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Readers response: What are your driving pet peeves?

<p>When it comes to reckless driving, some specific actions can make anyone irate. </p> <p>We asked our readers what their driving pet peeves are, and the response was overwhelming. Here's what they said. </p> <p><strong>Robyn Kay</strong> - People who don’t indicate! And people who don’t know the road rules, and red light runners.</p> <p><strong>Clay Lorraine Sumsion</strong> - People who reverse out of a car parking space at a shopping centre when you are going past and think they have the right of way!</p> <p><strong>Karen Ambrose</strong> - When I’m diligently sticking to the speed limit on the highway and they keep whizzing past me. Oh well, they can get booked and I’ll be laughing.</p> <p><strong>Barbara Belmonte</strong> - (1) motorists who leave about 2 car lengths from the car in front at traffic lights preventing those who want to turn left. (2) motorists who don't know how to use roundabouts.</p> <p><strong>Ruth Hourigan</strong> - Drivers who drive 10 to 15 km hour under the speed limit then speed up to 5km hour over the speed limit the second you come to an overtaking lane.</p> <p><strong>Dotty Weary</strong> - People who daydream at traffic lights!!!</p> <p><strong>Dorrise Humes</strong> - Drivers who have their lights on high beam in lit up areas, especially in the city.</p> <p><strong>Jo Pollock</strong> - People driving too close behind me. It just makes me slow down.</p> <p><strong>Helen Johnson</strong> - Leaving trolleys in parking bays at supermarkets.</p> <p><strong>Judi Saunders</strong> - Tailgaters and drivers who weave in and out of all lanes.</p> <p><strong>Susan Vemer</strong> - People who don't use their indicators properly!</p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock</em></p>

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Financial hardship is the biggest driver of loneliness. Here’s why – and how to tackle it

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michelle-h-lim-176472">Michelle H Lim</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a></em></p> <p>One in four Australians <a href="https://lonelinessawarenessweek.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/why-we-feel-lonely.pdf">report</a> feeling lonely, according to our new report released this week from our research collaboration.</p> <p>The data builds on a large <a href="https://endingloneliness.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/ELT_LNA_Report_Digital.pdf">study we conducted last year</a> on social connection. Together, the data show that once someone <a href="https://endingloneliness.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/ELT_LNA_Report_Digital.pdf">becomes lonely</a>, they’re likely to stay lonely.</p> <p>Feeling lonely can have a <a href="https://endingloneliness.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/ELT_LNA_Report_Digital.pdf">negative impact on your health</a>. It increases the chance of having <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27124713/">social anxiety and depression</a>, and impacts the <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.85.1.105">health of your heart</a>, your <a href="http://pss.sagepub.com/content/13/4/384.full.pdf">sleep</a> and levels of <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15041083/">inflammation</a>. It also increases the likelihood of an <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Loneliness+and+Social+Isolation+as+Risk+Factors+for+Mortality%3A+A+Meta-Analytic+Review">earlier death</a>. Staying lonely can accelerate these <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31237442/">negative impacts</a>.</p> <p>As more Australians grapple with a cost-of-living crisis, a key driver of loneliness is financial hardship.</p> <h2>Am I lonely?</h2> <p>Loneliness is a negative feeling that arises when your <a href="https://www.gilc.global/_files/ugd/410bdf_62e236db3a7146cd9f2654877a87dbc6.pdf">social needs are not met</a> by the relationships you hold. So you can feel alone, even if you’re surrounded by others, if you’re not getting the right kind of company and support.</p> <p>This might mean you feel, to a certain extent, that:</p> <ul> <li>you are not “in tune” with others</li> <li>your relationships are not meaningful</li> <li>you do not belong</li> <li>you do not have a group of friends</li> <li>no one understands you</li> <li>you do not have shared interests with others</li> <li>there is no one you can turn to.</li> </ul> <p>Not all of these may relate to you and you may experience these in varying degrees.</p> <h2>What drives loneliness?</h2> <p>We <a href="https://endingloneliness.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/ELT_LNA_Report_Digital.pdf">found</a> particular communities were more at risk of persistent loneliness:</p> <ul> <li>those aged 18 to 24</li> <li>people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds</li> <li>people who were single or divorced</li> <li>those with a chronic disease</li> <li>those with mental ill health.