropped and driver behaviour is definitely better than on regular motorways

I am Inclined to disagree, perhaps it depends on the motorway, but I regularly drive or motorcycle on fast A roads , and I am never surprised by how fast and close they drive in the outer lane, commonly called the 'fast' lane , it isnt ,and never was, sometimes you get stuck behind a slow moving truck, but can't overtake because of a constant stream of speeding tailgating cars.
It isn't just about overtaking ,it's also about is there safety in that fast moving stream of traffic, often not with a nominal 2 sec safety gap.
Yes it annoying being held up, but being peeled off the road or unwrapped from some road furniture is even more annoying.
People just don't have any interest in being safe drivers once they have passed the 'test' , the testing time comes after, when you are learning how to drive,you never stop learning......

 

[Oldhippy]

I had someone reverse on to a normally busy road at 4am in the quiet part of the day as I was riding my motorcycle loaded going to a rally. I was doing the speed limit, 30 and she came out quickly from an obscured drive and I managed to to stop in time with inches to spare. Her response, 'I've never had anyone come along the road this early.' Not a valid excuse at any time of day.

 

[sheddy]

Phone law is crystal clear

If they can’t or won’t understand it, just hand in the licence

 

[raleighnut]

I’m sure the reduction in traffic policing is a major factor, there is very little enforcement so this minority of selfish idiots know they can just get away with it.

https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/car-n...ffic-police-down-a-third-over-the-last-decade

More reliance on cameras

 

[mjr]

However some people seem to miss the point that they are supposed to make an intelligent judgement about the safe speed for that road

and we call some of them "judges"! 🙁

 

[mjr]

I had someone reverse on to a normally busy road at 4am in the quiet part of the day as I was riding my motorcycle loaded going to a rally. I was doing the speed limit, 30 and she came out quickly from an obscured drive and I managed to to stop in time with inches to spare. Her response, 'I've never had anyone come along the road this early.' Not a valid excuse at any time of day.

"Rule 201
Do not reverse from a side road into a main road. When using a driveway, reverse in and drive out if you can."

really overdue a MUST, that rule. Maybe a good candidate for an instant disqualification trial.

 

[grldtnr]

"Rule 201
Do not reverse from a side road into a main road. When using a driveway, reverse in and drive out if you can."

really overdue a MUST, that rule. Maybe a good candidate for an instant disqualification trial.

It's plain common sense,is that.
But common sense isn't very common!
I'd sooner inconvenience drivers backing into a parking space, or a drive, then to reverse out against the traffic.
The same with parking at the side of the road, I face the direction I will drive off in.
It isn't unlawfull, but it's bad etiquette to park the wrong way round, simply because you can not see on coming traffic.

 

[Gunk]

More reliance on cameras

Which only prosecute speeding

 

[Alex321]

Which only prosecute speeding

And red light jumping, and bus lane offences, and a few others.

 

[raleighnut]

And red light jumping, and bus lane offences, and a few others.

Mobile phone use.

 

[mjr]

Drove into oncoming traffic on a forest road, killing another driver, youtube playing on his phone. 2 years disqualification and 250 hours community service:
Swaffham driver spared jail for causing [A134] fatal crash | Eastern Daily Press – https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/24766638.swaffham-driver-spared-jail-causing-a143-fatal-crash/?ref=rss

 

[Drago]

Drove into oncoming traffic on a forest road, killing another driver, youtube playing on his phone. 2 years disqualification and 250 hours community service:
Swaffham driver spared jail for causing [A134] fatal crash | Eastern Daily Press – https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/24766638.swaffham-driver-spared-jail-causing-a143-fatal-crash/?ref=rss

Death by convictions should be a lifetime ban at the very least.

He killed someone as a consequence of a deliberate act, having chosen to break the law in the most egregious manner. If that doesn't deserve a spell in chokey modelling a wedding dress for Big Bubba then I don't know what does.