hotbulb
Active Member
I'm not convinced this is sending out the right message!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-nort ... s-29418333
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-nort ... s-29418333
Courts
- Thread starter hotbulb
- Start date
austin
Well-Known Member
Disgraceful!! So as long as you have no previous, show contrition, and can't explain why your poor driving killed someone you get away with a years ban and 4 months in prison. It's a disgrace and I am sure in the mind if the judge was that it was the bikers fault for riding a bike. I bet he also thinks women wearing short skirts deserve to be raped.
Sent from my iPhone with a smile
Sent from my iPhone with a smile
Rubberchicken
Well-Known Member
I find this odd. They keep going on about this "momentary act" as if that actually means something. Oh, it was a momentary act you say, that's allright then crack on.
Shooting somebody in the face is also a momentary act. It's all over and done in a second. "It was a momentary act, client has no history of shooting people in the face, y'see." See how far that defence gets you.
Remorse, I'll buy. (Though remorse about what, my cynical mind wonders? About killing a man, or about the level of shit he's found himself in?)
Genuine accident, I might buy, depending on the story. Shit does just happen sometimes. But all this "only a momentary act" talk leaves it smelling a bit...
Reading the previous articles from june/july and how his remorse only came later (presumably after being talked to by someone in the legal profession) and that initially he blamed the biker for speeding, the smell becomes rather stronger.
Shooting somebody in the face is also a momentary act. It's all over and done in a second. "It was a momentary act, client has no history of shooting people in the face, y'see." See how far that defence gets you.
Remorse, I'll buy. (Though remorse about what, my cynical mind wonders? About killing a man, or about the level of shit he's found himself in?)
Genuine accident, I might buy, depending on the story. Shit does just happen sometimes. But all this "only a momentary act" talk leaves it smelling a bit...
Reading the previous articles from june/july and how his remorse only came later (presumably after being talked to by someone in the legal profession) and that initially he blamed the biker for speeding, the smell becomes rather stronger.
Well I'll take the opposite stance with opinion here and disagree.
For me this is about intent and the likely possibility that something like this could have been a perceivable outcome to the lad driving the cars actions.
I'm sure we have all fecked up at some point when driving and had the circumstances been different in our case then the outcome would also have been different. Have you never crossed the centre line or inadvertently ran a red light or pulled out and then realised someone was there? In these cases I bet it was luck that made the error inconsequential but had someone else been crossing the road / in the blindspot etc then the consequences would have been quite different. I don't believe he set out to drive recklessly but his action in hindsight was certainly so.
Nothing will bring back this biker and the lad now in jail will feel his sentence (in his own head) will be for life for what was reportedly little more than a momentary lapse in concentration.
And for those that don't know I've been on the receiving end of this so I have first hand experience of loosing someone on a motorbike through a poor manoeuvre by a car driver and a gazillion to one chance of being in exactly the wrong place at exactly the wrong time.
And the gun analogy doesn't work in this case.
For me this is about intent and the likely possibility that something like this could have been a perceivable outcome to the lad driving the cars actions.
I'm sure we have all fecked up at some point when driving and had the circumstances been different in our case then the outcome would also have been different. Have you never crossed the centre line or inadvertently ran a red light or pulled out and then realised someone was there? In these cases I bet it was luck that made the error inconsequential but had someone else been crossing the road / in the blindspot etc then the consequences would have been quite different. I don't believe he set out to drive recklessly but his action in hindsight was certainly so.
Nothing will bring back this biker and the lad now in jail will feel his sentence (in his own head) will be for life for what was reportedly little more than a momentary lapse in concentration.
And for those that don't know I've been on the receiving end of this so I have first hand experience of loosing someone on a motorbike through a poor manoeuvre by a car driver and a gazillion to one chance of being in exactly the wrong place at exactly the wrong time.
And the gun analogy doesn't work in this case.
Boris said:
well said Gordon,
I've first hand experience of the other way round, close family member who had that momentary lapse of concentration which resulted in a motorcyclist losing their life, I can tell you that several year on he is still serving a mental sentence for his actions (and I'm sure he always will)
Cabby
Member
We've all made most mistakes when driving/riding.
We've all been SMIDSYs (oh yes you have!).
Probability protects us from the potential consequences.
When there are real world consequences of our actions, then I believe that we have to accept the appropriate punishment and the courts have decided this is sufficient.
Personally, I don't see how much of a driving history a young lad can have so the observation seems strange.
A momentary lapse sends my cab into a bus queue.
I suppose that any of us could be either side of any RTA but situations like this don't seem to offer a balance somehow.
Just a few thoughts.
We've all been SMIDSYs (oh yes you have!).
Probability protects us from the potential consequences.
When there are real world consequences of our actions, then I believe that we have to accept the appropriate punishment and the courts have decided this is sufficient.
Personally, I don't see how much of a driving history a young lad can have so the observation seems strange.
A momentary lapse sends my cab into a bus queue.
I suppose that any of us could be either side of any RTA but situations like this don't seem to offer a balance somehow.
Just a few thoughts.