As you know ( if you are a regular reader), we have been following the story of Andrew Bennett. Andrew and his 4 year old son were hit by a car while legally crossing an intersection. The driver did not stop, and while Andrew's son was, thankfully, unhurt, Andrew suffered severe back injuries that have threatened his career.
After a great deal of effort on the part of many, the driver has been arrested!!!!! If she proves to be the one at fault, the hit and run driver was a 16 year old girl from out of town. It is reported that she was talking on a cell phone at the time of the collision. The driver has been booked into Juvenile Hall. For the full story, see San Francisco Streetsblog.
I wish harm to no person as a basis of my personal spiritual beliefs, and so my thoughts are with all concerned. This incident does, however, underscore the need to create more stringent rules about who can drive and just how much training they should receive before being allowed to take a driving test that is a million times more difficult than the one currently offered. I can also say, that there is no reason on God's green earth to allow a 16 year old, any 16 year old, to drive a 3+ ton vehicle in a major metropolitan area. It is a recipe for disaster.
Our thoughts continue to be with Andrew and his family. At least now, we can concentrate our hope on his complete recovery and not on who did this to him.
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damn straight
ReplyDeletethis story is tragic for all involved the more i read about it. wow. 16 years old. wow. my thoughts, like yours adrienne, are with all parties involved. i also hope this doesn't scar the little boy for life against riding bikes. i can only imagine the imprint this will leave on his impressionable brain.
ReplyDeletemy 16 yr old cousin, who is more like a nephew to me, just signed up for drivers ed. i'm so worried he'll text/talk on the phone/get distracted with his ADD/etc. i've never felt that way about a young driver before. all this week, i have actually been trying to think of good ways to approach him on this topic. i guess i should just get it out...via IM of course.
I'm so glad to hear the culprit has been caught and wouldn't be surprised if she was relieved to face up to the harm she has done.
ReplyDeleteIn New Zealand it's legal to use a cell phone while driving and you only have to be 15 to get a license!
16 year old, big car, city traffic. Bad enough.
ReplyDeleteCell phone? Recipe for disaster.
I was driving on I-94 between Madison and Minneapolis. Doing nearly 70 in a 65, in the right lane. A car came up fast behind me and rode for several minutes right on my bumper. I couldn't even see the grille of the car in my mirror. He was clear to pass, but he was sending me a message about driving a mere 5mph above the speed limit.
Then he swept around me. I knew he had a cell phone stuck to his ear the whole time, but I was flabbergasted when he turned his head to give me the obligatory dirty look, and brought a cigarette to his lips with his "free" hand.
WTF?!?!?!?!?
Thank goodness they caught her. People need to know that they can't get away with such awful behavior. I can't imagine what type of person would hit a child and then flee the scene. I don't care how scared someone is, show some humanity! And I completely agree - 16 year olds should NOT be driving.
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