‘Lethal’ boy racer warning
Sunday 31st July 2011, 10:55AM BST.
BOY racers who show off behind the wheel are ‘lethal’ and risk killing themselves and others, the Assistant Magistrate warned as she sentenced two men for dangerous driving.
Bridget Shaw said that young male drivers too often had an inflated opinion of their ability to handle a car and took stupid risks, something she called a potentially ‘lethal combination’.
She made the comments during two cases this week, one involving an 18-year-old and the other a 21-year-old. In both, she said the defendants could have killed someone.
See Saturday’s JEP for full story.
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I heard about racing cars in the early hours around St Mary.
Not sure if it is true but with all the ” pimp my Ford Fiesta ” around, I wouldn’t be surprise.
Above 70 m/h we should take the driving license for life and crush the car, or sell it and give the money to head injury charity.
That should teach them…
A drunk driver kill my mate who was walking by my side when I was 16 . One more meter on the left and I was also gone.
So be f..king responsible when you drive, stick to go kart or PS3.
Comprendo !
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It is interesting and disappointing to see some of the sexist comments made by the assistant magistrate as reported in the paper edition of the jep and indeed above.
Imagine the fuss which would ensue if a male judge were to make generalised, stereotyped comments aimed at female drivers. Yet, the situation here is allowed to happen in this, the 21st century. I wonder what the judicial code of conduct would have to say on the matter? White, middle aged and middle class appears to be the problem here.
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im not being funny but no matter what punishments or fines are thrown out at these people it wont stop it happening. Whats the point of designing a car that is capable of high speeds if you arent going to use it? Yes speed limits are there for a reason for safety and whatever but there is always going to be a time when someone will break them, so just get over it.
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One portable HIDDEN (not police in high vis jackets) speed camera and speeding by more than 25mph sees your car put up for sale at Glencoe with profits going in to the hospital. Problem solved.
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I am amazed that the magistrate expressed concern over POTENTIAL fatalities from dangerous driving,yet when we have a REAL fatality no one is prosecuted.
I am of course referring to the crash six months ago in which a Latvian woman, Dita Paverniece, was killed in a late night accident in St.Clement and the driver is still to be named or face the courts for justice.
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So the boy racers get hammered but if you kill someone by driving dangerously or carelessly, nothing happens. Justice is swift, I think not in the case of St Clement fatality!
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Could this be one of those, “who are the Beatles?” moments?
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I wonder if they also had insurance – as the car has been modified? I doubt very much this was addressed as to even change the steering wheel let alone put a set of alloys on a car is classed as a modification to the manufactors original spec, hence invalidating your insurance, I doubt these little twerps even thought of this let alone be able to afford.
Much to the likes of 49cc mopeds modified and de-restricted, with whats sounds like an annoying wet fart from the modified exhaust coming down the road – hands up how many people get annoyed at this.
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No5 John
I feel that the poor girls family hasn’t been given justice and feel the longer it goes with no questions asked the further it gets swept under the carpet.
Someone needs to be brought into question as it seems to be looking like a cover up for someone’s son or husband.
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Are most of these cars bought for the little darlings by the parents? there are so many overindulged teenagers around, no wonder they can’t be bothered to get up and go to work in the morning.
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Not just boy racers we need to stop – notable speeders I encountered yesterday driving from St Clement to St Brelade:
1. White Van Man
2. Connex Buses
3. Taxi Drivers
4. Old lady in a blue citroen saxo
Basically everyone will speed until such time as the penalites fit the crime and the criminal is caught.
1. Speed Cameras – automated notices must be paid in x number of days or car is confiscated.
2. £100.00 fixed fine + £100.00 for every MPH over the limit.
3. Three fines and the car/van etc is sold at glencoe for charity and you get your licence revoked for a year.
“Front, bow. Back, stern. If ya don’t get it right, squirt, I throw your ass out the little round window on the side”
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So what has happened with regard to the St Clement car crash that actually caused the death of a young woman. Surely this investigation must have been completed by now.
