Soggy and unsafe

VERANDA TALK: Dr Airdre Grant muses over the stupidity of motorists: especially in the recent wet and wild conditions

FLOOD RESCUE: A driver and her niece were rescued after their car drove along a flooded road at Boatharbour near Lismore. Emergency services continue to implore drivers to avoid driving through water. Photo: Contributed

ABOUT 10 minutes after it rains I hear a siren in the town.

Then I see pictures of cars where people have driven into flooded causeways or roads and, to their utter astonishment, become flooded, stuck and need rescue.

I know we have drought but we also have floods.

Since when did water on the road become such huge surprise/challenge?

I looked into and it appears hundreds of people drive into floodwaters and have to be rescued.

Yes, that’s right hundreds of people who know better than signs like ‘Dangerous Waters!’ and ‘Do Not Cross!’ might indicate.

Apparently 84 per cent of people drive past barricades and road closures.

Off they go.

Plus, if you are a male driving a four-wheel drive vehicle you are more likely to take the decision that ‘you will be alright mate’, and ignore warnings.

But there might be hole in the road, a collapsing bridge, rocks, a dead cow, washed down tree, the edge of the road may be washed away, a fast undercurrent -things that you simply don’t know about because you can’t see them.

Arizona enacted the nicknamed ‘Stupid Motorists Law’ in the 1990s when the government became sick and tired of rescuing people who had driven past barricades and tried to cross flooded roads.

It can be dangerous rescuing people.

Lives have been lost (rescuers and stupid motorists).

So, if there are barricades or a sign saying ‘Do Not Enter When Flooded’ and a driver decides they know better and has to be rescued, they will wear a fine.

The emergency services say you wouldn’t drive into a fire, so why would you drive into a flood?

But, as you and I know well, there is no limit to the extent of human stupidity.

For my edification I looked up what are some of the idiotic things people do while driving.

It’s an impressive list.

Here are some of the activities that people have been reported as doing.

They:

•Change baby nappies

•Knit and/or sew

•Read/send texts

•Put on makeup

•Breastfeed

•Eat soup/drinks hot drinks

•Put their animal/child on their lap

•Stick their leg out the window (watch out for that airbag)

•Drive a million times over the limit (people’s choice)

•Masturbate

•Have oral sex

There you have it.

Add to that the decision to drive past barricades into flood water because you know better.

We sure do need a Stupid Motorist Law.

Only in Australia we would call it the ‘Absolute Dickhead Law’.

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