</li> </ul> <p>But the largest effect we found, even after we accounted for all other possible contributing factors, is the impact of financial hardship.</p> <p>People who face financial hardship were almost seven times more likely to report persistent loneliness, and almost five times more likely to report persistent social isolation, compared with people who did not face financial hardship.</p> <p>This aligns with other studies that link economic hardships to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33241698/">poor health</a>.</p> <p>In <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37761396/">children from low-income backgrounds</a>, for example, their family’s economic hardship is one of the main factors that negatively impacts their physical and psychological health.</p> <p>In a large <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277953622004282?via%3Dihub">study</a> using the UK Biobank, people who are from a lower economic background had a higher probability of reporting loneliness.</p> <p>In <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37528108/">Australia</a>, when compared with people on incomes more than A$150,000, those with incomes under $80,000 were 49% more likely to experience loneliness in one year and 66% more likely to report loneliness in at least two consecutive years.</p> <h2>Being poor affects how we interact with others</h2> <p>Factors such as income and your living environment are some of the <a href="https://www.who.int/health-topics/social-determinants-of-health#tab=tab_1">social determinants of health</a>, which influence our health outcomes.</p> <p>However, to date, little has been done to examine exactly how the lack of financial resources negatively affects the way we interact with others. There are two plausible scenarios.</p> <p>First, having financial pressures may change the way we feel and relate to others due to higher stress levels.</p> <p>Second, financial pressures may stop us from socialising because we have to take on more work to earn more money or we try to cut costs to save money. Socialising can be free in some circumstances, but most of the time, there is a cost to getting to places, or doing an activity together.</p> <h2>What can we do as a society?</h2> <p>The <a href="https://news.gallup.com/opinion/gallup/512618/almost-quarter-world-feels-lonely.aspx">high prevalence of loneliness across the world</a> – and the growing scientific evidence of the negative impact on our health, wellbeing and productivity, and subsequently the economy – can no longer be ignored.</p> <p>The World Health Organization is repositioning loneliness as a global public health priority and has established a <a href="https://www.who.int/groups/commission-on-social-connection">Commission on Social Connection</a>. This commission aims to set the global agenda for social connection, work with high-level commissioners to make the case for global action, scale up proven solutions and measure progress.</p> <p>We need to start by building a <a href="https://lonelinessawarenessweek.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/How-can-we-create-a-culture-of-connection.pdf">culture of connection</a> in Australia. This means changing the way we make decisions on how we relate to each other, promoting social connection within our schools, workplaces and communities. And to modify policies to allow us to start and maintain healthy social connections.</p> <p>Health and social policies to address loneliness and social isolation have to consider the impact of low incomes and increased financial pressures as barriers to building and maintaining meaningful social connection.</p> <p>Related to this is urban planning. People require safe and no- or low-cost spaces to interact in and to start and maintain relationships. This includes parks, libraries, public squares, community gardens and neighbourhood houses.</p> <p>Cuts to building or maintaining these spaces will stop people from interacting, gathering, or socialising within their community.</p> <p>Not addressing loneliness effectively or quickly will lead us to persistent loneliness and to potentially more distress.</p> <h2>How to connect if you’re financially pressured</h2> <p>Don’t feel alone in this experience. Let your family or friends know that you are financially pressured. Chances are, they are experiencing the same pressures because of the rise in the cost of living.</p> <p>Select no- or low-cost activities such as walking in the park with a friend, or connecting on the phone. Look for free events offered in your local area and city.</p> <p>Consider having meals at home as opposed to going out, or low-cost food options. Find some digital spaces which can allow you to interact with others in shared interest topics.</p> <p>If someone shares they are feeling lonely, asking “is there anything I can do to help?” facilitates the conversation and lets others know you are there without judgement.</p> <hr /> <p><em>If this article has raised issues for you, or if you’re concerned about someone you know, you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14.</em><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/236135/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michelle-h-lim-176472">Michelle H Lim</a>, Associate Professor of Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/financial-hardship-is-the-biggest-driver-of-loneliness-heres-why-and-how-to-tackle-it-236135">original article</a>.</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Just 15 centimetres of water can float a car – but we are failing to educate drivers about the dangers of floodwaters

