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Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving,uk.transport,dc.driving,
phl.transportation,soc.culture.malaysia
Date: 1997/08/31
Message-Id: <873005959.28333@dejanews.com>
Sadly, Princess Diana died in a car crash today. She was
fleeing from some "Paparazzi" photographers on a motorcycle giving chase
in Paris. Others in her car also died. Very sad, indeed.
This may be THE ROAD RAGE INCIDENT OF THE CENTURY!
Some people may not agree that this crash was due to road
rage. We'll see the various comments. However, in my view,
the road rage category applies here because
(a) her car was being chased by photographers;
(b) her driver (also killed), was participating in this chase
by trying to get away. (who can blame him...)
There are also differences with ordinary road rage altercations in the
sense that people's motive is usually revenge when they pursue each other
in road rage incidents. Yet here, anger and outrage must have played a
role. One can wonder whether Princess Di was sitting in the back
screaming at the driver not to race? Or encouraging him to get away?
You can see why I raise this issue as a road rage issue. I think we need
to discuss it, and hopefully, debunk it.
Leon James (aka Dr. Driving)
Date: Sun, 31 Aug 1997 21:11:13 -1000
Hi ! I enjoyed visiting your site after being referenced to it via your
post for Lady Di . I live in Lisbon , Portugal and experience Road rage
daily - I can fully understand what you are saying as every day I feel
my life and that of my wife is in danger . Europeans drive exceptionally
badly and I wish someone like you would come here to educate these
people better .
Kindest regards
Organization Baryi-Net
Date 31 Aug 1997 01:47:43 GMT
Newsgroups soc.culture.singapore
Message-ID <5uaifv$i8i$1@nntp1.ba.best.com>
You heard it here from me first. US - Sat 6 Pm, Singapore - Sunday 9 am,
and Paris - around midnight. Princess Di and friend Dodi had an accident in
a tunnel while vacationing in Paris. London reported that Dodi is dead, and
Di sent to hospital with serious injuries. Rumor has it that some idiotic
fellow tried to chase them for photographs, and the chase ended in a tunnel.
Date: 31 Aug 1997 05:10:23 GMT
Organization: AOL http://www.aol.com
Newsgroups: alt.current-events.clinton.whitewater
References: 1
PARIS (Aug. 31) - Britain's Princess Diana and her millionaire companion
Dodi Al Fayed were killed early on Sunday when their car crashed while
being chased through Paris by photographers on motorcycles.
Diana, the world's most photographed woman and divorced wife of the heir
to the British throne, was rushed to the intensive care unit of the
Salpetriere hospital in eastern Paris.
But five hours after the crash French Interior Minister Jean-Pierre
Chevenement told reporters at the hospital doctors had failed to save her life.
''In the name of the French government, I express my great sorrow and
pain,'' he said. ''I offer the condolences of the French people to the
Royal Family.''
The driver of the car was also killed. The fourth person in the car, one
of the princess's bodyguards, was injured and freed from the crushed
wreckage in a road tunnel under the posh Eighth District.
Diana died on the eve of a conference in Oslo at which about 100 countries
will try to agree on a treaty to ban anti-personnel land mines -- her
favorite cause, for which she traveled to war zone in Angola and Bosnia.
Several press photographers were taken into custody for questioning after
the crash, police said.
The British Ambassador to France, Sir Michael Jay, told reporters: ''The
Queen and the Prince of Wales and the prime minister (Tony Blair) have been
informed of the death of the Princess of Wales. Our thoughts and our
prayers are with her family and with her friends.''
Prince Charles was told of his former wife's accident by telephone during
the night at the British royal family's summer home at Balmoral in
Scotland. A spokeswoman for the family, speaking as they awaited news, said
it was too early to say what his plans were.
Diana, 36, and Harrods heir Al Fayed, 41, had been the focus of frenzied
media attention for the past month after photographs showed the pair
embracing on a Mediterranean holiday.
Only last week, Diana lashed out at the press in an interview published in
the French daily Le Monde.
''The press is ferocious,'' she was quoted as saying. ''It pardons
nothing. It only hunts for mistakes. Every motive is twisted, every gesture
criticized.
