The ‘Swasie’ Column
©
“he says it how it is” by Swasie Turner MBE
To parents and shopkeepers – A stark warning Act NOW
to eradicate a ‘paper round fatality’
F
or goodness sake, canʼt we who deem around the morning and evening PEAK last minute refl ection of the cycleʼs chrome
ourselves as adult, responsible parents HOUR times) wearing navy blue, dark Grey spokes. Had the lorry overturned, it would
and mentors, get the message? I am out or black anoraks, coats, dark trousers, black
have fell onto me and I too would no doubt
pushing my wheelchair along the roads scarves over their faces, and many times
have been returned home - to be pushed
from as early as 3am, every day. Needless hoods drawn up? Then, after having spent a
under the door!
to say, for those who canʼt or donʼt emerge couple of hundred pounds on an expensive
from ʻhibernationʼ until the little fi nger on the bike, they canʼt be bothered to pay a couple
The lorry driver had no problem with my slow
clock nears mid-day, it doesnʼt take a rocket of measly quid extra for LIFE SAVING
moving wheelchair, “You can be seen for
scientist to realise that it is extremely dark EQUIPMENT, namely LIGHTS! The mind
bloody miles” he remarked. Yes I can, and
during nocturnal hours! boggles. They THEN allow them to take their
that is my intention. I have eight red lights
lives into their hands to pedal off into the
(and refl ectors) displayed, seven of which
When I was a young bobby I well remember night. Even in my slow moving wheelchair
are constantly fl ashing, one large light is
having to deal with an extremely sad (and out on the road, I donʼt see these youngsters
ʻconstantʼ. I also display three white lights to
totally avoidable) traumatic scenario - A until Iʼm almost on them, and my maximum
the front. They are not there for cosmetic or
fatal accident. ALL fatal accidents cause speed is only three miles per hour! What has
decorative purposes, they are there because
extreme trauma to those loved ones left prompted me to try to bring this extremely
not only does the law require such obligatory
behind. On this day this fatal accident was dangerous and idiotic folly to your attention?
front and rear illumination whilst on the roads
to be no exception. However, this one was It is because I have (yet again) witnessed during darkness, but also for my own (and
even more traumatic (if this were possible) another terrifying incident regarding this othersʼ) protection and safety.
as it involved a child, a young boy. The poor idiotic behaviour. This was almost yet
kid was out earning a couple of bob as a another totally unnecessary death of a
Is it just possible then, to get through to those
paperboy. Out delivering papers presumable young paperboy which occurred as I recently
who can AND SHOULD do something about
to enhance his ʻpresent buying potentialʼ as pushed along the dark roads of Wirral one
this silly, selfi sh and extremely dangerous
it was nearing Christmas. morning. I just do not know how he was not
scenario? Iʼm talking to you, PARENTS and
hit and run over by a heavy lorry as he sped
NEWSAGENTS, for God sake, get your act
Unfortunately, the poor parents of this lad out of a side road and almost straight under
together before you too have an avoidable
were to have their festive season ruined and the lorryʼs massive nearside front wheel. The
their lives changed forever. Their close knit driver almost turned the high sided lorry over
fatality to remember. We donʼt want one such
family were to be deprived of a beloved young as he swerved to avoid the boy. The idiotic
avoidable incident to bring about the demise
member because he was killed by a vehicle, youth sped away (probably in fear at what he
of a young life, whose tragic demise could
whose driver just did not see him. The boy almost caused) and vanished. The driver was
and should be prevented due to the simple
was riding his bike whilst wearing a dark top, so shaken he alighted from his cab and came
administration of a mere act of common
dark pants and not having any lights on his to me, possibly for comfort and reassurance
sense by either (or both) of you!
bike. He was ʻinvisibleʼ to the broken hearted that he was in no way to blame. He wasnʼt.
driver who was making his way to work so He stated that he didnʼt see anything until the Copyright Swasie Turner 2010
that he too could earn money to facilitate
his familyʼs happy Christmas. However, for
BOTH families, a happy Christmas was not to
be. Many lives were changed forever on that
fateful, tragic morning.
If this tragic example of needless tragedy
touches some or even alarms some, GOOD,
because itʼs meant to. Every morning I
see paperboys and girls out and about on
many pitch-black roads and thoroughfares
riding their bikes as they deliver papers for
shopkeepers who obviously couldnʼt care
a toss. So long as the papers are delivered
and the recipientsʼ bills are paid, great!
When I was a lad, my paper shop owner
would not allow us to go out on our rounds
unless we displayed front and rear lights
(usually supplied by him, including the
batteries!). However, never mind the shop
owner then, what about the parents of the
young deliverers? Why on earth do they
allow their kids to go out into the pitch dark
mornings or evenings (at, let us not forget,
Click.. Look...Find...your next used cab
Just click
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