Ranting/Dangerous Driving

[Kal]

I've mentioned my friend Dave (known as 'tother Dave' or 'pagan Dave' or 'viking Dave' etc)

Dave got killed by a drunk driver last September.

Dave was damn good rider, a police car was following him and the drunk driver was on the wrong side of the road.

Dave's partner was on the back of the bike, she survived - the descriptions by the technical bods seem to make out Dave's body absorded the ost of the impact for her. Her body was still seriously damaged. She has metal plates in her legs and is in physical therapy learning to walk again.

The driver has finally been prosecuted. An upstanding member of the community and only one beer over the limit he got found guilty of dangerous driving.

At the sentancing yesturday he recieved a three year custodial sentance in a low catagory prison, of which he will serve 21 months, and a five year driving ban after which he will have to retake his driving test.

Somehow it dosnt seem a lot. The prosection was really happy though as it was more than they were expecting. We've been told that the severity of the sentance is because of the injuries Daves partner has. If she had been killed as well the driver wouldnt have recieved such a 'harsh' sentance.

I feel really angry. Dangerous driving just dosnt reflect the fact that this irresponcible fuckwitt killed our friend. Dave was a good man.

http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/displ ... K=12421137

[oldnslo]

This is a problem everywhere, at least in the US. Motorcyclists lives are considered nearly worthless when victimized by other vehicles in crashes. Then again, our entire justice system is a cruel joke.

[Loonette]

Such a sad story. It sounds like the cage driver made a terrible, terrible error in judgment, and it will most likely haunt him forever. I worked with a guy who (not drunk, but very careless) struck and killed a child in a street while he was driving 40 in a 25 zone. His punishment with the law was minor, but he still beats himself up about it all the time. This guy who killed your friend will no doubt have a totally different outlook on life. I hope he takes this experience as a powerful lesson, and can somehow make good on it in some way.

I feel so especially bad for your friend's fiance'. I hope her heart will heal soon - I hope that for all of you.

Cheers,
Loonette

[blues2cruise]

Drinking drivers who cause such carnage should never be allowed to drive again.

[old-n-slow]

I always have said "if ya want to kill somebody, hit him with a car" Use a gun they throw the book at you, use a car, they slap you on the wrist cause it "was an accident" even if the operator was impaired.

Now if I had been the judge.............. "25 to life you drunken sot. Go directly to jail. do not pass go. "

[oldnslo]

It would have been overturned on appeal. New laws have to be put in place to fix this problem. Like I said earlier, our justice system [in the US] is just a cruel joke as is. Hypocritical, weighted in favor of the perpetrator, and mostly unfair, lacking a shred of common sense. Victim's rights do not exist here.

[9000white]

in the U.S we are nothing more than organ donors.the law considers it a bonus when one of us gets killed.

[CentralOzzy]

Geez, I'm so sorry about your Mate Dave & Fiancé.
It's just not fair that this kind thing can happen to someone.

The Alcohol factor is a true killer of road users & the penalties should be much harsher.

Now the question is, if they were, would that change anything....I wonder.

[Telesque]

I'm not going to promote kidnapping anyone and cutting off their foot with a hacksaw (... ).. but I think that something should be done about that sort of thing.

But that's just me and my vigilante sense of justice, huh?

Seriously though, even if you're put in jail, you should have something to remind you of what you did for the rest of your life. Where alcohol is concerned at least.

Maybe we can checmically treat drunks somehow so as that injesting alcohol would kill them? That way they can never do something stupid like drink and drive again.

[oldnslo]

I kinda like the idea of torture......