kcrussell25:
What did Wagstaff do that was actually dangerous? Phone was legal but he wasn’t paying attention. How many of us haven’t done that before? Was just unlucky with the consequences that time. Clearly careless but can’t call it dangerous.
The pole stopped in a live lane for no reason, clearly dangerous. Add the aggravating factors of being drunk, banned and multiple recent offences and he is probably lucky they didn’t push for manslaughter.
Rip to all involved
I’m no driving god, but FFS if ever it gets to the stage that I pile into a [zb] stationary vehicle (with its hazard flashers on) without even registering the fact that it’s there, let alone making any attempt to hit the brakes or even slow down a bit then bloody use the humane killer on me then and there. The man’s a Grade One [zb] and deserves every last minute of the pathetic sentence he got. I hope he [zb] suffers every moment of his time inside.
It should also be noted that Wagstaffe’s driving was found not to be dangerous - just careless.
This was my point regards the verdict/sentence. I probably should have made that clearer.
For what its worth I think if it had been a “hand held” call rather than “hands-free” he would also have got dangerous rather than careless
So why pose the question “What did he do that was actually dangerous”? The jury decision indicates that they considered his driving was not dangerous. He had already admitted to driving carelessly, and he was convicted accordingly.
kcrussell25:
What did Wagstaff do that was actually dangerous? Phone was legal but he wasn’t paying attention. How many of us haven’t done that before? Was just unlucky with the consequences that time. Clearly careless but can’t call it dangerous.
The pole stopped in a live lane for no reason, clearly dangerous. Add the aggravating factors of being drunk, banned and multiple recent offences and he is probably lucky they didn’t push for manslaughter.
Rip to all involved
I’m no driving god, but FFS if ever it gets to the stage that I pile into a [zb] stationary vehicle (with its hazard flashers on) without even registering the fact that it’s there, let alone making any attempt to hit the brakes or even slow down a bit then bloody use the humane killer on me then and there. The man’s a Grade One [zb] and deserves every last minute of the pathetic sentence he got. I hope he [zb] suffers every moment of his time inside.
It should also be noted that Wagstaffe’s driving was found not to be dangerous - just careless.
This was my point regards the verdict/sentence. I probably should have made that clearer.
For what its worth I think if it had been a “hand held” call rather than “hands-free” he would also have got dangerous rather than careless
So why pose the question “What did he do that was actually dangerous”? The jury decision indicates that they considered his driving was not dangerous. He had already admitted to driving carelessly, and he was convicted accordingly.
This is my point that he was convicted and sentenced for careless. I just started my post with it. I have followed, though not closely this case and think there was an attempt to make a big deal of being cruise and the phone. Cruise is normal driving for a lorry even if it may sound bad to the public. The phone was hands free, again legal so can’t be called dangerous.
I think some on here believe he should have got longer because of the outcome of his actions rather than the actions themselves. We are tried for our actions and then the circumstances, including the outcome are taken into account for sentencing if found guilty. He received the maximum sentence possible for his crime. Can’t ask the judge for anymore than that.
To be clear, I hope I never find myself in this situation
How many of you have drove the same route day in day out, then one day you think to your self, I dont remember going past such and such a place, so ask your self where were you when you drove past that such place
OK, forget the mini bus for just a minute . just the vehicle. different scenario .
What would all of you be saying about this accident (truthfully) if it was Mr Wagstaff running into the back of the AIM trailer that was stopped in lane1 and then dying ? Obviously you would be wanting the Polish driver to be crucified for his incompetence, but what about the dead driver? What would your comments be? Seriously!
“Stupid man”
“Should’ve been more aware”
“Unlucky”
“Wrong place wrong time”
“Why didn’t he see it and go around”
We’ve seen reports/videos of drivers dying/injured because of tailgating. But this was a driver that had time to see what was ahead but was totally oblivious of stopped vehicles in front of him, one of them with its hazards on.
He has got away IMHO with a very light sentence. He was not aware of what was ahead of him, he was driving dangerously !!! Whether it be in a zombie mode due to the fact he was concentrating on the phone call, night time driving mode, but HE hit the parked mini bus and HE killed/injured the innocent victims.
pierrot 14:
OK, forget the mini bus for just a minute . just the vehicle. different scenario .
What would all of you be saying about this accident (truthfully) if it was Mr Wagstaff running into the back of the AIM trailer that was stopped in lane1 and then dying ?
“Stupid man”
“Should’ve been more aware”
We’ve seen reports/videos of drivers dying/injured because of tailgating. But this was a driver that had time to see what was ahead but was totally oblivious of stopped vehicles in front of him, one of them with its hazards on.
He has got away IMHO with a very light sentence. He was not aware of what was ahead of him, he was driving dangerously !!! Whether it be in a zombie mode due to the fact he was concentrating on the phone call, night time driving mode, but HE hit the parked mini bus and HE killed/injured the innocent victims.
Should have been more aware just like the driver who ran into the broken down minibus in the M62 case.Why is that dangerous not careless and remind us what was the verdict in that case.
pierrot 14:
OK, forget the mini bus for just a minute . just the vehicle. different scenario .
