Photo: Twitter / Surrey and Sussex Roads Policing Unit
Some supercar drivers are douchebags, but the same could be said about drivers of every other car out there. Some cyclists and many pedestrians are also douchebags, but that doesn’t mean over-generalization is a good thing.
This is a lesson learned the hard way by the Surrey and Sussex Roads Policing Unit from the UK, after whoever handles their official Twitter had a blast at the expense of a poor McLaren driver who crashed into a brick wall, on what looked like an otherwise empty street, on May 31.
You can see the original tweet at the bottom of the page. That’s a 207 mph, $200.000+ McLaren 650S that’s been rendered a total write-off after crashing into a brick wall. “Somehow the driver of this McLaren couldn’t keep the car on the straight road in a 40 limit,” reads the tweet accompanying the photo.
The implication is right there: this is a 40 kph (24.8 mph)-limit street and whoever was driving must have been speeding if they couldn’t keep the car straight. In replies to other commenters, the same media guy or gal claimed the driver had “no talent,” adding “having driven cars with more power and definitely more power to weight... the ‘skill’ of not stamping down on the Go pedal is a very basic one...”
The comments, along with the photo apparently showing the driver and a female passenger in the background (looking very unhappy about the whole thing), delivered the laughs. At the same time, they also drew considerable criticism because a cause of the accident had not been determined, yet the cops were mocking the driver for his misfortune and indirectly calling him a douchebag and terrible driver.
A public apology has been offered. Chief Inspector Michael Hodder from Surrey and Sussex Roads Policing Unit says in a statement to the Daily Mail that the media handler meant no offense. Also, there is no indication that the McLaren was speeding, or that any other offense was related to the accident.
“It was certainly not our intention to cause any offense or belittle the severity of the incident,” says Hodder. “The team continually balances the need to raise awareness of road safety messages whilst being innovative in our messaging on social media.”
You can see the original tweet at the bottom of the page. That’s a 207 mph, $200.000+ McLaren 650S that’s been rendered a total write-off after crashing into a brick wall. “Somehow the driver of this McLaren couldn’t keep the car on the straight road in a 40 limit,” reads the tweet accompanying the photo.
The implication is right there: this is a 40 kph (24.8 mph)-limit street and whoever was driving must have been speeding if they couldn’t keep the car straight. In replies to other commenters, the same media guy or gal claimed the driver had “no talent,” adding “having driven cars with more power and definitely more power to weight... the ‘skill’ of not stamping down on the Go pedal is a very basic one...”
The comments, along with the photo apparently showing the driver and a female passenger in the background (looking very unhappy about the whole thing), delivered the laughs. At the same time, they also drew considerable criticism because a cause of the accident had not been determined, yet the cops were mocking the driver for his misfortune and indirectly calling him a douchebag and terrible driver.
A public apology has been offered. Chief Inspector Michael Hodder from Surrey and Sussex Roads Policing Unit says in a statement to the Daily Mail that the media handler meant no offense. Also, there is no indication that the McLaren was speeding, or that any other offense was related to the accident.
“It was certainly not our intention to cause any offense or belittle the severity of the incident,” says Hodder. “The team continually balances the need to raise awareness of road safety messages whilst being innovative in our messaging on social media.”
Chertsey Lane near Staines. Somehow the driver of this McLaren couldn’t keep the car on the straight road in a 40 limit.
— Roads Policing Unit (RPU) - Surrey Police - UK (@SurreyRoadCops) May 31, 2020
Investigations continue…
40996 pic.twitter.com/Ubc0ICVsny
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