October 2002 Volume 83 Number 10 "serving the protectors"

Thanks for compassion

Dear Andy

After my husband Henk Browning passed away on July 2, 2002, we received a lot of expressions of sympathy from the members and ex-members of the SA “police family”.

As not all addresses are known to us, may we thank, through the Police Journal, ex-colleagues of Henk and others who attended the funeral.

Our thanks also to the Human Resource Management and Legacy, and a special “thank you” to Chris Farmer of SA Super and Ray Dowd of the Police Welfare Fund for their compassion and sympathy.
With kind regards
Yours sincerely
Hetty J Browning

Road rage

Dear Andy

I write with concern about the increase in road-rage incidents. I also read with some alarm that there seems no deterrent or answer to this problem.

When we experienced this type of volatile behaviour, it was with some fear that anything could have occurred. Ours was a purely innocent response to a blatant act of ignorant road use. Driving along a main country road and a ute came out of a side road onto the main highway in front of us. Our horn was blown once to let the driver know we were not amused. To our surprise and something like fear, the vehicle slewed across the road in front of us. We pulled up and a BIG bloke got out of his ute and walked towards us.

We had wound our windows up and he gave us every finger signal – some I had never heard of or seen before – obviously not complimentary. He thumped the bonnet of our car several times and eventually returned to his own vehicle. We waited for him to drive off, which he did very slowly so we attempted to overtake him and proceed on our way.

Not satisfied with the previous venting of his spleen, he then taunted us by driving slow until we tried to pass him, so he sped up. This went on for several kilometres, until we stopped altogether and waited, hoping for another vehicle to come along for some moral support.

This is probably a minor incident compared with others we have read about, however, my big question is: what can one do in these instances? Goodness knows what sets these ragers off, be it getting out of the wrong side of the bed, or whatever. Maybe this particular motorist makes a practice of it.

If his actions were to intimidate, scare and show what he could be capable of, he succeeded. More and more, lately, we have been reluctant to drive on the roads. Any suggestions, please?
Rox Rosey
Victor Harbor

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