Absurd Charges Part 5 - What's My Scene?

 

Ever had a car accident where no-one else was involved? It might be an interesting scene, but you've gotta leave sometime, right? Wrong...


This Week's Actual Example

You're out on the road late at night, alone, in your brand new convertible. Wind in your hair, strong moonlight guiding your way through the winding country road. You're not speeding, but you take a corner and there is a cow, middle of road. The controls are unfamiliar - you lose it. You end up in a paddock after bouncing off some trees. Your beautiful new car is totaled, but you're ok. No fences damaged, no-one else involved, no-one around for miles. Just a few cows, staring, glaring.

No mobile reception. What to do? Although you're not badly injured, your head hurts and you wonder if you should get to the hospital to get checked out. Start walking. No houses, no lights. An hour later, mobile reception. Head still hurts. Ring a friend, visit hospital, get head checked out. 2AM - go home to sleep, deal with car in morning...

4AM - "Police! Open up!"  You're charged with negligent driving, and - leaving the scene of an accident.

What's Wrong With This Scenario?

"What the f##@@!! else was I supposed to do!?", would be the first comment to come to mind. Wait there all night?  Run to the nearest police station to hand myself in for not damaging anything but my own car in a genuine accident? You must be kidding? No, they're not...

Court Dude's Solution

Once again - police education.

An accident can happen with no negligence involved at all on the part of the driver. This is not rocket surgery, and yet the logic seems to escape many Boys And Girls In Blue. Someone needs to tell them this...someone needs to learn 'em.

And - at some point, EVERYONE leaves the scene of their accident. If they didn't, they'd be there FOREVER, right?  It's not a crime unless you do it to avoid prosecution and the consequences of your actions...someone needs to tell the police this, too, it seems.