The things folk will do for money

[Aberdeenplotter]

I wonder if Dawn French will reconsider her position with Churchill Insurance now it has become apparent they are trying to place blame for an accident on a thirteen year old girl left with permanent disability to lessen their liability for damages.

[WendyC]

Heard about this on the road this morning. I expect pedestrians who venture forth without full body armour and get knocked down will soon be liable too. My husband cycles to work and is decorated like a Christmas tree. Does it make any difference to drivers - no! Except the ones who complain his lights are too bright.

[Alison]

I think that it makes sense for you to try and look after yourself ie when I cycle I make sure that I can be seen and would never dream of cycling home from work in dark colours with no lights (as I see on a regular basis) and I would have quite a lot of sympathy for any driver that had the misfortune for hitting one of these cyclists - you genuinely can't see them until you're almost on them, terrifies the life out of me! However, it is the law for cyclists to have lights, as far as I'm aware there is nothing similar for pedestrians. I assume the case you're talking about is the girl who they're stating knows about high viz due to her horse riding? As far as I can see that is totally irrelevant, would you argue that a keen skater who fell over on the ice in a public place should have taken their skates with them? Clearly (I hope!) not. It's difficult for me to comment much on this specific case as I don't know all the details but I assume that it has been ascertained that the girl did not step out in front of the car and therefore the fault lies with the driver? In that case this would seem like a pretty standard case of an insurance company trying to get out of paying - sadly they all do it to some extent. Re the original comment about whether Dawn French would walk away, at least she's advertising a proper product, the ones my blood boils over are the legalised loan shark ones with their 4 figure interest rates - they need to be banned asap rather than allow to prey on the vulnerable.

[Aberdeenplotter]

The driver was found guilty of driving at excessive speed on a narrow country lane in the dark as far as I understood. He met anoncoming vehicle and had to pull sharply to the side to avoid the other car and in doing so hit the young girl.

She is a child. She is vulnerable. Shehas been left permanently disabled as a result of someone elses inappropriate actions. My blood is boiling.

[zazen999]

Sorry - was Dawn French there? She's not the first Celeb to take money for adverts with dodgy companies...

[Aberdeenplotter]

What difference does it make where Dawn French was?

[zazen999]

Was it her fault? Was she witness to the event?

[Sheneval]

Think this is a Scottish thing AP - we are always on the side of the weak, oppressed and the innocent and expect other people to be the same - Dawn French may well rethink her position as she should do if she considers herself to be an honourable person.

[Aberdeenplotter]

Did anyone infer it was her fault or if she witnessed the event?. You know full well she did not.

[zazen999]

Why mention her then?

[Aberdeenplotter]

Think this is a Scottish thing AP - we are always on the side of the weak, oppressed and the innocent and expect other people to be the same - Dawn French may well rethink her position as she should do if she considers herself to be an honourable person.

It's not that I'm on anyone's side Shev. It's that I feel celebrities should show moral fibre. Carol Vorderman's involvement with a company alleged to be a loan shark also annoyed me. Folks trust celebrities,they become like members of the family.

[Aberdeenplotter]

Why mention her then?

I mentioned her because she is the one who has just taken up a contract with the company involved. You can see full well the point of the original post. Would I be likely to mention anyone else in this connection?

[zazen999]

I mentioned her because she is the one who has just taken up a contract with the company involved. You can see full well the point of the original post. Would I be likely to mention anyone else in this connection?

I don't know - I don't watch TV so have no idea who advertises what. I merely assumed you meant that she advertises on their behalf. Why are you getting annoyed with her and not the company or anyone else involved in the matter?

[Sheneval]

It's not that I'm on anyone's side Shev. It's that I feel celebrities should show moral fibre. Carol Vorderman's involvement with a company alleged to be a loan shark also annoyed me. Folks trust celebrities,they become like members of the family.

Afraid I don't go in for the Hero Workship Celeb thing - I have met a few of them over the years through work but the best people I have ever known were always ordinary people doing their best in difficult, sometimes very difficult circumstances

[bearded bloke]

When I was a lad growing up in a very rural part of Kent I was taught to ALWAYS walk TOWARDS oncoming traffic when there was no footpath & be aware of my surroundings at such times.