M5 Truck and Multi vehicle crash 16/3/16 - Sydney NSW

Its always scary just how quickly things can go wrong on the road from a slight lapse of concentration

Death crash driver who drove at 95mph in 30mph zone jailed for 12 years

Matthew Scrimshaw killed a woman while speeding at up to 95mph in a 30mph zone has been jailed for 12 years.

The 37 year old was driving on the wrong side of the road when he hit Iris Higginson, 67, in December 2014. Scrimshaw was also 1.75 times over the blood alcohol limit.

The judge said it was the longest sentence he had passed for death by dangerous driving in a 30-year career

Nottinghamshire Police

Ahead of the crash Scrimshaw's Audi TT was captured on CCTV on Mansfield Road, Eastwood, Nottinghamshire, at speeds of 88mph and 95mph, the trial heard.

Mrs Higginson who "had been doing absolutely nothing wrong" died at the scene when her Vauxhall Corsa was hit almost head on.

Scrimshaw made no attempt to comfort her, help her or call the police and left the scene to hide the fact he had been drinking, the prosecution said.

Judge Michael Stokes, who also banned Scrimshaw from driving for 15 years, said: "I have had to deal with some appalling cases involving extremely dangerous driving, but I cannot recall a case of a defendant who has demonstrated such an overriding contempt for the law and for the feelings of other people."

Scrimshaw was also found guilty of causing serious injuries by dangerous driving in relation to a friend who was a passenger in his car. He suffered a broken jaw and foot.


Speaking outside court, Ms Higginson's daughter-in-law Pauline Hotchkiss described her as "a wonderful lady".

She said the family had received justice "but we will not get over" the death of the great-grandmother.

A decision was taken not to proceed on charges of failing to stop at an accident, driving with excess alcohol and failing to report an accident.

Det Sgt James Greely, of Nottinghamshire Police, said it was some of "the worst driving I have ever investigated".

Speeding driver who blamed dead man jailed

A driver who blamed a dead man for his speeding offence has been jailed.

After Andrew Evans's car was caught by a speed camera travelling at 51mph in a 30mph zone in Plymouth in April, he claimed his neighbour Ben Hughes had been driving at the time.

It was only when police looked up Mr Hughes to pass on the prosecution they found he had died a few months before.

Evans, 48, of Ludlow, Shropshire, admitted perverting the course of justice and was jailed for six years...

source: BBC Devon

Can you drive your car after an MOT fail if the old test hasn’t expired?

Can you drive your car after an MOT fail if the old test hasn’t expired?

There is a lot of speculation around this topic online, some sites claim that drivers are within their rights to continue using a car with an in-date MOT certificate, even a tester has since deemed it unroadworthy.

The government has updated its guidelines warning motorists that they face prosecution if they drive their car following an MOT failure – even if its previous test hasn’t expired.

“You must not drive the vehicle on the road if it fails the test, even if the MOT hasn’t run out.”
It adds that the only exceptions are to drive to have the defects fixed, or to a pre-booked MOT appointment.

If you’re caught driving a car in a dangerous condition, you could face a fine of up to £2,500, a driving ban and three penalty points.

Source: http://www.motoringresearch.com

Unique Pothole Protest - Cock Drawing!

Bright white penises have been spray painted around more than a dozen potholes on Cock Lane. (yes that is the roads real name!).

Residents have been complaining about subsidence and the crumbling road surface for two years but the council has carried out no repairs.

Now motorists hope the images - which are different sizes and point in different directions - will spur authorities into action.

Polly Birkbeck, 49, spotted the obscene graffiti, in Fetcham, Surrey, while taking her daughter to school yesterday.

She said: "I drive down there every day on the school run and said to my daughter, 'hang on a minute, someone's drawn willies on the road'.

"There are about 15 of them, I stopped the car and counted.
"They're on all the bad bits of the road, it's a sort of protest by someone with a smutty sense of humour.

"That stretch of road is really annoying, it's terribly uneven, I guess the council will just scrub them off but I'm surprised they haven't fixed this bit of road because it's been like that for years.

"It's possibly a way to highlight the issue and galvanise someone into action.

"It did make me smile - it's quite surprising to see because you don't get much graffiti around here.

"I have absolutely no idea who did it, but it must have taken a while." Cllr Raj Haque said Surrey County Council had promised fix the road this month but it has now been put back to next year.

He said the delay was "a shock to many residents who were given reassurances that the work would be under way in September".

Ian Routledge, who lives on a road joining Cock Lane, said: “This has been an issue for at least two years.

"No-one from the council will have a sensible conversation with you about what needs to be done.
“We just get fobbed off all the time.”

Source: http://www.thesun.co.uk

Six Worst Traffic Jams Known To Mankind

We came across this article by shmee150 via thesupercarkids.com

I know we all like to think that we have sat in the worst traffic jam EVER! but get a load of these and start considering yourself lucky!

Lyon-Paris, France - February 1980

Bad weather, as well as masses of winter travelers returning to Paris created a traffic jam that became 109 miles long. Imagine that.

 

Bethel, New York - August 1969

This jam lasted three days, and was caused by over 500,000 people going to Max Yasgur’s famous farm for the Woodstock Music and Arts Festival. The traffic stretched back for over 20 miles and performers had to be flown via helicopter.

 

Sao Paulo, Brazil - June 2009

On June 10 2009 It was reported that there were more than 182 miles of traffic jams over 522 miles of road.

 

Kyoto, Japan - August 1990

In Japan, on August 12, 1990 more than 15,000 cars crawled along for greater than 84 miles on a highway between Hyogo and Shiga prefectures, caused by a mix of holiday revelers heading home and residents evacuating the city due to a typhoon warning

East/West Germany - April 1990

After the Berlin Wall, dividing the East and West of Germany had fallen, the holidays at Easter saw a large number of Germans desperate to reconnect with friends and family members located in the former East or West sides. April 12, 1990 saw a ridiculous 18 million cars on a roadway that usually averages half a million vehicles in a day.

Interstate 45, Texas - September 2005

The traffic jam that Interstate 45 saw was 100 miles long and congestion reportedly lasted 48 hours. It was caused by Houston residents evacuating due to Hurricane Rita approaching. The large number of people, thought to be 2.5 million meant that many motorists were left stranded for as long as 24 hours on the 300-mile route from Galveston to Dallas. The mass evacuation as clogged up as it was, is said to have probably saved the lives of many. 

Speed cameras being covered with bin liners in protest

France’s tobacconists are covering speed cameras with black bin liners in protest at plans to enforce the sale of cigarettes in plain packets. They say the "cover up" action is a symbolic move to reduce the government's revenue, similar to what they say will happen to their tobacco revenue.

The 2014  European Union law ordered that health warnings cover 65% of the front and back of cigarette packs with 50% of the sides - though member states are allowed to force completely plain packaging when "justified on grounds of public health".

Following the first action over a month ago, 20 of 97 districts have now been targeted.

So far three people have been arrested, but all were released without charge.