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/amy-peden-1136424">Amy Peden</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kyra-hamilton-331594">Kyra Hamilton</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828"><em>Griffith University</em></a></em></p> <p>Every year in Australia, people driving into floodwaters drown and many more are <a href="https://www.ses.nsw.gov.au/disaster-tabs-header/flood/">rescued</a>. Do <em>you</em> know what to do when there’s water on the road?</p> <p>We searched all state and territory learner and driver handbooks for information about floodwaters, including signage. Our findings, published in the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022437524000860?via%3Dihub">Journal of Safety Research</a>, are disturbing.</p> <p>Across half of Australia’s states and territories, the driver handbook ignores flooding. That’s a missed opportunity, considering the handbook contains road rules and provides advice on how to navigate safely. While some states fail to provide any flood-related information, others give detailed practical guidance. Only the New South Wales handbook includes explanation of the meaning and purpose of flood signage.</p> <p>This is despite almost all states and territories experiencing vehicle-related flood <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jfr3.12616">deaths</a>, including <a href="https://currents.plos.org/disasters/article/causal-pathways-of-flood-related-river-drowning-deaths-in-australia/">drowning</a>, between 2001 and 2017. It’s a major problem that is only going to get worse as the climate changes. So our research shows driver education needs to come up to speed, fast.</p> <h2>Why do people drive into floodwaters?</h2> <p>Our previous <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2212420918301869">research</a> revealed motorists can feel compelled to drive into floodwaters for a range of reasons. These include time pressures such as being late for work or school, or needing to get home to family or pets. Sometimes they feel pressured by their passengers, or motorists behind them on the road, urging them to cross.</p> <p>People also report having been encouraged or instructed as learners to drive into floodwaters. Past experience as a passenger also influences a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1369847823000475">learner driver’s</a> future willingness to drive into floodwaters.</p> <p>So the views of significant others, such as their supervising driver, strongly influence decisions around driving into floodwaters.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZtlXpDBjU1Q?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption><span class="caption">Avoid driving into floodwaters, for life’s sake.</span></figcaption></figure> <h2>What we did and what we found</h2> <p>We assessed all publicly available, government-issued learner and driver handbooks (12 documents) across all six Australian states and two territories. We also looked for flood-related signage. We used a method for reviewing online material through a systematic search including in-document key words and imagery.</p> <p>Four jurisdictions provided no information on flooding in the handbook. In the ACT, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria, drivers need to look elsewhere for information on floodwaters and driving safety.</p> <p>Only one jurisdiction provided information on flood signage such as depth markers and “road subject to flooding”. Hats off to the <a href="https://www.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2022-11/Road-User-Handbook-English.pdf">NSW Road User Handbook</a>, which warns:</p> <blockquote> <p>Floodwater is extremely dangerous. Find another way or wait until the road is clear. It’s safer to turn around than to drive in floodwater.</p> </blockquote> <p>For the states and territories that did provide information on floodwaters in the handbook, the content varied.</p> <p>NSW, Queensland and the Northern Territory warned against entering floodwaters in a vehicle. They highlighted the dangers and financial penalties associated with driving on closed roads.</p> <p>In the NT and Western Australia, handbooks provided practical information on when and how to cross floodwaters safely, such as how to gauge safe water depth based on vehicle size, and to avoid fast-flowing water.