Totally agree.

17 months does seem on the slim side.

The report mentions that the bus driver, “…was previously of excellent character…”.
I think this can be a fine proposal by the defence to help to ameliorate the length of the sentence.


And the report also mentions that his defence said, “…the collision happened in "a moment of madness".”

I’ve had plenty of moments of madness in my life. Many of them happened in my youth. Although sometimes one or two of them pop up now and then. Especially with the help of some of my so-called friends, Mr Carling and Miss Stella Artois.

On my bike, I will confess that I’ve been quite the prissy little thing pedalling wildly along, florid faced, after some vehicle when the driver has done me wrong.

To help not to get to that flash point, I have developed a little technique that works well for me. I have recognised that if I hop off my bike every 10 to 15 minutes, when commuting between The Hill and Marylebone at peak hour, and walk the bike along then the natural tension that builds up wears off rather quickly. Aaaah! Within a couple of minutes usually. I don’t spot the tension creeping into my mind and body until it naturally releases during the walking bit.

I love walking through Dean’s Yard at Westminster Abbey. Very peaceful. The gates at either end are just so beautiful. I feel like I’m entering into Hogwarts. It’s most hauntingly beautiful at day break.

Dean’s Yard at Westminster Abbey

Then when I hop back on my bike and almost get side swiped by a lorry because the driver is yakking on their mobile phone I tend to shrug my shoulders and pedal onwards whistling a happy tune again.

I need some technique like the above as I’m a spectacularly grumpy, middle aged man who is highly likely to have a Michael Douglas styled Falling Down moment. I never planned any of this, you know.

It just seems to me that the driver had his falling down moment and didn’t have a very successful technique to pull himself up.