Another dangerous driving causing death trial in Quebec

[caje]

Back in 2014, a woman in Quebec stopped her car in the left lane of a highway (with no shoulder) due to ducks crossing which led to the death of a father and daughter on a Harley. It received a lot of publicity and there was a long thread on here about it: Quebec Trial - Car Stops to help ducks, Motorcycle hits car (fatality) She was eventually convicted.

It seems to have happened again, and there's currently a trial ongoing: Collision mortelle en contournant des canards | Une vidéo-choc présentée au jury du procès d’Éric Rondeau.

This time a man stopped his F150 on a busy road (speed limit was 70km/h, reduced from 90km/h just before) in the middle of a curve to allow ducks to cross. The article has photos from a security camera that show the situation. He let the ducks cross half way, and then decided to go into the on-coming lane to go around them as they were finishing crossing. Unfortunately a 19 year old motorcyclist was coming, tried to brake but lost control and struck the truck, killing him.

I think the interesting part of the case is that the crown is saying that stopping for the ducks in a curve was fine, it was going into the oncoming lane that is the issue.

To me it seems like a pretty open and shut case that I'm surprised is even going to trial.

 

[GreyGhost]

While a conviction may be likely, I'm not at all surprised it is going to trial. Unless the crown offered a slap on the wrist, driver may take their chances at trial. If the crown offered a slap, the victims family would be rightly enraged.

 

[nobbie48]

Personal experience #1, I heard a loud crash.

It was mid day, sunny and clear, dry street. The street was wide enough to be four lane if there wasn't parking. If the cars were parked close to the curb, two cars could squeeze through the gap.

Unfortunately there were two cars parked across from each other and two cars were using the street, one east bound and the other westbound. Both assumed they could just drive through the gap. Fortunately no injuries.

Example #2

#5 Sideroad N of Milton.

I was riding east on 5 (grass shoulders at that spot) and a cube van was blocking the westbound lane. All the westbound traffic just swerved around the van and I sat there until there was a break in the traffic so I could use my lane.

Example #3

Same road and different stretch, this time fortunately with better shoulders. I'm going east in very light traffic but the homeward bound westies are backed up a half mile at a light. A cager, not being happy behind a cube van pulls out into my path to pass it. They gain 20 feet in a half mile jam. I get more experience on gravel shoulders.

The temptation to carry a rock in a tank bag comes to mind.

A friend loves his son-in-law dearly but the S-I-L will never be right. An oncoming car swerved to avoid a dog and hit his car head on

Why is it so surprising that this crap happens? PEOPLE ARE STUPID.

Our driving tests are inadequate and enforcement too geared towards profit.

Pilot's Licence: Demonstrate the ability to keep on course, maintain communications, and handle emergencies on board with regards to engine failures and forced landings etc. Demonstrate knowledge of the air frame with regards to safety. Regular medical approvals.

Driver's Licence: Find way to mall.

Edit: It's not just PQ. A family outing here years back resulted in a similar situation. Dad stopped the car in the middle of the highway to watch a family of ducks or geese cross. A truck came over the hill and didn't have time to stop, killed the parents IIRC.

I once had to yell at my wife for stopping to watch a cute bunny on the road. We had just come through a blind curve.

The one thing I really liked about my Sportster with obnoxiously loud pipes was buzzing through a gaggle of geese, pulling in the clutch and rev bombing the flock of shytters.