How to get away with murder: Be an American Diplomat's wife...

[Grahamm]

You might have missed this because the news today has pretty much all been coverage of the political chaos in Westminster, but...

American citizen Anne Sacoolas has pleaded guilty to killing British teenager Harry Dunn in a hit-and-run near a US military base.

US citizen Anne Sacoolas admits killing Brit teenager Harry Dunn in hit-and-run

Unfortunately she's only pleaded guilty to "careless driving" rather than "dangerous driving" (a more serious charge) and, given that she appeared by video link, there's still no guarantee that she will show up for sentencing, so it's not the best result for the family

[mtread]

The judge has said she must come back to the UK for sentencing, but we all know that's not going to happen. She'll probably get a suspended sentence at most, which is pointless as she's not likely to return here. You get the impression that the deal has already been done between the UK and US governments. Something must be said about driving on US airbase 'villages' where they drive left hand drive cars on the right hand side of the road. So as soon as they come outside the gates they are disoriented. We in the UK are used to driving in Europe in a left hand hire car, but the USA behaves like it is the only country in the world.

[darrsi]

The judge has said she must come back to the UK for sentencing, but we all know that's not going to happen. She'll probably get a suspended sentence at most, which is pointless as she's not likely to return here. You get the impression that the deal has already been done between the UK and US governments. Something must be said about driving on US airbase 'villages' where they drive left hand drive cars on the right hand side of the road. So as soon as they come outside the gates they are disoriented. We in the UK are used to driving in Europe in a left hand hire car, but the USA behaves like it is the only country in the world.

It's more common than you would think, to be fair.
I work on an industrial estate which has a road in and a road out, side by side but divided with a security hut to control traffic.
The amount of times I have gone to leave the estate but a European has gone to drive into my Exit lane is far too many for my liking. I've even looked right before turning left then had cars flying past me on the wrong side of the road that I've spotted just in time.
So although due care and attention should be the main aim, I can also see how easy it can be to forget if you are so used to driving on a different side of the road. It's not an instant thing, it must take your brain time to adjust.
I've never ridden a bike abroad, and just the thought of confusion does horrify me to be truthful.

[BBROWN1664]

I travel to France regularly and occasionally pull out on the wrong side of the road when i am there, or in the UK after I return.

[robbo]

When driving abroad for the first time, wearing your watch on the right wrist is a quick reminder of what side of the road you should be on. On a bike, something like a strip of bright coloured tape on the right mirror stem, could have the same benefit.

[darrsi]

I travel to France regularly and occasionally pull out on the wrong side of the road when i am there, or in the UK after I return.

It's nobody's "fault", you just get used to doing something one way and it takes time to adjust if you suddenly need to reverse everything you've taught yourself to do as naturally as possible.

[Slaninar]

Different sides of driving in different countries are among the clearest examples of how stupid human race is.

I think left side makes more sense (most people get on-off bikes and horses from that side), but right is not too bad either, as long as one standard is set globally.

[Grahamm]

I think left side makes more sense (most people get on-off bikes and horses from that side), but right is not too bad either, as long as one standard is set globally.

The British rode horses on the left, because it allowed the rider to wield a sword with their right hand. We exported this to the British Empire and many of those countries still follow our practice.

The Americans used the right hand side because, when they used wagons for transport, the driver would sit on the left such that, if two wagons were passing each other, the drivers could easily look down to their left and check the wheels weren't going to clash. Also they would sit on the left rear horse, because that meant that they could use the driving whip on the horses on the left or the right of the team without having to reach across.

Supposedly Europe drives on the right because Napoleon was left handed, so he made everyone else follow him after he conquered much of Europe, but there's no actual documentary proof of this.

The last European country to change from left to right was Iceland in 1968. These days it would be prohibitively expensive to change over a modern, industrialised country from left to right hand traffic.

[mtread]

It's nobody's "fault", you just get used to doing something one way and it takes time to adjust if you suddenly need to reverse everything you've taught yourself to do as naturally as possible.

That's probably why both sides settled on 'careless driving' rather than 'dangerous'. Dangerous requires intent to break the law, such as speeding or crossing a solid white line. All that matters is whether Harry's family are content with the verdict, and they seem to be.

[midden]

Different sides of driving in different countries are among the clearest examples of how stupid human race is.

I think left side makes more sense (most people get on-off bikes and horses from that side), but right is not too bad either, as long as one standard is set globally.

