[Author Index] [Date Index] [Thread Index]
[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]

[St] Fw: Justice finally? NOT!!!



i think the issue is leniency because of her age. if i had been the one responsible for adam's tragic accident, would i recieve such leniency? ok, so no jail time, but one has to accept consequences for their actions regardless of their age.
 
philip


----- Original Message ----
From: Jorstad <gj3ny@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: ST@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2008 11:19:31 PM
Subject: Re: [St] Justice finally? NOT!!!

I'm guessing, based upon the comments being made on this forum that I am on the older side of average.  I'm also guessing that most have not had to assume responsibility for an aged person.  I have.  

I'm currently 57 years old and have a mother who is 83.  She is now in an assisted living center.  Both she and my father chose to stop driving, but they had three sons who could assume this need.  She is not capable of making good decisions and if she did not have someone to take care of her, and now do make decisions for her,  I am sure that she would look at a car and say "I'm not as good a driver as what I used to be, but what choice do I have if I am to survive"? And she would get in the car and drive.

My father had not driven for 5 years and had given up his licence due to Parkinson when my mother passed out and he drove her to the hospital.  

I don't know the circumstances of the 87 year old woman.  Did she have anyone to help her make decisions?  

One of the women in the assisted living center, with my mom, has no living relative.  Her next door neighbor (who is not related to her) declared power of attorney.  Gutsy move by a caring person to take care of a neighbor.  Not sure I could do it. Where would that woman be if that person had not stepped in.

As long as states don't step in and and test/regulate when a person should stop driving then older older persons with possible diminished capacities are going to see no alternative to getting the weeks groceries but for themselves to drive to the store.  Unfortunately too many have their licences removed after a violation of some sort while driving their car.  Most not as tragically as in this instance.

In the US we have a tendency to view driving as a right and not as a privlege.  Nobody likes it when somebody says we must wear a seat belt in a car or a helmet on a bike.  I know 20 and 30 year olds who have no business being on the road on/in anything more powerful than a bicycle.  

Again I don't know the circumstances of this 87 year old woman and I don't excuse her actions, but I have a tendency to blame society and it's attitudes as much or more than her.

Gary
_______________________________________________
Triumph Sprint ST/RS mailing list
Send list posts to ST@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Change your list options at www.Triumphnet.com






Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage. 


      ____________________________________________________________________________________
Never miss a thing.  Make Yahoo your home page. 
http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs
_______________________________________________
Triumph Sprint ST/RS mailing list
Send list posts to ST@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Change your list options at www.Triumphnet.com