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Over here in aussie and New Zealand this craze is huge , they are called hoons , hundreds of teens meet up meet up at a spot posted on internet sites or organised by txt and do burnouts ,drifting and race needless to say there are many fatalities every year . Police seem unable to stop it ,when they are caught the first time they lose their licence second time they have the car crushed , the hoons regard this as a status symbol and become heroes to their mates, the problem is that they just get another car get their mates to drive it to a meet and do it all over again , it has become a teen culture which will not go away . Jersey needs to stamp this out early or accept it going to grow into a craze that will last forever as has happened over here
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nothing sexist about the comment from the magistrate, she is speaking from vast experience.
If I happen to see someone driving to fast around the town outskirts its usually a spotty 17 year old in a ‘modified’ saxo with all his mates sat in the car. Unfortunately no amount of fines will deter them, look at the 10 year drug sentences…does that stop drugs imports?
Start taking away ALL offenders cars when they seriously break the law and that will be a deterrent.
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Personally, I think driving tests should be passed for all non UK immigrants into the island before they can drive on our roads……..how many fatalities of late have involved non-UK drivers!??
This is not racist, but simply a fact. Driving on the left is new to some, as well as some of the road signs and road markings……this should be a standard requirement for all those who have not passed UK standard driving tests, in my opinion.
The standard of driving I see daily….usually by “foreign” looking drivers is scary!
Before you PC, do-good/know nothings comment….I would expect the same if I were to re-locate to USA or similar because you have to get used to driving on the opposite side and road markings/signs can mean something totally different.
It goes both ways!
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Everybody needs a thrill.
I’m not saying it’s ok to drive so fast that people shout “see you next tuesday ” and wave their hands at you,but, the quality of driving on this island is very very poor indeed.
Some would actually cause accidents if they were to drive abroad imho.
I got cut up only yesterday by a FEMALE bully,that looked middle aged (and should know better).
Personally i love to put my foot down where i can ,in a safe manner.
I do wish we could block off a nice straight length of road down st. ouens, just so we can put the peddle to the floor and release the pressure.
Otherwise the early hours “cannon ball run” seems to be the safest thrill available.
COME ON ,IT’S ABOUT TIME THE BIG BOYS AND GIRLS GAVE THE SPEED FREAKS A SAFE PLACE TO PLAY.
(or am i just a middle aged dreamer that remembers when fort regent gave youth a thrill)
Ah …who REAllY gives a toss these days..no money …no power…no wonder we’re lethargic.
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re the st clement fatal accident the car involved crashed in racing style, bouncing off properties on both sides of the road. I have seen crashes at le mans and goodwood with similar outcomes. the cars were not being driven at 30 mph.
Could the police please announce the outcome of their investigations.
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13; “good” to see that you don’t recognise good old sexism when you see it. Not sure about the “vast experience”, either. The fact is, one can make generalisations about most sectors of the populace. Some of those generalisations have at least a hint of trusth. There are certain such generalisations which apply to female drivers but you would not find a male judge expressing such a thing and getting away with it.
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I am amazed that the magistrate expressed concern over POTENTIAL fatalities from dangerous driving,yet when we have a REAL fatality no one is prosecuted.
I am of course referring to the crash six months ago in which a Latvian woman, Dita Paverniece, was killed in a late night accident in St.Clement and the driver is still to be named or face the courts for justice.
Totally agree absolutely disgusting what about the poor girls family how can then grieve not knowing who killed there daughter come on Mr Bowen lets have some honest policing
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I understand that the fatal accident in Trinity occurred after the one at St Clement. The enquiry into the events of the Trinity fatality has already taken place yet “our” police and other “representatives” maintain a steadfast and defiant silence with regard to the St Clement incident. It does make one wonder what is going on and what they are trying to hide.