''I think that in my place, any sane person would have left (Britain) long
ago. But I cannot. I have my sons.''
British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook, who is on an Asia tour, told
reporters in Manila that ''It will be doubly tragic if it does emerge that
this accident was in part caused by the persistent hounding of the princess
and her privacy by photographers.''
The accident took place about 35 minutes past midnight (2235 GMT) while
the Mercedes Benz carrying the princess was being pursued by press
photographers on motorcycles.
The car was driving at the time through a tunnel at the Place de l'Alma,
across the Seine River from the Eiffel Tower, police said.
The officials declined to give the names or identify the employers of the
motorcyclists.
A badly damaged motorcycle was taken away from the accident site by police
after the crash, which also killed the driver of the princess's car.
In London, Prime Minister Blair was woken and informed of the accident.
While he waited for news of her condition a Downing Street spokesman told
the Press Association: ''He is shocked and saddened by what he sees as a
devastating, appalling tragedy.''
Diana was due back in Britain on Sunday after her latest holiday with Al
Fayed in the Mediterranean and had been expected to see her two sons,
William and Harry, at her London home at Kensington Palace.
After the breakdown of Diana's marriage to heir-to-the-throne Prince
Charles, culminating in a divorce a year ago, she was careful to keep any
men friends out of the public eye.
But she threw caution to the winds with Al Fayed. taking her sons on
holiday in July on the yacht of Dodi's father, Mohammed Al Fayed, and
hinted she would have a shock announcement within weeks.
Al Fayed was the heir to a business empire that included Harrods, London's
''top people's'' store.
His Egyptian-born father is one of the most controversial men in British
public life. He contributed to the election defeat of Britain's former
Conservative government with his allegations that senior politicians took
money from him to ask questions in parliament.
On Martha's Vineyard, vacationing President Bill Clinton and his wife
Hillary were informed of the accident and were very concerned, the White
House said. REUTER Reut00:34 08-31-97
Date: Sat, 30 Aug 1997 22:19:10 -0700
Newsgroups: uk.transport, rec.autos.driving
Everyone knows about Diana's death by now. Diana's driver is primarily
at fault. Being followed by photographers is no excuse for driving at
120 mph. However, the photographers greatly contributed by encouraging
the recklessness by following behind at an equally great rate of speed.
Organization Express It!
Date Sun, 31 Aug 1997 00:38:01 -0700
Newsgroups misc.transport.trucking
Message-ID <5ub3aa$lps$1@newsfep3.sprintmail.com>
References 1 2 3
Just tonight. A group in St. Louis is starting some kind of organized
effort to bring awareness to aggressive driving and road rage.
A young girl was killed near by recently and it was determined that
"road rage" was the cause. She accidentally cut off another motorist
without causing any real harm to him. He retaliated by passing her
and then changing lanes back in front of her and slamming on his brakes.
The result? She hit his rear end and then bounced over into the ditch
where her car rolled and she died.
I guess the latest result of aggressive driving will be the deaths of
Princess Di, her driver, and friend. At this time I do not know about
the bodyguard. How do you spell "paparazzi"?
Gene
"I could get really pissed off at that so and so for doing that! But
I'm not going to do it, I'm cool, calm, and collected. I'm in control.
It won't prove a thing to go "Rambo" except that I'm
not in control".
Date: 31 Aug 1997 06:16:55 GMT
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
DrDriving wrote: Everyone knows about Diana's death by now. Diana's driver is primarily
at fault. Being followed by photographers is no excuse for driving at
120 mph. However, the photographers greatly contributed by encouraging
the recklessness by following behind at an equally great rate of speed.
Oh, but doncha know. The speeders posting here all tell us that speed
doesn't kill....
Cheers,
Date: Sun, 31 Aug 1997 06:43:18 GMT
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
DrDriving wrote: Everyone knows about Diana's death by now. Diana's driver is primarily
at fault. Being followed by photographers is no excuse for driving at
120 mph. However, the photographers greatly contributed by encouraging
the recklessness by following behind at an equally great rate of speed.
Another commented: Oh, but doncha know. The speeders posting here all tell us that speed
doesn't kill....
