Memo from Glasgow
Tuesday, December 23, 2014 at 9:00 Back from Ireland, I drove to Glasgow on Sunday.
At 2.30 yesterday afternoon I was in Princes Square shopping centre, a short walk from George Square.
At the same time my wife and mother-in-law were in another shopping centre, Buchanan Galleries.
Fifteen minutes later, as I walked up Buchanan Street to join them, I noticed three police officers running past.
Overhead a helicopter hovered.
Back in the car - and totally ignorant that a "major incident" had just taken place nearby – I turned on the radio.
On Five Live eye-witnesses were describing the scene after a bin lorry crashed into pedestrians and cars in George Square.
Six people killed, seven seriously injured.
A terrible freak accident no-one could have predicted or, it seems, done anything to prevent.
Further comment is, I think, superfluous.
Reader Comments (2)
It would appear that this event was nothing but a tragic accident, but I wonder how long it will be before someone is calling for more rules, regulations and restrictions 'to prevent it happening again' (which of course is highly unlikely).
For some inexplicable reason, some people seem to think we can regulate all risk out of life. Indeed, they think that loss of freedom is a worthwhile exchange for a 'risk free' environment. It's the biggest challenge that we who value freedom face these days.
"A terrible freak accident no-one could have predicted or, it seems, done anything to prevent."
And a senseless one too. The Talking Heads may try as they might to make sense of it cos people like answers. Just sometimes in life there are no answers and some things will never make sense.
Sometimes shit does just happen.
Sometimes it just comes out the way it is written.
I dare say the 'something must be done' brigade will win out and very HGV driver will have to have a yearly heart check up, every council bin man told he MUST stop smoking as it will lead to a heart attack/stroke on the job.