Teenager Does Time For Killing Friends

[Mandingo]

http://au.news.yahoo.com/050902/21/vrsz.html

As a young male driver on the roads I will say right now suck SH!T if you crash because after the 100 or so storys ive heard over the years about P platers dieing/killing passengers you think the dumb c*nts would learn. you cant handle the power (Refer 18 year old driver R34 GT-R and crashing) for f*cks sake when will you idiots learn that you are f**king it for the rest of us!!!

-Dale

Edited by Blitz

[GTRgeoff]

It concerns me that a teenage male can be sentenced to such long jail terms (2 cases this week in Vic) when a 30something woman either pissed or fatigued ( one case each in the last 6 months) can mow down a cyclist and kill them and get suspended or short sentences in the same judicial system.

Teenagers aren't the problem, it's the lack of proper driver training mandated. This follows on to irresponsible behaviour later in life.

Vic sux. I'm leaving.

[[WLDCRD]]

9 years is definitely a bit on the extreme side of it. True that 2 lives were lost as a result of his actions, but i dont believe that jailing a 19 year old for 9 years will rehabilitate him in anyway which is what the whole jail system is supposed to do. I highly doubt he will be in there for the full 9 years and they would most likely appeal the sentence. Its just a bit harsh. Even that African man who crashed into that school in Dandenong which caused a kids foot to get amputated coped a considerably light sentence and he was drunk and on his P's. Go figure, inconsistiencies with the laws and who it applies to.

[predator]

Pretty harsh the length.. Destroying 3 lives rather than 2, even despite the conscience that will echo in him daily... The whole event burned into his brain probably whenever he closes his eyes. That would be sentence enough, then just to slap him in jail for that length of time. 2 years I would have thought would really given him time to realise just how much he f**ked up.

I know he has killed people, but as young people we all do stupid things just because, it just happened his dumb thing resulted in the death of people, which is tragic.

People whinge about "inadequate sentences" on things like this... but when I could probably go with a loaded gun and kill somebody and maybe get 9 years and make some rubbish up about "mitigating circumstances" or something (and it wouldn't be an accident).. you know.

[Konrad]

Yeah i know theres some people with no conscience but if i did this it would f*ck me up for life. End of story.

Guy should be punished (i'd say 2 years aswell plus have to do community service forever- go around to highschools and tell about how he killed his mates, and how its affected his life), but what about the passengers??, surely they must accept some of the responsibility for getting into the car in the first place, sure as hell they knew how the guy drove his car.... I'm sure >2 people could easily overpower a 'reckless' driver, stop the car, and get out if they really didn't want to be in the car with this guy driving the way he did.

My 2 cents..

[IOWNU]

Relating to this issue....did anyone watch 10 late news last night? After the WC v Sydney game.

A magistrate relased a video that these idiots took, doing Burnouts etc, before one of the Holden drivers took a corner very fast, pulled the handbrake and went into a tree, killing his best mate. All of a sudden you see all the boys screaming like girls, panicking, with their best mate dead against a tree. The guy got jailtime.

Mainly holdens, but there was an R32 GTST as well, although it wasn't doing burnouts, just speeding. I belive it was in some NSW country town.

[Rezz]

Pretty harsh the length.. Destroying 3 lives rather than 2, even despite the conscience that will echo in him daily... The whole event burned into his brain probably whenever he closes his eyes. That would be sentence enough, then just to slap him in jail for that length of time. 2 years I would have thought would really given him time to realise just how much he f**ked up.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The driver says he can't remember the accident??

What about the 2 deceaced and their families? I would hazard a guess that they think 9 years isn't long enough. Look at it this way: he got 4.5 years per victim. Sounds ok to me... if he manages to serve half that well then lucky him.

If the driver had died in the accident aswell, would people still be saying "aaaww thats a bit harsh isn't it? Couldn't the airbag have gone off or something?"

Edited September 3, 2005 by Rezz

[nemz]

Edited September 3, 2005 by nemz

[predator]

Of course the families are going to be the ones most pissed off! and they would probably say 9 years is not enough. But like a few people have said, who's to say other times it wasn't the people who died driving, and acting like tools. But they were lucky or whatever the other times.

I just think in some circumstances you can't say "punish the hell out of them". Accidents happen. People do stupid things. Sometimes this results in the death of people. It not like he deliberately aimed the car towards a tree, and thought "I will try and kill these people". How does 9 years rather than say 3 really change his thoughts of the seriousness of his actions?

Well he can say he "couldn't remember it".. but the subconscious is a scary thing. Who is to say that is not worming around in his brain effecting his thoughts in many ways and causing long term psychological trauma. Who knows whether that will always be the case, sometimes the mind blocks these things out - but they can come back in unexpected ways.

Ands like GTRGeoff said, there are other circumstances where others have got away with much less for very similar circumstances. If you are a factory owner, and you know a certain piece of equipment is past its servicable lifespan, and yet you keep running it, this results in the death of a worker - you'd be lucky to get a couple of years.

This one is an example case to scare others.

[Rezz]

Of course the families are going to be the ones most pissed off! and they would probably say 9 years is not enough. But like a few people have said, who's to say other times it wasn't the people who died driving, and acting like tools. But they were lucky or whatever the other times.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Fate? I don't know, I will never know what happened exactly, and lets face it in this particular situation neither does the driver...

