YOU killed Burry Stander! WE ALL killed Burry Stander!

C

ClintZA

Banned
Joined
Aug 8, 2012
Messages
2,266
Reaction score
0
I posted this in the RIP thread but I actually feel it deserves it's own thread as we need to get this out there! We all need to take responsibility for what is happening on our roads.

I didn't know Burry Stander. I'd spoken to him a few times and met him at mountain bike events around the country. What a top man. What a champion. What a sweet fellow. What a loss.

Sadly, with news that over 1 300 people died on the roads this festive season, he's become another statistic. And not the one that we all expected at this year's Absa Cape Epic or at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.

For all the finger-wagging and moralising, though, Stander's death - along with the other 1 300-plus needless deaths on the roads - should cause a nation to become deeply introspective and increasingly worried about what’s happening on our roads.

In reality, nothing will change. We're all responsible for Stander's death. We're all to blame for the other 1300 deaths. It's not just taxis. It's not just "them". It's everyone. You. Me. CEOs. Lowly interns. Varsity students. Suburban moms. Everyone.

There are no rules on South Africa's roads. None. It's a do-as-you-please motor vehicle melee, a freewheeling fun ride for every person who gets behind the wheel of a car. I don't think I'm far off when I say that every single motorist in this country breaks a traffic law every single time they get into their cars. Myself included.

Our arrogance, egos, impatience, ill manners and total disregard for the lives of others on the road all contributed to Stander's death as much as the man sitting at the wheel of the car that killed him.

Just this weekend I was pushed off the road - the N2, while doing 130km/h (10km over the speed limit, you'll notice) - by some fools driving so closely behind me that I could see nose hairs ruffle as impatient nostrils flared at my temerity to vaguely obey the speed limit.

Stand at a set of traffic lights. As they turn red, immediately step into the road to cross. You know what? You're now dead. While crossing an intersection on a green man, I was almost run over by a police van two weeks ago. He jumped the red light at a pace that far outstripped the suburban 60km/h limit.

Stand again at any STOP street. Watch what goes on. Mothers in cars with children, mom yacking away on her cellphone. Illegal. Does it stop them? No.

When it comes to the road, we're all above the law. It's the one place we all think we're special. "Oh, I'm such a good driver," you often hear. Says who? You? Ha. You’re a fool. You're all fools. I'm a fool.

Blind rises, solid white lines, indicating, speeding, reckless overtaking – these things mean nothing to South African motorists. What will happen now, with 1300 deaths our nation's collective Christmas present? Sweet f-all. That's what. We'll sigh at the sadness of it all, only to ache for Christmas holidays all year long and then speed to our deaths come this December.

Look in the mirror. You killed Burry Stander. I killed Burry Stander. Until we realise that, until we realise that every little action on the road leads to bigger, more heinous devastations we’ll just carry on murdering each other.

Happy New Year, *******s.
Click to expand...

David Moseley News 24 : http://www.news24.com/Columnists/DavidMoseley/We-all-killed-Burry-Stander-20130108
 
Can a mod please merge this with the old thread (or even better, just delete it).
 
i don't understand this classroom mentality where a few people mess up and the rest of the class/country have to be responsible for them. the country isn't responsible for Burry's death just as much as they aren't responsible for break in's and rapes, corruption and lack of service.

1300 people died. many of them didn't deserve it, but i am sure there are at least 100 who did, who drove like idiots despite having families and drove like idiots costing other people their lives.

1300 versus millions. they in no way represent this country. i personally have never run over anyone or had an accident and i intend on keeping it that way.

if i am responsible for Burry's death then the writer is responsible for my debt, and i'll be forwarding him my banking details asking him to justify his way out of it
 
Last edited:
I did f*** all. I don't even own a car or a bicycle. The rest of you are to blame.
 
Ninja'd said:
I did f*** all. I don't even own a car or a bicycle. The rest of you are to blame.
Click to expand...

But if you DID own a car, you'd be as bad as the rest of us, don't you see?
And you don't take drugs, but if you did, you'd be responsible for all the deaths you'd cause, mmkay?
 
2012 said:
Can a mod please merge this with the old thread (or even better, just delete it).
Click to expand...

Oh really? You don't share the view so you just try to push it under the carpet and make it disappear. Some of you went to great lengths to point out that the initial thread was for messages of sympathy, now I start a new thread to discuss the dangers each and every one of us pose of the road and you are still not happy. As stated, typical mentality. Let's just ignore it until it goes away. Problem is it won't!

I am sure you are very annoyed that this article says pretty much what I was expressing. Of course, it is the opinion of one other but to me it validates what I saw saying.


STS said:
i don't understand this classroom mentality where a few people mess up and the rest of the class/country have to be responsible for them. the country isn't responsible for Burry's death just as much as they aren't responsible for break in's and rapes, corruption and lack of service.