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Driving on a regular basis I am horrified by the speeding and generally poor driving that has arisin over the last few years. Just today I was driving through the tunnel heading east when the car behind me slowed down on approach to the tunnel then when there was some distance between us, he put his lights on, foot down and sped up to reach me. I often see this at the underpass when 2 cars heading east will split, one going through underpass and the other over the top round the round about to see who gets through first.
I would encourage anybody to take the numbers and report to the police when they see this sort of thing happening. I know that they cannot do anything apart from talk to the driver but I also think that if there is an accident later and the car has already been reported then it may help the police then. Unfortunatly, it is often the innocent that are injured when something does occur. I think with any high speeding considerably over the limit the car should be confiscated.
I am completely baffled how they get away with it as often as they do.
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Everyone speeds fact!
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How many people are driving cars with modifications which invalidate their insurance? The answer is LOTS. How many without insurance? How many with out a licence? Start confiscating the cars, motorbikes or scooters. Perhaps the Police need to set up a car crime unit, Fines on the spot, confiscation of vehicles on spot if the crime warrants it. No one has a right to drive, it is a privilege that is earn t and with it comes an obligation to act responsibly.
Sentences handed out need to be just and applied equally to all convicted, not one sentence for XXX and a more lenient one for YYY as has been seen in the past, (the person was well known and well off, or a Civil servant).
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Correction Shaun – Not everyone speeds. It is a simple matter of responsibility to other road users. Why not take an advanced driving course and obtain an advanced driving certificate. That will make you aware of the errors of other drivers and make you and others like you a far better driver.
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“Bridget Shaw said that young male drivers too often had an inflated opinion of their ability to handle a car and took stupid risks”
Or perhaps their younger brains do indeed have faster reaction times than old fuddy duddies (FACT!) and with all their experience of driving enthusiastically they are quite in tune with how to drive “making good progress” (a nice phrase from Roadcraft, the handbook of the Advanced Motorists).
Most of the local severe accidents, it has been admitted recently, come from careless mistakes at ANY speed. Plus, most fatalities are from drink, drugs, or really monstrously excessive speeding, not the kind of “tut tut” driving involving a little bit of keen acceleration and a few mph over a limit.
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I believe what the Assistant Magistrate says is correct, however – it’s not just young males, but young females too. Usually the latter is also on a mobile! But it’s not just the young that are hazardous. The amount of excitable drivers in Jersey is no different to elsewhere – but with our tight roads and limited views the dangers can be far greater.
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whoever killed the lady in st clement in a crash didnt get into to trouble so what sort of message does that send,
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Looks like judge Pickles has been reincarnated
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Agree with the magistrate but there are also male and female adult drivers that drive like lunatics.
People who drive too close are really annoying.
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I am amazed that the police have taken so long to make it public about the details of St Clement accident…………this only send out a message that if you speed and get caught you.ll get a fine. however if you speed and kill somebody and get caught NOTHING HAPPENS.I wonder why NO politican has asked the question or is there a cover up….?
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Today is 6 years to the day since Debbie Gardiner was killed on St Clements coast road.
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I would think that everyone at some point in thier lives drives like this… the thrill and excitement from speed is a pretty primal feeling.
I’m not saying “everyones done it, therefore it’s ok” but be reasonable, going for a drive/ride as a 18-21 year old in Jersey was one of the few ways of cooling off for myself after a long day at work and the other end of the scale are bums without much else to do at night.
What else is there to do for this bracket of youngsters who havn’t been shipped off to university? We could go the pub everynight? Spend our nights infront of the TV or Playstation or on Facebook? because we sure as hell arnt allowed to park up and hang out without someone making complaints about it and very shortly after being told to move on by the Police.
I would agree with stricter rules against speeding if people didnt take such an imperialistic view towards why people do it.
Comprimise not brutality is the only solution i see, possible relaxed speeding limits in certian areas during late times say 11pm-4am maybe or just shut up and actually fork out the cash and a plot of land for people of this age to call thier own?
