Bus driver jailed

[Eater Sundae]

http://www.itv.com/news/2016-12-09/school-bus-driver-jailed-after-leaving-23-children-stranded-in-flood-waters/

 

I expected him to be convicted of careless driving, as it's quite a high bar to prove dangerous driving. But once they did convict him for dangerous driving, then I think that the prison sentence is reasonable. I would have liked to see a longer driving ban, as I think that keeping such a driver off the road is the key to safer roads.

[Gamston]

I think a life ban for driving, would have been more appropiate than a prison sentence.

[El Cid]

But once they did convict him for dangerous driving, then I think that the prison sentence is reasonable. I would have liked to see a longer driving ban, as I think that keeping such a driver off the road is the key to safer roads.

 

We tend to jail people when harm has actually been done, not just a risk, no one was hurt.

I assume he drove past two 'road closed' signs intentionally, but then again there are often signs left out by the highways dept, when they should be been taken away.

[Eater Sundae]

We tend to jail people when harm has actually been done, not just a risk, no one was hurt.

I assume he drove past two 'road closed' signs intentionally, but then again there are often signs left out by the highways dept, when they should be been taken away.

 

It's one thing to carefully drive past road closed signs. It's a very different matter to drive into flowing water when you have already been advised that the road is closed.

 

If we avoid serious punishments just because nobody was hurt, then we are not really addressing the problem. Dangerous drivers are not expecting to actually hurt anyone, so are not expecting to ever receive severe punishment, so they are not deterred from driving dangerously.

 

Much better, in my opinion, is to punish all forms of bad driving, if caught, regardless of the outcome. This would require increased traffic police operations which, unfortunately, is unlikely, due to cost.

 

In the current situation there is little or no deterrent to bad driving. By the time people are properly punished, it is usually too late, as the damage has already been done.

 

I think that punishing in this case is a welcome change. Unfortunately it didn't get as much publicity as I would have liked.

[El Cid]

Much better, in my opinion, is to punish all forms of bad driving, if caught, regardless of the outcome. This would require increased traffic police operations which, unfortunately, is unlikely, due to cost.

 

In the current situation there is little or no deterrent to bad driving.

 

I do think that we should do more of that.

[the_bloke]

We tend to jail people when harm has actually been done, not just a risk, no one was hurt.

I assume he drove past two 'road closed' signs intentionally, but then again there are often signs left out by the highways dept, when they should be been taken away.

 

He drove through one deep stretch after the signs, which if it was a car he would have come a cropper in. Thinking that was okay, he had a go for the second.

 

He's an idiot basically.

[Margarita Ma]

I think a life ban for driving, would have been more appropiate than a prison sentence.

 

I agree. A jail term means we are paying to keep the idiot. He should be banned from driving for life. Endangering children's lives should carry a severe penalty but perhaps the judge is restricted in the sentence he can hand down for the offence when no one has been permanently harmed.

[El Cid]

He's an idiot basically.

 

He is ex-army

[the_bloke]

He is ex-army

 

Not sure why that should make any difference? One of my ex army friends is now a window fitter. Does his experience in the armed forces make him a better window fitter than his colleagues? No

[monkey104]

He is ex-army

 

And? There are more ex servicemen and women out there than you think, all being productive members of society prior and post service.

Are they all idiots?