RE: Drowsy Drivers
Friday 14th December 2001
Drowsy Drivers
More of a risk than drink drivers - what can you do?
Discussion
Following on from all those loonies that claim 'speed' is involved in 30% of accidents, presumably they will now be saying sleeping is involved in an horrific 10% of accidents that is almost as many as 'speed'. They will be lobbying for 'sleeping camera's' at every roadside and trying to make it a legal requirementto down 15 pro plus tablet befeore every journey. The only downside of this is that the Mum's doing the ten yard school run will actually be aware of everything that is going on around them rather than the bleary eyed get out of my Range Rover's way attitude we love.
(sorry for the rant)
(sorry for the rant)
Sleeping at the wheel is one of the most dangerous things anywhere. I've seen trucks demolish the central barrier and cross to the other lane and kill 10, busses where the driver has done 56 hours non-stop and then killed 15 and injured 30 (last year in Germany). This is where the police should be used as these blokes and blokesses are KILLERS!!!
The court was perfectly right to lock the Selby driver away!
If you're tired, pull over and sleep.... NO EXCUSES!
We've had a ridiculous speed limit put here on one of the best pieces of fast motorway because the "flatlanders" (yellow and red numberplates) with their caravans can't drive more than 300km without falling asleep. They then leave the motorway at speed and attempt to demolish the countryside. They should have to pay for all the damage if they're so BL**** stupid. Why should we be disadvantaged by such ignorant behaviour?
Nuff ranting, I'm off............... Happy Christmas
Jaydee's safe motorway driving recipe:
1) Don't drive between 4 and 6 AM (Your body's screaming SLEEEEEEEEEPPPPP
) regardless of when you were awake/asleep etc. the day before.
2) If you are tired stop at a service station drink either a mug of sugary tea/coffee, a bottle of lucosade, a red bull (Welcome Break even have their own RB clone, just don't add any Vodka
), or any sugary drink and a Pro-plus.
3) Have 15minutes kip in the car (No more than) to give the caffeine time to kick in.
Recent RAC research suggests this gives around 2 hours refreshment and drastically increases alertness.
4) Don't drive when you've been on the internet all night. F*^king imbecile, 25 years inside and a lifetime ban wouldn't be enough GRRRRRRRR.
There is a device on sale in Japan which will "BING" if it detects a driver's breathing and heart-rate slowing and an increase in blinking. I'll try and find the Url.
If anyone can think of a good reason why GH shouldn't have been prosecuted I would (genuinely) be interested. I would happily grant that his crimes were not as serious as (for example) Sarah Payne's killer, but I can't bring myself to excuse such stupidity...
Edited by jaydee on Friday 14th December 14:56
1) Don't drive between 4 and 6 AM (Your body's screaming SLEEEEEEEEEPPPPP
) regardless of when you were awake/asleep etc. the day before. 2) If you are tired stop at a service station drink either a mug of sugary tea/coffee, a bottle of lucosade, a red bull (Welcome Break even have their own RB clone, just don't add any Vodka
), or any sugary drink and a Pro-plus. 3) Have 15minutes kip in the car (No more than) to give the caffeine time to kick in.
Recent RAC research suggests this gives around 2 hours refreshment and drastically increases alertness.
4) Don't drive when you've been on the internet all night. F*^king imbecile, 25 years inside and a lifetime ban wouldn't be enough GRRRRRRRR.
There is a device on sale in Japan which will "BING" if it detects a driver's breathing and heart-rate slowing and an increase in blinking. I'll try and find the Url.
If anyone can think of a good reason why GH shouldn't have been prosecuted I would (genuinely) be interested. I would happily grant that his crimes were not as serious as (for example) Sarah Payne's killer, but I can't bring myself to excuse such stupidity...
Edited by jaydee on Friday 14th December 14:56
I see your POV smeagol, just not sure I agree with it. We _have_ all driven when not really fit to, but towing a 2 trailer after no sleep? This is a man who claimed to live a "1000mph lifestyle" and to have "stayed awake for a 36 hour stretch" prior to the accident, not your run of the mill twerp (this description includes ME!) who will keep driving for that extra hour even though they know they're tired...
Could it be that we all need to think about the circumstances under which we're prepared to drive rather than, to an extent, excusing the behaviour of idiots(and many people on this site drive something capable of reaching 120 in the time most cars take to get to 60, thereby in my view accepting even more risk/responsibilty.)
An element of my anger derives from the further anti-car sentiments this will heap on us.
I s'pose we'll both have to accept the judgement of the courts...
Could it be that we all need to think about the circumstances under which we're prepared to drive rather than, to an extent, excusing the behaviour of idiots(and many people on this site drive something capable of reaching 120 in the time most cars take to get to 60, thereby in my view accepting even more risk/responsibilty.)
An element of my anger derives from the further anti-car sentiments this will heap on us.
I s'pose we'll both have to accept the judgement of the courts...
"An element of my anger derives from the further anti-car sentiments this will heap on us." I quite agree, this point is exactly my worry. The media have jumped straight on "lets blame the driver" rather than look how an accident could have been prevented/lessoned (like why the barrier did not hold).
The chap was an idiot and in no way do I condone his behaviour or attitude. Anyone who thinks they can be up all night without it affecting their driving is an idiot. The only reason I would give this man a prison sentence would be because of his lies.
I just feel the jail sentence for "dangerous driving" is unjust. I would have given the chap a life-time ban on driving.
