If he was a British driver, he will have undergone quite rigorous medicals, if he where a foreign driver, the chances are they will have been less stringent.
What isn't in doubt is that some local councilor or busybody will seize this as an opportunity to demand a speed camera close to the scene on the basis that there has been an accident and that vehicles are traveling to fast on that stretch of road.
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my thoughts are with his next of kin
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Mr X - I've no idea what checks British or foreign drivers undertake, but sudden serious illness cannot always be diagnosed or anticipated and will therefore always be a risk.
And you are pre-supposing an official response. I quite regularly have to remind people on this forum not to pre-suppose what you might be about to say, so it'd be helpful if you would refrain from doing it yourself.
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Wrong, I am making the point that it wouldn't matter if an illness was the cause, the the fact remains that there are still those who seize up on every accident to sing from the speed camera hymn sheet.
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personally out of respect for the mans family seeing as this has just happened i feel this thread should be locked before it degenerates into a speed issue which it plainly wasnt,the poor man had a heart attack as far as is known
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Does any body else speak English on here ?
I am saying that it WASN'T speed that was involved but that fact doesn't seem to stop those who seize up on such accidents to further their cause.
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I am saying that it WASN'T speed that was involved but that fact doesn't seem to stop those who seize up on such accidents to further their cause.
But no one has yet - wait until they do.
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Had two examples of it in my neck of the woods in the last two years. Dual Carr, two pedestrian fatalities late at night ( 10.50pm and 11.30pm ), both involving victims who had consumed a large amount of alcohol as revealed at the inquests. No drivers prosecuted. Victims families and local vote seeking councillor all shouting for a speed camera at the location.
Me and several others going hoarse trying to point out that speed played no part.
Edited by Mr X on 28/04/2009 at 11:47
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Victims families and local vote seeking councillor all shouting for a speed camera at the location.
That hasn't happened here, unless you know otherwise.
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NO, it hasn't but I was expressing my own personal opinion that I would not be the least bit surprised if it did.
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NO it hasn't but I was expressing my own personal opinion that I would not be the least bit surprised if it did.
If that was the case then I would expect you to have said something like 'I wouldn't be surprised if'. Saying 'What isn't in doubt' doesn't convey the same meaning.
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What I see here (or not as the case may be) is just what *could have happened* , it goes without saying that one and all have the deepest sympathy for his next of kin.
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if he where a foreign driver the chances are they will have been less stringent.
Who are "they"?
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If he was a British driver he will have undergone quite rigorous medicals >>
Medicals cannot detect the people who are likely to suddenly drop dead from heart attack- that would require tests of doubtful validity which cost a lot, and which would exclude a lot of people from HGV driving. It's all a matter of probability, and the probability is much greater with smokers who take no exercise. The consequences are even worse when the deceased happens to be driving a large vehicle. The issue is not speed, but how much control the nation wants the Health Police to have over HGV licences.
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Well to fill you in on the picture, this happened at a major roundabout just off the M74 at the A725 junction. This roundabout is controlled by traffic lights and is very busy. I pass through this daily and there is not a hope in hell of it ever attracting speed cameras. Traffic light cameras maybe, not speed.
What I would say is, I don't know what direction he was coming from but if it was down the A725 from Bellshill, there is a steep hill and things could have been a lot worse if he had taken ill there.
My thoughts go to his family. Sadly this seems to get mentioned on here more and more but some poor family has had a dad / uncle / son / grandad or whatever, go out to work, doing his normal routine, and won't be coming home.
Very sad.
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From all the HGV Drivers who read this forum...........
Thanks BobbyG for giving this report the respect it deserves.
Pat
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This whole issue is not speed related , but the result of the failure of government to introduce compulsory annual health checks (blood pressure) to warn drivers of potential problems early enough to avoid a recurrance.
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Shouldn't the title be:
Driver dies at the wheel.
There's far more amateur drivers out there, so I'd guess the probability is it's more likely to happen to to that category. Not that I'd wish it on anyone.
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This whole issue is not speed related but the result of the failure of government to introduce compulsory annual health checks (blood pressure)
Blood pressure is related to 'suffers stroke at the wheel', which we don't seem to hear about, possibly because it's always assumed to be a heart attack. True enough, it is possible to do something about blood pressure as opposed to the lumps of goo in the coronary arteries just waiting to burst which you mostly can't find or do anything about by 'treatment'. I assumed HGV drivers do have annual blood pressure checks?
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Quote:...""This whole issue is not speed related , but the result of the failure of government to introduce compulsory annual health checks (blood pressure) to warn drivers of potential problems early enough to avoid a recurrance. "
I've long thought that people convicted of serious or repeated traffic offences (including speeding) should be assessed for whether they are mentally or psychologically fit to hold a driving licence.
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I wonder if most of those with "serious or repeated traffic offences" have licences in the first place! Certainly if the local rag is anything to go by they've had their license revoked and still continue to drive (and reoffend)...
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