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We have an additional hazard over in the US - road ragers with guns. If you deliberately slow down when someone is tailgating, there's a possibility you'll be shot. A case outside Anacortes two years ago involved a passenger who fired on another car using a 12-bore shotgun loaded with solid shell instead of buckshot. The shell pierced the bodywork of the car and killed the driver.
Frank
Frank Damp (wife Eileen, nee Nixon)
Leyland resident 1941-1965, emigrated to the US in 1968,
retired to Anacortes, Washington State, USA in 1999.
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Yes, just what I was thinking. I presume the murderer got life imprisonment?
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Actually, Noel, he got 25 years without the possibility of parole. He hanged himself in prison after just 18 months inside.
One thing we do have over here is long sentences, either with a specified number of years before parole can be considered or with no parole permitted. A person could even get life with no parole, which really means you stay in jail until you die. None of this "life means 5 years" junk.
Frank
Frank Damp (wife Eileen, nee Nixon)
Leyland resident 1941-1965, emigrated to the US in 1968,
retired to Anacortes, Washington State, USA in 1999.
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It is safer when being tailgated to turn your lights on quickly, this is mistaken for your brake lights and the tailgater hits his brakes while you carry on. A one fingered salute then usually makes the point.
The best one I saw was a farmer in a landrover with a spotlight on its roof rack facing backwards, as he was being tailgated he switched the floodlight directly on the widscreen of the car behind and they were forced to slow down to a crawl, that was years ago in the country near Eccleston. I always wanted a landrover with a rear floodlight after seeing that.
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I've always wanted one of those magnetic flashing blue lights that the US TV detectives carry in their glove compartment. Wouldn't it be lovely to whisk one of those onto your car roof whenever anyone has cut you up or similarly offended on the roads and imagine the offender filling their pants? Unfortunately impersonating a police officer is against the law. :-(
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In Australia everyone over seventy has to have an annual doctors report and eye test to keep their drivers licence. I'm surprised it isn't so in the UK>
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I agree, Mick. There should be some sort of proper assessment, not just leave it to the individual to declare themselves fit.
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I have a UK drivers' license and it expires at midnight the day before my 70th birthday. I got the impression that once beyond that an annual review was required.
Frank
Frank Damp (wife Eileen, nee Nixon)
Leyland resident 1941-1965, emigrated to the US in 1968,
retired to Anacortes, Washington State, USA in 1999.