The chap was an idiot and in no way do I condone his behaviour or attitude. Anyone who thinks they can be up all night without it affecting their driving is an idiot. The only reason I would give this man a prison sentence would be because of his lies.
I just feel the jail sentence for "dangerous driving" is unjust. I would have given the chap a life-time ban on driving.
Probably out on a limb on this one but, surely the consequences of his errors were largely due to poor design of the barrier protection of the road and track and extremely bad timing. If the resulting accident had been hitting another car killing the driver I very much doubt that the verdict or sentence would have so harsh -maybe it should be but the fact is that it wouldn't. It is therefore not fair for this guy to be treated differently as a result of the afore mentioned circumstances.
It is unfortunate, but understandable, that the victims' families need somebody to blame.
They will say 'justice has been done' if GH gets, say, 6-8 years but you can imagine the outcry if they said no prison sentence because the barrier was not up to the job.
GH was involved in a horrible sequence of events (which is unlikely to ever happen again) which caused the death of 10 people - 5 minutes either way would have meant no deaths and an embarrased driver who would have got off scott free.
Is giving him a long prison term likely to ensure that *all* drivers get a good night's sleep and stop every two hours when driving - I don't think so.
They will say 'justice has been done' if GH gets, say, 6-8 years but you can imagine the outcry if they said no prison sentence because the barrier was not up to the job.
GH was involved in a horrible sequence of events (which is unlikely to ever happen again) which caused the death of 10 people - 5 minutes either way would have meant no deaths and an embarrased driver who would have got off scott free.
Is giving him a long prison term likely to ensure that *all* drivers get a good night's sleep and stop every two hours when driving - I don't think so.
arguably it doesnt matter WHAT they do with him - in fact the more controversial it gets the better. I truly believe that the majority of accidents are caused by people who just arent really interested and therefore arent really thinking (that goes for falling asleep, stupid manouvers, poor concentration etc etc etc). If this raises driving as a 'very dangerous activity' - which it bloody well is, then so much the better. The more your 'average numpty' thinks about this, the more likely it will actually stick in their mind somewhere.
Night
Night
Started 5 am 5:01 hit a milk float. 6 or 7 hrs sleep. Didn't see it at the roundabout. Thought I was wide awake, or just not switched on that time of day. First prang in 20 yrs of driving and more miles I care to think. No one hurt but hire car knackered and milk float OK! Estimate 5 mph at contact. Point is I had sleep and still made a mistake. Not defending or knocking the news, just a point.
there is also a "revolutionaire" thingy to keep you a wake and that's a device which detects the eye movent and will spray some water in your face when your eyes will get closed(!)
But my point of this is just what the F*ck is this al about? giving already sleeping drivers more abillties of staying up even longer?? Like: "hmm i have been awake for 20 hours but i can drive and if i fall asleep everyting will be fine cause i will be waked-up by me "waterspraythingy" "
just get some rest/sleep and it will be much better
But my point of this is just what the F*ck is this al about? giving already sleeping drivers more abillties of staying up even longer?? Like: "hmm i have been awake for 20 hours but i can drive and if i fall asleep everyting will be fine cause i will be waked-up by me "waterspraythingy" "
just get some rest/sleep and it will be much better
jaydee and smeago.............l
My point was that Hart premeditatedly drove knowing he had been up for 36 hours. ANYONE can have a "seconds-sleep" the spilt second nod-off and cause an accident, but Hart drove with full knowledge of his reduced capability. Prison and a life-time ban are just........ I've seen enough loonies in my last 20 years central european driving (1.8 Million km!) and can only plead to all law enforcement guys to get their act tigether and do something about the overtired drivers (majority are HGV and PSV drivers).
One german coach driver was stopped at Neuenburg (French-German motorway crossing near Mulhouse, Alsace), for having driven 47 hours non-stop. He drove from Germany to Spain with a load of tourists, returned, then went south again and was caught on his SECOND non-stop return journey.
He'll probably go to prison as well for endangering persons lives! His licese has already been permanently revoked as well.....
My point was that Hart premeditatedly drove knowing he had been up for 36 hours. ANYONE can have a "seconds-sleep" the spilt second nod-off and cause an accident, but Hart drove with full knowledge of his reduced capability. Prison and a life-time ban are just........ I've seen enough loonies in my last 20 years central european driving (1.8 Million km!) and can only plead to all law enforcement guys to get their act tigether and do something about the overtired drivers (majority are HGV and PSV drivers).
One german coach driver was stopped at Neuenburg (French-German motorway crossing near Mulhouse, Alsace), for having driven 47 hours non-stop. He drove from Germany to Spain with a load of tourists, returned, then went south again and was caught on his SECOND non-stop return journey.
He'll probably go to prison as well for endangering persons lives! His licese has already been permanently revoked as well.....
quote:
My point was that Hart premeditatedly drove knowing he had been up for 36 hours...Hart drove with full knowledge of his reduced capability. Prison and a life-time ban are just........
Not sure why you directed your reply to me. I couldn't agree more ! My point was that we're all capable of being dozy but that this case is very different.
Crash barriers are designed to restrain cars and perhaps Hart's accident would have been relatively trivial had he been driving a car, but he wasn't.
In my view taking any 'abnormal' vehicle out on the roads is to accept greater responsibility for one's actions, be it a large, high performance or classic vehicle or even just one that is new to you.
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