The totally off-topic thread

[anat0l]

It's not that hard. Alarm goes off at 4:45, you roll (literally) out of bed. Put on whatever clothes are available. Drive to work.

.........And there's some interesting radio on a that time.

In the Philippines around that time would be the morning prayers on some channels, probably just finishing up on the rosary beads at that time.

 

[Pushka]

The judge was pretty clear that they had to determine guilt based on what a reasonable person would do and that also needed to have an historical context.

As far as a murder charge is concerned (not the culpable one that SA has) then the evidence needs to demonstrate that there was a planned intention to kill someone. Not to harm them, or scare them, but kill them. There was no evidence presented of that plan. He always slept with a gun. So did his mother. So it meant nothing.

Reckless? Hell yes. Dangerous? Of course. Stupid? Absolutely.

I think (maybe that's a hope) he will at least get 3 years and eligible for parole after 18 months. He's certainly guilty of culpable homicide (our manslaughter).

 

[DrA]

Being mugged, even at gun point, in Jo'burg likely does fall into that "rife crime". Unsure if they become blase about it, but they do know it happens. In fact, one should probably thank your stars that you were not raped or murdered, depending on where you were at the time.

Maybe only thing good to report to cops is to get a report for your travel insurance, and if they will give you one.

Good you mentioned that Cape Town seems rather safe - it is supposed to be compared to Jo'burg, but reports are still out there to stay well and truly on guard (en garde?). I may have to travel there later this year and I'm not sure what the safety during travel protocols are for my institution. Back in Australia, given the DFAT rating and knowledge of crime in RSA, the automatic conditions would include nil use of taxis, and reputable hire car or arranged driver with known company / organised by client.

Yes, both times I've been to Cape Town I've had someone meet me. When I was on holidays, my ex's sister met me at the airport and played tour guide for me for a few days. When I was there for work, the people hosting the meeting had arranged for a private airport pickup with a positive ID required. However, I did wander around town on my own during the day. Walked from my hotel, to the meeting location, down to the waterfront. No more hassle than I get in London or NYC. Kept to the hotel, or with colleagues during the evenings though.

 

[hummel]

A little tip for anyone driving in Switzerland: don't ever, ever speed (or get caught speeding). Unlike in Australia, don't assume you'll never get caught, because you can and will here.

Speeding fines are really stiff here, and often are based on your income (e.g. x days income as a fine); as a tourist, it'd likely be a flat fine of some sorts (since obviously it's too difficult to assess your wages and thus a fine if you don't earn a Swiss income). You can appeal your fine to a court but if you do so, you will need to pay costs (unless you are fully exonerated, perhaps) and the fine limits that normally apply in your first instance do not apply in court, so your fine can increase.

In some cases, you can be imprisoned (or given a suspended prison sentence) for high speeding violations.

Speeding can be considered a criminal offence in Switzerland and you can have a warrant issued for arrest in most other countries.

No, I didn't drive or the like, but I just read a thread on an expat forum talking about speeding in Switzerland. They don't mess around here.

I got done by a camera somewhere outside Basel in 2012 in VW Passat hire car. Was doing 62kmh in a 50 zone coming into a small county town, saw the flash and thought oh well, I live on the other side of the world.

Imagine my surprise 6 weeks later when I had a fine for 28 Euro in the mail! I ended up ringing them up and paying over the phone.

2 days after that experience I was cruising in a Porsche on the autobahn at 230kmh+....

 

[TomVexille]

I got done by a camera somewhere outside Basel in 2012 in VW Passat hire car. Was doing 62kmh in a 50 zone coming into a small county town, saw the flash and thought oh well, I live on the other side of the world.

Imagine my surprise 6 weeks later when I had a fine for 28 Euro in the mail! I ended up ringing them up and paying over the phone.

2 days after that experience I was cruising in a Porsche on the autobahn at 230kmh+....

28 Euro. Bargain

 

[QF WP]

That's why I use public transport in Switzerland...

A little tip for anyone driving in Switzerland: don't ever, ever speed (or get caught speeding). Unlike in Australia, don't assume you'll never get caught, because you can and will here.

Speeding fines are really stiff here, and often are based on your income (e.g. x days income as a fine); as a tourist, it'd likely be a flat fine of some sorts (since obviously it's too difficult to assess your wages and thus a fine if you don't earn a Swiss income). You can appeal your fine to a court but if you do so, you will need to pay costs (unless you are fully exonerated, perhaps) and the fine limits that normally apply in your first instance do not apply in court, so your fine can increase.

In some cases, you can be imprisoned (or given a suspended prison sentence) for high speeding violations.

Speeding can be considered a criminal offence in Switzerland and you can have a warrant issued for arrest in most other countries.

No, I didn't drive or the like, but I just read a thread on an expat forum talking about speeding in Switzerland. They don't mess around here.

