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?

It’s quite clear to see that those who’ve managed to weasel their way through, Keeping their nose clean with those who make the decisions <Charles> are going to be tolerated for the present.

I mean if she was visiting a charity or whatever near me. I would consider it an utter bloody nuisance a road being temporarily blocked to let her park there.

She is no further up any ladder than I am. Or anybody else.

We really are seeing a real-life re-enactment of The Emporer’s New Clothes.

Would you have been satisfied if she was in just a blacked out car and that car had hit the woman instead? Or would you be questioning why she’s provided with a car at all?

The RF is a problem, but this ain’t it

Old age pensioner. I.e. someone who gets an old age pension.

Poor woman. I hope she recovers.

Absolutely this

I have been in traffic controlling by those escorts (police cars and motor bikes) on more than one occasion and found them quite frightening and very aggressive - I supposed they have to be - as long as it is not demos of course. I personally don't know why SW needs them, where was she going - to or from the Buck. Pal, garden party and couldn't be late? That's where she was yesterday - not really an emergency.

Yes, of course, they would. Posters would be like, they're going to Sophie Wessex's house?! Doesn't she have buckets to put it out herself, FFS?!!

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

Really? You seem to making an awful lot of assumptions about the motorcycle outriders, I see you have accused them of being aggressive riders several times.

Yes they are 'progressive' riders but not aggressive, there's a whole heap of difference.

Pedestrians make split second decisions that impact drivers/riders/cyclists everyday.
I actually feel sorry for the outrider as well as the pedestrian.

Thank you @Alwaysdoingsomethingwrong

As a tax paying, member of a democracy my opinion is as valid as the next person.

I enjoy a robust debate.

Your "drink tea" is old. Make a little effort?

There it is. Confirmation that the thread is about Royal bashing. The faux concern for the 80 year old didn’t last long.

Trouble with these escorts is that the speeding and potentially dangerous driving.

I wouldn't have a problem if they were going at a normal speed and just "clearing" the road, such as blocking junctions and traffic lights to allow the convoy to proceed at normal speeds, i.e. in the same way that heavy/long loads get escort vehicles to clear their path.

What I really object to is the speed - no reason at all why they should be breaking speed limits as a minor royal going to an event is not an emergency.

Senior Royal 😅😂

Honestly, she a middle class girl from the Home Counties who married very well.

I remember her stripping off days.

Police riders and drivers are trained to a higher level than you or I. They are taught to anticipate hazards way beyond where we usually look and to do so at speed.

Ah right, thanks @GrouchyKiwi

Strictly, a person in receipt of the Old Age Pension. But since that has been called State Pension for decades, OAP is used semi-officially to denote either anyone over state pension age (as in reductions in entrance fees for OAPs) or colloquially for the visibly old and slightly doddery (the word OAP wouldn’t immediately bring to mind Helen Mirren, or David Attenborough)

among the best trained motorcyclists on the road -

Right - but this cop knocked down this woman to help Sophie wade through traffic.

Put your young dc in there instead of the 80 year old woman and see how tolerant you feel about DoE avoiding traffic with a police escort.

She could come the night before - there is plenty of room for her in BP.

She could be driven in a blacked out car - less likely cause distraction and less likely to knock someone down.

Not impossible but less likely.

They didn't do a very good job of it then this time. Despite the high level training.

Old Age Pensioner

Accidents happen. Police officers are human.

Rider seems to be ok.

She may well have misjudged.

Hense the danger of these bloody escorts.

Honestly - they are very agressive.

They are FAST - especially for city streets.

Look, we all know that they get an adrenaline rush from it.

That (adrenaline rush) is necessary were they on their way to a potential threat. We will look back at incidents like this the way our friends across the Channel looked back in say, 1795,6,7 or onwards at their “betters” dashing about in coaches, running over lesser mortals to get to somewhere important.

It is utter nonsense.

What I really object to is the speed

who said they were speeding? These motorcycle escorts are used by members of the Royal Family and others for their official engagements not only to bolster the protection around the individual but to manage the timings of the journey. They make the journey times consistent which you obviously need if you’re expected somewhere. No one here is qualified to say that Sophie Wessex shouldn’t have a particular protection package because no one knows what the level of threat is against her. These particular riders are extremely highly trained and accidents of this type are very unusual.

Do you people all imagine they're tearing around the streets at breakneck speed all the time? They do drive normally on occasion you know...

You don't give a shit about the 80yr old woman. You just wanted an excuse to moan about Sophie Wessex, the RF and the police escort holding up the traffic. YAWN.

2/10, make a little effort, hun.