lorry vs 211

[BIGjoe]

John, I know I might regret asking this, but whats your opinion on the Diana/Paris underpass incident.

 

[Swiss Toni]

John may just have a point...

I am a bloke on t'internet quoting a newspaper website (an Australian one at that), so this report may yet prove to be somewhat removed from anything "factual", but;

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/05/12/1178899144089.html

VICTORIA Police has been asked to investigate a dramatic crash in the Domain Tunnel filmed by the Nine Network's A Current Affair after suspicions were raised about the television crew's involvement.

The Nine Network could also face legal action from the truck driver involved in the crash, who claims ACA reporter Martin King and his driver contributed to the incident.

Transurban spokesman Jean Ker Walsh confirmed an internal investigation was launched last month in response to concerns about the ACA story, which aired on April 18. The matter was yesterday referred to police.

A review of video footage from the tunnel is believed to have revealed several irregularities surrounding the incident. Ms Ker Walsh said the investigation had used toll information that provides data on vehicles using CityLink, but this could not be disclosed for privacy reasons.

A Current Affair aired the story on "truck terror in a tunnel" a month after two trucks were involved in a triple fatality in the Burnley Tunnel.

King told viewers that the driver of ACA's silver four-wheel-drive, Tasha, was "terrified of trucks and wants to show us how intimidating and dangerous they can be".

The pair entered the right-hand lane of the tunnel with a 22-tonne truck travelling behind them. As the truck neared the tunnel's exit, it moved into the centre lane, colliding with a Mercedes E320 also merging at the same time. The incident was filmed by a camera in the back window of the ACA 4WD.

The driver of the truck, Sydneysider Simon Lingham, told The Sydney Morning Herald: "In my belief Channel Nine were the ones that caused the accident. They were all over the road and the only reason I changed lanes was to avoid them."

Mr Lingham said he had noticed the ACA vehicle more than two kilometres before it entered the tunnel, after it blocked his attempt to overtake.

"I thought the driver in front was some clown on a mobile phone, who was not paying attention. I tried to pass them on at least one occasion before we entered the tunnel, but they actually sped up and got in front of me," he said.

"They were driving erratically, constantly changing their speed without using their brakes."

In the ACA segment, Tasha (who did not reveal her surname) claimed she had not switched lanes because she was hemmed in by surrounding traffic.

Mr Lingham disputed this and asked why the ACA 4WD had stayed in the right-hand lane for the entire 1.6-kilometre tunnel journey. His version of events was backed up by another driver in the tunnel at the time, Kelvin Warburton, who was about 100 metres behind the collision.

"The 4WD with ACA was changing speed and definitely contributed to the collision," he said. "It was totally irresponsible of Channel Nine and they created a situation where a crash was almost inevitable."

The Sydney Morning Herald has learned that another vehicle driven by an ACA producer and camera crew was also in the tunnel at the time of the collision.

The role of the second car is unclear, but it is believed to have taken additional footage of tunnel traffic and may have impeded traffic flow.

The driver of the Mercedes involved in the collision, tyre importer Ross Grant, said he had not seen any erratic driving before the crash. "I didn't see anything particularly unusual. Mind you, I wasn't really looking for it," he said.

Mr Grant said Mr Lingham had made no mention of the ACA 4WD's behaviour when the two exchanged insurance details after the crash.

King yesterday defended the ACA story. He said their footage proved his driver had entered the tunnel in the right-hand lane and remained there for the length of the tunnel.

"I refute any inference that we were responsible for the accident … as far as I'm concerned she drove safely, and responsibly and legally," King said.

Renowned for his combative style of journalism, King claims he returned to the crash scene to ensure that no one was injured. But Mr Lingham, Mr Warburton and Mr Grant all told The Sydney Morning Herald they never saw or spoke with the ACA reporter immediately after the collision.

A Victoria Police spokeswoman said it was already investigating the collision after receiving a DVD from ACA. She would not confirm whether the police had received additional information from Transurban.

 

[Dieselman]

There are comments in Swiss Tony's link which I agree with. The lorry was close behind the camera car, which appeared to be holding it up a bit. Maybe that's why the lorry changed lanes and then didn't when the camera car sped up and cleared the lane.?

Maybe the camera car contributed to the accident hence didn't want to stop.

 

[glojo]

John, I know I might regret asking this, but whats your opinion on the Diana/Paris underpass incident.

Hi BIGgg Joe,
That would be wayyyy off topic but it did involve a Mercedes

My thoughts are that it was a tragic, tragic incident that was survivable. If all the occupants of the Mercedes had been wearing their seat belts then this awful event would not be of such historical importance.

I have hopefully expressed my opinion regarding the conduct of the media on that dreadful night and if not.... They were the dregs of society, but we must understand they were freelance photographers which perhaps have their own stature?

I thank Swiss Toni for that link and it certainly helps throw more light on the event and it could be the truck driver was innocent, but clearly there is more to this event than meets the eye. I was wondering why there had been no prosecutions. This truck driver now alleges he saw a car in front driving erratically but failed to see this big red Mercedes!

Yes the Mercedes was in his blind spot when he hit the blooming thing but he would clearly have seen it as the news crew were doing their thing.

I'm still out on this but the odds are clearly swinging. Hopefully we can at least accept the film crew were up to no good.

To believe a film crew plus journalist were in one vehicle and a producer plus at least one other were in another vehicle just on the off chance of an event happening beggars belief, but yes, even I accept this might be the case.

Well done to Swiss Toni,
Have we a date for that report please?

 

[recycled]

the lorry should not be in the fast lane. in australia

 

[glojo]

Many, many apologies for doing a 'Malcolm' but here is a better link of an interview with the driver of the Mercedes and a much better video of the incident.

I have given up trying to get the right link, but if you click in the:

'Search video box'

Type

'Melbourne Tunnel'

Then click on the left picture of a grey haired elderly gentleman :bannana:

Note how the car driver claims the truck driver never knew he hit the car.

The car driver moved from the inside or nearside lane int the middle lane just as the truck driver moved from the outside lane, into the middle lane!

If we believe the truck driver had NO IDEA he had hit a car then we must ask why he changed lanes. Why did he all but swerve back into the offside lane? Look how the actual cab is swaying after the collision!

I fear the truth is out there

The film crew have been accused of zig-zagging from one lane to another, but the footage would suggest they occupied the offside lane and possibly stayed there.

Is that truck an artic or a freight-train? I don't believe it is a Mercedes but.........

The police have the footage of this incident but to me it is a can of worms and casting blame will not be easy.

Whew..... Is this fun or what?

after just two messages YouTube was a mass of obscenities and folks throwing tantrums. I started off having huge doubts about this incident, but now It is a good plot and I have NO idea of who caused this event

Good luck with the links and watch that article about the Australian Defence Force. That to me speaks volumes regarding the standard of reporting.

Regards
John

 

[glojo]

the lorry should not be in the fast lane. in australia

I believe it can??

Regards
John

 

[BIGjoe]

Whew..... Is this fun or what?

Yaaaaaaawn....................... no

 

[timskemp]

the right link

 

[evdok]

Staged 100%

Maybe not
but i don't believe he the truck never knew he was there