NationStates Jolt Archive

Well, 6 teenagers have been killed by a hit-and-run driver in Mildura, Victoria recently.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200602/s1573278.htm

The driver has been arrested.

While I totally sympathise with the victims and their families, I can't for the life of me, however, agree with the rage that appears to be engulfing the community. The man's family has had death threats against them. Threaten him, but what did this man's children do to them?

I read the article, but couldn't find the reason for the accident. Somewhere it says the car was "out of control", so was it a technical problem? Or was he drunk? Or what? Do they even know yet? And did I read it right that he had his two kids in the car with him?

In response to your question, I agree with you, In situations like this, I can of course see the anger and shock and grief of the relatives/friends, but I never can quite grasp the mob-mentality so often following closely on their heels. But maybe I'm just generally too much of a "But you've got see it from his side, too" kind of person.


On an entirely unrelated note: Is it some kind of Australian thing to recount events by saying "There would have been"? (As in "There would have been people and bodies lying everywhere - it would have been utter chaos and bedlam.")

They just need to show them that justice is being done against that driver, then they'll probably calm down a bit.

They just need to show them that justice is being done against that driver, then they'll probably calm down a bit.
yes, but if justice happens to not be what everyone thinks it is, it'll just make things worse

In the smaller towns of Australia, they are "tight-knit" as they always say in the press. If you go kill some people who are popular, don't expect any nice treatment.

I think his statement was that he couldn't see them on the dark road, and then panicked when he realised what has happened. Take that as you will.


On an entirely unrelated note: Is it some kind of Australian thing to recount events by saying "There would have been"? (As in "There would have been people and bodies lying everywhere - it would have been utter chaos and bedlam.")

Well, if you weren't there at the time and are recounting an event by how you visualise it happening, what's wrong with that?

I'm still not sure if they know the reasons for the crash. But yeah, it is small town mentality. Which is why I hate small-town Australia.

As to the "would have been..." I'm not sure if that's peculiarly Australian, but yes, we do use that phrase overmuch methinks.

I think his statement was that he couldn't see them on the dark road, and then panicked when he realised what has happened. Take that as you will.
Thanks. And I can certainly see the panicking part...


[Off-topic]
Well, if you weren't there at the time and are recounting an event by how you visualise it happening, what's wrong with that?
No, no, they were there:
"Last night when I was called up I went to the hospital and there would have been some 600 students outside the hospital," he said
[...]
Acting Police Inspector Mick Talbot of the Major Collision Squad says it was a horrific scene and the worst accident he has experienced in his career.
"The first people on the scene would have found an absolute nightmare," he said.
"There would have been people and bodies lying everywhere - it would ave been utter chaos and bedlam.
"There would have been people needing urgent treatment, people running all round the place, yelling, screaming, crying out in pain.
Actually, I'd give you that it's debatable if the second guy is telling what he saw or only what those first on the scene saw.
Either way, it's not really important, I'd just never seen that before.[/Off-topic]

Thanks. And I can certainly see the panicking part...

A direct quote was in the newspaper...

but alas, I think I threw it out. Oh well. I still don't think it's anyone's place to judge until they know the full story...as terrible a tragedy as it is, it's possible that they were jaywalking behind a blind corner. At 10pm at night in country towns, it is usually pretty dark. He did the wrong thing by leaving the scene, and I think should be charged with that, but judging beyond that is impossible at this stage...

...though personally I don't think it sounds like a calculated hit and run attack. That's for the courts to handle though.

And another accident in Tasmania
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200602/s1578414.htm

5 dead

...though personally I don't think it sounds like a calculated hit and run attack. That's for the courts to handle though.
But really - when is it ever a "calculated hit and run attack"? Outside of movies, that's gonna be a really rare occurence. Which is really what makes situations like this so bad - everybody knows the guy didn't do it on purpose, and that he has to live out his life in the knowledge he killed six kids just because he (maybe) wasn't paying attention for a split-second, yet still people clamor for his head.

Personally, when driving, I'm a lot more scared of causing a bad accident than being in one. That's why I get so angry with the cyclists here, who flaunt just about every traffic rule there is (which, from a cyclist's standpoint, I totally understand). It's just that if they end up being run over by my car, it doesn't really matter how much it legally was their fault - to myself, I'd still be the one who killed them.

But really - when is it ever a "calculated hit and run attack"? Outside of movies, that's gonna be a really rare occurence. Which is really what makes situations like this so bad - everybody knows the guy didn't do it on purpose, and that he has to live out his life in the knowledge he killed six kids just because he (maybe) wasn't paying attention for a split-second, yet still people clamor for his head.

Yeah, that's right...I guess what I should have said is that we don't know if he was drunk, texting on a mobile phone, or otherwise directly responsible.

Personally, when driving, I'm a lot more scared of causing a bad accident than being in one. That's why I get so angry with the cyclists here, who flaunt just about every traffic rule there is (which, from a cyclist's standpoint, I totally understand). It's just that if they end up being run over by my car, it doesn't really matter how much it legally was their fault - to myself, I'd still be the one who killed them.

Eh. I don't drive...the lunatic drivers here scare the crap out of me. :p

There could be contributing conditions
(1) Pedestrian behaviour - slightly drunk teenagers not paying attention to cars?
(2) It was a badly lit country road - hard to see people crossing the road
(3) Was he speeding?
(4) Was he suffering from fatigue or under the influence of drugs/alcohol? Other distractions?
(5) Was the headlights on the car working?