I hadn't made the link between this guy and the area where the Bolton crash happened...
But to the extent that he does manage to generate quite a lot of publicity in that neck of the woods, this is hardly a surprise, and in general terms a point well made
But far too much of his usual AI-esque waffle, and I quickly started to glaze over...
If it had been me I'd have made more pointed comments about boy racers and policing etc.
But, to be fair, it's difficult to be more explicit in circumstances like this - you know, the flowers at the roadside stuff and what great guys they were, and the euphemisms about 'living live to the full', or whatever - without maybe causing offence.
Taxi boss says Bolton crash a 'stark reminder' of dangers
https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/25 ... r-dangers/
A taxi boss says the crash that killed four people in Bolton is a “stark reminder” of how drivers sometimes do not come home safely.
Blackburn taxi driver Masrob Ali, 54, was killed in the horrific Wigan Road crash along with three young men from Bolton.
Shaz Malik, owner of 4Sixes Taxis and chair of the Chorley Taxi Association, says this has brought home many of the dangers fellow drivers face.
Image: The Bolton News
He said: “First and foremost, my deepest condolences go to the families, friends, and loved ones who tragically lost their lives in the Bolton crash on Sunday.
“No family ever wants to hear that their parent, child, sibling, or someone they love is not coming home.
“No one prepares for the moment when ordinary life stops and everything changes.
“This kind of loss does not stay on one road or in one town.
“It is felt in homes, at dinner tables, and in the quiet moments that never feel the same again.
“Most of us get into a car without thinking twice. We fasten our seatbelts, start the car, maybe put some music on, and assume we will arrive safely because we usually do.
“Driving becomes routine, familiar, almost automatic.”
Three men travelling in a Seat Leon, Muhammad Danyaal Asghar Ali, 19, Farhan Patel, 18 and Mohammed Jibrael Mukhtar, 18, were killed in the accident, while a passenger was injured.
Image: The Bolton News
Mr Ali had been driving a Citroen Picasso when he was killed in the crash, while four of his passengers were injured.
Mr Malik says he knows of another serious incident recently where a different driver known to him was nearly killed.
He said: “The driver was travelling at a sensible speed and was not at fault, yet the outcome could easily have been fatal.
“It is a stark reminder of how thin the line is between getting home safely and never coming home at all.
“Sometimes it is not about being a bad driver, but about being in the wrong place at the wrong time, changing road conditions, or factors beyond anyone’s control, and in this case, the weather played a significant role.
“A taxi driver was on the scene and acted quickly and bravely, helping to save a life before the vehicle went up in flames.”
Image: The Bolton News
He added: “We are seeing far too many young people lose their lives in tragic accidents.
“Each one leaves behind parents searching for answers, friends staring at empty seats, and futures that will never be lived.
“No rush, no thrill, no moment of showing off can ever be worth that kind of loss.
“For taxi drivers and other professional drivers, the risk is constant.
“Long hours on the road, often seven to ten hours a day, staying alert, managing fatigue, and carrying responsibility not just for themselves but for others.
“Even then, they remain vulnerable.
“When someone says, ‘I’m a good driver,’ it is worth remembering that being careful does not shield you from every danger, sometimes the risk comes from somewhere else entirely.”
Mr Malik said that young drivers should think about their loved ones.
He said: “When you press the accelerator, think about the people who love you, the mum waiting for a message, the dad listening for the door, and the siblings and friends who assume they will see you tomorrow.
He added: “As taxi drivers, families worry every night, hoping their loved one comes home safely after long hours on the road.
“As parents, that fear cuts even deeper when a child does not come home on time.
“Adults often carry this fear because we have seen what can happen.
“Young people do not always have that same experience or sense of consequence.
“Driving just ten miles per hour faster can be the difference between stopping in time or not stopping at all.
“On busy, built-up roads, where children cross, and families live, excess speed leaves almost no room for error.
“Even when something is not your fault, slowing down gives you a better chance to react, to avoid, to survive.”
He added: “Behind every steering wheel is a family trusting that their loved one will come home. Let this tragedy be a moment for all of us to pause.
“To think of the parents waiting up, the families expecting to hear the door open, and the futures that depend on one safe journey.
“Treat every journey with care and respect, because once a life is lost, the absence is felt forever.”