1300 people died. many of them didn't deserve it, but i am sure there are at least 100 who did, who drove like idiots despite having families and drove like idiots costing other people their lives.

1300 versus billions. they in no way represent this country. i personally have never run over anyone or had an accident and i intend on keeping it that way
Click to expand...

So you're innocent? Never sped? Never not indicated? Never put the foot harder on the accelerator when the robot turns orange? This is precisely what the author was saying. It is the fault of taxis. It is the fault of buses. It is the fault of trucks. It is the fault of 4x4 drivers. It is the fault of compact car drivers. It is the fault of women. IT IS NEVER OUR FAULT.
 
Taxi's are by far the most reckless, I am a cautious driver, maybe the OP has a DUI and feels guilty.
 
I'll lay the blame squarely at the feet of those who are supposed to be governing this country. If the laws were more strictly enforced and the double standards were dropped then accidents will decrease. End of story. You just have to sit on Grayston in the mornings, with the police turning a blind eye to all the taxi's and idiots cutting over a yellow chevron area, but don't you dare talk on your phone. You'll get fined immediately.. Ridiculous.

Anyone in joburg, use your car, drive half in the yellow lane to block the taxi's coming past.. You'll see queue form soon enough.
 
This thread gets the award for dumbest thread so far of 2013
 
I don't break the law every time I get into my car.

This thread is so drama queen. I obviously feel for the man who died on the road and wish it didn't happen. But the fact of the matter is that he chose to go out on his bike as often as he pleased without fear controlling him.

The whole "we all killed Burry Stander!" thing is quite stupid and childish, why not start a thread saying blaming everyone for every crime and road incident that has ever happened?
 
Aqua_lung said:
Taxi's are by far the most reckless, I am a cautious driver, maybe the OP has a DUI and feels guilty.
Click to expand...

As per the article, I need to ask you to stand in front of the mirror, look in it long and hard and then truthfully tell all of us that you have never broken any road law?
 
ClintZA said:
So you're innocent? Never sped? Never not indicated? Never put the foot harder on the accelerator when the robot turns orange?
Click to expand...

of course i have, perhaps not for malicious reasons but i have. but at the same time, ask if cyclists and pedestrians haven't crossed the street when a car was dangerously close, if they've forgotten to check in one direction, if they've walked in the road when they could have been on the pavement, when they took their time to cross the road despite a car wanting to drive.

ask if i've ever been locked up, in an accident or driven dangerously instead. the answer is no
 
Oh and by the way the so called innocent cyclists are not always so innocent. If i had a rand for everytime one of them skipped a stop street or red light id be sol kersner's b!tch by now
 
STS said:
of course i have, perhaps not for malicious reasons but i have. but at the same time, ask if cyclists and pedestrians haven't crossed the street when a car was dangerously close, if they've forgotten to check in one direction, if they've walked in the road when they could have been on the pavement, when they took their time to cross the road despite a car wanting to drive.
Click to expand...

You cannot control what other people do. You can control what you do. That is the point I take out of that article. We all need to be responsible for our own actions and stop pointing fingers at others and putting them blame on them.

Some will no doubt point out that they feel I was doing this by blaming motorists. All along I was saying that I can only control my own actions. I can ride in the yellow line on my bike. I can stop at robots and stop streets. I can be aware of my surroundings. But I cannot control other cyclists. I cannot be aware for the motorist who is distracted by their cellphone or radio. I cannot make that car take a slightly wider berth around me when it passes.

You need to control the things you can control. We all need to do our bit. Don't blame taxis. Don't blame the government. And then in the next perform a "little" moving violation yourself....
 
ClintZA said:
As per the article, I need to ask you to stand in front of the mirror, look in it long and hard and then truthfully tell all of us that you have never broken any road law?
Click to expand...

Before I had a license maybe, but that does not count since I was a learner, once fully licensed I have stayed on the safe and narrow, a few accidents were almost caused by me though.. I blanked out or panicked.
 
ClintZA said:
I am sure you are very annoyed that this article says pretty much what I was expressing. Of course, it is the opinion of one other but to me it validates what I saw saying.
Click to expand...

No, just annoyed at you. It's the same old bull**** you were pushing in the other thread. This post is clearly a troll baiting everyone to respond and keep your previous rant and rave ongoing.
 
Our arrogance, egos, impatience, ill manners and total disregard for the lives of others on the road all contributed to Stander's death as much as the man sitting at the wheel of the car that killed him.
Click to expand...

I see someone slept through Causality 101.

Yes, people have extremely ****ty attitudes on the roads in this country. Yes they have a complete disregard for the rules. Yes, that's a very bad thing. But no, that doesn't make them responsible. Douchebag.
 
I subscribe to the "be the change you want to see" line of thinking. When operating a vehicle in traffic, do so in the manner which you expect from others. If you wish to be safe, operate the vehicle in a safe manner. Be visibly courteous, aware and hopefully it start to rub off on some other road users. I like to imagine that it does.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X