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Has anyone been around the one way around Springfield Stadium and Roberts garage at night? Hooligan city – it’s used as a chicane with egits going as fast as they can – cars and “chicken chasers”. Anybody ever seen a police officer around there? Nope, thought not. Too busy hiding behind lamposts on the Avenue or “cherrypicking” for figures in Cheapside looking for people driving slowly without a seatbelt. Not disputing it’s a crime and dangerous, but get the priority straight. Please, for everyone’s sake plod, pop down to Springfield of an evening and see what everyone has to put up with before another ends up in hospital!
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If these idiots want to drive fast then I suggest
1) they take their cars to UK or European tracks where events are run with safety measures.
2) go to live in Germany and go round and round the Nurbergring as fast as you like.
We don’t want these dangerous morons racing around our roads.
Speed cameras needed
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They hang around the burger bar at Vic Ave …some came down Beaumont the other evening flat out no chance at all if anything goes wrong which at that speed happens in milliseconds,clip the kerb at speed and your down in the meadow or in the path of an oncoming car on the other side…madness…maybe some of their mates will have to be killed for sense to seep in…..
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32 Paul Mourant…you have made it clear just where you’re at…if you think being moved on for hanging around in your cars is “Brutal” either you have no idea what the word means or are living in cuckoo land…if you are gonna hang out which IS a right of passage ..don’t Pi** people off and they’ll leave you alone….others have to get up for work and do not want to listen to the noise…ya dig..?
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Why do people on here think that static speed cameras are the saviour to all our motoring problems. They are static and will reduce the speed in one specific area for a fraction of a minute, once the offender has passed the camera they will then resume their speeding onslaught. The only way these fixed station would be effective would be to place them every 150m on the longest straights such as 5 mile road. Do you really want 5 mile road scarred with yellow boxes ???
The most effective form of deterrent is to have the police out and about with mobile radar traps. Unlike fixed stations, their where about cannot easily be logged into GPS.
Fixed speed cameras would be unnecessary blot on the landscape and like using a 10lb lump hammer to crack a hazel nut.
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Speeding is rife and today there are reports of a serious crash on the St Aubins inner road. Speed has not been suggested in this case, however it is a factor in the majority of accidents.
St Clements fatal crash.
Who is hiding what and why? Are they above the Police or can they manipulate them? Something doesn’t add up.
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It is heartening to know that the tragic death of Dita has not been forgotten. Although it would seem to be forgotten by those investigating, just how long is this goint to take. It is an absolute disgrace that the driver has yet to be named and the longer this drags on the more difficult it is for Dita’s family.
No wonder the words ‘cover up’ are mentioned. Come on SOJP do your job and release the name and if charges are to be brought.
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Paul Mourant 32.
You suggest:
“Comprimise not brutality is the only solution”.
Then, you go on to say:
“Relax speed limits in certain areas from 11pm-4am or Shut up and actually fork out the cash and a plot of land for people of this age to call their own”.
So where’s the ‘compromise’ you suggest?
You cannot have it all your way!
Unfortunately for young speed-freaks, people tend to sleep during those hours. Yes, SLEEP, a strange primal habit that people who work tend to favour.
Oh, and I know this may sound uncaring, but why don’t the speed-freaks fork out the cash and buy/rent a plot of land for people of their own age to call their own?…instead of expecting others to do it for them!
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It seems that the problem is, yet again, due to a failure to police and to enforce the laws. It is amply clear from the above that many of those commenting on this thead know exactly where these offences tend to occur.
Those commenting are almost certainly ordinary members of the public. As such, they are not paid upwards of forty grand per annum to undertake a sworn duty and yet it would seem that these members of the public are more in tune with the problem than are “our” police.
Let’s be honest, if those above know where the problem lies then so too should the police. If the latter wish to claim ignorance, they only have to read this thread and then that defence will quickly fall away. The police have recently admitted that officers examine material posted on line so there can now be absolutely no excuse whatsoever.
