Please take a moment to read & reflect.

[Simon_M]

To be completely honest...





I am just pleased to see a thread on here where 'Brake' is spelt correctly!

Now I am off to get a quote for some new rear breaks before we set off on our brake to the New Forest.

S

 

[brucemillar]

There is no 'incident' in the OP, just a link to a petition.

Whoops. I should read my own posts.

Paul Thornewell, of Aylesford, speaks out after Mitchell Butler-Eldridge is jailed for five yearsfor killing Andrew Thornewell and Tim Wildbore

 

[219]

There is no 'incident' in the OP, just a link to a petition.

That is what was puzzling me to - it just goes to Brake's home page with links to the petition and a few other topics - even going into the petition page there are no specific incidents listed .

I remain at a loss - sorry Bruce .

 

[renault12ts]

That is what was puzzling me to - it just goes to Brake's home page with links to the petition and a few other topics - even going into the petition page there are no specific incidents listed .

I remain at a loss - sorry Bruce .

Erm...post#22?

 

[219]

OK , I have now read the link , but since I wasn't there have to try to see beyond the understandably emotive language used by the grief stricken father , and that of the reporter .

The only section I would take at face value is the statement by the police officer who investigated the incident and who only commented on the one manoeuvre .

Despite the language used by witnesses , there is no evidence that any earlier overtakes were dangerous - so many people these days automatically regard any overtaking as dangerous , and this is not helped by Brake . Unfortunately , safe overtaking is not taught in preparation for the MOT driving test , and is only taught to those who go on to take advanced qualifications .

I do sympathise with the dead lad's father who has lost a beloved son , but even his remark 'no matter what his previous record was' suggests that Eldridge may have had no prior record of bad driving , and this may have been a single instance of poor judgement with terrible consequences . He may have overtaken without proper consideration , but I'm sure he didn't set out to kill anyone , as he might if he had shot someone or attacked with some other weapon : there was no premeditated intention of doing harm - just bad judgement .

For that , a five year sentence ( commuted to half ) and a seven year ban may indeed be proportionate . I haven't been in prison ( other than working there a few times ) but for those unused to it I'm sure loss of liberty and privileges really is a very serious sanction , as will that young man being unable to drive for seven years .

Yes , it was a tragic and terrible incident , but I'm not convinced that a harsher sentence would serve any purpose ?

 

[219]

Erm...post#22?

Made while I was typing post 23 , not there when I started ( and took a phone call during ).

 

[Yugguy]

urban speed bumps are only two that come come to mind as a consequence of enough people thinking they have the right to drive how they like.

You're absolutely right there - in fact I am petitioning the council right now for speed bumps on our road as there are small but significant portion of drivers who CONSISTENTLY use it as race track.

 

[renault12ts]

Made while I was typing post 23 , not there when I started ( and took a phone call during ).

Slow typer?

 

[Deleted member 6183]

You're absolutely right there - in fact I am petitioning the council right now for speed bumps on our road as there are small but significant portion of drivers who CONSISTENTLY use it as race track.

My local authority have just removed some traffic calming measures on a road that I use a few times a week.

They were two of those islands that narrow the road to only allow traffic from one side at a time, I found them pointless as, although traffic was able to move fairly briskly, it is a wide road with good visibility of oncoming traffic and the wide pavement.

I think that they finally realised that they were a bit OTT.

 

[markjay]

I am not in favour of speed bumps. They cause pollution, brake and dampers wear, and degrade suspension components in general - even when driving slowly.

I think that other measures work better - e.g. narrowing of road, or average speed cameras.

Re the latter, I drive regularly thorough areas with 20mph restrictions, and no one, but no one abides by it. I am regularly being overtaken by drivers, some use their horn to demonstrate their dissatisfaction with my 'slow' progress. Average speed cameras may sound like a draconian measure, but they do work.

 

[Deleted member 6183]

I think that there might be an issue with enforcing 20mph speed limits.

 

[Scott_F]

To be completely honest...





I am just pleased to see a thread on here where 'Brake' is spelt correctly!

Now I am off to get a quote for some new rear breaks before we set off on our brake to the New Forest.

S

Have you got brakedown cover ?

 

[Deleted member 6183]

Have you got brakedown cover ?

Yes, I brought it from the AA.

 

[Scott_F]

Yes, I brought it from the AA.

Dose it cover everything ?

 

[Deleted member 6183]

Dose it cover everything ?

Now, now.

Dyslexia is no joke.

 

[Druk]

You're absolutely right there - in fact I am petitioning the council right now for speed bumps on our road as there are small but significant portion of drivers who CONSISTENTLY use it as race track.

Be careful what you wish for. They put one right outside my last house and you've no idea how much noise they generate by speeding up and slowing down traffic interspersed by the 'thump' as the wheels hit the hump.

 

[stwat]

Be careful what you wish for. They put one right outside my last house and you've no idea how much noise they generate by speeding up and slowing down traffic interspersed by the 'thump' as the wheels hit the hump.

Not to mention all the extra pollution they cause

 

[moonloops]

Not to mention all the extra pollution they cause

It's fun to rush at them, slam the anchors on, and leave skid marks on the exit

 

[Deleted member 65149]

I suspect that most road deaths result from tragic mistakes , and not deliberate acts of wanton recklessness .

You're probably right there. But it's what brings about those tragic mistakes that surely needs to be addressed. The example of turning to admonish kids in the back illustrates how most drivers are unaware of the possible consequences resulting from taking their eyes off the road for what they perceive as just a second. Something we all need to learn from. There's a plethora of other actions that put people's lives at risk; aren't the majority of drivers guilty of not considering these possibilities? So perhaps not deliberate acts of wanton recklessness, but rather not taking sufficient care when in charge of a potential killing machine. As said elsewhere, the longer their luck holds out the more blasé they risk becoming.

 

[Deleted member 65149]

I am not in favour of speed bumps. They cause pollution, brake and dampers wear, and degrade suspension components in general - even when driving slowly. I think that other measures work better - e.g. narrowing of road, or average speed cameras. Re the latter, I drive regularly thorough areas with 20mph restrictions, and no one, but no one abides by it. I am regularly being overtaken by drivers, some use their horn to demonstrate their dissatisfaction with my 'slow' progress. Average speed cameras may sound like a draconian measure, but they do work.

Correctly designed speed humps are no problem when traversed at a steady speed within the set speed limit. The idiots who negotiate them with a repetitive cycle of braking and accelerating are the problem. It is they who increase pollution, make extra noise and wear out parts of their cars. I live on a development with a 20mph zone and speed humps. Most drivers hate the speed humps because they appear incapable of driving at 20mph. I have no trouble with them, happily (and comfortably) managing to drive within the 20mph zone without touching my brake pedal, except to avoid the occasional numbskull heading towards me at excessive speed as he bounces from hump to hump!