You're right. You don't need to lose control of a vehicle and
strike a massive object. All you need to do is exceed a certain
speed (say, twice the posted limit) and POOF!! you're dead!
It also goes without saying that you're perfectly safe as long as
you don't exceed the posted limit. Well, there's a chance that some
wild-eyed speedster would just happen to reach Vcritical as he
pulled alongside you, and the ensuing explosion may damage your
vehicle and cause you to have an accident.
Date: 30 Aug 1997 23:04:00 -0700
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving, uk.transport
I saw the pics on TV a few minutes ago. Quite shocking... What
kind of car was she in/driving? I did see both airbags deployed,
and the car looked like it went head-on onto a concrete post or
other object.
Also, what time did the accident happen locally? Were the roads
crowded?
Spiros
Newsgrps: rec.autos.driving,
uk.transport,
dc.driving,
phl.transportation,
soc.culture.malaysia
"Dr. Driving" wrote:
Sadly, Princess Diana died in a car crash today. She was
fleeing from some "Paparazi" photographers on a motorcycle giving chase
in Paris. Others in her car also died. Very sad, indeed.
This may be THE ROAD RAGE INCIDENT OF THE CENTURY!
I fail to see the ratio in this chase....they came from a known location,
and went to a known location, and I assume both locations had shielded entries for cars (gates). A blinded car was all it would take to pull a
finger to the press.
+++++++++++++++
As it turns out the driver was a local security agent. They knew that the
paparazzi are out gunning for them. Yet he decided to make run for it. It
seems like a road rage incident to me.
Leon James (aka Dr. Driving)
Date: 31 Aug 1997 07:23:37 GMT
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving, uk.transport, dc.driving, phl.transportation,
soc.culture.malaysia
In article <873005959.28333@dejanews.com>,
"Dr. Driving" wrote:
Sadly, Princess Diana died in a car crash today. She was
fleeing from some "Paparazi" photographers on a motorcycle giving chase
in Paris. Others in her car also died. Very sad, indeed.
This may be THE ROAD RAGE INCIDENT OF THE CENTURY!
Another writer commented:Some people may not agree that this crash was due to road
rage. We'll see the various comments. However, in my view,
the road rage category applies here because
(a) her car was being chased by photographers;
(b) her driver (also killed), was participating in this chase
by trying to get away. (who can blame him...)
Even less blame since he was only an employee.
I fail to see the ratio in this chase....they came from a known location,
and went to a known location, and I assume both locations had shielded
entries for cars (gates). A blinded car was all it would take to pull a
finger to the press.
DrDriving wrote: There are also differences with ordinary road rage altercations in the
sense that people's motive is usually revenge when they pursue each other
in road rage incidents. Yet here, anger and outrage must have played a
role. One can wonder whether Princess Di was sitting in the back
screaming at the driver not to race? Or encouraging him to get away?
I wonder how they think to outrun bikes with such a heavy car (armored as
I wonder how they think to outrun bikes with such a heavy car (armored as
well I suppose....wonder whether that contributed to the severity of the
crash).
Bye,
Organization AOL http://www.aol.com
Date 31 Aug 1997 04:19:23 GMT
Newsgroups alt.true-crime
Message-ID <19970831041901.aaa14833@ladder02.news.aol.com>
I cannot believe this - Princess Di has been killed in a car crash. The
car she was in was being chased by photographers! When will the media ever
learn to leave people alone?! All I can think of his her two poor children...
Mary Ann
Date: 31 Aug 1997 07:42:40 GMT
Newsgroups: phl.transportation, rec.autos.driving, uk.transport, dc.driving,
soc.culture.malaysia
Bear in mind that details of the incident are still sketchy ...
"Dr. Driving" (dyc@drdriving.org) wrote:
Sadly, Princess Diana died in a car crash today. She was
fleeing from some "Paparazi" photographers on a motorcycle giving chase
in Paris. Others in her car also died. Very sad, indeed.
This may be THE ROAD RAGE INCIDENT OF THE CENTURY!
Much as I'm concerned about road rage, fleeing from the paparazzi is not
at all in the same category. In this case the causes are related to the
people pursuing her, not to a backlash against driving conditions.
