Motorist Edward Parker doing at least 92mph when he killed
Discussion
A motorist allegedly racing in his "rare" saloon car was travelling at a speed of "at least" 92mph when he collided with and killed another driver, a court heard today.
Edward Parker, 51, was at the wheel of his Vauxhall VXR8 when he careered into the back of a VW Polo on the M2 motorway in July last year.
A jury at Maidstone Crown Court heard cars spun across the carriageway with "sparks and debris flying in all directions".
The Polo, driven by 58-year-old James Molloy, hit the central reservation barrier before bursting into flames.
Other motorists who had stopped helped him from his vehicle but the father-of-three from Broadstairs had suffered multiple injuries and died at the scene.
A Ford Focus and a lorry were also caught up in the smash on the coastbound carriageway between junctions three at Chatham and four at Gillingham. The VXR8 ended up on the hard shoulder.
The court heard that just minutes earlier several motorists had seen the VXR8 and a convertible Jaguar racing each other in the middle and outside lanes of the motorway.
Prosecutor Nina Ellin said one driver described them as being neck and neck in their lanes "as if in a computer game", while a motorcyclist estimated they reached speeds between 110 and 140mph.
Parker, of Sportsman Cottages, Kings Hill, Maidstone, denies causing death by dangerous driving on July 31 last year.
The jury was told it would not have to "make a decision" in relation to the driver of the Jaguar, 55-year-old David Steele, of Dane Close, Hartlip, near Sittingbourne.
The trial continues.
Monday, November 29 2010
http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kentonline/news/2010/n...
Edward Parker, 51, was at the wheel of his Vauxhall VXR8 when he careered into the back of a VW Polo on the M2 motorway in July last year.
A jury at Maidstone Crown Court heard cars spun across the carriageway with "sparks and debris flying in all directions".
The Polo, driven by 58-year-old James Molloy, hit the central reservation barrier before bursting into flames.
Other motorists who had stopped helped him from his vehicle but the father-of-three from Broadstairs had suffered multiple injuries and died at the scene.
A Ford Focus and a lorry were also caught up in the smash on the coastbound carriageway between junctions three at Chatham and four at Gillingham. The VXR8 ended up on the hard shoulder.
The court heard that just minutes earlier several motorists had seen the VXR8 and a convertible Jaguar racing each other in the middle and outside lanes of the motorway.
Prosecutor Nina Ellin said one driver described them as being neck and neck in their lanes "as if in a computer game", while a motorcyclist estimated they reached speeds between 110 and 140mph.
Parker, of Sportsman Cottages, Kings Hill, Maidstone, denies causing death by dangerous driving on July 31 last year.
The jury was told it would not have to "make a decision" in relation to the driver of the Jaguar, 55-year-old David Steele, of Dane Close, Hartlip, near Sittingbourne.
The trial continues.
Monday, November 29 2010
http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kentonline/news/2010/n...
Whilst I don't condone shenanigans on the public highway, don't be pulled into the one sided press report.
Lots of 'described', 'alledgedly's' and 'estimates' in that report.
We don't even know the speed of impact reported is accurate as they've put it in quotations themselves. In fact, the report really tells us very little other than the tragic outcome.
I'm not defending the chap if he *was* racing but a bit soon to string him up. All we know for sure is he was *probably* going a bit too quick on the motorway and had a shunt with terrible consequences.
So yes, could easily happen to any of us, even at the speed limits.
Magic919 said:
I'd have thought the Police accident investigators came up with the 'at least 92mph' impact.
Pure speculation, it's not attributed to anyone in the article.
Apologies for banging the drum - but poor reporting is a bug bear of mine. It's very easy to read the above (or any news report) and take it as read when in fact if you really look at it they're often full of dubious information, pure opinion and inaccuracies.
I've been on the receiving end of it and in the sector I'm in even a lot of the news on 'trusted platforms' like the BBC is often very obviously horrendously inaccurate. To say nothing of the political spin.
As a flip side to the coin consider the poor chap above :
- did have a bit of a fling with the jag a few miles previously
- had slowed to the speed limit afterwards (or thereabouts)
- chap he hit pulled out with no warning or indication into his lane right in front of him
- despite braking there was no avoiding the impact
- terrible outcome
- chap now being dragged through the coals for racing when he wasn't
No idea if that's what happened. Kind of the point, we have no idea so people castigating for killing someone by racing is a bit premature. Again, this sort of thing annoys me. That story tells us very little in the way of facts but paints a one sided picture of events through conjecture.
Where does this 'racing' thing come from ?
I see people travelling at 90 or 100+ miles per hour on the motorway all the time. At some point, there is a faster car which passes them. Does this mean they were racing ?
A motorcyclist estimating speeds - complete rubbish unless he was trained - even then rubbish. The only thing he can say for sure would be whether the cars were going faster or slower than him.
As for the nutter describing a computer game, how else does traffic on the motorway proceed ? In adjoining lanes, where they will be neck and neck at some point if there is a speed differential between them.
