On Sun, 3 Aug 2008 10:47:18 +0100, Andy Hall
wrote:

On 2008-08-03 10:25:04 +0100, Andy Burns
said:

On 02/08/2008 23:48, Andy Hall wrote:

So answer the question. If you had been the patient, what would you
want to happen? Dead dog or dead you?

Dead dog every time, and don't stop afterwards!

But my point wasn't the relative value of human life over animal life,
rather could the ambulance driver have avoiding running it over if it
hadn't been a dog?

- If so then why not avoid the dog too and therefore avoid having to
stop after the accident?

- If not then why does the value of the life in the back of the
ambulance exceed that of anyone who happens to be unable to get out of
the way?

Valid points.

The owner apparently did get out of the way but the dog didn't which
raises the question of whether the owner had the dog properly under
control.

Clearly not. What's puzzling is that the dog was on a lead, so at the
very least it should have been 'at heel'. Even if it wasn't, it should
have been yanked out of the way. Any other such behaviour on a public
highway is just plain dangerous.
I suppose it's reasonable for the driver of the ambulance to make the
assumption that if the owner has heard and reacted to the siren,
they'd ensure the dog would as well.

Then again it's perhaps a variation on the theme of mums standing at
the side of the road with a pushchair in front of them, and the
pushchair protruding a foot or so onto the carriageway. Seen than
plenty of times.

Regards,



--
Stephen Howard - Woodwind repairs & period restorations
http://www.shwoodwind.co.uk
Emails to: showard{who is at}shwoodwind{dot}co{dot}uk