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@ 40. So certian streches of the 5 mile or northern coast road would be totally unsuitable for that? I’m not talking about the Isle of Man style no speed limits outside of towns stuff.
Just for the record, i work… i’m a fisherman so 5 o’clock starts are the norm for me. Congragulations on just dumping me in there with the social claiming bums and college students who can’t be arsed to get a summer job.
@ 35. Just no… really i wasnt aware i came across as trying to be cool.
I would consider crushing cars and a police riot van turning up to be brutal, moving people on for the sake of it, i consider to be pointless.
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34: Overpopulated: “if you want to drive fast *just* relocate to germany and drive on the Nurburgring”.
Pretty crass, don’t you think? It’s not a Jersey *problem*: from the very first cars to horse racing before that, it’s intrinsic to human nature to enjoy the sensation of speed and risk.
Suggesting people move to a different country to satisfy this urge is akin to banning fatty foods and telling people to ‘just’ move to the USA if they want a burger (incidentally – check deaths resulting from people being overweight and compare them to car crash deaths to find Jersey’s real killer). Very silly comments indeed.
What about this go-kart track that keeps getting knocked back, time and time again? The same NIMBYs who don’t want the track also don’t want people to drive a little quickly.
People need to vent after spending a week in the office, and ~40 seconds of sprint time over the course of 6 hours twice a year on the 5 mile road isn’t going to cover this.
Give them somewhere to drive quickly and safely (a proper go-kart track with rentable *petrol* karts) or stop expecting young adults to act like numb, soulless, unadventurous drones.
Try the carrot rather than the stick approach first.
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#2 Very true. There was a report once (front page) featuring two teenage girls, one of whom had experienced two ‘lucky escapes’ from car accidents within a very short space of time. It wasn’t hard to realise that both crashes would have been avoided had an idiot not been at the wheel but the girl was hailed as some kind of luck-laden potential victim.
Had the same situation been about a boy you can be sure he would have been slated as a boy racer.
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Jersey is a small island with small roads, every ‘sport’ cannot be catered for. If you can call going at high speeds in cars sport.
We locals are fed up with the invastion of our once quiet island and telling us what to do. In the same way if you want to watch top football you go to the UK, ditto high speed cars.
I will not go on about pollution, global warming, using up a finite substance (petrol) which will become even more expensive over the next 10+ years until only millionaires will be able to drive..
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If you see someone speeding/throwing litter out of vehicle window etc…., then stop your car and phone your local Radio Show and tell them to read the license plate/make model of vehicle/driver male-female.. Live on air!!!!SHAME THEM.
In the case of dangerous driving then you know this Idiot is heading in your direction too.Who knows maybe a policeman may hear it and stop them.
What about giving a bit more power to Traffic Wardens so they too can stop the vehicles..Issue fines to speeding traffic offenders. They do have this power overseas, and they do have fast vehicles very similar to police ones, it lessons the burden on Police! Instead of them hiding in the carparks for a coffee and smoke!!!
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oh dear (paul) 42.
Oh dear, Paul, you’re a tad touchy, aren’t you? What’s wrong, did I strike a nerve?
I never said, nor insinuated that you were one of Jersey’s “social-claiming bums”. I simply said that people who work tend to sleep at night…a habit which is highly recommended by many doctors.
As for the 5 mile or northern coast road, well, they are public roads. This means that ‘normal’ motorists should be able to use them at all hours without fear of being catapulted into eternity by some maniac who thinks he’s a world-class racing driver.
So, keep your racing off the roads…oh, and suspend that selfish attitude and let quiet citizens enjoy quiet nights.
P.S. Why don’t you start a car-racing club and get working on fundraising events which will allow you to rent a plot of land and, ultimately, help save the lives of your boy-racer friends!
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Hopefully plenty of others, beside myself, share Overpopulated’s entirely reasonable point of view.
