moneypenny20

I have to get this off my chest.

Some ba***ard last night in our "nice pleasant middle class town" decided to mow down a very quiet shy lady walking home from work. Did he/she stop? Did he/she F***! Lady died one hour later in hospital a few minutes before husband and 14 year old daughter could get to her.

What the hell is going on. I am soooooo angry. And if they find the scumbag, what will they get - sweet fa. Words fail me. I don't know family well enough to go round - nodding terms, they don't need anything from me but I feel useless which is normal I know but ahhhhhhhhhhh

Bob

That's pretty rough, sorry to hear about it

wmoore

That's awful. Driver was probably pissed up.

Bob

Yup, tho it's a crap excuse....
make bars more responible i say, as was said in one of the other threads

wmoore

It's nigh on impossible to make bars responsible for drink-drivers though. I mean, it's perfectly legit to see someone have (say) 5 or 6 pints in a bar and not be 'drunk and disorderly' or whatever but of course they can't drive on that. I don't really think it would be feasible for a landlord / barperson to keep an eye out for drink-drivers

Bob

I guess all the time, but when it's closing....more than feasable...someone that's stumbling around like a tit that gets in a car, the bar should have some responsibility about that...

bondipom

Here the state government ordered an inquiry into sentencing of drink drivers. They found that magistrates were too willing to not punish the middle and upper classes as they had a standing in the community.

Not sure if anything will come of the new sentencing guidelines.

The wife's driving instructor had his car crunched last night and the driver legged it. The instructor is now left without income for several days.

Also saw this today

http://www.news.com.au/common/story_...55E421,00.html

Bob

That's too bad....

Though I don't think there's anything wrong with a drink and drive, but drunk driving, or having a few drinks is dangerous, and often not very heavy sentences for killing someone really...terrible tragedy to kill someone in an accident, but to do it drunk....

bondipom

The sentencing I was talking about was 1 year bans. Fair enough for some arrogant idiot who thinks alchohol doesn't impair his driving. Sending them to retake their test and reimposing the 3 year P plate requirement would be good. In NSW the blood alcohol limit limit for P platers is 0. Sentencing for death by dangerous/drink driving is something else.

Bob

3 yrs on a permit sounds good after a ban, but they aint' easy to enforce, people tend to drive a lot when disqualified....
glad that death by dangerous/drink driving gets heavy sentence though

bondipom

Very true there is a hard core of persistent drink drive offenders that seem to dismiss any form of punishment. Community service sentences such as making them become hospital cleaners in A&E would be an idea.

Bob

yeah, but if there repeat offenders, they need to be doing time, only matter of time before someone gets killed

lindseyden

Hi there moneypen

What a terrible tragedy and one we hear of far too often.

Just to add something about the family. Yesterday morning, in the driving rain, I was at a "celebration" of life service for a friend of only 42 years old. I quoted celebration as I found it very difficult to celebrate the life of someone who was taken so early in her life leaving two children one of only 6. My reason for telling you this was something the minister said, he said that the family had received hundreds of cards (she was a very popular lady) and some from complete strangers, people they had never met and will probably never know and it had brought them so much comfort, particularly the children. Just a few words on a card or a note will help them and will also make you feel you have done something to show you care even if they don't know who it's from.

Lindsey

moneypenny20

Lindsey

Good idea, will pop one round later.

The trouble with half these jerks who do things like this is that they don't even have licences or tax etc so they get a ban for a year! How does that work. If they are not allowed to drive anyway, what's the point of banning them.

You get a bigger fine for not having a tv licence than you do for reckless driving. Nice to see Big Brother has his priorities right.

lucyb

The driver will probably get a smack on the wrist and a free holiday as part of his rehabilitation! ( and guess who is paying for it!)