The potential hazards of excessive alcohol consumption

Bretrick

Bretrick

Well-known Member
Location
Perth Western Australia
Driving to work yesterday morning at 3.30am I came across a possible fatal situation.
I stopped at the red traffic light, the through road is the main road and as such is always green, until activated by a vehicle wanting to pass through.
This intersection is on a crest, that is, the main road. Approaching the lights on the main road there is a steep incline. So much so that the road on the other side of the crest can not be seen until atop the rise.
The scene has been set.
As I stop for the red light, to my left I see two people sitting in the middle of the road, on the side that through traffic would utilise.
Now, being always green, the vehicles go through this intersection at the legal speed of 60kpm, 37mph.
If a vehicle had gone through that intersection with a green light then they would have run over those two people sitting in the middle of the road.
There would be no time to react, as the distance was about 15 metres, 16 yards.
The driver would have more likely that not be charged with involuntary manslaughter?
My coming by at that time could have saved their lives, because they very unsteadily rose from the road and moved to the side.
 

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Bretrick said:
Driving to work yesterday morning at 3.30am I came across a possible fatal situation.
I stopped at the red traffic light, the through road is the main road and as such is always green, until activated by a vehicle wanting to pass through.
This intersection is on a crest, that is, the main road. Approaching the lights on the main road there is a steep incline. So much so that the road on the other side of the crest can not be seen until atop the rise.
The scene has been set.
As I stop for the red light, to my left I see two people sitting in the middle of the road, on the side that through traffic would utilise.
Now, being always green, the vehicles go through this intersection at the legal speed of 60kpm, 37mph.
If a vehicle had gone through that intersection with a green light then they would have run over those two people sitting in the middle of the road.
There would be no time to react, as the distance was about 15 metres, 16 yards.
The driver would have more likely that not be charged with involuntary manslaughter?
My coming by at that time could have saved their lives, because they very unsteadily rose from the road and moved to the side.
Click to expand...
Thank God you intervened! Alcohol consumption to excess can be fatal in many ways
 
Bretrick said:
Driving to work yesterday morning at 3.30am I came across a possible fatal situation.
I stopped at the red traffic light, the through road is the main road and as such is always green, until activated by a vehicle wanting to pass through.
This intersection is on a crest, that is, the main road. Approaching the lights on the main road there is a steep incline. So much so that the road on the other side of the crest can not be seen until atop the rise.
The scene has been set.
As I stop for the red light, to my left I see two people sitting in the middle of the road, on the side that through traffic would utilise.
Now, being always green, the vehicles go through this intersection at the legal speed of 60kpm, 37mph.
If a vehicle had gone through that intersection with a green light then they would have run over those two people sitting in the middle of the road.
There would be no time to react, as the distance was about 15 metres, 16 yards.
The driver would have more likely that not be charged with involuntary manslaughter?
My coming by at that time could have saved their lives, because they very unsteadily rose from the road and moved to the side.
Click to expand...
I have to ask....What sort of work do you do, that requires you to be out at 3 AM?
 
jimintoronto said:
I have to ask....What sort of work do you do, that requires you to be out at 3 AM?
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I am driving to work at 3.30am Start at 4am in a heavy industry factory.
Start an hour earlier than normal hours because of busy workload.
Finish an hour or two after normal work hours because of busy workload.
Work a 10 to 11 hour workday.
 
The driver would have more likely that not be charged with involuntary manslaughter?

In Pennsylvania, it all depends on the circumstances. There would be an investigation to learn how fast the driver was going and did the driver have time to react. The driver may not be charged, but if it was learned that the driver was going over the speed limit, he may face a different outcome in civil court.
 
GoodEnuff said:
Liver failure is a nasty way to die. One brother died of it a few years ago, another is in the process of that now. His SO will most likely follow in the not too distant future. Several of my sibs are alcoholics, one of the reasons I do not partake of that poison.
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My father died of cirrhosis of the liver aged 67.
He was first diagnosed at age 62 and stopped drinking. When he retired he was bored and started drinking again knowing it would be fatal.
He was dead 18 months later.

My brother died aged 32 from alcohol related problems. He spent his last days in Rozelle Hospital.
This hospital had a wing for brain damaged patients through alcohol consumption.
 
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Bretrick said:
My father died of cirrhosis of the liver aged 67.
He was first diagnosed at age 62 and stopped drinking. When he retired he was bored and started drinking again knowing it would be fatal.
He was dead 18 months later.

My brother died aged 32 from alcohol related problems. He spent his last days in Rozelle Hospital.
This hospital had a wing for brain damaged patients through alcohol consumption.
Click to expand...
My mother died of Alcohol induced dementia at 61 after spending 10 years in a an institution …….my young life taught me a good lesson ..to never touch alcohol or smoke 💨 …and I never have ..can’t stand the smell of either
 
I came pretty close to hitting a man laying on a dark road one wintery night about 8.30 pm (I was traveling home from work )

It scared the hell out of me ….the road like most had a very short turning lane into the small shopping area, the man was laying with his legs on the single lane road I was travelling on ~ and his upper part in the turning lane

I stopped a walked across the road to the phone box at the shop and phoned the police who turned up within mins
the man was OK but sleeping off his wine consumption on the road ( he was known to the police )
 
January said:
I dont think so.

if they were driving at legal speed, not under influence, road worthy car etc and could not reasonably have stopped, then no.
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Found this on Wikipedia.

As manslaughter is not defined by legislation in Australia, common law decisions provide the basis for determining whether an act resulting in death amounts to manslaughter by unlawful and dangerous act.[11] To be found guilty of manslaughter by an unlawful and dangerous act, the accused must be shown to have committed an unlawful act which is contrary to the criminal law,[12] and that a reasonable person in the position of the accused would have known that by their act, they were exposing the victim to an "appreciable risk of serious injury".[13]
 
yes that sounds right Ohioboy - so that confirms what I said before - if driver were doing nothing illegal - ie driving at legal speed, not under influence of alcohol etc - and could not reasonably have stopped - then no criminal charges would be laid

A few years ago a work colleague of mine was in a situation where her car killed a person - the person was deliberately hiding behind bushes along the highway and ran out in front of the first large car that came along
Suicide- a note was afterwards found on his kitchen table outlining his intentions.

After an investigation of car speed, breathalysing driver (done in all accidents in Australia) driver was licenced, car was registered and roadworthy - she was not charged with anything and she was not under any blame for the outcome
 

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