Yet another road closure

[Ghostrider]

They were no parked illegaly or causing any form of obstruction..

 

This seems to be very much a matter of opinion, on which the public in general and the local media are divided. As I said above, one would hope an investigation would identify as clearly and accurately as humanly possible all the contributory factors, and apportion blame fairly. However when you put the lunatics in charge of the asylum, and the people who do the investigating have the same boss as some of those they are investigating, I don't think it's unreasonable for the public to be suspicious and expect a fudge, until such time as a reasonable explanation of how the incident happened is made public.

 

Although I feel for the family and the victim of the road accident, surely all you drivers out there know that when driving you should be constantly looking ahead of yourself and assessing any potential hazard, in this case a very slow moving lorry.

 

Fair point, and one which I don't think has ever been disputed, the incident had many contributory factors involved in it's cause, including, but not necessarily limited to, the actions of the truck and all other traffic on that section of road in the relevant timeline.

 

Get a grip and think about who you contact if a crime has been committed against you or if you need urgent assistance.

 

Oh dear....I do hope you are not suggesting what you appear to be suggesting....Namely that if someone has the gall to dare openly either question the actions of, or criticise the Police, that if that same person should find themselves up to their neck in it one way or another, they can expect a lesser service, or no service at all from the boys in blue. Perhaps you'd like to clarify your statement, and save me the bother of ripping it up as is....

 

 

With regards officer Dribbles comments on trained traffic officers, I fully agree with the comment. Again people are making comment and being criticle on a topic they know nothing about. Do you honestly think that if it was feasible and cost effective the police wouldnt use other resources or train onsite staff.

 

It's a public service, a trade off has to be made between cost and acceptable level of service. Considering road users pay an arm and a leg for that dubious privilege through several different motoring taxes, and everyone funds the Police from general taxation, some would say that the Shetland population, all of whom are taxpayers one way or another, are getting a shoddy deal from their investment with the present arrangement.[/i]

[Pooks]

I think you have read my posts wrong somewhere. I have no problem with the roads being closed for however long it takes. It is unfortunate but I would rather that than a totally wrong assumption being made about a road accident which could lead to someones false imprisonment.

 

I was merely relaying the story as I have been told it. At no time have I insinuated it was the truth or that I despise road closures.

[Ghostrider]

I cannot recall traffic not being able to travel from A to B in a reasonable time following a serious accident.

 

Are you saying that all serious accidents to date have occurred on roads where there was an alternative suitable diversionary road ? e.g. The Old North Road in this instance .

 

Very possibly. The issue of closing roads completely and hanging around waiting for folks to eventually get here from the Highlands has only reared it's ugly head during the last few years.

[whodat]

Ghostrider,

 

I think what Dodd was saying and which I agree with (despite my own past as a boy) is that it's easy to knock the police. They have to take it on the chin. They can't hang up the phone . They're the ones who step in the way of bother when you and I are running the other way. We all know they're not perfect, they are after all human. Are you so perfect? Should we have you investigating them?

 

Talk to a polis sometime. Go on they can't arrest you for it,as long as you're polite! You might be surprised. Ask them about their own investigators, the folk who investigate them. They are far more scared of them then they are of the 6 foot 6 farmer with shoulders like sacks of tatties. These people aren't liked by their colleages. They are feared by them. Because they don't cut corners or "brush things under carpets". Who better to investigate them than folk who have done the same job and know how the system works and is bent by those FEW bad apples. If there's dirt, they'll dig it and hold it up and get rid of the bad one in the bunch. More than I can say for plenty other jobs.

 

You can be a doctor and commit serious crimes and not get struck off. You can be an MP and a Lord and try and burn a hotel full of folk down and still get to sit in the House of Lords. Start where the problems are.

 

Or do you personally know of such injustices that have been "hushed up"? Or is it just another "I heard from someone who heard from someone" as seems to be more and more the case in this forum?

 

No personal attack, unlike some posts. Just an invite to debate, without ripping things up.

 

Gie's peace.

[Njugle]

Fair comment whodat, fair comment ghostrider.

 

But perhaps a new thread would be in order to discuss the police or injustice in general, paricularly the NHS or politicians, and leave this one on it's original subject.

And remember, (here) that Rachel is still in hospital, stable but still giving cause for concern. Let's see how she gets on before we turn this into a sweeping callous debate please. Or continue on the subject title and similar instances. You know what i mean i'm sure, i'm just not explaining it very well!

[Ghostrider]

Njugle,

 

Fair points. Respect is due to the lady and her family at this time, I do wish her a speedy and full recovery.

 

I would welcome the continuation of the Police angle of this discussion at least, and the opportunity to respond to the points Whodat makes, however this thread doesn't really have an appropriate point at which it could be split, and to try and start afresh without taking with you what's already been said here, I can't see it flying.

 

Perhaps the discussion can be revisted at a less sensitive time.