I just think in some circumstances you can't say "punish the hell out of them". Accidents happen. People do stupid things. Sometimes this results in the death of people. It not like he deliberately aimed the car towards a tree, and thought "I will try and kill these people". How does 9 years rather than say 3 really change his thoughts of the seriousness of his actions?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

But the parents of the victims will counter that with "I don't care what you say, my son/daughter is dead as a direct result of his actions."

Well he can say he "couldn't remember it".. but the subconscious is a scary thing. Who is to say that is not worming around in his brain effecting his thoughts in many ways and causing long term psychological trauma. Who knows whether that will always be the case, sometimes the mind blocks these things out - but they can come back in unexpected ways.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So what if it does? Thats part of his sentence... but why even consider this when both the backseat passengers won't even have this ^^^ privelidge?

Ands like GTRGeoff said, there are other circumstances where others have got away with much less for very similar circumstances. If you are a factory owner, and you know a certain piece of equipment is past its servicable lifespan, and yet you keep running it, this results in the death of a worker - you'd be lucky to get a couple of years.

This one is an example case to scare others.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ok now this part I agree with. Edited September 3, 2005 by Rezz

[[WLDCRD]]

its was the front passenger that said he couldnt remember the accident

[dezz]

sad stuff...and 9 years does seem a bit much....yes lives were lost, thats tragic, but he did not intend to kill anyone.

and i think a few people have it mixed up...it doesnt say the driver doesnt remember the accident...its the 3rd passenger, the 1 that survived, that can't remember.

[R33S2]

a workmate of mine was jailed for 6 months for an accident where he dropped a pen and reached down to get it, hit the curb and then into the side of a car, breaking the other drivers leg. His conviction was for GBH which according to him is a few degrees below murder, hes a nice guy and you wouldnt think of him harming a fly but now his life is f*cked with a conviction like that against him and IF he had said a bee got in eye or such he would of gotten off with amuch lower sentence but being honest didn't help him much.

My 2c

[nemz]

who's to say if was some one else driving in the car that night they wouldnt have done the same thing, whats to say they wernt encouraging him, maybe if he was by himself it never would have happened, he dosnt deserve to be jailed, it was an accident, he would already realise the seriousness of what happened, he lost what was it 2 people who were close to him. 9 years in jail may jus ruin him altogether and see him walk out of jail a criminal or something, the stupid government is jus trying scare tactic's on "skyline drivers" using him as an example. he was prolly in a civic or something..

[pentae]

9 years is ridiculous. It was an accident, as long as there are humans driving cars there will always be road fatalities and reckless driving. Thats all there is to it.

Edited September 3, 2005 by pentae

[Vuster]

9 years is crap. Like skylineGeoff said, people get much less for doing much worse crimes 'intentionally'. Most people have done stupid things before on the roads in their lifetime and it's just unlucky that this guy lost it and killed his friends. I guess the sentence could reflect the message that the authorities want to send across. I guess it could be seen as a test case to scare the shit out of those who are willing to take these risks. I'm pretty sure if the guy appeals, his sentence will be reduced. 2 years in jail + lost of license for 2 years is what I think he should get.

[siddr20]

hmmm ok 9 years is a long time for a punishment.. BUT as if hes gonna learn from his mistakes by doin time..

He will probably be all depressed in there and meet a real crook and join his gang n do something stupid when he comes out..

But what if that kid was really smart.. gettin all A's in his subjects or whateva.. Wouldnt his life now be over.. coz as if hes gonna get into uni or get a real job!!!

like im not stickin up for him, im just sayin that the jail system is stupid.. coz its not gonna make him a better person..

[Shell]

Relating to this issue....did anyone watch 10 late news last night? After the WC v Sydney game.

A magistrate relased a video that these idiots took, doing Burnouts etc, before one of the Holden drivers took a corner very fast, pulled the handbrake and went into a tree, killing his best mate. All of a sudden you see all the boys screaming like girls, panicking, with their best mate dead against a tree. The guy got jailtime.

Mainly holdens, but there was an R32 GTST as well, although it wasn't doing burnouts, just speeding. I belive it was in some NSW country town.

I saw it.....did you hear some of the comments "this is like the fast & the furious man!" I think these guys maybe hadn't been on a lot of cruises before and were getting a bit over excited, leading to the stupid stuff that happened..

9 years is a bit harsh in my opinion. They also said that the guy went and saw the parents of his best mate and they DID NOT want him jailed...but the judge ruled it anyway.

i don't agree that locking someone up is always the best way to deal with things....how is 9 years surrounded by crims going to make him a better person when he gets out in his late 20's with no career prospects... like someone said, maybe 2 years and make him go around to schools and show other kids first hand how stupid behaviour can wreck your life and the people around you..

[NinetySix]

i saw it on the news and it was 2 years not 9 years

[**JaR**]

9 years is ridiculous. It was an accident, as long as there are humans driving cars there will always be road fatalities and reckless driving. Thats all there is to it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i agree with that.

and saying that all P platers are the same wreckless idiots and shouldnt be driving cars like skylines coz we "cant handle the power" is a f**ked narrow minded view if i ever heard one at all, yeah my car was in an accident.... that wasnt my fault, some moronic 45yr old lady wasnt paying attention and slammed into me.... but yeah that woulda had to have been my fault right coz im the p plater and the less experienced one???

people .... regardless of age or a stupid f**king plate will always make mistakes in anything, defining actions by age is a stupid way of looking at everything that happens.