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

[Grahamm]

Harry Dunn, a 19 year old motorcyclist, died in August when his bike hit a car (that may have been driven by the wife of an American Diplomat) after it pulled out of an exit onto the wrong side of the road.

The Police wanted to question her and she said she wouldn't leave the country, but she then flew back to the USA and Trump has just said that the USA will not waive her Diplomatic Immunity and return her to the UK to be questioned and face possible trial
 
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-northamptonshire-49995867

[mtread]

No 'may' about it. Northamptonshire Police have video evidence.

[darrsi]

Don't think she just pulled out, i read she drove 400 metres (quarter of a mile) before contact. Her only defence is that it was a country road so was no doubt driving on it alone with no other traffic guidance (easily done to be honest), but accidental or not, either way the damage has been done and she should never have been allowed to leave the country, in my opinion.

[fazersharp]

It is an easy mistake to make but with tragic consequences. My local hospital car park is on a two lane one way street but when you come back out there are no one way signs in front of you. Considering perhaps it could be peoples first visit under stressful circumstances then leaving after a few hours all you have to do is forget its a one way.
Its clear that she is not coming back.
By way of atonement the US gov could install in all American bases just inside or outside the gates, reminder signs to drive on the left and in the corner a little Union jack and the name Harry Dunn.
She may as well of stayed to face the law because all that would happen is the she would be done for dangerous driving fined £250 and banned from driving for 12 months.
What gets my goat is the the story has been hijacked by anti trumpests and care not for the biker.               

[BBROWN1664]

The other issue a lot of these "bases" have is they enchorage the staff to bring their cars over from the USA meaning not even the steering wheel being next to the hedge is a clue

[fazersharp]

The other issue a lot of these "bases" have is they enchorage the staff to bring their cars over from the USA

Why is that ?

[BBROWN1664]

The other issue a lot of these "bases" have is they enchorage the staff to bring their cars over from the USA

Why is that ?

On base, they drive on the right with a lot of US spec vehicles

[fazersharp]

The other issue a lot of these "bases" have is they enchorage the staff to bring their cars over from the USA

Why is that ?

On base, they drive on the right with a lot of US spec vehicles

I see. Then its no wonder that an American would come out of the base after driving on the right for a few days and then come out and carry on doing the same. What a stupid STUPID thing to do on a base --- that is just asking for trouble and im surprised it has not happened before . It would make far better sense to have to drive on the base on the left so at least they can get the hang of it off the roads. 

[BBROWN1664]

I see. Then its no wonder that an American would come out of the base after driving on the right for a few days and then come out and carry on doing the same. What a stupid STUPID thing to do on a base --- that is just asking for trouble and im surprised it has not happened before . It would make far better sense to have to drive on the base on the left so at least they can get the hang of it off the roads. 

It probably has happened before, its just that when it happened before the person didn't claim diplomatic immunity and run away.

The Americans see the bases they use as part of the USA so do everything the same as they would at home even down to spending US dollars when on site.

[Fazerider]

The other issue a lot of these "bases" have is they enchorage the staff to bring their cars over from the USA

Why is that ?

On base, they drive on the right with a lot of US spec vehicles

I see. Then its no wonder that an American would come out of the base after driving on the right for a few days and then come out and carry on doing the same. What a stupid STUPID thing to do on a base --- that is just asking for trouble and im surprised it has not happened before . It would make far better sense to have to drive on the base on the left so at least they can get the hang of it off the roads.

They do… at least, to judge by the road markings visible on Google Earth. They even have roundabouts.

[chris.biker]

I think she should have stayed and faced up to her mistake in court, I have been surprised by the lack of this story on motorcycling forums.


On a sensible health and safety note I think it is probably time we started driving on the right hand side so we are in tune with the majority of the world.

[BBROWN1664]

On a sensible health and safety note I think it is probably time we started driving on the right hand side so we are in tune with the majority of the world.

Sweden switched in 1967 when they had a population of around 8m people spread over 447,000km2 . At that time they didn't really have much traffic and very few OAPs that would be easily confused. I don't think they would be able to do it today even though they still only have about 10m people there, many more are much older and easily confused.

The UK is about half the size of Sweden at 224,000km2 but we have 66m people living here so there is a lot more traffic per mile than Sweden will ever see.

We would see a lot more stories about people on the wrong side of the road, made even worse as people have their steering wheels on the wrong side until they buy new cars. Imagine the carnage as boy/girl racers pull out from behind a truck to overtake but hadn't seen the truck coming the other way.... Its a risk we take when we drive abroad, but we are on holiday and generally not running late for work etc so less likely to take that risk.

Then theres all the car/van/bike headlights that "kick-up" to the left that would need stickers, or new headlights, to avoid dazzling people coming the other way. The road signs that would all need to be moved/replaced to show the new junction layouts etc. It would cost more than Brexshit and cause more deaths too.

Make the rest of the world adopt the correct side of the road instead

[fazersharp]

On a sensible health and safety note I think it is probably time we started driving on the right hand side so we are in tune with the majority of the world.

Sweden switched in 1967 when they had a population of around 8m people spread over 447,000km2 . At that time they didn't really have much traffic and very few OAPs that would be easily confused. I don't think they would be able to do it today even though they still only have about 10m people there, many more are much older and easily confused.

