[Magdalen] Kaeton's commentary

[Jim Guthrie]

From: H Angus

>I'm sure it depends almost entirely on which person you either know personally 
>or identify with strongly.

I think in this case we are all appalled by the hit and run aspect, which has 
been confirmed in detail.

There's a rush to judgment on the underlying circumstances. Because of the hit 
and run, most everyone here seems to think it's purely the driver's fault for 
the accident. But we don’t know, and won’t know until the investigation is 
complete.

>My neighbor has been in a wheelchair for 40 years because a drunk ran a red 
>light, so pity for drunk drivers is not at the top of my list. But relatives 
>and >friends of drunk drivers of course make every excuse in the world for 
>them, as do relatives and friends of others whose actions result in someone 
>else's >death or injury.

Very true. But cyclists often act like the relatives of the drunk driver in many 
cases -- many excuses for bad behavior (seen certainly in explanations for 
pedestrian deaths)  There's little penalty for bad behavior. And yes, I know 
that there are many cyclists deaths due to bad and inattentive drivers so they 
have as much right to complain as pedestrians, certainly.

>All this is plain human nature, and not really something to be blamed, I think. 
>A person whose judgment is able to rise to heights of total objectivity is 
> >probably not a very comfy person to be around.

Yes -- but I think we have an obligation to be objective and fair -- not decide 
on partial information and hearsay that the discussion should thus be closed.

Cheers,
Jim Guthrie