Man that’s an unfortunate situation, but at what point does a diabetic that can go into shock should not be behind a wheel? Epileptics already get barred from driving after an episode, maybe we need to broaden these types restrictions.
this post was submitted on 08 Nov 2023
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With modern glucose monitoring it's graphed and generally very predictable.
Quick glance at the phone before driving to know that the sugars are doing and correct if needed.
Unfortunately it's not subsidised for all insulin dependent diabetics, just type 1s.
The sensors I use are around 100 each and last two weeks.
Arguably if they can afford a vehicle they should be able to afford the monitoring to make it safe for the rest of society.
Can't speak to the circumstances of this individual but for myself yes, if my monthly medical costs were comparable to the costs of owning and operating a vehicle that would be a huge improvement.
Glad you support Universal health care friend 🙂
You misunderstood, don’t drive and put other peoples lives in danger if you can’t afford the proper monitoring. And I do support universal health care, but that isn’t what universal health care is in the slightest…….. There is a line and if it cost tax payers money so you can drive when you could just take the bus as another method…. Yeah… come on mate….
Not everyone needs to drive, it’s a privilege, not a right. Universal health care is so you can live and function, not so you can have the luxuries that some healthy people can’t even afford…. Totally different things mate.
The sensors allow better control and management of diabetes.
People with proper diabetic control are less likely to require hospitalisation or other costly treatment for all the bad stuff associated with poor sugar control.
Totally agree that you shouldn't drive if you aren't in control of sugar levels but disagree on sensors not being healthcare.
Top of line ones aren’t, just like the bus example, there is other just as viable cheaper options. If someone wants to drive, that’s on them to afford the more expensive one so they can utilize their privilege to drive.
I expect it'll depend on the probabilities involved. Any driver could run over something on the road that blows a front tire and send the car into a scene like this. Super low odds but could happen to anyone. If the odds are similarly low for diabetes sufferers, that could answer your question.
(I'm just some guy on the Internet, I don't know any of this for sure)
Blowing a tire is unlikely to cause this level of loss of control at residential speeds. It also wouldn't make the car speed up and the driver could hit the brakes.
I believe we are in agreement. "super low odds" and "unlikely" mean the same thing. But those odds are not zero - which was my point. It was also an example, you can substitute that example with heart attack/sneezing fit/swerving for an animal/whatever takes your fancy. Roads are a dangerous place.
Roads can be a dangerous place, but beer gardens shouldn't be.
No arguments with that. But the question posed wasn't "should beer gardens be located on the side of a road with no bollards?", rather 'should diabetics be allowed to drive?'.
I think it's clear this particular diabetic wasn't managing their condition.
if you have a medical condition and you drive, you're taking other peoples lives in your hands. I have been cleared to drive for a long time, but it would not be right as I know I'm never 100% in control behind the wheel. anything less is accepting responsibility for the outcome.
This is terrible for all involved. Even if the driver did everything right and couldn't have foreseen this, he will still always be the guy who ploughed into a bunch of families and kids.
Man, that's tragic. Feel bad for all involved. I wonder if there was any way this was preventable, or just an extremely unlucky situation?
I wonder if there was any way this was preventable, or just an extremely unlucky situation?
Luck favours the prepared.
Yes - it was unlucky, but it was also preventable... for starters, it seems pretty silly to have an outdoor beer garden adjacent to a roundabout where five streets all meet and two of them have cars travelling directly towards the beer garden (and two of the other five are close enough to the same direction that, if they lost control, they could also hit the beer garden).
It's easy to see that risk in hindsight, but it's also possible to foresee it, if you do a proper risk assessment, and put mitigations in place (bollards, for example).
I'm kind of wondering if the beer garden had any permits.
Vicroads is one of the biggest objector to planning permits in this state. One example is Moon Dog World Footscray, which wasn't allowed to start building their brewery until measures to address the risk of a crash into the beer garden were addressed.
I would guess an insulin pump could have prevented this. I would also guess that Texas makes them unaffordable.
Texas? This happened in Australia. Also that wasn't a cheap car, I'm guessing it was affordable.
Don't really need a pump though - just needed to monitor his glucose level.
Now can we agree that the driver bears some responsibility?