So you're that one sitting on the fence wondering whether or not to jump on the horse 

[midden]

I think left side makes more sense (most people get on-off bikes and horses from that side), but right is not too bad either, as long as one standard is set globally.

The British rode horses on the left, because it allowed the rider to wield a sword with their right hand. We exported this to the British Empire and many of those countries still follow our practice.

The Americans used the right hand side because, when they used wagons for transport, the driver would sit on the left such that, if two wagons were passing each other, the drivers could easily look down to their left and check the wheels weren't going to clash. Also they would sit on the left rear horse, because that meant that they could use the driving whip on the horses on the left or the right of the team without having to reach across.

Supposedly Europe drives on the right because Napoleon was left handed, so he made everyone else follow him after he conquered much of Europe, but there's no actual documentary proof of this.

The last European country to change from left to right was Iceland in 1968. These days it would be prohibitively expensive to change over a modern, industrialised country from left to right hand traffic.

Much cheaper to tape a pointy arrow to the windscreen (childhood memory) 

[darrsi]

I think left side makes more sense (most people get on-off bikes and horses from that side), but right is not too bad either, as long as one standard is set globally.

The British rode horses on the left, because it allowed the rider to wield a sword with their right hand. We exported this to the British Empire and many of those countries still follow our practice.

The Americans used the right hand side because, when they used wagons for transport, the driver would sit on the left such that, if two wagons were passing each other, the drivers could easily look down to their left and check the wheels weren't going to clash. Also they would sit on the left rear horse, because that meant that they could use the driving whip on the horses on the left or the right of the team without having to reach across.

Supposedly Europe drives on the right because Napoleon was left handed, so he made everyone else follow him after he conquered much of Europe, but there's no actual documentary proof of this.

The last European country to change from left to right was Iceland in 1968. These days it would be prohibitively expensive to change over a modern, industrialised country from left to right hand traffic.

A more in-depth explanation....


https://www.worldstandards.eu/cars/driving-on-the-left/

[mtread]

We can see where this is heading.....


Now ignoring the judge's direction to appear in person. The one-way 'special relationship'


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-northamptonshire-63871733

[darrsi]

8 months prison, suspended for 12 months!


And strangely his family are happy with that "result"?

[mtread]

It's a bit pointless as she's unlikely to commit another crime in the UK. On the other hand it is a conviction and technically a prison term, which will stop her getting visas for some countries.

[BBROWN1664]

It's a bit pointless as she's unlikely to commit another crime in the UK. On the other hand it is a conviction and technically a prison term, which will stop her getting visas for some countries.

That was my thought too but travelling on a diplomatic passport gets around all of that.

On the plus side, she is unlikely to ever darken these shores again.

[Grahamm]

And strangely his family are happy with that "result"?

I think, at this point, they're happy just to get *any* result

[darrsi]

As much as it pains me to say it, this still was a tragic accident. Yes, things could've been done to prevent it in hindsight, but that simple theory applies to all accidents.
There are no winners here, a life has been lost and everyone involved would've just preferred that none of it had ever happened.

[mtread]

.

[Grahamm]

As much as it pains me to say it, this still was a tragic accident. Yes, things could've been done to prevent it in hindsight

Cars on US Military Bases in the UK drive on the right. This has been a known issue for many years, yet still nothing has been done about it.

There have been other incidents, fortunately none of them have resulted in deaths, but it was only a matter of time...

Wrong-side drivers near air base used by American forces worry UK police

LONDON — A British police chief requested an urgent meeting with a U.S. military commander Saturday after learning of two more traffic incidents in the area where a teenage motorcyclist died in a collision with a car driven by an American diplomat's wife.

[agricola]

I dont believe that the "special relationship" is any longer meaningful, and that the US has treated the whole matter in a contemptuous manner

[mtread]

Cars on US Military Bases in the UK drive on the right. This has been a known issue for many years, yet still nothing has been done about it.

That's what I thought, but apparently not https://www.quora.com/When-actually-on-a-US-base-in-the-United-Kingdom-such-as-Croughton-do-personnel-drive-on-the-left-or-right-of-the-road

[Grahamm]

That's what I thought, but apparently not

Ok, then I've been misinformed.

There again, my Brother in Law gets sent all over the world by his work and once came back from a long trip in the USA.

We got in the car, he started to drive off and my sister yelped "We drive on the left here!" 

[mtread]

I think that's the point. US staff being 'allowed out' with insufficient preparation.