Campervan that hit bikers a couple of weeks back

[Tank]

http://stuff.co.nz/4329916a10.html

An Austrian tourist whose moment of carelessness cost four lives when her campervan ploughed into a group of motorcyclists near Fairlie this month has avoided a fine but must pay hefty reparations.


Heike Schellnegger, 30, an architect, had pleaded guilty to four charges of careless driving causing death, and two of causing injury by careless driving.

At her sentencing in Christchurch District Court this afternoon, she was ordered to pay $31,000 in reparation to families of the four victims killed when she crashed head-on into motorcyclists making a charity ride for underprivileged children.

She was also disqualified from driving for 12 months.

Judge David Saunders said the court's primary sentencing needs could be met by compensating the deceased's families and the two injured motorcyclists.

[Ixion]

So , rather less than $8000 per life. And as she is leaving NZ anyway the 12 months disqualification is meaningless.

[imdying]

$31000 and that on her concience for life... could've been a worse outcome.

[discodan]

What a joke our justice system is.

For some reason it is ok to kill four people as long as you are encased in a 2 tonne metal cage... oh and that will $30,000 please.

[Monsterbishi]

I know a guy who got more than $8k for losing a couple of toes in a industrial accident!, and that's all the tourist has to pay for a single life they took, that's insulting really, so much for the punishment fitting the crime.

What's worse really is that NZD$31k to a european is about the equivalent of NZD$10k to us, considering how much higher their cost of living is over there, so 4 lives for the cost of a used Japanese car.

Hell, the dudes an architect, $31k is nothing to him.

[GaZBur]

I remember once making a mistake driving my car.
I ended up going over onto the wrong side of the road. I was in luck - nobody else was around, nobody was hurt. I can only imagine the pain she is going through knowing what she has caused. If she has morals which it appears she has she will suffer this for the rest of her life too! My prime sympathy must lie with the victims families - but when it comes to saying her penalty is meaningless!

as the saying goes..

There but for the grace of God go I!

[Colapop]

Yeah I can see how the poor dear would have the deaths of these people on her conscience. It must be hard on her. I wonder what it's like for the families of the people that she killed by her inattentiveness. I shouldn't be so harsh - she has to pay a pittance for the lives she's taken. $31k NZD vs Euro's from an architects salary... yeah I can see the pain she's suffering...

[vifferman]

Get it right:

Hell, the dudette's an architect, $31k is nothing to her.

It's likely the licence loss thing is transferrable to Austria (there are reciprocal agreements on these things for many countries).
So, what were they supposed to do?
Execute her?
Lock her up in Her Majesty's Hotel for a couple of years, at $80k+ per year cost to the taxpayer?

I'm sure she feels badly enough about it, and was prepared to do whatever was necessary to make amends. But the dead motorcyclists can't be resurrected.

[Monsterbishi]

There but for the grace of God go I!

At least she's going to have a life to live, there's four souls who aren't because of her actions, and four familes who will miss them more than she will even start to realise. She'll pay her tiny fine, and get on with her life, mentally writing the event off as a result of a slippery road, or some other justifyable distraction.

Vifferman - If I were chosing the sentence, I'd make it something that reminds her for life, say, half of her earnings go to the families of the deceased.

[surfer]

That is so sad, $31K is that all life is worth!

Yep, the driver will have to live with this on their concience but not in her wallet.

[vifferman]

Look, it's obvious where this is going to end up.
I say we go and buy the rope right now, and hang the bitch.
Nothing short of revenge is going to remedy this sad situation. I'm sure the family and friends of the deceased were hoping the judge would give her a capital sentence, and nothing else is going to fix things for them.
Perhaps it wouldn't be too over the top if she were 'accidentally' damaged a bit on the way to the hanging tree? Or maybe we could bring back the olde "hung, drawn and quartered" punishment?

Fuck - when will those softcocks in the Justice Department realise that the KiwiBiker Ultimate Judgement Tribunal could very quickly fix all the wrongs in Noo Zilund, if they just give us plenty of beer, some fine Italian bikes, and more money than you can shake a stick at.

[discodan]

Get it right:

It's likely the licence loss thing is transferrable to Austria (there are reciprocal agreements on these things for many countries).
So, what were they supposed to do?
Execute her?
Lock her up in Her Majesty's Hotel for a couple of years, at $80k+ per year cost to the taxpayer?

I'm sure she feels badly enough about it, and was prepared to do whatever was necessary to make amends. But the dead motorcyclists can't be resurrected.

Loosing her right to ever drive a car again might not be a bad start. That should go for anyone that kills other people on the road. A 12 month driving suspension if so pathetic it is offensive.

[Blue Velvet]

Wonder what caused the camper van to "drift into shingle" in the first place.

Lack of attention caused by...

[RantyDave]

What a joke our justice system is.

Oh, puhleeeze. And I'm not just referring to Mr Dan, either.

She had AN ACCIDENT. She wasn't drunk. She wasn't fucking speeding. She wasn't doing a u-turn to pursue an allegedly speeding biker. She didn't, FFS, see a whole raft of bikers coming and decide to mow them all down. No. She drifted onto the gravel - probably trying to make some more space for the bikers - felt it pull left, overcorrected to the right, and by the looks of things the weight of the top of the camper has pulled it into the corner and into the path of the oncoming bikers.

She made no attempt to hide the fact. Never once claimed it was anyone's fault but her own. And feels awful about the whole thing. Sure, thirty grand is neither here nor there, but ... honestly ... it's not like locking her up would help, is it?

Fucks' sake. Are you trying to tell me that nobody here ever has an accident? Ever?

Dave

[aderino4]

Interesting how everyone seems to be very determined to destroy another life.

2 Lives have been taken away and another 2 are injured.. yet everyone is on their pitch fork trying to destroy another one (the tourist).

You will not understand what it feels like to be in her shoes until you are in her shoes.