SPEEDING — THE DANCING COP
On TV this morning 21 July, they had a segment of a dancing police officer with superimposed words of the stupid excuses given by speeding motorists. (In the sixties Brisbane had a dancing traffic cop, favourably known by locals a s ‘Dancing Dickie (Daniels)’ who directed traffic at Wooloongabba five ways in a style that would have earned him a spot on Dancing with the Stars. Indeed this scribe as a child when visiting Brisbane saw him in action on several occasions).
As a young bloke of 18, I was sitting at a table having a counter lunch in the country pub, an older weather-beaten bloke came over and asked if he could share my table. He was a nice guy and we talked about our work and country, how good the meal was; he reached out and put his calloused hand on mine and said, “You’re a decent young bloke, I would like to give you some advice — when driving always leave half an hour earlier and be prepared to arrive half an hour late — it’s a lot better than arrive dead on time in an ambulance”. His eyes had saddened and a tear ran down his cheek, he told me he had lost his only son — who looked a lot like me — just three months ago, he was killed by a speeding driver.
Today I’m an old bloke 79, and I have always remembered those words and the sadness as he spoke, a father who had lost his only son — I have a family and adult grandchildren, I have told them and most young people I meet those same words I heard over 60 years ago. I still feel the deep sadness of that father who had needlessly lost his only son. His heart broken beyond repair.
Cheers
Gil May
Forestdale
Well said again and insert at the end with mRNA gene therapy. Ed
Maybe the problem is being addressed in the wrong fashion , whilst I do not condone “speeding”, what is a speed limit? An arbitrary constraint placed on a section of road for often no rational reason, thereby inviting noncompliance. Would it not be more appropriate to instill in the “new” drivers, a level of competence more in keeping with the modern day environment BEFORE LETTING THEM LOOSE ON THE ROAD?
But then, when you consider that the states coffers are substantially supported by income from traffic fines, does anybody really think that they want that to go away?
Now here’s where the conspiracy thing comes in, it came to my notice some time ago that the government has a life policy on EVERYBODY in Australia (information which I choose not to attempt to refute, because it makes sense), therefore do you think that they give jot about a few deaths on the road? After all, they are trying to eliminate half of the world’s population.
I was always taught: ‘it’s better to be ten minutes late in this world, than ten minutes early in the next.’
Best driving motto ever.
ALL drivers should stop speeding.