http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia_pacific/10143347.stm
So will (the Pommie) Lewis be made to attend the court in Melbourne just a few days before he is supposed to be racing in Belgium to try and catch up
with current (joint) championship leader (Australian) Mark Webber?
What does anyone reckon....? Or am I being cynical? 
Of course he should be going to court... being an F1 driver does not give you the right to be a c*ck on the highway!
The charge is " intentionally losing control of a vehicle" - I doubt there was any loss of control during the incident so off on a technicality.
quote:
Originally posted by Mark Allanson
The charge is " intentionally losing control of a vehicle" - I doubt there was any loss of control during the incident so off on a technicality.
Surely, if it's intentional, then you haven't lost control, case closed, their own charge gets him off!!
But I do think he's a tw@ for doing it, I hope he does have to attend court, because any fine they dole out will have zero impact on him, so
maybe having to travel halfway round the globe for a 1 hour court hearing will.
I agree with your point scootz, but i think they will see that he isn't a local kid being an idiot and let him off. And yup, i also don't think there was any loss of control during the incident.
Problem is... if they let him off, then where does that leave all the local neds who get caught spinning their cars about? It could be argued that a
spotty teen who's spent the last 12 months doing doughnuts in the local Tesco's car park will be just as proficient as Mr H at that
particular 'speciality'!
Other thing is... you can be the best driver on the planet, but there are others using public roads who won't be expecting to encounter
yahoo's going sideways in their cars.
For me it's a no-brainer.
But he didn't lose control. He just spun the wheels up at a junction. I can do that in my Locost and yet control the car perfectly well as a I pull away. The only thing that suffers is my tyres (and therefore my wallet). Don't see the biggy myself. If he was speeding that would be different IMHO. I haven't ever heard of a pedestrian being run over by someone spinning up the tyres out of a junction.
to be honest, i doubt that hamilton getting fined will make anybody think 'hmm maybe i shouldnt do this'
its pathetic
It's got very little to to do with anyone else thinking "hmm maybe I shouldn't do this" and everything to do with him contravening
Aussie road traffic legislation and getting caught.
Why should he get off, but Joe Bloggs wouldn't. Is he (or other racing drivers) exempt from legislation?
Should be, all those that carry a racing licence should be allowed 50% over the speed limit
I'd go and get myself one too
All performance car related actions are strongly discouraged. Street racing has killed a lot of people all over the world. Now, governments have
become very serious about blaming everyone they can. If Lewis has to pay a price, the power people see it as a step in the right direction against all
fast cars (unless they're made by Ford, GM et al, then that's OK). Somehow a 565 HP Audi station wagon is perfectly legal and acceptable,
but modifying an older car in any way to increase it's performance, is not.
Back to the point: LH should use his head more.
He ain't half as much hot water as Flavio
http://en.espnf1.com/f1/motorsport/story/17958.html
I've never heard of anyone being taken to court for spinning there wheels (Losing control)......
BRING BACK HANGING!
quote:
Originally posted by Benzine
BRING BACK HANGING!
I think the OP was making the point that the Australian government was maybe assisting one of it's citizens not if it was right or wrong 
If I went a bit sideways on the public highway and got caught I would expect some consequences...spinning the wheels constitutes the same thing...fair cop, he should take what's coming. Don't care how 'capable' he is, same laws for us all.....
quote:
Originally posted by Benzine
BRING BACK HANGING!
quote:
Originally posted by richard thomas
If I went a bit sideways on the public highway and got caught I would expect some consequences...spinning the wheels constitutes the same thing...fair cop, he should take what's coming. Don't care how 'capable' he is, same laws for us all.....
im not saying hes above the law, im saying those laws are stupid. ive had the back end go by accident when being very good, if i was called up in
court over it id be very pissed off.
fair enough, he did it on purpose, but that back up the point it wasnt out of control, also, its a bit petty to take someone to court merely to make a
point, which is exactly why theyre pushing it so much. Also Im not sure why everyone here seems to want to see him (obv. a fellow petrolhead) strung
up??
Over here (at least in Queensland) there's a law against "sustained loss of traction" [burnout]. From the news last night, I think that's what they got him on.
i think the issue is is that he's in the public eye, if no action is taken then its carte blanche for anyone else to do it. Whatever you think about your abilities, you should agree that you dont want everybody doing burnouts because its just a numbers game til someone loses control, especially in a RWD car.
Congratulations to the authorities involved.
They have caught themselves a right royal hardened criminal there in Lewis Hamilton. Pity they have nothing better to do.
Wouldn't the use of "common sense" suffice, and give him a telling off?
[Edited on 24/5/10 by Tipster69]
They probably will at the end of it. I mean how long was this burnout? 10 yards? 100?
They'll just drag him into court then give him a $30 fine and $55 court costs..