Taxi Driver Online

'Rubbernecking' taxi driver killed friend in M60 smash tragedy


A taxi driver was ‘rubbernecking’ at a crash on the M60 when he smashed his own car leading to the death of a pensioner passenger.

Henry Mairs, 56, had a momentary lapse of concentration and crashed his private hire vehicle into another car in foggy weather.

Florence Weedall, 91, who was in the front passenger street suffered a broken right femur and died in hospital a week later, Manchester magistrates court heard.

Mairs, of Central Road, Partington, admitted causing Mrs Weedall’s death by careless driving. He sat with head bowed as District Judge Jonathon Taaffe sentenced him to carry out 200 hours unpaid work and a two year driving ban.

And following the case, Mrs Weedall’s son Alan, said the family had forgiven the driver.

Mr Weedall, of Warburton Lane, Partington, said: “It was a fair sentence. Mr Mairs is a nice man and always looked after my mum. The fact that he has expressed genuine remorse and apologised helps us.”

Prosecutor Zahra Baqri told the hearing how Mairs admitted taking his eyes off the road and failed to notice the car in front had slowed down. Both vehicles were a write-off following the crash in February.

A post-mortem concluded that Mrs Weedall died as the direct consequence of the injury she sustained in the crash.

The judge heard Mrs Weedall, of Sudbury Drive, Partington, had used Mair’s taxi service for years and they were friends.

Judge Taafe said: “This is a tragic case. Mrs Weedall had led a full and active life and was a valued member of the community. Whatever I do cannot take away the pain of the family. But I believe Mr Mairs to be genuinely remorseful. He will never forgive himself for what happened.

“This should be a lesson to all drivers that they are in charge of a lethal weapon. Things change in the blink of an eye and concentration is paramount.”

Joanne Grant, defending, said Mairs, a taxi driver for 34 years, couldn’t express in words how he felt and the effect that it had had on the Mrs Weedall’s family.

She said: “She was a friend as well as a customer. The family trusted him implicitly to drive her around.

“He suffers from diabetes and will probably never drive again because of what happened – and the fact he will lose his taxi licence.”

http://menmedia.co.uk/manchesterevening ... sh-tragedy

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

It's about time something was done about rubbernecking it is the main cause of delays at accident scenes as well as a hinderance to the emergency services clogging traffic up

yesterday we had 8 miles of queueing traffic on the A1 northbound the accident was a 4 car shunt which was removed to a nearby sliproad within half an hour but because everyone was slowing to about 10 mph past the scene the traffic jam built up to 8 miles long !

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

What do you suggest?

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http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/

the police film traffic passing an accident and identify those watching the accident scene and not the road and prosecute for not driving with due care and attention

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

That will be everybody then, including you.

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http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/

The District Judge got his decision 100% correct.

The driver will never forget what happened and never forgive himself.

He shouldn't have done what he did, but any of us fancy casting the first stone?

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IDFIMH

Actually I concentrate on the road but you see alot of cars going past staring sideways and not forwards those are the ones staring at the accident scene

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

So how did you see the accident scene if you weren't looking?

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http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/

Punished twice or maybe three times for something he did wrong with no intent,

And anyone says they don't take a glance is a Billy Liar imo, you edders are correct it is a pain and it does slow and jam things, but is there really any solution given man's material make up includes being a nosey barsteward, if we weren't then we'd still be wondering what if I strike two flints together wouldn't we.

there is a big difference between glancing and staring especially when it comes to staying in complete control of your vehicle

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

It's only human nature to look at such incidents, probably some primitive auto reaction to see what dangers caused it in the hope of avoiding the same fate ourselves.

As for rubber neckers the boys in blue are as guilty of that as the rest of us.

While I know you are correct in what you are saying, it must be a terrible burden being so perfect ed's.

Probably because he hasn't got tunnel vision

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

If I see blue lights up ahead, I slow down anyway.
I don't honestly think people slow down to look at a crash, it's just that thier in slow moving traffic so look.

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stressed controller!!!