The UK is about half the size of Sweden at 224,000km2 but we have 66m people living here so there is a lot more traffic per mile than Sweden will ever see.

We would see a lot more stories about people on the wrong side of the road, made even worse as people have their steering wheels on the wrong side until they buy new cars. Imagine the carnage as boy/girl racers pull out from behind a truck to overtake but hadn't seen the truck coming the other way.... Its a risk we take when we drive abroad, but we are on holiday and generally not running late for work etc so less likely to take that risk.

Then theres all the car/van/bike headlights that "kick-up" to the left that would need stickers, or new headlights, to avoid dazzling people coming the other way. The road signs that would all need to be moved/replaced to show the new junction layouts etc. It would cost more than Brexshit and cause more deaths too.

Make the rest of the world adopt the correct side of the road instead

Also the very structure of roundabouts will need to be altered as the entry and exits are biased to a clockwise flow (I think ). 

[VNA - BMW Wank]

 It’s not murder, but yeah it’s shocking that this woman has fled the country and is hiding under the cover of diplomatic immunity.  This is not what diplomatic immunity is for.
 
I do feel for the young man’s family.  It’s an extraordinarily distressing situation for the family never mind that ‘suspect’ is abusing such a privilege in order to stop due process.
 

What gets my goat is the the story has been hijacked by anti trumpests and care not for the biker.   

Our Prime Minister has appealed to the President on this very matter.  The President couldn’t give a shit. 
And really what do you expect?  It’s within the same week Trump has given carte blanche for Turkey to slaughter more Kurds.  Trump is a disgusting narcissistic sick weasel of a man.
 

[VNA - BMW Wank]

 

On a sensible health and safety note I think it is probably time we started driving on the right hand side so we are in tune with the majority of the world.

Make the rest of the world adopt the correct side of the road instead

The left is the logical side of the road to drive on.  Not that it makes much difference.  Yes we should have followed Sweden after 1967.  But, you know rule Britannia, middle England and all that – just look at the ****** mess.  England is an emotional country, it does not always follow simple logic. 



But I agree with BBROWN, I think, unless some suitably qualified experts (I still pay attention to them despite some having had enough of them) can tell us otherwise, it’s probably too late to switch.


 
On the other hand, technology may eventually help reduce these tragic accidents.


Meanwhile I hear Ireland plans to switch to the right.  To keep costs down they are going to phase it in a street at a time.
 

[VNA - BMW Wank]

Harry Dunn’s family to travel to US to seek justice for their son
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/oct/11/harry-dunn-family-flying-us-seek-justice-son-diplomats-wife

[fazersharp]

Here we go  That's it ---- Im out

[Grahamm]

she should never have been allowed to leave the country, in my opinion.

She (and her family) flew out on a private flight from a US Air Base...

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/10/08/harry-dunn-death-private-flight-us-airbase-spirited-wife-american/

[mtread]

(From what I've read) She'd only been over here 3 weeks. She had just pulled out of the base entrance and drove 400 yards before the collision. It's not murder. Manslaughter possibly, and certainly 'causing death by dangerous driving'.

I also read that in the US they do not recognise diplomatic immunity where a foreign diplomat is involved in a serious traffic offence. Double standards.

I'm also surprised there hasn't been much biker reaction. A fellow biker and his family destroyed.

[VNA - BMW Wank]

Here we go  That's it ---- Im out

 

[VNA - BMW Wank]

 

(From what I've read) She'd only been over here 3 weeks. She had just pulled out of the base entrance and drove 400 yards before the collision. It's not murder. Manslaughter possibly, and certainly 'causing death by dangerous driving'.

I also read that in the US they do not recognise diplomatic immunity where a foreign diplomat is involved in a serious traffic offence. Double standards.

I'm also surprised there hasn't been much biker reaction. A fellow biker and his family destroyed.

I’m always torn with these cases.  And I’m not sure if it is even dangerous driving, though as obviously dangerous and fatal as in this case it was.

It’s almost a fact of life that people die, probably on a daily basis around the globe, because some countries drive on the left whilst others drive on the right.  One silly little mistake is all it takes, or one moments confusion.

Been there a number of times as well, but been lucky to avoid the offending vehicles.

It’s the running away that is shocking.  It’s sucks.  She should show some respect, and indeed maybe even have some respect for her own dignity, of which, right now she seems to lack.


 
 

[steve 10562cc]

The least she should do is say sorry to his parents . Why have Northamptonshire police not sent an officer over to the states, to get a statement off her. It at least might give his poor parents some closure. When the police are happy to keep sending officers to Portugal costing the country and the police millions on what now must now be a very cold case. Could it be because they are doctors that move in the right circles?

[Oldgit]

She should be returned to UK, to face a court hearing on what she did, and then accept/serve whatever punishment the judge sees fit to impose on her.

[VNA - BMW Wank]

Well obviously.As I said earlier our PM has appealed to the US President.  However the USA has no intention whatsoever, at this time, of asking her to return to the UK.This is an abuse of diplomatic Imunity.

[darrsi]

She just lost her diplomatic immunity!!!