What is ‘pretty crass’, Loco, is to justify idiotic driving on the grounds that it is ‘intrinsic to human nature to enjoy the sensation of speed and risk’.
Many of us intrinsically enjoy peace and quiet and have a strong enough self preservation instinct to avoid taking unnecessary risks.
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38 Mister Shifter “speed is a factor in the majority of accidents” genius, if you are not moving you are unlikely to have a crash.
I think you may mean excessive speed is a factor.
Actually it’s not, it’s bad driving as mentioned on last nights Channel TV by a police inspector.
Agree speed cameras ( cash machines ) don’t work, surprised given the appetite for money our government has that we don’t have them though.
Enforcement of existing laws is the answer.
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#45 Overpopulated: If you’re tired of the noise, why don’t just move to Sark where there are no cars and people move about on bikes or by horse?
Or maybe it’s a futile exercise telling people to leave the island if they don’t like certain things? Certainly doesn’t solve any problems.
#48 C Le Verdic: perhaps you have short attention span and didn’t read until the end of my post. As such, I’ll keep this short: I suggested we provide an avenue for these youngsters to drive safely off the road, such as a decent go-kart track. Nowhere did I suggest that it was acceptible for them to drive as they do on the roads.
Please stop putting words in my mouth, especially if they’re utter BS!
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C Le Verdic. I don’t enjoy driving fast, but I do enjoy jumping out of aeroplanes, climbing mountains and diving with sharks. Is that crass too?
Fortunately, we all have different interests, hobbies or things that float our boat etc. Some people enjoy adrenaline rushes. Others get their highs from correcting spelling mistakes and grammar. What I find crass, is when a person is being critical of someone for not sharing the same opinion as yourself.
Some people will enjoy the sensation of speed and risk, Good luck to them. But there is a time and place and I would never support any activity that places a member of the public in danger. So let’s keep the speeders off the road, but lets provide an opportunity for them to have their fun.
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the future
Posted August 1, 2011 at 3:42 pm
Today is 6 years to the day since Debbie Gardiner was killed on St Clements coast road.
Rest in peace and God give strength to you and your family
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to all saying let them have a bit of fun wouldnt be saying that if they had had 2 very close friends killed on boxing day by an idiot speeding leaving 3 children without parents o i forgot they are having a bit of fun
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“What about this go-kart track that keeps getting knocked back, time and time again? The same NIMBYs who don’t want the track also don’t want people to drive a little quickly.”
No, the go-kart track is not “knocked back”. It exists already. What is objectionable to many living near the site and indeed elsewhere is the application to take over public land in a beauty spot for a club’s own ends. The club is already allowed to use the site, yet it now wants to own it.
To recap, a track exists and is not being “knocked back”.
Thank you for your comment.
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Where did I say that the activities were crass, especially activities first mentioned after my post, Bean About A Bit? I was refering to the comment in the same vein as Loco’s retort to Overpopulated (whose views certainly strike a chord with me).
‘So let’s keep the speeders off the road, but lets provide an opportunity for them to have their fun’
Why should it be down to us, as in lets (sic), to provide these opportunities. Let the afficionados provide for themselves if their intrinsically desired speed and danger urges are so important to their petrolhead lives.
‘Please stop putting words in my mouth, especially if they’re utter BS!’
Your words originally, Loco, not mine. Mind you, I do consider off road speeding as idiotic as on the road but that’s just me. As Bean About quite rightly implies, we are all different.
I suggest you look again at your penultimate paragraph of post 43 which, by implication, excuses young speeders on the grounds that their, purportedly intrinsic, urges have not been catered for off the road.
Again, as with my reply to Bean About A Bit, I ask why it should be everyone else’s responsibility to cater for the needs of thrillseekers?
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Speed alone is not the cause of accidents, merely a contributing factor…
Inability to control one’s vehicle is what causes crashes, and that happens at any speed!
