Uni Posted July 30, 2004 Share Posted July 30, 2004 THE families of two teenagers killed in a car crash are calling for warnings to be erected and road-markings improved at the sharp left-hand bend that claimed their lives. The inquest into the deaths of 17-year-olds Brian William Garvey and Richard Kevin Brookes, both of Port St Mary, heard how Richard's Renault Clio crashed into a hedge near the junction of Pound Lane on Old Castletown Road, Santon, and ended up on its roof in a field. Brian's girlfriend, Rachel Hollands, was a back seat passenger in the car. She was thrown from the Clio during the crash, suffering a broken spine and a partially punctured lung and is recovering in hospital. The accident happened at 11.10pm on Thursday, July 8 as the teenagers returned home from the cinema. Accident investigator Constable Steven Tate said the circumstances of the crash meant he could not estimate how fast Richard's car had been travelling, although he said it was too fast for that particular bend. Brian's father, Vincent, told the inquest in Castletown there was nothing to warn drivers they were approaching a sharp bend and suggested a warning sign could be put up and the road markings improved. Constable Tate said he would submit a report from Mr Garvey to his traffic sergeant so it could be forwarded to the Department of Transport, while coroner Michael Moyle said he would write to Transport Minister John Shimmin informing him that, at first sight, he supported Mr Garvey's suggestions. Full story in today's Manx Independent. I've been saying for years that bend is bad, now two car crashes have happened there resulting in deaths. When in the dark you approach virtually the last corner on the Old Castletown road, you come out of an slight right - the road then raises and drops to a left bend. As you approach the raise your headlights cast a shadow behind the raise so you can't see where the road goes, the hedge straight in front of you is virtual flat looking, making it near impossible to judge which way the corner goes. Very easy for any driver to crash there! I usually try to catch my girlfriend out when asking her "which way does it go?", obviously pretending I didn't know! - She always guesses left That's the end of that humour then. I think they should either have a simple arrow barrier or some road posts that you see on most other old roads. Also most of that road has no markings on it anymore, either from none there in the first place or the new tarmac. Well played D.O.T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grib Posted July 30, 2004 Share Posted July 30, 2004 It is a country road like many, many others that make up the Island. If you can't see where you are going in front of you, you're going too fast. The "No Limit" sign is not a carte blanche to give your vehicle as much welly as possible. The voices in my head tell me: "There is a broken down combine harvester a little down the road" "Old George Woods is walking a herd of cattle round the next corner" That said, the corner is my favourite on the Island. Coming from the Douglas direction you can get right in there, knee brushing against the low grass verge. When I want to get rid of a girlfriend I take her down the Old Castletown Road for a spin. They don't want to come out on the bike again after that. Except the Psycho ones. They say "do it again, do it again". I apologise if this post is out of place in some way. I really do believe . . . . and I mean this . . .that we should all be made to use only those little cars that are knocking about just now, deristricted at that. This Island would be a paradise place like on The Prisoner. I'm sorry if I've lost most of you with that statement, but now and again you really should listen to what old codgers like myself are saying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cret Posted July 30, 2004 Share Posted July 30, 2004 If you can't see where you are going in front of you, you're going too fast. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Agreed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ans Posted July 30, 2004 Share Posted July 30, 2004 Thirded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FCMR Posted July 30, 2004 Share Posted July 30, 2004 Agreed, but one fatal crash is bad enough never mind two, so something may have to be done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Old Git Posted July 30, 2004 Share Posted July 30, 2004 Agreed, but one fatal crash is bad enough never mind two, so something may have to be done. Such as an all Island speed limit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Educa Posted July 30, 2004 Share Posted July 30, 2004 Agreed, but one fatal crash is bad enough never mind two, so something may have to be done. Such as an all Island speed limit? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Such as flourescent arrow barrier (like blackboards - though still get lots of crashed there) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Old Git Posted July 30, 2004 Share Posted July 30, 2004 Such as flourescent arrow barrier (like blackboards - though still get lots of crashed there) I noticed there's still a big set of skid marks leading straight into the wall at the blackboards. If it was a local how the heck do they forget that corner is there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posters Posted July 30, 2004 Share Posted July 30, 2004 and why do they feel the need to indicate when going around that corner? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Posted July 30, 2004 Share Posted July 30, 2004 Agreed, but one fatal crash is bad enough never mind two, so something may have to be done. Such as an all Island speed limit? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> The lad was on R plates anyway, so that wouldn't have helped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Old Git Posted July 30, 2004 Share Posted July 30, 2004 The lad was on R plates anyway, so that wouldn't have helped. You're saying he was breaking the law anyway? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Posted July 30, 2004 Share Posted July 30, 2004 Don't put words in my mouth. I have no idea what speed he was travelling. But he was restricted to 50mph already, so a speed limit of anything over that would not have made a difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ans Posted July 30, 2004 Share Posted July 30, 2004 Can I just remind people that this is a faily recent event, emotions will be still very raw with people who knew them and at least one member of one of the victim's family has posted on here since the accident. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ripsaw Posted July 30, 2004 Share Posted July 30, 2004 The surviving passenger has already stated that in her opinion the car wasn't traveling at excessive speed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ringwraith Posted July 30, 2004 Share Posted July 30, 2004 If the road is becoming notorious for accidents then it clearly needs improved signage. That is what the signs were invented for, to mark particularly bad corners etc. Let's hope the DOT pull their finger out now and put some signs up. For those that comment about excessive speed that's a cop out, I suppose you have never ever sped, or taken a corner too fast or at the wrong angle, especially when you were just beginning? Many of the roads over here are poor. The cambers are all wrong in some places, roads are badly signed, hedges to high or overgrown and to top it all a non existant speed limit on roads that are not fit for going 50mph, I like driving fast but not over here it's way too dangerous. Sympathy to the family affected. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.