Cruise meeting crash

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Unfortunately; even the Independent [once a reasonable newspaper] fuels hysteria with a headline like this:

Stevenage crash: 17 injured as ‘boy racers’ ram into crowds during car meet

**LINK**

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/stevenage-car-crash-latest-injured-boy-racers-police-a9011766.html

The facts are disturbing … but the trend to sensationalise everything is perhaps more so.

MichaelG.

[pgk pgkParticipant @pgkpgk17461]

There's nothing new in newspapers sensatioanalising everything – it's their raison d'etre to sell papers. What is new is the amount of private video and the dramatisation of any major or minor incident into an 'existential threat'

I finally took a look at the vid and there are undoubtedly yahoo's showing off their noisy cars driving up and down that section of road at speed even if not side by side racing and outside the official meet boundaries. One could argue that that behaviour might be expected and that such an accident was likely but that is for police and the judiciary to decide.

Irrespective of the above one has to feel sorry for the curious observers who were injured. Folk have come to expect everything is securely organised and have stopped thinking about their own safety.

[PlasmaParticipant @plasma]

Alan v.

Thanks for the link, it helps understand the layout a bit better. Certainly not wide enough for two cars to drive side by side, but perhaps to overtake a properly parked vehicle.

It looks like one of those rare beasts, a dual carriageway with only one lane in either direction. I know it's not logical but it is factual, a central reserve is the deciding factor.

However there appears to be a 40 mph roundel sign on this stretch so it's not treated in the same way as a dual carriageway.

Plasma

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by pgk pgk on 20/07/2019 10:20:13:

There's nothing new in newspapers sensatioanalising everything – it's their raison d'etre to sell papers.

.

True … but I was making a particular example of the Independent [which I used to buy, and respect]

I have noticed a significant decline [towards 'the gutter press'] in its headline writing over the last year or so.

MichaelG.

.

Edit: We left Stevenage in 1988, so I am not aware of the local activity … but 'the Comet' [local newspaper] reporting should be more reasonable:

 https://www.thecomet.net/motoring/cruise-herts-organiser-on-stevenage-crash-1-6169770

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 20/07/2019 14:11:54

[Cornish JackParticipant @cornishjack]

In the aviation world, this is often characterised as "the Darwin Principle" and, as long as those 'damaged' are willing participants, commended for its beneficial effects on the human gene pool! The self-destruct impulse which energises these people is fine when limited to proper competitive arenas, otherwise stamp on it – heavily!

rgds

Bill

[Alan VosParticipant @alanvos39612]

Posted by Plasma on 20/07/2019 11:31:19:

It looks like one of those rare beasts, a dual carriageway with only one lane in either direction. I know it's not logical but it is factual, a central reserve is the deciding factor.

i suspect it was built as single carriageway. Then some kind of persistent bad behaviour developed for which this was the chosen solution. But it might have been original. Stevenage has other odd bits of road. We have a short section of two-lanes-each-side dual carriageway, with a 30mph limit. There is an underpass that has never been used. There is even a place where you drive on the right.

[KWILParticipant @kwil]

How many of those attending the event had insurance they could rely on? ALL modifications have to be notified to insurers, I would bet many have not declared their vehicles correctly.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

My estimate of the location on Google Earth: 51°53'31"N 0°11'45"W

[PlasmaParticipant @plasma]

Alan V

Sounds like your traffic planners are every bit as good as ours up here. It does look a strange set up with a raised central reserve on a fairly non descript bit of road.

We have a similar road near here and it only has hatched line lane dividers. It's not quite wide enough to be two lanes each direction but it's way too wide for one. So guess what? Lots of head on near misses despite the 40mph limit as people overtake on the hatch markings.

Kwil, I made that point earlier. You're right, insurers frown on any lack of information that affects the price of your policy. But I dont think any if these so called enthusiasts would care tuppence for that, plus the police just use their database to confirm a policy is in force, not if it contains correct information. So "Computer says yes" allows a lot of offences to go undetected.

Looks like the organiser has pulled the plug on future events so hes obviously feeling the heat if public opinion. Trouble is the same idiots will organise their own meets vis soshul meedya and still attempt to gain a darwin award.

Plasma

[Alan VosParticipant @alanvos39612]

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 20/07/2019 14:41:04:

My estimate of the location on Google Earth: 51°53'31"N 0°11'45"W

Very close. Assuming Google Earth is reliable 51°53'20"N 0°11'43"W. Just south of the A602.

[VicParticipant @vic]

Posted by KWIL on 20/07/2019 14:33:37:

How many of those attending the event had insurance they could rely on? ALL modifications have to be notified to insurers, I would bet many have not declared their vehicles correctly.

Yes quite. I knew a policeman who had his Skoda Diesel chipped to add a couple of dozen BHP and I’m pretty sure he didn’t inform his insurers. Some of these young lads have high enough insurance as it is so I doubt they could afford the “modifications”.

I don’t know how some of these vehicles get through the MOT to be honest.

[BazParticipant @baz89810]

Will / Vic, All modifications have to notified, I had to notify insurers that I had side steps and a tow bar fitted to my old Land Rover, even though they were factory fitted options. With current Land Rover I had to notify them that I intended towing with it because it has a detachable tow ball and that is considered a modification to the vehicle, I make them write into the policy that I am unaware, and will not be held responsible for any modification or improvement made to the vehicle before the date of my purchase. One insurer told me that even a sticker in the rear window is classed as a modification if the vehicle was not supplied with it by the manufacturer, their reasoning was that said sticker could impair your view and contribute to an accident. I hope I am fully insured but I bet they could find a way out of it if they tried.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Alan Vos on 20/07/2019 15:34:51:

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 20/07/2019 14:41:04:

My estimate of the location on Google Earth: 51°53'31"N 0°11'45"W

Very close. Assuming Google Earth is reliable 51°53'20"N 0°11'43"W. Just south of the A602.

.

Thanks for the correction Alan … I was looking near Burger King, not KFC

Not too bad considering I left 31 years ago

MichaelG.

[Author]

Posts