Discussion
"Henri Paul was 'crazy' driver, inquests hear" was the headline in much of the news today.
It is of course, a tragic case in which lives appear to have been needlesly lost, so let's keep politics and the likes out of it. We may never know what really happened, but as fellow drivers ourselves, we're all too aware how easily something like that can happen.
It got me wondering though. I find it hard to believe he would really be a crazy driver. I'd have thought that driving such high-profile people around would have merited some decent qualifications. I'm thinking like retired Class 1 or a vast amount of escort / security driving experience. I think that "crazy driver" quote came from some holistic healer eyewitness.
We've all heard witnesses describe how police drivers pull off seemingly crazy manuevers, which the vast majority of are actually pretty well planned and executed moves. I'd also imagine that, given his passengers, Henri Paul would have authorization to drive above the speed limit and also perform a few moves normally reserved for emergency service vehicles.
Like I say, it's a sensitive subject, and maybe not the right forum, but from a speed/plod/law and a driving perspective, who has any thoughts?
The one thing that seem to have evaded the French authorities about this tragic accident is the fact that what really killed those unfortunate people was the violent collision with a huge concrete post. Nobody thought to place a safety barrier along the length of the tunnel, despite the obvious fact that concrete post do not compromise.
When any car is out of control, is it imperative to bring it to halt as quickly and as safely as possible. Had this car collided with a barrier, it may well have just slid to a halt.
10 years later there are still no barriers in that tunnel.
Does anybody know if the inquest has addressed these issues?
When any car is out of control, is it imperative to bring it to halt as quickly and as safely as possible. Had this car collided with a barrier, it may well have just slid to a halt.
10 years later there are still no barriers in that tunnel.
Does anybody know if the inquest has addressed these issues?
Uncle Wonko said:
The one thing that seem to have evaded the French authorities about this tragic accident is the fact that what really killed those unfortunate people was the violent collision with a huge concrete post. Nobody thought to place a safety barrier along the length of the tunnel, despite the obvious fact that concrete post do not compromise.
When any car is out of control, is it imperative to bring it to halt as quickly and as safely as possible. Had this car collided with a barrier, it may well have just slid to a halt.
10 years later there are still no barriers in that tunnel.
Does anybody know if the inquest has addressed these issues?
There's a speed camera there now.When any car is out of control, is it imperative to bring it to halt as quickly and as safely as possible. Had this car collided with a barrier, it may well have just slid to a halt.
10 years later there are still no barriers in that tunnel.
Does anybody know if the inquest has addressed these issues?
Guam said:
Blimey Am I the only one who is thouroughly pig sick of this whole business??
No. I have not words to express how little I care. I didn't give a damn at the time ("Drunk idiot kills vapid neurotic clotheshorse & waster playboy boyfriend - Film at 11"
and I care even less now.Uncle Wonko said:
The one thing that seem to have evaded the French authorities about this tragic accident is the fact that what really killed those unfortunate people was the violent collision with a huge concrete post. Nobody thought to place a safety barrier along the length of the tunnel, despite the obvious fact that concrete post do not compromise.
When any car is out of control, is it imperative to bring it to halt as quickly and as safely as possible. Had this car collided with a barrier, it may well have just slid to a halt.
10 years later there are still no barriers in that tunnel.
Does anybody know if the inquest has addressed these issues?
What!! and admit some kind of responsibility.....When any car is out of control, is it imperative to bring it to halt as quickly and as safely as possible. Had this car collided with a barrier, it may well have just slid to a halt.
10 years later there are still no barriers in that tunnel.
Does anybody know if the inquest has addressed these issues?
I too am bored witless by this whole affair but I think its important to note the following.
The testimony about Paul driving 'crazily' was given by a holistic healer who believes that she has the a gift to heal people with her hands
It was reported on the R4 news last night that another person in the car at the time stated to the hearing that they saw nothing untoward with the driving style and in their opinion, speed and manoeuvring were about right for the conditions.
The testimony about Paul driving 'crazily' was given by a holistic healer who believes that she has the a gift to heal people with her hands
It was reported on the R4 news last night that another person in the car at the time stated to the hearing that they saw nothing untoward with the driving style and in their opinion, speed and manoeuvring were about right for the conditions.
Edited by dougc on Wednesday 19th December 13:34
There is a wider issue about this. Williams were pursued for years by the authorities over Ayrton Senna's death, but what killed Ayrton Senna was a violent collision with yet another concrete object - this time one placed on the outside of what was believed to be the most frightening bend on a race track. Leave the road for any reason and the first thing a car had to come into contact with was the mass of concrete. It should never have been there. Again had there been any armco to divert the car and bring it a halt......
What I'm getting at is that everybody will know of a stretch of open road that has exceedingly dangerous objects placed by authorities who have given no thought to road safety or the folly of their actions. Not even a thought to placing a barrier to separate these objects from the traffic. Authorities would rather blame all manner of things on a driver rather than to seriously think about their own contribution.
They seem fixed into thinking speed cameras are the answer. At which point they stop thinking.
What I'm getting at is that everybody will know of a stretch of open road that has exceedingly dangerous objects placed by authorities who have given no thought to road safety or the folly of their actions. Not even a thought to placing a barrier to separate these objects from the traffic. Authorities would rather blame all manner of things on a driver rather than to seriously think about their own contribution.
They seem fixed into thinking speed cameras are the answer. At which point they stop thinking.
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