What would all of you be saying about this accident (truthfully) if it was Mr Wagstaff running into the back of the AIM trailer that was stopped in lane1 and then dying ? Obviously you would be wanting the Polish driver to be crucified for his incompetence, but what about the dead driver? What would your comments be? Seriously!
“Stupid man”
“Should’ve been more aware”
“Unlucky”
“Wrong place wrong time”
“Why didn’t he see it and go around”
We’ve seen reports/videos of drivers dying/injured because of tailgating. But this was a driver that had time to see what was ahead but was totally oblivious of stopped vehicles in front of him, one of them with its hazards on.
He has got away IMHO with a very light sentence. He was not aware of what was ahead of him, he was driving dangerously !!! Whether it be in a zombie mode due to the fact he was concentrating on the phone call, night time driving mode, but HE hit the parked mini bus and HE killed/injured the innocent victims.
I flip between opinions on this and can’t quite make my mind up. One the one hand, you’re right. Everyone was alive before he arrived and it was his presence that resulted in people dying.
But on the other hand, he was a (for want of a better term) victim of the unexpected circumstances that developed in front of him. He wasn’t doing anything illegal, he simply wasn’t paying enough attention to the road. Something that can happen to any of us.
Maybe it’s the thought that it could have been me that makes me lean towards the second point of view.
ajt:
Would the FedEx driver have got the same sentence if it was the back of queueing traffic he hit or if the polish guy was broken down ■■
Good point,
What did that driver get for running into the stationary traffic on the A34 and killing those people in that car ? Just for looking away for a second !!
ajt:
Would the FedEx driver have got the same sentence if it was the back of queueing traffic he hit or if the polish guy was broken down ■■
Good point,
What did that driver get for running into the stationary traffic on the A34 and killing those people in that car ? Just for looking away for a second !!
mattecube:
Sad set of events with many lives ruined, Wagstaffe will one day walk as a free man ( probably a broken spirit) but will taste the joys of freedom as will at some point the Pole.
The deceased never to walk this earth again it doesn’t matter what race, creed or gender may they RIP.
Dave Wagstaff has now been diagnosed with PTSD.
Imagine how one of us might feel, previously spotless record - to be brought down by what amounts to a mere ■■■■-up of complacency that I reckon could have happened to any of us, relying too much on the system to permit us what’s legal over what’s not necessarily sensible.
You should all know by now that I’ve always been against “making phone calls whilst driving” - blue tooth, hands-free be damned. You’re still distracted, and for a critical 9 seconds of Dave Wagstaff’s life - he was too, unfortunately for all involved. It takes at least two to create a multi-vehicle collision. One to cause it, and the other to fail to avoid it. In the case of the deceased, namely Cyriac Joseph, he and his passengers have paid the ultimate price for being that little bit too sleepy to not react quick enough for a truck that would have been visible bearing down rapidly upon the rear of one’s minibus whilst attempting to pull out carefully from pulling up too close behind Ryszard Masierak’s parked truck in live lane one.
I have not learned yet if any “Lessons learned” might be put into effect, that allowed a seriously unlicenced, drunk, tired, and totally useless driver that was Ryszard Masierak - could possibly be prevented from being behind a wheel in the first instance. I reckon that 14 years is about right for what he’s now been sent down for though.
ajt:
Would the FedEx driver have got the same sentence if it was the back of queueing traffic he hit or if the polish guy was broken down ■■
Good point,
What did that driver get for running into the stationary traffic on the A34 and killing those people in that car ? Just for looking away for a second !!
Well maybe that’s the minimum sentence that Mr FEDEX should’ve got !! . yeah yeah he pleaded guilty, yeah again he’s of good character, yeah yeah he’s got a clean licence etc.etc.etc. But in my opinion … should have got a lot longer in the pit !!!
lucky man !!! NO actually a VERY lucky man
In most situation sentence time depend from hod good layers was taked.Sometime good layers can reduces sentence to much.In this situation one drivers drink,not English,Van driver died.May be Fed ex drivers not danger driver but really he hit bus and kill 8 people.Near everyday we can see straddle vechicle in lane 1 or 2 for some reason-broken down,drivers become to sick or…ANd any drivers must stop and not hit.
Someone correct me if I’m wrong but from the articles I’ve been reading there has been no mention of the FedEx driver being banned from driving whatsoever…
SouthEastCashew:
Someone correct me if I’m wrong but from the articles I’ve been reading there has been no mention of the FedEx driver being banned from driving whatsoever…
pierrot 14:
It’s simple to check UK licences, you call DVLA , quote the driver number and they will give you up-to-date information regarding the drivers status up to the latest info that they have. When I drove for an agency in Kent, they did it monthly.
We check online every three months and it’s plain tedious. Yes I know someone’s going to come along and say, but if it saves someone’s life… But the bottom line is that if the driver is aware, and continues to drive, then it’s down to him.
Why do you find it tedious Albion ? It’s a simple phone call, takes all of 5 minutes ! Unless you’ve got 50 drivers, then I can see your point.
It only takes 5 mins online, I’ve got 23 people to check.