What is more dangerous? (Theoretical example time): Someone travelling at a steady, controlled 50mph along the St Clements Coast Road at 1/2/3am, with little to no other road users around? Or someone travelling at 29mph down Hill Street on a Saturday afternoon?
One of these is perfectly legal, yet far far more dangerous, than the other… From the reactions of most people though, the person doing 50 in a 30 zone should be hung drawn and quartered.
What about improving the standard of driving for EVERYBODY? A personal pet hate: people who dawdle along at a steady 38mph in the overtaking lane of Victoria Avenue, when they are overtaking absolutely nothing and should pull in.. Some of us might like to travel at 39, or even – God forbid, the magic 40..
“Oh, but you should leave earlier/it’s only a small island/any other excuse” is the normal response (after the dirty looks/fist waving/lights flashing)… Why should I have to make allowances for people that either don’t care about, or don’t know, the rules of the road as stated in the Highway Code amongst others? They are the ones who need the refresher, not I!
This is only one of many examples of p*ss-poor driving standards on this rock, one could go for a 15 minute drive at almost any point of the day, and on almost any route, and most likely see more than 10 examples of poor, incorrect or just plain illegal driving, all at well below the speed limit, yet the main focus is on speed?
(And no, I don’t condone the boy racers pretending they can go everywhere as fast as possible in their nasty plastic shopping trollies – one day they’ll realise they could’ve spent all that money on a real car, and a track day to use it instead of plastic add-ons and fart cannons, and no insurance as the modifications would cost too much)
If you bothered reading all this – fair play!
If not, I’ll sum it up in 3 words…..
EDUCATION – NOT LEGISLATION!
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The answer is to make everyone pass a motorcycle test before being allowed to drive a car. Motorcycling teaches road sense.
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The answer might be to make everyone pass a bicycle test before being allowed to ride a motorcycle/ Bicycling teaches road sense….oh, hang on, no it doesn’t…….it teaches you to ride up one way streets, on pavements and through red lights and to abuse other road users when you nearly cause an accident
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C Le Verdic: why is it our responsibility as taxpayers to pay for the healthcare of those who are overweight? Why do we pay for skateparks? Why do we pay for cancer treatment to smokers? Why do we pay for playgrounds for children? Why do those who pay for private healthcare have to contribute to public healthcare?
When you figure the answers to the above, you might understand why we might provide a means for those who enjoy driving an opportunity to do so, safely and off the public roads.
There was no implication of excusing that behaviour – maybe you inferred incorrectly. It doesn’t matter. The point is that young drivers world-wide do speed and an avenue to be able to drive quickly and in competition should reduce speeding in this age group locally.
Clearly in by your comments you have an inability to empathise with the demographic, which is fine. However, it does limit your ability to be able to provide a rational argument towards the situation.
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56 Si – brilliant post, I’ve nothing to add, shame the idiots that bang on about speed don’t and never will get it.
My personal favourite is the coffin dodgers in their Honda’s who hit the brakes whenever there is an oncoming vehicle, never heard of engine braking – the Honda dealership must love you, new brakes every year.
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‘Clearly in by your comments you have an inability to empathise with the demographic’
You are right there, Loco, well put. Thats why it’s easier for me to spot the obvious difference between necessary activities and frivolous ones. I suppose you could say that I don’t get carried away by crazes.
Your ‘why do we pay for…’ paragraph raises some interesting points, epecially in Jersey where there is a significant attitude of “Let ‘em rot if they can’t save up for it”.
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Well it not that difficult to control and manage is it? Nine x five.
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60; yes, Honda Jazz driven by flat caps. they pull out in front of you (even if you’re the only one on the road) and then drive at 25 mph just like in the Austin 7 sidevalve, eh my boy! Why pull out in front of me? Why not pull over if you want to drive at such ridiculous speeds?! If I see a Hoda Jazz comiing out of a side turning I tend to speed up in order to avoid the inevitable pulling out/20 mph jobbie.