There are also differences with ordinary road rage altercations in the
sense that people's motive is usually revenge when they pursue each other
in road rage incidents. Yet here, anger and outrage must have played a
role.
The target of the rage is the key difference here.
You can see why I raise this issue as a road rage issue. I think we need
to discuss it, and hopefully, debunk it.
Leon James (aka Dr. Driving)
Visit My Congressional Testimony on Road Rage and Aggressive Drivers
http://www.aloha.net/~dyc/testimony.html
Date: 31 Aug 1997 08:14:36 GMT
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving, uk.transport
In article <5ub1gg$95a@nntp02.primenet.com>, a reader wrote:
I saw the pics on TV a few minutes ago. Quite shocking... What
kind of car was she in/driving? I did see both airbags deployed,
and the car looked like it went head-on onto a concrete post or
other object.
It was a Mercedes S-class limousine, I assume SEL as well as armored,
belonging to the Ritz hotel (driver also Ritz employee....somehow I would
wanted to have a personal driver, but that could still be the case of
course).
I wonder whether the passengers (in the rear I assume....was there a
bodyguard as well?) carried seat belts, and also whether the armored
construction has a relation to the severity of the crash.
Also, what time did the accident happen locally? Were the roads
crowded?
Night, she died at 04:00 local time, after 2 hours surgery.
Bye,
Date:
Sun, 31 Aug 1997 10:05:03 -0700
Newsgroups:
alt.gossip.royalty
Nobody is taking responsibility for last night's tragedy--not the media,
not the tabloids, and certainly not the people who buy them. So let's put
the blame on the weak link in the chain--supermarkets that display this
junk at their checkout . Next time you're at your local supermarket, take
the time to let the store manager know that the presence of tabloids in
the checkout line makes you angry.
Then, when you get home, write a letter to the regional office of the
store (a database of regional offices of major supermarkets is on the Web
at:
http://www.mysupermarket.com/Mysupermarket/supsearch.html ).
Here are the e-mail addresses of some big chains:
SAFEWAY
lwillis@igainc.com
IGA's CEO
FOOD CITY: inquiry@foodcity.com
If we raise enough of a stink, maybe we can get the large chains ashamed
to sell this trash.
Date: Sun, 31 Aug 1997 19:49:50 GMT
Organization: A. T.
Newsgroups: alt.gossip.royalty, alt.talk.royalty, rec.arts.poems, rec.arts.prose
The stupid woman died in a car crash chased by her fans; the paparazzi
were her biggest fans and remain so while there's money in the story,
and there's money in it for years yet.
Three people died, one is seriously injured. Diana and Al Fayad could
afford to die, mourn for the families of the two who were at work.
RJM.
Here we go already, envy, envy, envy. At least the two working were
paid and knew the risks when they took the job, unlike the other two
who were guilty of being generous and successful.
Give us a break and leave the chip off your shoulder for a day or
two...
Date:
31 Aug 1997 15:18:45 GMT
Organization:
Newsgroups:
alt.gossip.royalty, alt.talk.royalty, rec.arts.poems, rec.arts.prose
Three people died, one is seriously injured. Diana and Al Fayad could
afford to die, mourn for the families of the two who were at work. RJM.
Here we go already, envy, envy, envy. At least the two working were
paid and knew the risks when they took the job, unlike the other two
who were guilty of being generous and successful.
Give us a break and leave the chip off your shoulder for a day or
two...
The other two were aware of the risks - but not that type of risk. They
were ordered to take risks that was wholly unnecessary. Do you think that
the driver would dare to drive that fast if the Princess and his boyfriend
told him to do so? I would feel sorry for the family of those two
employees who lost their lives in such a senseless incident.
Regards,
Date:
Sun, 31 Aug 1997 10:26:23 -0700
Organization:
Newsgroups:
alt.talk.royalty, alt.gossip.royalty
It isn't the paparazzi or the rag editors who are responsible. Wherever there
is a demand for something, the demand will be filled by someone. The people
responsible are the ones who buy this crap. They create the demand; they
finance it; they make it profitable.
