...Well said Spook....it is far too easy to pre-judge people when something like this happens......I have dealt with many an accident where a pedestrian/cyclist/skateboarder has been at fault rather than the driver (the last one being two weeks ago in very close proximity to where this happened). I am not saying that is definitely the case with this terrible incident, but it does happen...driver's are not always to blame !!!
However, in many cases they are, and where the evidence exists, i.e. witness testimonies, forensic evidence, etc, then if the driver has been dangerous/careless then this evidence will be passed on to the courts, who can then deal with them as they see fit, but until the full facts are known, too many people are keen to pre-judge and come to the wrong conclusion. Yes, the driver should have stopped (that goes without saying), but some drivers DO panic and drive off, which obviously exacerbates the situation, and makes people jump to the wrong conclusion. Whichever is the case, the best thing the driver can do is come forward and explain himself.

I too pass on my deepest sympathies to the family involved.

No it doesn't, it's a nasty sordid little world when it wants to be.

Agree 100% Clan.....IMHO the driver WILL be caught...it is just a matter of time, so the best thing he/she can do is come forward NOW.

Ignoring for a moment the shocking sadness of it all, this person WILL be caught and they will have it made it a damned site worse for themselves by leaving the scene.
As clan summed it up perfectly it needs little adding to, other than if someone knows who it is or indeed the person involved reeds these forum, time to man up and take responsibility for your actions, if not for the family of this poor child, or to make your conscience clearer, then to reduce your impending sentence.

Its a shame that no one who was there managed to get the reg plate

Sounds like they have CCTV footage of this, so it's only a matter of time. The diver has been urged to come forward before the police come knocking.

That is i am sure "good" news.

I understand Clan's position on this one; I do a fair few miles on foot around Ossett with my trusty hound, and it seems that every second car that passes is driven with total disregard for the safety of others, usually by a young scrote with baseball cap/hoodie. There is some suggestion that the constant improvements in car safety technology has the adverse effect of making us drive more recklessly, as the technology makes us feel invincible; couple that with the recklessness and arrogance of youth, and it feels like a lethal combination.

Despite all that, isn't it the case that the roads are safer, statistically, than they were in the 70's?

Either way, this is a tragic loss of a young life - I can only imagine what the family are going through.

When I was at school in the 1970's I lost a friend to a car crash and also witnessed two others so I'd say yes they were - what combination has made roads safer I don't know. I also saw two mates badly hurt in crashes involving the carnage that was mopeds (Fizzies ect).

i was going to post on Saturday afternoon but feeling are running very high were we live , please if you know any thing about this do the right thing . Owen is now just another innocent statistic please don't become another by withholding and protecting a friend because somebody out there feels guilty (hopefully) and somebody out there also knows who did it.

awful news whoever did this and just drove away is without doubt scum end of let’s just hope that the police catch whoever did it but I fear the punishment will not fit the crime

my heart goes out to the little lad’s family

Truly devastating news ,Our thoughts and prayers are with the little guys family .



Delboy66(aye of the tigers fanzine)

truly terrible news , thoughts go to his family and friends

AFAIK, failure to stop at the scene of an accident, or whatever it's called, is a separate offence, and is judged accordingly. Not that this will be of any comfort to the relatives of that young lad.

I can understand the panic that might cause a person to take flight (just), but I also fail to see how, once the panic subsides and the realisation of what has happened sinks in, any decent person wouldn't come forward. Maybe it takes longer to work through these kind of things, I don't know. Accidents are caused by decent people as well.

I hope for the sake of this young lad's relatives and friends that whoever was responsible comes forward soon, and if he doesn't, that he's caught.

Desperately sad news.