Dan, I wasnt comparing myself to this young motorcyclist whatsoever. I posed the question as to why there was no avoidance on either side. And even with 40 years of motorcycling experience, i can still make mistakes.
This reminds me of a conversation I had with a Japanese who lived in Okinawa. There the American base was not liked because of the consistently unpunished behaviour of (I’m sure a minority) of the military based Americans when everything from drunkenness, theft, even rape was dealt with on the base, in other words not by Japanese police and law. The Japanese also drive on the left so infringements were dealt with in the above way.
I think this case simply followed US protocol and they were unlucky this time that the family went to the press.
Don’t hold your breath for this woman to return. She would have been given many examples of Americans in similar circumstances who behaved exactly as she has done with no repercussions. Yes it was an accident, she didn’t leave that morning intent on killing a 19 year old but legally she knows she’s culpable and she’s been offered a get out of jail free card. I don’t know if I’d be strong enough to defy convention, not to mention her husbands bosses, and stay to talk to the police.
No Mary, you’re thinking of a Secret Agent 
Things have progressed in that Northamptonshire police will travel to the US to interview Mrs Sacoolas under caution.
Would Bojo and Raab have the balls for this …?
seems so:
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Ordinary decent citizens are unlikely to find themselves in conflict with the law - except when driving a motor vehicle.
But on the road, you are legally responsible for the condition of the car and for observing all the relevant laws.
Every day, near accidents occur through recklessness, inattention or incompetence. Usually we get away with it, suffering no more than a few harsh words or an obscene gesture. If we are unlucky, the infraction will be observed by the police and we will be fined and possibly get points on our licence. In the worst case, we will kill someone. What was in the mind of the driver is no different, it is simply that someone happened to be an a particular position when the incident occurred.
So should the punishment be exact the same whether someone got killed or not?
Or should we just accept that these things happen as the price we pay for convenient personal transport, bearing in mind that all humans are fallible and liable to make mistakes however hard they try?
I understand your point Mike but shouldn’t people be held to account for their actions?
But the question is, should the outcome of the action influence the punishment?
Every day I walk my dog along country lanes with no sidewalk. On these walks I will be passed by drivers who make no attempt to slow down. I am an old man and might suddenly feel weak or unwell and the the dog might pull me into the road if it saw some small animal that it wanted to chase. Travelling at 80kph they would be unable to avoid hitting me. Even if there were no witnesses, the police would have little doubt about the speed of the impact and the driver would most likely spend time in jail.
The likelihood of that happening is small, but it can and does happen. So why shouldn’t all drivers who don’t slow down when they see someone leading an animal go to jail?
From the driver’s point of view, as soon as you release the handbrake and the wheels start to roll, there is a risk of an accident. He is constantly reassessing the risk and adjusting his speed according to perceived hazards. But he is not a computer, nor can he predict the future. What is the difference between making a mistake with no serious outcome and making a mistake in which someone gets killed - other than pure chance?
That’s good news Graham.
I take your point Mike, an accident be an accident but when negligence is involved IMO it’s another matter. Let the UK courts decide how culpable she was. Doing a runner hasn’t helped here case.
I believe I’ve read of two more wrong side of the road incidents since, with people turning out of the same US base, one recorded on a dashcam.
Obviously Yanks don’t give a damn.
Not wishing to defend them John but on base they drive LHD vehicles and the roads are laid out as per the US with driving on the right.
I accept your point Tim and I think I said as much earlier in the thread but…
At the EU ports (and UK for that matter) there are large signs reminding drivers that they drive on the right (or left as appropriate).
I don’t know if such signs are in place as you leave the US bases.
Certainly are Graham.
Are you sure Tim? Where and how does the crossover happen?
Apologies the bases come under UK road law so people drive on the left, there are huge signs by the gates reminding drivers which side of the road to drive on.
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Should have the signs here in France too for all the English driving around here don’t know how many times I have nearly been hit because of some expat forgot what country they live in
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Could that also be because they insist on driving RHD cars perhaps?
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aren’t you an expat?
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