How Can This Be Classed As Careless Driving?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2543804/Motorist-facing-court-driving-puddle-drenching-group-primary-school-children-parents.html

If he had suddenly reduced speed a vehicle travelling behind could have run into the back of him, and suddenly swerving into the centre of the road would have been equally dangerous.

Perhaps it is the council who should be prosecuted for the poor road condition or blocked drains that created the 'puddle', and why is an officer of the law allowed to pose with a member of the public at such a 'serious' time?

[Mamyalynne]

I would presume the Policeman following deemed it would have been safe for the driver to slow down in this instance, thus reducing the wave of water and subsequent drenching of passers by.

Common courtesy at the very least.

[ToraToraTora]

it's not, in fact it's the opposite, are they now saying that we should swerve to avoid puddles lest they cause a splash? personally I'd plead not guilty and they'd get ripped up for ar5e paper in court.

[EDDIE51]

He should have slowed down not swerved there was a police car following him.
It was careless, he did not 'care' for the pedestrians.

[bhg481]

Aren't you supposed to drive at a speed at which you can stop if there is a problem?

[Mamyalynne]

TTT, swerving is dangerous in itself, slowing down if safe to do so is common sense.

[jake-the-peg]

Creless driving applies when the driving standard has fallen below the level required and doesnot have to be deliberate it can be inadvertant.

//If he had suddenly reduced speed a vehicle travelling behind could have run into the back of him, and suddenly swerving into the centre of the road would have been equally dangerous. //

No if you're driving at an appropriate speed especially near a school you should be able to slow down and stop without everybody piling into the back of you or having to swerve and lose control


If you can't do an emergency stop safely by a school - you're driving too fast!

[Answerprancer]

I agree that it *is* careless driving and at the very least totally inconsiderate.
Too many motorists do this when it IS avoidable. It shouldn't be an issue if a motorist slows down suddenly for whatever reason, drivers following vehicles in traffic are (or should be) aware that if they rear-end the motorist in front, the onus is on them. I hope the driver faces an appropriate fine for this transgression.

[hc4361]

There is always the danger of aquaplaning when driving through puddles at speed. The motorist should adjust their speed to the conditions and be considerate.
There has been successful prosecutions for similar occurrences.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/somerset/4392092.stm

[Gromit]

Poor driving. Not reading the road. Inconsiderate ba$***.

When it is raining heavy, puddles appear without any holes or poor maintenance. A driver should drive below the speed limit if conditions are bad. He should see pedestrians long before he has to take (or not take in this case) evasive action. Anything in the road ahead should be noticed and his driving changed appropriately. Failure to see a large puddle from a few feet away would indicate either he was droving without due care, or that the soaking of the children was deliberate.

[stewey]

“The screams from the children as they got drenched in the cold dirty rain water.”

”My son was crying his eyes out.”

“It wasn’t funny when I was trying to get my children to school and keep them warm and dry.”

“The puddle could have had a stone in it that could have hit us”.

'His actions caused distress to the young children.”

What a traumatic incident to all those devastated by this callous criminal behavior, including the constable who had to speed through inclement conditions in order to catch the culprit. Perhaps stuffed toys, flowers, and even Wellingtons and rainwear should be left at the scene in order to memorialize the dastardly crime which was perpetrated at that location.

[B00]

PC Hercules!

Ace!!

[Saki]

It never rains, it pours!

[jno]

**Debbie Pugh, who was walking with her son David, eight, and daughter, Emma, 11, alleged: 'We got soaked. My son was crying his eyes out. I was yelling obscenities at the driver.**

Well, at least the occasion wasn't wasted, the littl'uns got to learn some Essex obscenities.

[hc4361]

With the amount of potholes in the roads these days you'd have to mad to drive through a puddle if it could be avoided

[Gromit]

The speed limit near most schools is 20mph. That wouldn't generally make that big a splash. He may have been speeding.

Failure to seen a brightly coloured car with a blue light on the top in his rear view mirror is also a tad careless.

[anotheoldgit]

I wonder if all those who stated that he should have slowed down or even preformed an emergency stop, practice what they preach.

I can imagine this scenario, traffic coming almost to a standstill thus causing massive tail backs just because of the numerous puddles in the road.

Or Police car rams into the back of a member of the public's car who was forced to carry out an emergency stop, not to avoid hitting a pedestrian or an animal but to prevent splashing a pedestrian with rain water.

[Answerprancer]

//I wonder if all those who stated that he should have slowed down or even preformed an emergency stop, practice what they preach//.

I do ..always.

[hc4361]

I certainly do try to avoid soaking pedestrians when driving in the rain, AOG.
I am also very conscious of the risk of aquaplaning which I have seen in a car driving in front of me. Very scary that was.

[B00]

In all seriousness, it's utterly ridiculous. So the kids got soaked, so what? did the precious beings melt?

[anotheoldgit]

Gromit

/// The speed limit near most schools is 20mph. That wouldn't generally make that big a splash. He may have been speeding. ///

Then if he was with a police car on his tail would have been the more serious offence and surely he would have been charged with that offence.