Update on driver who fell asleep at the wheel

If you recall, a bus driver (off-duty) fell asleep at the wheel killing
a cyclist near Alton, Illinois. Concerned parents in her district
started a petition to have her transferred to a "non-driving" position.
This petition drive stemmed from the response they got from the school
district that they could do nothing to the driver until the state
suspended her license and/or bus permit.

Apparently they did just that. Makes me wonder if the state would have
taken this action if the petition drive had not been initiated.

Here's the link.

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?n...= 25271&rfi=6

Kerry

"Kerry Nikolaisen" wrote in message
ink.net...
If you recall, a bus driver (off-duty) fell asleep at the wheel killing
a cyclist near Alton, Illinois. Concerned parents in her district
started a petition to have her transferred to a "non-driving" position.
This petition drive stemmed from the response they got from the school
district that they could do nothing to the driver until the state
suspended her license and/or bus permit.

Apparently they did just that. Makes me wonder if the state would have
taken this action if the petition drive had not been initiated.

Here's the link.


http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?n...G=461&dept_id=
25271&rfi=6

Kerry


A $500 fine and she lost her license for a while.
What kind of fruit-loop country do you people live in ?
What the hell did the 2 million people you have locked up in jail do if you
just get a $500 fine for running someone over and killing them ?

Don't be road-kill, emigrate.

"Andy Simpson" m wrote in
message ...

A $500 fine and she lost her license for a while.
What kind of fruit-loop country do you people live in ?

A quote from the article:

"I do feel for her for losing her job, but my No. 1 priority in all of this
has been the safety of the children and especially the safety of my own
child," he said.

A 27-year-old cyclist is killed, and the feelings are for the killer losing
their job.

What the hell did the 2 million people you have locked up in jail do if
you
just get a $500 fine for running someone over and killing them ?

The difference between criminals and negligence is motivation. If a person
steals something, they do it on purpose, and they can be expected to do it
again. When someone accidentally runs a person over, there's no strong
reason to expect future incidents like that. But certainly, a $500 fine
isn't justice. Presumably the family of the killed cyclist can sue her for
civil damages.


Shayne Wissler

"Andy Simpson" m wrote in
message ...
"Kerry Nikolaisen" wrote in message
ink.net...
If you recall, a bus driver (off-duty) fell asleep at the wheel killing
a cyclist near Alton, Illinois. Concerned parents in her district
started a petition to have her transferred to a "non-driving" position.
This petition drive stemmed from the response they got from the school
district that they could do nothing to the driver until the state
suspended her license and/or bus permit.

Apparently they did just that. Makes me wonder if the state would have
taken this action if the petition drive had not been initiated.

Here's the link.



http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?n...G=461&dept_id=
25271&rfi=6

Kerry


A $500 fine and she lost her license for a while.
What kind of fruit-loop country do you people live in ?
What the hell did the 2 million people you have locked up in jail do if
you
just get a $500 fine for running someone over and killing them ?

Sold an ounce of pot.

Don't be road-kill, emigrate.




--
Robin Hubert

"Shayne Wissler" wrote in message news:uYbab.490742$Ho3.83847@sccrnsc03...

Presumably the family of the killed cyclist can sue her for
civil damages.

That depends on the amount of liability coverage, which might
not be much. Certainly a person that drives a school bus for
a living won't have much in the way of assets to forfeit.

The real problem isn't that bad drivers don't go to jail but
that insurance premiums are far too low. The taxpayer is the
one that picks up the tab in any accident. If drivers had
to re-imburse police/fire/ambulance for accidents, that would
fix a lot of things.

On Thu, 18 Sep 2003 15:44:18 +1000, Andy Simpson
m wrote:
What kind of fruit-loop country do you people live in ?

Cocoa puff country, actually. We go kookoo for
them, or so I'm told.

What the hell did the 2 million people you have locked up in jail do if
you just get a $500 fine for running someone over and killing them ?

Most of our incarcerated population is in for
drug offenses that did not involve violence or
stealing, AFAIK. After all, god forbid
somebody should smoke a joint...

Don't be road-kill, emigrate.

I'll take my chances. I like driving my full
size truck...

--
Rick Onanian

"bikerider7" wrote in message
m...
"Shayne Wissler" wrote in message
news:uYbab.490742$Ho3.83847@sccrnsc03...

Presumably the family of the killed cyclist can sue her for
civil damages.

That depends on the amount of liability coverage, which might
not be much. Certainly a person that drives a school bus for
a living won't have much in the way of assets to forfeit.

The real problem isn't that bad drivers don't go to jail but
that insurance premiums are far too low. The taxpayer is the
one that picks up the tab in any accident. If drivers had
to re-imburse police/fire/ambulance for accidents, that would
fix a lot of things.

If I remember correctly, the victim's mother is pursuing legal action.

If you read some of the reader's opinions associated with the article, it
still amazes me how many respondents support the accused. Some are
downright idiotic in their accusations toward the mother, and how could she
"ruin the life" of this former bus driver who simply had an "accident." How
pathetic.

Kerry

On Thu, 18 Sep 2003 15:44:18 +1000 in rec.bicycles.misc, "Andy
Simpson" m
wrote:

What the hell did the 2 million people you have locked up in jail do if you
just get a $500 fine for running someone over and killing them ?

oh, many of them were either growing or selling a rather harmless
herb.

(Dennis P. Harris) wrote:

On Thu, 18 Sep 2003 15:44:18 +1000 in rec.bicycles.misc, "Andy
Simpson" m
wrote:

What the hell did the 2 million people you have locked up in jail do if you
just get a $500 fine for running someone over and killing them ?

oh, many of them were either growing or selling a rather harmless
herb.

Anyone got any actual statistics on this? There's enough crime to
assume there are a lot of criminals (real criminals). I find it hard
to believe that the percentage of inmates are doing hard time for
having an ounce of marijuana.

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $695 ti frame

Sat, 20 Sep 2003 05:20:38 GMT,
, Mark Hickey
wrote:

(Dennis P. Harris) wrote:

On Thu, 18 Sep 2003 15:44:18 +1000 in rec.bicycles.misc, "Andy
Simpson" m
wrote:

What the hell did the 2 million people you have locked up in jail do if you
just get a $500 fine for running someone over and killing them ?

oh, many of them were either growing or selling a rather harmless
herb.

Anyone got any actual statistics on this? There's enough crime to
assume there are a lot of criminals (real criminals). I find it hard
to believe that the percentage of inmates are doing hard time for
having an ounce of marijuana.

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles

"More than 80 percent of the increase in the federal prison population
from 1985 to 1995 is due to drug convictions."

"Between 1986 and 1996, the number of women in prison for drug law
violations increased by 421 percent."

"In 1986 Congress enacted mandatory minimum sentencing laws, which
force judges to deliver fixed sentences to individuals convicted of a
crime, regardless of culpability or other mitigating factors. Federal
mandatory drug sentences are determined based on three factors: the
type of drug, weight of the drug mixture (or alleged weight in
conspiracy cases), and the number of prior convictions. Judges are
unable to consider other important factors such as the offender's
role, motivation, and the likelihood of recidivism. . . ."

http://www.drugpolicy.org/drugwar/mandatorymin/

I don't know their source for those figures.
--
zk