Advocacy & Safety - Hit and run driver mows down two kids riding on side walk.

http://www.bayarea.com/mld/cctimes/news/local/states/california/counties/contra_costa_county/7121315.htm

DANVILLE - The woman suspected of a hit-and-run accident that killed two children in front of their mother and friends Sunday evening was driving on a suspended license and has a long history of alcohol-related arrests including drunken driving, court records show.

A careening bronze Mercedes turned a warm evening stroll along Camino Tassajara into a nightmare when it jumped onto the sidewalk and struck Troy Pack, 10, and Alana Pack, 7, as they scootered and biked with their mother and two friends around 7 p.m.

Why can't people understand if they can't handle machines, don't use them at all. :mad:

Why can't people understand if they can't handle machines, don't use them at all. :mad:

More to the point, why can't government officials understand that people who have repeatedly demonstrated an inability to handle machines should have those very machines confiscated?

One way I have looked at the issue is that these people who have demonstrated an inability to use machines act as if the machines can use them instead, and this situation is reinforced and/or ignored by certain improperly behaving supervising individuals.

An example of a machine which improperly uses a person is a torture weapon.


Jacob

Why can't people understand if they can't handle machines, don't use them at all.

I'm kinda go on the assumption she was more than likely following in her own footsteps and was DUI.


More to the point, why can't government officials understand that people who have repeatedly demonstrated an inability to handle machines should have those very machines confiscated?

Problem is, just like a bike, if your bike is stolen what do you do? You go out and buy a new one. These people go out and buy a car. You don't have to have a driver's license to buy a car or own a car, you have to have one to drive the car. Yes, legislation has to get much more harsh on people that drive suspended, drunk, or on drugs. Good thing is now she has a murder charge pending.

I think they shouldn't even let you buy a car without a driver's license. If you lose it for after you have the vehicle, your vehicle should be impounded until you get back your license. If you borrow someone elses car without a license that car should be impounded and the person you lent you the vehicle should be treated as if they broke the same law. Stole the car they're driving? A mandatory 25 year prison term.
The laws need to be toughened up. And people should be required to sign a statement stating even before they get their license, that these rules will enforced. Any dealership or person who sells a vehicle to an unlicensed should be subject to an extremely steep fine.
I hope that lady is put away forever! The car should be sold to pay for funeral expenses. Since they probably will let her out someday, she should be required to sit in jail on the kids birthdays for the rest of her life.

I think they shouldn't even let you buy a car without a driver's license. If you lose it for after you have the vehicle, your vehicle should be impounded until you get back your license. If you borrow someone elses car without a license that car should be impounded and the person you lent you the vehicle should be treated as if they broke the same law. Stole the car they're driving? A mandatory 25 year prison term.

Agreed. Nobody is going to keep paying $20,000 or whatever a car costs if it's going to be confiscated everytime they drive it.

I think they shouldn't even let you buy a car without a driver's license. If you lose it for after you have the vehicle, your vehicle should be impounded until you get back your license. If you borrow someone elses car without a license that car should be impounded and the person you lent you the vehicle should be treated as if they broke the same law. .

It's funny you offer a very simple solution to what government officials call a very complex problem. The only reason it is complex is because they have made it that way. As long as the general conception is that you cannot live without a car it will remain a problem. Not only should you not be able to buy or register a car without a license but many states have three strikes your out laws. Sounds like this woman is a prime example for something like that. I know that alcoholism is a disease, but this woman has had plenty of opportunities to correct the problem and now two people have lost there lives. Maybe a case like this doesn't deserve life without parole but how about 1st degree murder 25 to life.

As long as the general conception is that you cannot live without a car it will remain a problem.

That should not matter. When I was a kid growing up, my parents punished me when I misbehaved. If I ever complained about the punishment, I would be told "you should have thought about that first". This analogy can be applied to this particular situation.

More to the point, why can't government officials understand that people who have repeatedly demonstrated an inability to handle machines should have those very machines confiscated?

That is what we are doing in Montana now~ ! ~ ITS ABOUT TIME~~!

Her licence was suspended, I must note. You've gotta wonder how many folks are out there driving with no licence.

I once had to go to traffic court. It was fascinating. The woman before me had been driving on a suspended licence, caught speeding, and running a red light. She had @ 1,000 USD in fines unpaid. The judge doubled the fines, and warned her not to drive.

My case was dismissed, taking mere seconds, and I walked out with the woman with the suspended liscence. She complained all the way out the court, and then walked to her car and drove off.

Nate's point is correct. There is an assumption in this country that you can't live without a car. It's reflected in the design of neighbourhoods, shopping centers, and just about everything else.

A guy in the UK was involved in an accident and it turned out he had been banned from driving for several lifetimes due to previous offences. He was banned from driving for a further 10 years :crash: