Yet another Blue-light bust-up.

[daveza]

http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_2440498,00.html

Nelspruit - "Why didn't you listen to my siren?" shouted the driver of one of the Mpumalanga premier's escort vehicles at a woman after he had crashed into her car.

The accident, when Constable G T Ndlovu, driver of an escort vehicle in the convoy of Premier Thabang Makwetla, allegedly drove into Shantel Cameron, 26, happened on Wednesday at a junction near the government offices.

It's the second time in four months that one of the premier's escort vehicles has been involved in an accident on the R40 highway that runs through Nelspruit.

At about 09:30 Cameron, who works at Jack's Paint in Nelspruit, was crossing the intersection at Government Boulevard and the R40.

"He drove into me at high speed. I went because the traffic light was green for me. I didn't hear a siren, neither before or after the accident," Cameron said on Wednesday.

"I got out immediately, walked over to them and asked 'are you guys OK?'. The driver shouted 'Why didn't you listen to my siren?' "

The black Jeep Laredo was apparently trying to catch up with the car in which the premier was travelling.

Makwetla was on the way to government offices in Government Boulevard where he had to attend a meeting with his executive council.

Eyewitnesses at the scene said the same Jeep had almost caused an accident a few minutes earlier as Makwetla's convoy was weaving through the traffic at high speed.

The Jeep hit Cameron's vehicle so hard on the left-hand side that it skidded about 20m before crashing into another car.

Her knee was slightly injured.

"I was booked off sick for two days and have a bandage around my knee that makes me look as if I've been in a war."

Nico Grobler, manager of the branch where she works, said what annoyed him was that there had been no reason for the cavalcade to speed like that.

"The government complex was barely 900m away. Such recklessness will yet be the death of someone," Grobler said.

One of the premier's security staff, Themba Maseko, tried to prevent Beeld from taking photographs at the accident scene.

He refused to provide his personal particulars.

Nelspruit police spokesperson Inspector Dawie Pretorius said a charge of reckless and negligent driving was being investigated.

In August, another vehicle in which Makwetla was travelling was involved in an accident on the R40, about 2km from Wednesday's accident scene.

Sigh.....

 

[Abe]

I think we should just build a set of roads for them. Then they can speed to their hearts content.

 

[ZA.Schmidt]

Serious, non-sarcastic question: do the rules of the road not apply to these people?

 

[Peon]

Serious, non-sarcastic question: do the rules of the road not apply to these people?

They most likely do but as power does it corrupts and they are in a state of untouchable-nivananessque.

Side note: 1 greek teen gets gunned down and the country +cyprus erupts in riot. How is it in SA we sit quietly and highlight our frustrations on a online forum which ultimately does not change much (no offense rpm).

Sheldean Human and many others... is it purely a South African dynamic where we eat the crud given to us? Or do other countries with democratic rights also sit tight and watch things go by?

Other side of the argument - Perhaps people cant go out and kick police teeth in out of fear of losing their jobs....

 

[RazedInBlack]

Maybe we are just complacent as South Africans.

 

[supersunbird]

Apparently this police driver doesn't have a brain and/or needs better training. Sirens are not always heard easily and even less so if you have any kind of music playing and there is no law against music in your call so they can bite it.

When I watch ambulances or other emergency services drive to somewhere they slow down at interections and make clear everyone is seeing them before moving across...

 

[Moederloos]

When I watch ambulances or other emergency services drive to somewhere they slow down at interections and make clear everyone is seeing them before moving across...

A good point/observation.

When last have we heard "ambulance on the way to accident scene fires multiple shots at motorist who refused to move over" ?

 

[Slaine73]

If they don't do something now about this idiots it is going to get worse and worse. Pretty soon they will shoot at people just for the fun of it....oh wait that already happens all over the country.....

 

[Kosmik]

A good point/observation.

When last have we heard "ambulance on the way to accident scene fires multiple shots at motorist who refused to move over" ?

A bit off topic comment but I'm sure everyone has also noticed the taxi's or other drivers that take advantage of an emergency vehicle squeezing through traffic? Those idiots are also likely to cause a damn accident. And the morons who drive in the yellow lane and don't allow E-vehicles to get to a scene quick enough.

End Off Topic Rant.

 

[Koos Custodiet]

Serious, non-sarcastic question: do the rules of the road not apply to these people?

I tell you a story...

A long time ago, when I went to do my driver's licence (long before K-whatever) they told us to not even think of asking the traffic fellow to put on his safety belt (even then, it was a requirement to tell your passengers to belt up).

Apparently not even Newton's laws of motion apply to these guys.

 

[stoke]

Awesome!

Shantel Cameron is my new hero!

 

[blunomore]

Sheldean Human and many others... is it purely a South African dynamic where we eat the crud given to us? Or do other countries with democratic rights also sit tight and watch things go by?

I am sure you know the expression 'the last straw that broke the camel's back'? It is coming - it normally takes something almost insignificant to finally drive people over the edge.

 

[R/SGT]

The police driver is an idiot.

Having worked on a response vechile I know for a fact that the siren does not always project ahead of you, it isnt helped by the fact that the siren is often placed under the bonnet.

Also even when a vechile has the siren on, it is difficult to spot the vechile, especially if it unmarked.

I am curious to know if the driver of this vechile has been on any advanced driving courses especially since he is only a Constable.

Hope they throw the book at him

 

[EtienneK]

The fkers who parade around "VIPs" provide no benefit to the common citizen. They should be disbanded and/or shot.

 

[Kimosabe]

Yet again these bastards act like the have the rule of the road.
One has to wonder why they need such protection?
Have there been any attempts on any MEC's lives?
I would say no, there have not been.

 

[Fuma]

Just few weeks ago I was on the fast lane and there was a bus on the slower lane. Out of nowhere a black BMW 3 series with blue light was behind me. He tried to push me and mind you the maximum speed limit was about 70KM and there were cameras. So I showed him my middle finger (stupid of me).
I never increased my speed coz surely he wasn't going to pay for my fine.

We reached a set of traffic lights, and he was trying to shout at me, and I showed him my middle finger again (stupid of me, again).

 

[EtienneK]

Just few weeks ago I was on the fast lane and there was a bus on the slower lane. Out of nowhere a black BMW 3 series with blue light was behind me. He tried to push me and mind you the maximum speed limit was about 70KM and there were cameras. So I showed him my middle finger (stupid of me).
I never increased my speed coz surely he wasn't going to pay for my fine.

We reached a set of traffic lights, and he was trying to shout at me, and I showed him my middle finger again (stupid of me, again).

I applaud your bravery, Sir! *clap clap clap*

 

[Fuma]

I applaud your bravery, Sir! *clap clap clap*

The thought of he might very well pull a gun never crossed my mind at that moment. But later on I realized he could have easily done that!

 

[TheHiveMind]

Yet again these bastards act like the have the rule of the road.
One has to wonder why they need such protection?
Have there been any attempts on any MEC's lives?
I would say no, there have not been.

If anything, these blue light convoys and bodyguards are making the MEC's targets. Counter productive isn't it?

 

[Peon]

The only threat to these MEC's is the way their Igor's drive, nothing else.