Justice?
Feb 29th 2008, 8:34 am
#31
Account Closed
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 16,266
Re: Justice?
Take a look at this story and see if you think justice was served. The main points...
1. 25 year old woman is jailed for 4 years after she killed a 19 year old cyclist because she was driving and texting on her phone.
At first glance I thought, good. Then I read on and got too
2. The cyclist went through a red light.
3. The cyclists wasn't wearing a helmet.
Yes she was dumb and she wont ever text whilst driving again, which she would have if the accident hadn't have happened.. Yes she deserved to get some kind of punishment. However I can't help feeling a little sorry for her because if the cyclists was following the rules as well, it wouldn't have happened.
1. 25 year old woman is jailed for 4 years after she killed a 19 year old cyclist because she was driving and texting on her phone.
At first glance I thought, good. Then I read on and got too
2. The cyclist went through a red light.
3. The cyclists wasn't wearing a helmet.
Yes she was dumb and she wont ever text whilst driving again, which she would have if the accident hadn't have happened.. Yes she deserved to get some kind of punishment. However I can't help feeling a little sorry for her because if the cyclists was following the rules as well, it wouldn't have happened.
BTW, I just read the article and she was convicted of what could be called vehicular manslaughter in many US states. And the focus if on what the defendant did -- she was speeding, she was texting, somebody died.
Feb 29th 2008, 8:38 am
#32
Boomshacalaca!!
Joined: Dec 2005
Location: South of the North Pole.......Colorado
Posts: 5,066
Re: Justice?
Don't get me wrong, I wasn't defending the woman, just pointing out the motorist may have not had the law on his side. The woman was obviously an idiot.
Either I missed it, or it wasn't clear in your first post, that the light was red in this case. If the light was green and the pedestrian was crossing (no matter what their speed) and the car was turning right then it would entirely be the fault of the driver if something happened.
Either I missed it, or it wasn't clear in your first post, that the light was red in this case. If the light was green and the pedestrian was crossing (no matter what their speed) and the car was turning right then it would entirely be the fault of the driver if something happened.
Feb 29th 2008, 8:40 am
#33
Not here much
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: Highland Park, NJ
Posts: 2,452
Re: Justice?
Take a look at this story and see if you think justice was served. The main points...
1. 25 year old woman is jailed for 4 years after she killed a 19 year old cyclist because she was driving and texting on her phone.
At first glance I thought, good. Then I read on and got too
2. The cyclist went through a red light.
3. The cyclists wasn't wearing a helmet.
Yes she was dumb and she wont ever text whilst driving again, which she would have if the accident hadn't have happened.. Yes she deserved to get some kind of punishment. However I can't help feeling a little sorry for her because if the cyclists was following the rules as well, it wouldn't have happened.
1. 25 year old woman is jailed for 4 years after she killed a 19 year old cyclist because she was driving and texting on her phone.
At first glance I thought, good. Then I read on and got too
2. The cyclist went through a red light.
3. The cyclists wasn't wearing a helmet.
Yes she was dumb and she wont ever text whilst driving again, which she would have if the accident hadn't have happened.. Yes she deserved to get some kind of punishment. However I can't help feeling a little sorry for her because if the cyclists was following the rules as well, it wouldn't have happened.
Feb 29th 2008, 8:50 am
#34
Professional Drama Queen
Joined: Dec 2007
Location: West Virginia
Posts: 1,061
Re: Justice?
a driver should ALWAYS be in control of their car, thats their responsibility. Part of safe road use for a driver is being prepared for the errors, accidents, stupidity of others and being able (if humanly possible) to take avoidance action. Texting while driving means you are NOT in total control of the car, hence you are not driving with due care and attention. Sure you don't expect someone to run a red light, equally you don't expect children to run out into the road - but it happens. The only defence in such situations is that the driver of the car was maintaining THEIR responsibility - which doesn't include 'texting' while driving. Just my two cents 
Feb 29th 2008, 9:22 am
#35
Boomshacalaca!!
Joined: Dec 2005
Location: South of the North Pole.......Colorado
Posts: 5,066
Re: Justice?
You know what just occurred to me - your reaction to this fits with this woman's level of complacency. People don't think enough about the consequences of their actions particularly whilst driving. It is a serious problem and if sentences like these make people think harder about the responsibilities they have when driving then it can only be a good thing.
Feb 29th 2008, 9:28 am
#36
Not here much
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: Highland Park, NJ
Posts: 2,452
Re: Justice?
I knew I was angry about something in the first post (it's actually got me quite riled up) but it took a while to work out exactly what the problem was. It got clouded by the references to irrelevant facts (like the cyclist not wearing a helmet - it's not the law and it would likely have had no effect on the outcome in this case). Finally I got to see it clearly. I think others also haven't stopped to think clearly about the basic facts here. The simple fact is that people don't think hard enough about their responsibilities on the road and that's where all the problems lie whether they are cyclists or motorists.