The clutches must wear out quickly; when parking, the clutch is ridden/slipping and the engine revving at 9,000 rpm but they can’t hear the noise through the deaf aids.
The indicators never seem to work (funny that) and the vehicle seems to be incapable of exceeding 29 mph.
When I am stuck behind one of these drivers, I often marvel- were they ever normal? If so, when did they start driving like this?
The reality is that these drivers seldom have accidents (difficult at that speed) but they must cause dozens due to the frustration they cause in other road users.
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Loco 59
Re: “why is it our responsibility as taxpayers to pay for…”
Here are some rational answers to your questions.
All treatment required by individuals with physical, psychological and emotional illnesses is paid for by the taxpayer. An overweight condition is a mind and body disorder which is the result of a combination of physical, psychological and emotional problems. Therefore, it is only logical that the taxpayer should pick up the bill for any treatment required by obese patients.
Smoking is a physical addiction and, unfortunately, people are susceptible to addictive habits. However, most of the things the majority of non-smokers intentionally consume on a daily basis (alcohol, commercially prepared food, meat, medicines and even flouride-treated water) harm their bodies in one way or another. Therefore, it is illogical to restrict access to medical care to smokers only.
Children’s playgrounds and skateparks encourage physical activity. The importance of physical activity to health and fitness is well known and is considered the foundation of our health throughout life. Therefore, when the taxpayer invests in a playground or skatepark it is actually investing in public health.
Racing tracks, on the other hand, do not encourage physical activity. They are simply places where ‘speed lovers’ can spend their leisure time. Furthermore, due to the unreasonably loud noise generated by suped-up engines, they are detrimental to the health and welfare of the general public.
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Surely the best way to ensure road safety would be to swap oap cars with young persons.
Young persons would then drive coked up (not that way!) Honda Jazz and Pergoda whatsit Nipper cars with “one lady owner” never having exceeded 30 mph (complete with tartan rug), while oaps would have Imprezzas and Saxos but they wouldn’t exceed 30 mph so the engines would never come “on cam”.
Problem solved.
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We have long lost the cajones..but if I had my way when one of these idiots deprives someone of their wife ,husband,child brother ,sister ..they ought to be horsewhipped in the Royal square…repeatedly.
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Still think the Law is too soft, They should be charged with MURDER,if their driving kills,and attempted murder if they cause injury and sentenced as so!
How can we change the Law, who will get this Act on the go ?? Anyone out their in The States willing to do so? !
Sure will get MY VOTE if you do~!
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Wassat? These young rips in their converted cars driving like wild carriages? They should ban these “thrupp and maberley” overhead valve conversion kits, that would sort out the horsepower problem. In my day, we would skim the head, advance the timing and remove the fan blade to gain another tenth of an RAC rated horsepower from our Ford Eights.
Nowadays it’s all these new fangled whotsits like variable radio valve timing and supercharged door handles. Whatever next!? Still, live and let live. We were all young once. Cars with bodykits look very silly indeed, especially if they are small ones witha short wheelbase. They end up looking like cake tins on wheels. One day the drivers will cringe when they look at photos of what they used to drive!
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68 Captain Craddock, you’re not wrong there mate, big alloys on a Corsa just make the brake discs look like biscuit tin lids. That K&N induction kit and Mongoose exhause that they just parted with £800 for might add another 3 bhp but the absence of proper servicing will remove 3 times that.
As for driving with the windows down, arm rested on door/window edge music from aftermarket stereo full blast, you look like a total dick. You must have seen that idiot in the light blue Hyundai Coupe mk 1, drives with a wool hat on music out loud and a turbo sticker on the back, might as well have dick tattoed on his forehead.
I remember watching an episode of Used Car Roadshow where some divot had spent £36000 upgrading a Saxo – wtf, just buy a decent car in the first place, it’s still a Saxo you tool.
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