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Original poster

What in the hell was DoE doing at the wheel in the first place?!

88 replies

PyongyangKipperbang · 18/01/2019 04:06

If it was any other 97 year old driving a very powerful car who caused an accident there would be outcry.

There is no excuse, they have drivers and other staff that can get him anywhere he wants to go.

OP posts:

SymphonyofShadows · 18/01/2019 06:40

I’ve read three others now. Still nothing saying it was his fault.

They all say he drove out of a driveway/side turning. It’s the logical conclusion. Why are you splitting hairs and demanding ‘proof’?

Gotstuckwiththisname · 18/01/2019 06:43

He doesn't have a driving licence. Neither does the Queen.

SaturdayNext · 18/01/2019 06:45

It's very difficult to believe his various protection officers would be willing to travel with him when he's driving if he's inherently an unsafe driver.

BlackCatSleeping · 18/01/2019 06:45

It can be really hard pulling out onto main roads when people drive too fast as you check it's clear and start to pull out, then some idiot comes haring round the corner and nearly smashes into you.

Apparently it happened on a straight stretch of road though. I had expected a corner.

Better to wait and see what the police report is before starting frothing I think.

user1457017537 · 18/01/2019 06:45

Unless the other car was speeding and going above 60 mph

LadyKalila · 18/01/2019 06:51

He must have been driving too fast for the car to roll over. He needs to have his licence revoked.

Sugarhunnyicedtea · 18/01/2019 06:53

LadyKalila the other car hitting him caused him to roll. Nothing to do with his speed

2anddone · 18/01/2019 07:01

I agree George horrendous road I try not to use it and will go the long way through the villages to get to the coast especially during summer when there are so many cars and motorbikes!! I drove past the crash yesterday it looked like he had pulled straight out not giving her time to stop at all!!

FraxinusExcelsior · 18/01/2019 07:01

He could have swerved and caused the land rover to roll.
It doesn't have to be that the smaller car did all the work.

Nannewnannew · 18/01/2019 07:04

I agree with user it is very easy to overturn a 4x4 with a sideways impact as they are very top heavy.

EffYouSeeKaye · 18/01/2019 07:23

They all say he drove out of a driveway/side turning. It’s the logical conclusion. Why are you splitting hairs and demanding ‘proof’?

I prefer to have proof before I accuse.

It is not a given that the car pulling out of the side road will be at fault.

Particularly when said large car is overturned by the impact. That would indicate high speed on the part of the travelling car.

HoraceCope · 18/01/2019 07:26

Probably a good job he was driving such a strong car.

Shmithecat · 18/01/2019 07:26

Freelander2s are not top heavy 🙄

doxxed · 18/01/2019 07:29

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ for privacy reasons.

user1457017537 · 18/01/2019 07:44

I don’t know about anyone else but if you are trying to get out of a side road people do tend to speed up rather than slow down and give you time to cross. Even if they are some distance away and it feels safe, they increase their speed.

troubleswillbeoutofsight · 18/01/2019 07:46

It sounds to me as if it was something that could have happened to anyone. I’ve read that the sun blinded him momentarily. I’m sure we’ve all been there.
What exactly has his age got to do with anything? It was an ACCIDENT

ivykaty44 · 18/01/2019 07:47

Re test for everyone every 10 years and if you get 12 points you have to retake your test before continuing to drive, would help increase the standard of driving

MyOtherProfile · 18/01/2019 08:15

I’ve read three others now. Still nothing saying it was his fault.
As I said, he pulled out onto a main road from a private drive. Hard to see how it wasn't his fault.

LittleCandle · 18/01/2019 08:18

Age can have a lot to do with it. People are determined to keep on driving, no matter how shaky they are with age, or any problems they might have physically. Nobody of that age should be driving. I would ban everyone over the age of about 76 personally. Your reflexes slow dramatically. I imagine it would be very hard to say to someone like him that the time has come (and long ago!) to stop driving, but it can be done. I have done it myself to DF, who thought for some reason that he would be perfectly safe to drive his car although he could barely walk and had difficulty with his hands. His GP was most reluctant to tell him, but did. I was called a fucking bitch by him - that wasn't easy to take.

I know this is a very unpopular opinion and it may be coloured by the fact I lost DM in a road accident, but old people simply should not be driving. They either think they are still Sterling Moss or they drive along at a snail's pace and both those things are dangerous.

And anyone who says that the DoE is still hale and hearty - is he? He's remarkable for his age, but he is 97 and visibly frail. Should he really be driving?

glamorousgrandmother · 18/01/2019 08:19

I imagine the DoE has many more medical check ups, eye tests etc. than the rest of us and if he was deemed unfit to drive someone would have stopped him for his own safety if nothing else.

SymphonyofShadows · 18/01/2019 08:19

I prefer to have proof before I accuse.

Fair enough, but demanding proof from other posters is rather arrogant. There were two woman and a baby in the other car. Distinct lack of concern for them I notice.

Sugarhunnyicedtea · 18/01/2019 08:20

That road is a well known accident spot and drivers speed along it. It appears his car was hit with enough force to spin it and send it across two lanes of traffic which indicates a fairly high speed impact. I don't suppose we'll ever know whose fault it was but I imagine he'll be encouraged to give up driving now.

IPromiseIWontBeNaughty · 18/01/2019 08:22

My mum is one of the best drivers I know & she’s almost 75. She does a lot of motorway driving & her reflexes are better than a lot of younger people. A blanket ban is not always sensible.

SummerStrong · 18/01/2019 08:29

He hasn't seemed in perfect health for a while and has been noticeably frail. There are people who could drive him around, and there's no need for him to be behind the wheel. So a little stubborn and selfish of him.

There are many people on the roads who are no longer fit to drive and would not pass a driving test now (due to deteriorating health or old age). The onus is on them not to put themselves and others in danger.

He probably won't drive on public roads again, and also, although he is unharmed something like this will undoubtably take its toll on him, at 97 the shock and trauma will be hard to bounce back from.

MyOtherProfile · 18/01/2019 08:31

It appears his car was hit with enough force to spin it and send it across two lanes of traffic which indicates a fairly high speed impact
Does it? Or could it also appear that he shot out into the path of oncoming traffic and turned the car over himself as he braked on a corner?

Could be either, we don't know yet.

Those who are so quick to defend him are automatically judging the other driver which is just as unfair.

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