Sad event, but the crap that spews out afterwards is incredible.
I see people travelling at 90 or 100+ miles per hour on the motorway all the time. At some point, there is a faster car which passes them. Does this mean they were racing ?
A motorcyclist estimating speeds - complete rubbish unless he was trained - even then rubbish. The only thing he can say for sure would be whether the cars were going faster or slower than him.
As for the nutter describing a computer game, how else does traffic on the motorway proceed ? In adjoining lanes, where they will be neck and neck at some point if there is a speed differential between them.
Sad event, but the crap that spews out afterwards is incredible.
Magic919 said:
You'd have to wonder why the Jag guy has copped a plea, surely?
Where does it say that?
It just says 'not have to "make a decision"'.
And even that's in quotes!
Copped a plea? Case dropped against him? Called as a witness instead?
Who knows. Again shoddy reporting slanted to an agenda.
I know a fair bit about this one.
I don't have to speculate. Unless others here know more then they shouldn't either. No charges were dropped against anyone.
It's a tragic job and those involved were normal people who made some very bad choices.
To the poster who saw it I truly hope you saw it a while after.
I don't have to speculate. Unless others here know more then they shouldn't either. No charges were dropped against anyone.
It's a tragic job and those involved were normal people who made some very bad choices.
To the poster who saw it I truly hope you saw it a while after.
You dont have to be racing. Just to be perceived by witnesses as racing and you're screwed.
And regardless of who actually hit the other car. Once racing is mentioned, both drivers are screwed. Good chance both will get charged with death by dangerous driving.
Without the facts, its hard to make judgement. And I wouldnt believe one word written in a paper to be anywhere near factual.
The only one thing that is fact, is a person died.
And regardless of who actually hit the other car. Once racing is mentioned, both drivers are screwed. Good chance both will get charged with death by dangerous driving.
Without the facts, its hard to make judgement. And I wouldnt believe one word written in a paper to be anywhere near factual.
The only one thing that is fact, is a person died.
mr_Annie_vxr said:
I know a fair bit about this one.
I don't have to speculate. Unless others here know more then they shouldn't either.
Quite agree. They are being judged in court for their decisions, and will be punished if they are found to have been doing wrong. Whatever the verdict, it's sad that someone has lost their life through this incident.I don't have to speculate. Unless others here know more then they shouldn't either.
balls-out said:
After_Shock said:
Can so easily happen. Terrible version of events.
can "so easily happen" when you are racing on a public road at dangerous speeds?Prime example of someone reading something and making it into the worst possible version of events, quite potentially as has happened here.
Doesnt take much for a member of the public to take cars like this wrong, I was doing 22mph in a 30zone a while back and some woman came running across to me fing and blinding telling me to slow down, simply because my cars loud she perceived I was speeding when in fact I was no where near the speed limit.
I agree with Magic. In my view it makes no difference what the cars were doing prior to the accident, only what happened to cause the accident. 92 mph is regularly maintained by many cars on the mways, so nothing special about that.To rear end a car on a motorway, either the traffic stopped (no mention in the article) or the dead driver swapped lanes and was shunted. It is highly likely that there was minimal damage to the VXR, as the Polo was moving and the impact probably deflected him into the barriers, and that is more likely to have caused the fatal injuries. Again in my view, the Police should be investigating what actually caused the accident,common sense dictates that the cause of the impact was the Polo driver swapping lanes (that's stated as fact in the article). If the VXR driver was travelling at 92mph (conjecture)and assuming the Polo was travelling at approximately 70mph, then the impact was 22mph. The speed of the Polo would be a significant factor in the mans death assisted by the delfection of the minimal impact from the VXR.
It is highly probable that if the VXR was travelling at 70mph, and the Polo driver swapped lanes suddenly, the outcome may have been the same. Remember, the car "burst into flames", that is the likely cause of death, not the impact. This could have happened at 30mph, and often does.
Just my thoughts.
It is highly probable that if the VXR was travelling at 70mph, and the Polo driver swapped lanes suddenly, the outcome may have been the same. Remember, the car "burst into flames", that is the likely cause of death, not the impact. This could have happened at 30mph, and often does.
Just my thoughts.
Edited by desert fox on Thursday 2nd December 15:23
People speculating who know nothing are coming up with some suggestions that once the full case is heard I think they will be wanting to distance themselves from.
92 is the minimum impact speed.
Blaming the polo driver will I think be something that some posters regret.
I'd suggest people have this discussion once the case is done and dusted. There is scant information in the article as it's based on the prosecutions opening speech.
One man is dead and two normal guys have
ed their lives up with this. There are no winners.
92 is the minimum impact speed.
Blaming the polo driver will I think be something that some posters regret.
I'd suggest people have this discussion once the case is done and dusted. There is scant information in the article as it's based on the prosecutions opening speech.
One man is dead and two normal guys have
ed their lives up with this. There are no winners. Gassing Station | HSV & Monaro | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff