Escort police knock down 80 yr old woman

[4plusthehound]

Escort police, protecting Sophie Wessex, knocked down an 80 year old woman yesterday.

Why does SW need a police escort? Motor bikes surrounding her car?

AIBU to think this is madness?

You seem to give more of a shit that they were escorting SW than the fact that an old lady was knocked over.

But it is not that @Riapia

The accident has drawn attention to the fact that DoE has a police escort. Not just a car but mortorbike riders.

Is that really neccessary?

London is so busy. These escorts play havoc with the flow of people and traffic.

Typically they are very agressive - with drivers and pedestrians.

They should be used sparingly.

And not, in my opinion for the DoE.

But why?

Half the population would probably not recognise her if she walked down the street.

Have her driven in a car with blacked out windows - nobody knows who is in them.

The is really no need for escort police on motoer bikes.

Truly mad.

Why was the lady in a position to be able to be hit by a very experienced and highly trained motorcyclist?

Surely the police escort through traffic is less about the DoE's personal safety and more about the fact that she has to meet and greet 150 (or however many, I have no idea) people at the garden party, as part of a strict timetable to keep the many moving parts of the catering, transport, speeches, security, etc etc etc flowing?

She is a senior royal who is also a working royal. Of course she should have whatever protection is deemed necessary.

"And not, in my opinion for the DoE."

I'm sure your opinion has been noted by the powers that be and all security arrangements pertaining to the Royal Family will be referred to you in the future.

Now, calm yourself with a nice cup of tea.

I agree.

I think it's very reasonable to question what the cost of security for royal engagements is (I believe Edward and Sophie only have security on engagements, not just generally, but I could be wrong) and whether it's justified or necessary etc. But I don't think this incident really makes a difference to that argument.
When people are involved in traffic accidents we don't generally query whether the car/bike needed to be on the road in the first place as if that makes the situation worse (was it a short distance they should have walked? Was it to go and get something unnecessary? Etc).

I care very much about the lady.

At that age it will be hard to make a full recovery.I am not sure how much "thoughts and prayers" will help.

The more excorts there are, the more chaos there is, the more unpredicitable conditions are etc.

Think it through.

And yes,I do not think the DoE needs a police escort.

Yeah it's bizarre. Just an excuse for a bit of an anti royal rant.

This has depressed me beyond measure.

How in God’s name is Sophie Wessex more important as a human being than an 80 year old woman???

But we do knife on past behaviour that she’s keeping her place far from the moral high ground. See using her position with the RF to flog stuff to the Saudis, taking her top off at the drop of a hat.

She is a fucking nobody. She just happened to put up with Edward and keep her mouth shut.

Honestly, we have to get rid of them.

Police Escort riders are among the best trained motorcyclists on the road, as others have said they are used in London to help dignitaries wade through the solid traffic NOT for security.

Accidents happen.

SleepingStandingUp "If it's a tragic accident which could have happened whoever was carefully driving along, then he should get blamed more or Sophie blamed for being there."

I can't follow the logic of that remark. 😕

The rain was pleting down.

It was hard for all drivers that day but I imagine that the visors for the motorbike police were very steamed up.

• Know from past behaviour, not knife🙄

Sorry but this is bollocks.

Stay over the night before in that case - they have room!

Do what everyone has to do in order to get to work on time.

Wracking my brain trying to figure out what an OAP is. Older aged person?

I’m in USA.

So potentially she also was to blame by misjudging the timing of crossing the road? (Being impartial here). Does anyone know if the bike rider is ok? That doesn't appear to have been reported.

This seems like a genuine accident and I hope all parties recover quickly.

Garden party was on Tuesday. This happened on Wednesday.

Almost. Old Aged Pensioner.

Who "deems".

Can we get an explanation?

A blacked out car would do the job just as well I am sure.

But grant it - she would have to stop at red lights.

The Duchess of Edinburgh is a working member of the Royal family and as such she will be a target for kidnapping and frankly, also some extremists who would wish to kill her. Due to this yes I believe she needs a police escort. You really can not be that unaware that you think her simply being in blackout windows will equal no one knows who she is?

I agree with others who have stated it is irrelevant who the escort was for.

MI5

The current threat level of terrorism is substantial

I think that you seem to be using an accident that has left an elderly lady injured as an excuse to rant about a member of the royal family having a police escort disgusting.

A bit of a stretch to bash royals with this story. Try harder.