http://www.pacts.org.uk/blog/ending-the-scandal-of-complacency.html This site is a chance for stakeholders to comment on what Parliamentarians have to say on a transport safety issue Thu, 17 May 2012 08:22:57 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 http://www.pacts.org.uk/blog/ending-the-scandal-of-complacency.html#comment-5 Mike Mounfield Tue, 13 Jan 2009 09:11:47 +0000 http://www.pacts.org.uk/blog/?p=47#comment-5 Firstly, Louise, thanks for kicking off the first issue on 'Westminster Bridge'. I hope it proves a fruitful forum for debate and discussion. When Bridget Driscoll stepped off the pavement and into the history books on August 17 1896, becoming the first pedestrian to be killed by a car, the Coroner at the inquest asserted: "This must never happen again". Assuming he wasn't stating an opinion not widely held at the time, something seems to have happened between 1896 and now, something that has made it acceptable for people to die in the simple act of going about their daily lives. It's a funny sort of acceptability though, because anyone who has dealt with the personal aftermath of sudden 'accidental' death will know that it's far from acceptable - it only becomes so at a non-personal, societal level. I am not aware of any research into why this is so - I'd be pleased to know if there has been any, because only by knowing why society doesn't raise a hue and cry over the equivalent of an total-loss-of-life airliner crash every 7 weeks or so can we then go about changing it. Firstly, Louise, thanks for kicking off the first issue on ‘Westminster Bridge’. I hope it proves a fruitful forum for debate and discussion. When Bridget Driscoll stepped off the pavement and into the history books on August 17 1896, becoming the first pedestrian to be killed by a car, the Coroner at the inquest asserted: “This must never happen again”. Assuming he wasn’t stating an opinion not widely held at the time, something seems to have happened between 1896 and now, something that has made it acceptable for people to die in the simple act of going about their daily lives. It’s a funny sort of acceptability though, because anyone who has dealt with the personal aftermath of sudden ‘accidental’ death will know that it’s far from acceptable - it only becomes so at a non-personal, societal level. I am not aware of any research into why this is so - I’d be pleased to know if there has been any, because only by knowing why society doesn’t raise a hue and cry over the equivalent of an total-loss-of-life airliner crash every 7 weeks or so can we then go about changing it.

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