[JustMe]

frankie wrote

The title of this topic is 'YET ANOTHER ROAD CLOSURE'.

I take it from that that the person who raised the topic is not happy with the North Road being closed following the recent serious accident.

 

No sir, you may not take it that I am unhappy about the road being closed. What I am unhappy about is the time taken to reopen the road after all the rescue work is done.

 

24 hour road closures with the bulk of the time used up waiting for an "expert" from south are just not what the travelling public expects from the police force in the 21st century.

 

Ok this time there was a reasonable diversion and a longer but perhaps faster diversion via the black gait but previous closures have meant long diversions on narrow roads and perhaps the next one will be in a location without any possible diversion.

 

Perhaps our police are already well enough trained anyway. The yellow crayon marks the used after the St. Olaf Street multi vehicle accident are still visible and they also "processed" the accident outside sarmile quickly enough.

 

Perhaps this time due to the police car being in the vicinity did require more than our local police attending.......perhaps the idea of someone from the roads department is good.....or someone from Aberdeen who mostly would be able to get here a lot faster than someone from Dingwall.

[Officer Dible]

The problem with a member of the Road Dept being trained as an accident investigator is simple - there are not enough serious or fatal accidents in Shetland to become an expert.

 

The cops from Dingwall have dealt with 13 fatal accidents during July and August. It is this quantity of accidents that allow them to become experts in this field. As cops you are trained and become familiar in giving evidence. A roads engineer giving evidence in court would probably only give evidence once or twice a year. Anyone that has been in a court will know how uncomfortable this can be.

 

Any cop coming from Aberdeen or any other force will face the same delays in coming to Shetland. I know that in the past cops will drive to and from Aberdeen to get the first flight. In addition to this Scatsta Oil flights have also been used to get the guys here.

 

On a lighter note there are some positive remarks which show that the Police have still got the support in the Community - Thanks

[Frankie]

frankie wrote

The title of this topic is 'YET ANOTHER ROAD CLOSURE'.

I take it from that that the person who raised the topic is not happy with the North Road being closed following the recent serious accident.

 

No sir, you may not take it that I am unhappy about the road being closed. What I am unhappy about is the time taken to reopen the road after all the rescue work is done.

 

 

So, how long after it was closed did you become unhappy ?

[JustMe]

frankie wrote

The title of this topic is 'YET ANOTHER ROAD CLOSURE'.

I take it from that that the person who raised the topic is not happy with the North Road being closed following the recent serious accident.

 

No sir, you may not take it that I am unhappy about the road being closed. What I am unhappy about is the time taken to reopen the road after all the rescue work is done.

 

 

So, how long after it was closed did you become unhappy ?

 

From what I have read about this accident perhaps a maximum of two hours after the casualty was on her way to hospital for taking measurements and photos and then however long it too to clear the wreckage and hose down the road.

[Officer Dible]

From what I have read about this accident perhaps a maximum of two hours after the casualty was on her way to hospital for taking measurements and photos and then however long it too to clear the wreckage and hose down the road.

 

 

Had this been the case then the police would have been accused of a cover up.

 

I don't know what you do for a living but I am sure the police don't arrive at your place of work, telling you how to do your job!

[JustMe]

Officer Dible wrote

I don't know what you do for a living but I am sure the police don't arrive at your place of work, telling you how to do your job!

 

No, indeed they don't and neither do I turn up at a crash scene and tell them where to put their their marks or how to use a tape measure. I started this thread because I consider the long road closures following accidents are both unnecessary and unacceptable to the long suffering motorist in the 21st century.

[Ghostrider]

From what I have read about this accident perhaps a maximum of two hours after the casualty was on her way to hospital for taking measurements and photos and then however long it too to clear the wreckage and hose down the road.

 

 

Had this been the case then the police would have been accused of a cover up.

 

I don't know what you do for a living but I am sure the police don't arrive at your place of work, telling you how to do your job!

 

This is a pubic forum, not the Police Station, if people are visting/calling the Police Station to "tell" the Police how to do their job, that's a whole other debate. This here is simply the public expressing their opinion publically of how well the public service that is the Police are performing the duties entrusted to them.

 

That said, I see no-one telling the Police "how" to do their job, simply pointing out that there is a level of public feeling that it would be highly desirable if it were done considerably more quickly, and exploring avenues pertaining to that end.

[Officer Dible]

Long road closures are essential to establish the full facts. An accurate investigation will be able to provide essential evidence for years to come.

 

I am sure the people involved in these accidents appreciate that everything is done correctly and the blame is put in the right corner.

 

Having been at the scene I was unable to determine what had happend however when the Dingwall Cops talked me through the accident it was clear to see what had happend.

 

If the long suffering motorists were to take advice from the police then these accident would not occure. ie wear your seatbelt, don't drink and drive, don't take risks. Unlike most other cops I don't see speed as a factor in most accidents. This is due to driver error is the cause of accidents. Speed only determines the extent of injury.