 

[Pushka]

Driving into Adelaide from the Eastern states usually means a trip down our SE Freeway. This road is shared with Semi Trailers from around the country. The road into the main city turn off is steep. Very steep. There have been several fatalities at this intersection in the last couple of years. A month ago an out of control truck smashed across the intersection and killed two people, severely injured three others including the driver. It smashed into a concrete wall on the other side of the intersection. That part of the wall had not been repaired from the previous fatal accident a few months earlier. And this week, another semi laden with very heavy equipment was out of control but this time the Police car going up the hill was able to crack a U turn and escort it down the freeway and get all the traffic lights turned to green. Those two cops are heroes. In both the most recent cases, both trucks drove straight past the arrester beds designed to stop them free rolling and killing others.

So why am I writing this? yesterday Truck drivers held a rally to protest dangerous work conditions. Do they not understand that their trucks can be in perfect working order but if they lose control they need to use the arrester beds designed for just that purpose?

 

[mannej]

So why am I writing this? yesterday Truck drivers held a rally to protest dangerous work conditions. Do they not understand that their trucks can be in perfect working order but if they lose control they need to use the arrester beds designed for just that purpose?

Sounds like Greenmount hill in Perth.

Truck Leaves Trail Of Chaos And Death

Knowing the intersection, the Arrester Bed is needed to avoid a repeat of the previous accident.

https://au.finance.yahoo.com/news/arrester-bed-used-asylum-seeker-040654980.html

 

[Pushka]

Sounds like Greenmount hill in Perth.

Truck Leaves Trail Of Chaos And Death

Knowing the intersection, the Arrester Bed is needed to avoid a repeat of the previous accident.

https://au.finance.yahoo.com/news/arrester-bed-used-asylum-seeker-040654980.html

There are actually two arrester beds down this freeway but the trucks clearly don't use them. The latest incident the truck had smoke pouring out, laden with a 40 tonne load at a speed of 70K's in a 40K area. And drove past the beds as "he thought he had control".

 

[TomVexille]

There are actually two arrester beds down this freeway but the trucks clearly don't use them. The latest incident the truck had smoke pouring out, laden with a 40 tonne load at a speed of 70K's in a 40K area. And drove past the beds as "he thought he had control".

Sounds like the drivers would rather potentially endanger the lives of others than put up with the inconvenience of using the arrester bed.

 

[Pushka]

Sounds like the drivers would rather potentially endanger the lives of others than put up with the inconvenience of using the arrester bed.

I wonder if there is some kind of ego thing about "admitting" you are in trouble.

What doesn't help I guess is that there is something like a $5000+ fee to remove the rigs from the beds. So the Govt is hardly sending the Road Safety message.

 

[JessicaTam]

It's not that hard. Alarm goes off at 4:45, you roll (literally) out of bed. Put on whatever clothes are available. Drive to work.

On the plus side is that a normal 15-20 minute commute only takes about 7 minutes. And there's some interesting radio on a that time.

Now you are just making it worse! :shock:

 

[TomVexille]

I wonder if there is some kind of ego thing about "admitting" you are in trouble.

What doesn't help I guess is that there is something like a $5000+ fee to remove the rigs from the beds. So the Govt is hardly sending the Road Safety message.

I would think yes and yes.

Now you are just making it worse! :shock:

It allowed me to work 16 hour days :shock:

 

[whatmeworry]

I wonder if there is some kind of ego thing about "admitting" you are in trouble.

What doesn't help I guess is that there is something like a $5000+ fee to remove the rigs from the beds. So the Govt is hardly sending the Road Safety message.

Well guess that is the reason these truckies wont use the beds.

 

[Julesmac]

Sounds like the judge didn't like the prosecutor being so aggressive .. Has discounted most of his witnesses statements. Where's Judge Judy when you need someone to cut thru the cr*p

Used to have a Judge in Melbourne whose nickname was "Hanging Judge Vincent"

 

[Julesmac]

Sounds like the drivers would rather potentially endanger the lives of others than put up with the inconvenience of using the arrester bed.

What's an arrester bed?

 

[Pushka]

Well guess that is the reason these truckies wont use the beds.

But they are killing people! Innocent people. One of the women killed the other week by the runaway was a 42 year old woman who worked with people unable to care for themselves in their homes. She was on her way from one person to another. She was stationary at the lights!

 

[JessicaTam]

What's an arrester bed?

It is a slip road that has quite deep gravel on it usually on a slight incline. It slows down and then stops anything driving into/through it.

 

[RAM]

That's an easy one! I'm Gen Y and I know what a 5am start is. It's ludicrous :mrgreen:

FWIW when I was working on mining projects it was 6am starts.

From the Crocodile Dundee file,,,

That's not early, up at 4.15am in winter, rain to walk round delivering the local paper before the 5.30am morning paper round....

 

[RAM]

I know. My own experiences in South Africa have been widely varying. I've had no issues in Cape Town, Durban, or Kruger NP. Had a fantastic time! However, that being said, I was held up at gunpoint in Jo'burg during the 2010 World Cup, and when I reported it to the cops, they basically just shrugged at me and said "yeah, that happens, what do you want us to do about it?". I wonder if some crimes are just so rife that people have just become blasé about it?

Yes they are a bit.

Did you know what BMW was known as in SA through the 80s and 90s?

BREAK MY WINDOWS.