Campervan that hit bikers a couple of weeks back

[imdying]

Love it....... plus of course some don't even have a licence to hand in eh....this tourist had travelled 1000k's or so already without accident so clearly she was capable of handling the camper van.

I'm not sure that 1000kms of 'good luck' makes her qualified to drive what is essentially a light truck?

[Ixion]

you people that are crucifying this woman need to read this

http://nz.news.yahoo.com/071219/3/3crz.html?f=mv

I do not see that the article contributes anything further? It is exactly the same as the ones in the newspapers. She had a good lawyer. And the dead were only motorcyclists. Worth $8000 a life, in the estimation of the learned judge.

[vifferman]

I'm not sure that 1000kms of 'good luck' makes her qualified to drive what is essentially a light truck?

I don't think anyone could be termed "qualified" to drive anything, until they've had experience in all kinds of situations such as driving in adverse conditions, on difficult roads, practicing emergency crash avoidance manouevres, etc.
But so what? Even if she (or anyone else) had gained that kind of experience in 1000km, it doesn't mean they're not going to make mistakes.

To err is human, to forgive divine.

[Katman]

I do not understand thae attitude of you and Mr Katman, that bikers are always in the wrong, and other road users have no responsibility or accountability at all. It seems a perverse masochism.

Where have I ever stated that bikers are always in the wrong. I have only ever said that in most circumstances there is something that the motorcyclist could have done to avoid the accident (regardless of who is at fault).

But then, you're always shown a remarkable ability to manipulate what someone says to suit your own agenda.

[jrandom]

She had a good lawyer.

She's quite hawt, too.

Helps enormously.

[Grahameeboy]

Clearly, she was not, because she ended up putting the vehicle on its side on the wrong side of the road. Crashed on the wrong side of the road is, barring acts of gods or vehicle failure, incompetence. So, for Mr Jim2's benefit, is putting ones bike into the ditch on a corner. If anyone thinks that crashing is a mark of competence, I wish them to keep well away from anywhere I am , please.

Oh dear......as usual you miss the point. She was competent for a few 1000k's and it was an unfortunate accident. For all we know she may not have even hit the post and the passenger, having looked up after reading the map, over reacted and in the agony of the moment (which is not negligent) the driver swerved.

I do not know about Ms Velevet. But for myself, I have (like most people) stuffed up. When I have I have considered that as an indication that I was not competent under the particular conditions. And taken steps to address that incompetence.

So who say she will not do that?

In the case of the Austrienne, it is necessary to distinguish between incompetence and culpability. She was not culpable, she was told that ,as an experienced car driver, she would have no trouble controlling the vehicle she hired. She had no reason to question that. But, manifestly , it was wrong.

Mmm, she controlled it for a few 1000k's. How does an accident make someone incomptent. She was culpable for the accident because she was the driver. Big difference.

Punishing her would achieve little purpose. But , the law has said that if you kill a motorcyclist by incompetent driving, and pay his family $8000, then that's all good and fine. No problems. Which to me is an unacceptable state of affairs.

If it was fine then the Law would have not banned her or ordered her to pay reparation........but they did so I guess the Law did not think what she did was fine and no problems......or am I missing something?



And would you seriously contend that her sentence would not have been much greater had she taken out a bus load of kids? Or, indeed, anyone other than some motorcyclists? Why are you so surprised and aggrieved that bikers, on a biker forum, should be in a "snit" when someone kills bikers?

The outcome is down to circumstances. The chances or her having this accident at the same time as a bike run were, it is fair to say, pretty slim. So her negligence should not just be judged by the outcome so if she had killed just 1 person, the circumstances of her actions ie what she did or did not do are the same.


I do not understand thae attitude of you and Mr Katman, that bikers are always in the wrong, and other road users have no responsibility or accountability at all. It seems a perverse masochism.

Where did you get that gem from?

...............

[Grahameeboy]

I do not see that the article contributes anything further? It is exactly the same as the ones in the newspapers. She had a good lawyer. And the dead were only motorcyclists. Worth $8000 a life, in the estimation of the learned judge.

There is no value on a life Ixion. Even in Countries like UK and the States, only live dependants can claim compensation for their loss.

You may find that the figures are to cover funeral costs, maybe other damages.

The Court is not saying that the dead were worth $8,000.

[Street Gerbil]

Competent drivers can loose control as well - whether they are pushing the envelope or not.

Agreed. But if your only riding experience is on GN250 and you rent a Goldwing, you are a lot more likely to get into trouble. Especially on an unfamiliar, narrow, twisted, and poorly paved road. Especially when you have to drive on the other side of the road and your every instinct screams you to move to the lane belonging to the oncoming traffic.

[KATWYN]

I do not see that the article contributes anything further? It is exactly the same as the ones in the newspapers. She had a good lawyer. And the dead were only motorcyclists. Worth $8000 a life, in the estimation of the learned judge.

Take a look at her face....is that the expression of a person happy they "got away" with a just fine and loss of licence because of their good lawyer?

Or is that the look of a distressed person who will carry this for the rest of her life. 4 lives lost, 2 injured. Thats one huge burden to carry around. How would people that are dissing her feel if she goes back home and commits suicide over this?? Then that would be 5 lives lost and 2 injured due to this tragedy.

There was no alcohol or drugs involved in this accident.

At the yelling of her partner, she reacted to avoid hitting the post on the side of the road (which in her country is a solid object - but flexible in NZ) She over corrected.

Who of us has ever over corrected before and been lucky enough to not kill someone in doing so?

It is terrible tragedy

[Grahameeboy]

I'm not sure that 1000kms of 'good luck' makes her qualified to drive what is essentially a light truck?

I guess she may have had some driving experience in Austria?

Campers are easy to drive anyway

Still based on your view I guess we should applaud the 70k limit for learners eh? Don't want their luck to run out now do we

[Marmoot]

An eye for an eye makes two blind men.
So, let those without sin casts the first stone...fucken bigots



Makes me ashamed of being a motorcyclists!

[scumdog]

[SIZE=1For what it's worth, I agree - the crash was almost certainly the tragic result of an unskilled driver being let out onto the road in a heavy vehicle for which she should not have had an operating licence.

For what it's worth the roads of NZ are littered with overseas drivers with 'o' driving experience in the rantal vehicle they sit behind the wheel of.

In Q'town court an Indian tourist in a rental who drove there from Ch-ch was busted for high speeds, overtaking in face of oncoming traffic and on yellow lines (sounds like a KB bike ride eh? eh?)

Just had NO real driving experience and found the cost of hiring a driver too expensive

It's a wonder there's not more similar tragedies - one almost gets the impression that rental companies swipe the Visa, throw a set of keys at the tourist and kick the door shut behind their arse.

[jrandom]

How would people that are dissing her feel if she goes back home and commits suicide over this??

That would be a terrible waste of a reasonably hot blonde in perfect working order.

Who of us has ever over corrected before and been lucky enough to not kill someone in doing so?

I've fucked up corners on bikes a handful of times and spent the next hour in a cold sweat, knowing full well that if there'd been another vehicle in the way I'd be dead.

Never had such a thing happen on four wheels, though.

[MSTRS:Me]

Never had such a thing happen on four wheels, though.

"never" is only up until now.
Every time anyone is on the road, there is a chance of fucking up or being involved in someone else's fuck up.

[jrandom]

Every time anyone is on the road, there is a chance of fucking up or being involved in someone else's fuck up.

'tain't a random chance.

We control our own destiny when operating a vehicle. A fuckup is a fuckup, pure and simple.