Bus driver jailed for five years - is it fair!!!

[Andy665 0]

Anyone seen the story about the bus driver jailed for five years today for killing five people stood at a bus stop.

 

He hit the accelerator instead of the brake on a new bus he was driving and killed five people.

 

Had been driving buses for 30 years and had never had anything but a clean licence.

 

Maybe I have got it totally wrong but I can't see the point of jailing someone who caused what was admittedly the death of five people but it was surely a tragic accident and he does not need rehabilitation for his crime in prison

 

If he was sixteen, drunk and in a stolen car and killed five people he'd have probably been let off with a twelve month ban and community service.

 

If we're going to jail people for killing people in driving accidents we should surely be consistent in how we sentence people

 

Your thoughts please

[veeDuB_Rado 0]

Real shambles if you ask me, the system don't work

[ZippyVR6 0]

As with many of these things the media hype stories up and the concequences are that seemingly inocent people are used as scapegoats for the public angst.

 

from what I have heard of the story I am in the same boat as you. I hope that the overcrowded prison situation means that his case will be up for parole sooner rather than later but it is more likely that a kiddy fiddler sent down for the same time will be released before him under a secure housing programe. the system sucks. and you are quite right it is not consistant.

 

RAAAAARGH rant over

[Shilakadaddy 0]

Its difficult in cases like this to judge the crime on the outcome, or the intentions of the person in question... Unfortunately its up to the judge and jury to decide this, and often the media feeds the public an incomplete story.

 

I haven't actually read about this incident, but it certainly doesn't sound like he deserves to go to jail for this :?

[conleycrew3 0]

my dad is a solicitor and he reckons the bloke should have been set free with nothing on his record,

my dad is a criminal lawyer, you know the type, the ones that bust their balls trying to get car thieving scum out of jail or get em a reduced sentence because of coming from a "broken" home n'all that, so im used to hearing stuff like this happen to innocent people aswell, in this case i believe my dad!

it isnt often he says shit like that either, trys not to take his work home with him.

set the man free, clean licnce, no proper training to use the vehicle etc

its the bus company that should be up in court not the driver!!!!

[dr_mat 0]

Difficult to judge?

He kept his foot on the throttle for TWENTY TWO SECONDS.

Think about that.

 

Two seconds is a mistake. Five seconds is questionable. Twenty two seconds is an eternity, and regardless of his emotional shock at the incident he should have recovered composure in that time.

[veeDuB_Rado 0]

Difficult to judge?

He kept his foot on the throttle for TWENTY TWO SECONDS.

Think about that.

 

Now that is bad, 5 years is no where near enough

[conleycrew3 0]

oh yeah before ya all say summet, i know the driver had been driving for 30 years prior but it was a new vehicle to him :oops:

[Andy665 0]

Its the inconsistencies in the sentencing system that aggravates me, surely it can't be that difficult to put a clear structure in place

[conleycrew3 0]

extenuating circumstances, age and mental stabillity etc of the person involved play a big part, you would be surprised at how sentences vary due to a persons background!

scares the crap out of me to be honest, the stories that iv been told by my dad in the past makes it look like there isnt a justice system, not even a kangaroo court sometimes, but on the OTHER HAND HES TOLD ME STORIES WHERE A FEW PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE WALKED BUT GOT ABSOLUBLY OUTRAGEOUS SENTENCES FOR CRIMES THEY CLEARLY DIDNT COMMIT

[conleycrew3 0]

sorry about the shouting above, wasnt looking before i posted :oops:

[Trig 0]

Real shambles if you ask me, the system don't work

 

Now that is bad, 5 years is no where near enough

 

LOL didn't take much to change your mind mate! ;)

[ZippyVR6 0]

:scatter:

 

stick to those principles.

[veeDuB_Rado 0]

did i change my mind :?:

[ZippyVR6 0]

:D seamless matey.

 

(dont think anyone noticed)

[veeDuB_Rado 0]

hmm, what i mean is that the system don't work, and because it don't work he ONLY got 5 years. As i felt he should've had more

[Jim 2]

Hm.. tough tough tough debate to get into this one.

 

I'm honestly not sure where i'd side on this.

[billinjah 0]

at the end of the day he should have known he didnt know the vehicle well enough to take it onto the open road, after all he was an experienced driver!

[polocarls 0]

22 seconds....did it say anything about the pedal getting stuck? i'm not sure on this one, could be either way, either the pedal did get stuck and it all happened by accident or he had enough of driving a bus... and hated his life maybe??? i dunno

[dr_mat 0]

Dunno any more than that. All I saw was the he hit the throttle by mistake (fair enough), hit two people who were crossing the road in front of him, ploughed on for another 10 yards, bounced off a parked car into a bus stop and hit another three people there before coming to a halt ..

 

Agreed on the inconsistent sentencing though, too many lawyers being smart arses and getting crims off so they can brag about their lawyering skills ...

 

But in this specific case, I think there's more to it than just an accident.

[H8RRA 0]

IIRC this happened in Sunderland and has been ongoing for a number of years now - unless there was a similar incident. At the time, i'm sure there were other factors (can't remember what but the driver appeared to be at fault from what i remember of the initial reports) and the bus travelled over a long distance - it wasn't just a momentary slip.

[Yandards 0]

As Jim has said this is a difficult one to jump in on.

 

Without all the information how can we make an informed opinion (And thats all it is our opinion) about what happened? Brazilians on trains anyone?

 

I do have to agree with the lack of consistancy in the system. All this broken home crap etc, that is wheeled out when Chav X and his mates have piled into yet another packed family car; whilst demonstrating his 'mad skilz' only to be given a driving course at a bloody race track somewhere, really pi$$ me off.

[g60greeny 0]

not read much about this really but from what you guys are sayin..

 

he surley could have found the brake inb less than 20 secs?how much difference could there have been between the buses he's been drivin,i would have thought the pedals would have been in the same places?if not then surley the company are as responsible for not givin the right training?

 

may change my mind when i finally hear the real story

[NickVR6 0]

Not sure on this specific case but i think its fair to say that for some reason motoring crimes like speeding etc are dealt with very harshly in this country.

 

A car is a leathal waepon in the wrong hands, it just annoys me that for not fatal car crimes your treated like a terrorist. People who come round vandalising your property because they have nothing better to do get a medal..............and more benfits.

 

It seems your better off raping someone than doing 160mph on a clear motorway at 2 in the morning. That to me seems wrong, but thats our country these days im afraid, basicaly a joke.

 

and i've got no idea why so many people are pooring in here, the empire is no more

[chrishill 0]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/lincolnshire/4422040.stm

 

this the one? sounds pretty horrific if it is.