RE: Not a word about OJ here...

[Brendan <bman@swva.net>]

At 07:20 PM 9/3/97 +0000, Sargent E. Schutt wrote:
>"Personal Responsibility" extends the direct and foreseeable effects of
>your personal actions in my book. There was a direct media connection
>here, quite clearly. Two out of three's not bad, but I have to take
>definite exception to the connection with the speed of the car. Definite
>and crystal clear connection there. Simple cause and effect. Had they
>not been chased, would they have been galavanting about paris at 120+
>MPH? Nope. Not a chance. Evasion was the goal.

I can understand your reasoning here.  It seems clear that, had they not
been pursued, they would not have been travelling at the speed they were.
However, since I cannot believe they were at any risk of physical harm from
the pursuers, I don't see that as justification of such a speed for
evasion.  The choice to accelerate to dangerous speeds in an attempt to
evade was exactly that; a personal choice.  A poor and irresponsible one in
my book.

>The poparazi (sp) were
>well aware of it.  Regardless, the cause and effect relationship here
>btwn the pusuit and the crash is close and the outcome foreseeable
>(though not intended).That a sober driver might have also crashed at
>that speed is nearly as foreseeable under the conditions. Hence
>manslaughter charges (almost fer-100%-sure if this had happened in the
>US). 

Indeed a sober and _capable_ driver may well have crashed at that speed
under the same situations.  However, a _responsible_ driver would not have
been travelling at that speed in the first place, IMHO.  I do _not_ condone
the actions of the press, and it sickens me to death to think they will
actually turn a profit from this incident by selling pictures, stories,
etc..  and I do think charges should be brought against them.  I do not,
however, think their actions justify those of the driver, who, had he
lived, should be up on manslaughter charges in my book.