Correction: The CUSTOMERS make it profitable. If they put that stuff
out every day and nobody bought the copies, two things would happen:
1) Lost of income from sales
2) Advertizers would lose interest, causing more loss.
I think the people who buy the sleaze should feel the guilt, but I also
know they are probably incapable of feeling it.
Date:
Sun, 31 Aug 1997 19:35:45 +0100
Organization:
[not set]
Newsgroups:
alt.gossip.royalty, alt.princess.di.di.die, alt.talk.royalty
Judging by the pictures of the wreck, they must have been travelling at a fair lick.
Mercs don't just fold up like
that..........
"
a reader wrote in article <01bcb639$234be9e0$localhost@default>...
A number have commented on the possibility of flash guns causing the accident. If I were to speed past a "speed
camera" and crashed due to the flash, would I or the camera be at fault. This does not excuse any photographer for
their (speculative) actions but should remind us to drive carefully.
Date: 1997/08/30
Message-Id: <$8ovfhaaaic0ew8s@ratbag.demon.co.uk>
Newsgroups: phl.transportation,rec.autos.driving,uk.transport,dc.driving
[More Headers]
In article <872906618.3032@dejanews.com>, "Dr. Driving"
writes
In article <33f85605.0@wltss01.nerc-wallingford.ac.uk>,
a reader wrote:
There are already guidelines to prevent car advertisers making an
issue of the performance of their cars. And some people sad enough to
****
complain when they feel the guidelines have been broken.
Remember the Safeway ad with Molly in the car thinking about cheap
tomatoes or something? There were *hundreds* who spotted that her seat
belt wasn't done up correctly and complained (I got this from one who
thought she would be the only one calling in, and was surprised to be
told the phones had been jammed for a week).
Date:
31 Aug 1997 10:56:00 -0700
Organization:
Primenet Services for the Internet
Newsgroups:
rec.arts.tv
the irony of her death being filmed as she was speeding to avoid being
filmed would have been dreadful.
As compared to what?
Date:
Sun, 31 Aug 1997 22:22:41 GMT
Organization:
Online at Wimsey
Newsgroups:
rec.arts.tv
I found it refreshing there was no "on the spot" coverage of her unfortunate
death--the irony of her death being filmed as she was speeding to avoid being
filmed would have been dreadful.
It is possible that they were speeding in order to avoid possible
terrorists or kidnappers - Princess Diana and her multimillionaire
friend would make quite a "prize" for either type. Until and unless
the bodyguard recovers, we won't know why the driver was speeding.
(And, yes, even terrorists can own cameras. They can give one an
excuse to come near the victim. )
Date: Sun, 31 Aug 1997 09:40:08 -1000
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving,uk.transport,dc.driving,phl.transportation,soc.culture.malaysia
The definition of "road rage" is open to discussion; it's just a catchy
phrase that can be expanded or narrowed arbitrarily. But if a driver
moves out of the safe operating envelope of his/her vehicle and
conditions for some reason other than, say, imminent armed threat, I'd
say that behavior should be considered alongside revenge,
competitiveness, and other irrational motives for dangerous driving (and
what would be the rational motives?).
I would go farther and say that many of us who enjoy driving have been
taught by film and TV and popular lore to think of motor vehicle
accidents (and many other tragic events) as being governed by a moral
narrative rather than by the laws of physics and probability. In other
words, bad things happen to people who have bad intentions, or as moral
lessons about fate and hubris (like the stereotypical prom night crash),
as part of a story rather than as neutral physical events related to
skill, judgment, and mechanical integrity, with an element of chance
(not "luck"). The "speed kills" chant is just as much part of this
lore, embedded in the same illusion, as the driver who denies the
reality of risks, rationalizing that his/her superior skills and vehicle
can neutralize the risks.
If, as seems likely, Diana's driver moved far out of the safe operating
envelope in an attempt to outrun photographers (not highjackers!), and
if passengers were not secured, then I would consider the narcissistic
illusions described above to be important contributors to the deaths of
these people, no less than when drivers believe that right is on their
side when they attempt to teach a lesson to people who are really,
really rude in their cars. That's the cops' job.
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