</p> <p>Although well-intentioned, judgements around what constitutes fast-flowing water are subjective and hard for any driver to assess, let alone learner drivers. Even drivers of larger vehicles such as four-wheel drives are regularly involved in flood-related <a href="https://currents.plos.org/disasters/article/causal-pathways-of-flood-related-river-drowning-deaths-in-australia/">vehicle drowning fatalities</a>.</p> <p>Just <a href="https://www.ses.vic.gov.au/news-and-media/campaigns/15-to-float">45cm</a> of water can float a large 4WD, and considerably less for smaller vehicles.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/t4ilUbMXZAQ?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption><span class="caption">A small car can float in just 15cm of water.</span></figcaption></figure> <p>Handbooks represent valuable sources of safety information, particularly for new drivers who must learn important road rules to progress from one licence to another. Such graduated driver licensing schemes reduce road traffic injury, particularly among <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022437523000385">young people</a>.</p> <p>However, many of these handbooks fail to provide consistent, practical evidence-based information about flooding. There is an opportunity here to support safer driving behaviours.</p> <h2>Safety tips for all drivers</h2> <p>We encourage drivers to follow these safety tips:</p> <ul> <li>avoid driving into floodwaters</li> <li>identify alternative routes, so you have a <a href="https://theconversation.com/when-roads-become-rivers-forming-a-plan-b-can-stop-people-driving-into-floodwaters-183036">plan B</a></li> <li>familiarise yourself, and any learner drivers in the household or under your care, with the meaning and purpose of flood signage</li> <li>understand the legal consequences of crossing a road closed sign</li> <li>discuss the dangers of driving into floodwaters with learner drivers and help them formulate their own plan B</li> <li>model safe driving for all passengers, including children.</li> </ul> <h2>Time to lift our game</h2> <p>Driving into floodwaters remains the main cause of <a href="https://currents.plos.org/disasters/article/causal-pathways-of-flood-related-river-drowning-deaths-in-australia/">flood-related drowning</a> in Australia.</p> <p>For our emergency service personnel, driver behaviour, including people ignoring road closed signs, <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/hpja.181">significantly complicates</a> the already dangerous act of performing a flood rescue.</p> <p>Extreme weather and flooding are likely to become more frequent and intense in the future. That means the chance of being faced with a flooded road is growing. So information about driving during floods is vital for all, from the newly licensed to the experienced driver.</p> <p>We hope our research will encourage all states and territories to include provide practical, evidence-based advice on floods in driver handbooks as soon as possible.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/233116/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/amy-peden-1136424">Amy Peden</a>, NHMRC Research Fellow, School of Population Health &amp; co-founder UNSW Beach Safety Research Group, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kyra-hamilton-331594">Kyra Hamilton</a>, Associate Professor in Applied Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/just-15-centimetres-of-water-can-float-a-car-but-we-are-failing-to-educate-drivers-about-the-dangers-of-floodwaters-233116">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Travel Trouble

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What the fox! Driver finds wild animal trapped in his car

<p>A motorist has shared the startling moment a fox got trapped in the front grill of his car, after he accidentally hit the wild animal while travelling at 80km/h. </p> <p>While driving down a country road in South Australia on Saturday night, the man behind the wheel said he was shocked when he felt something slam into the car. </p> <p>When he later checked the vehicle, he was astonished to find the angry fox trying to break free from behind the front grill of the car. </p> <p>“Y’all thought you had a bad day,” he can be heard saying while filming the animal furiously biting the front grill in an attempt to escape.</p> <p>In a series of videos posted to TikTok, the man documented the fox's attempts at escape, before informing his followers that he had enlisted the help of a local vet to help free the animal. </p> <p>“Took him to the vet, they sedated him and we got him out safely, the poor guy,” he said, adding he was glad — and impressed — the fox was alive after such a high-speed impact.</p> <p>Throughout his videos, many took to the comments to offer their advice to free the fox, as one person suggested "popping the lid", with the driver explaining that he did but “couldn’t even see him through the bonnet”.</p> <p>The saga has been viewed more than 400,000 times in the past 24 hours, with numerous people saying they were stunned the fox wasn’t seriously injured. “How does this even happen?” one person wondered.</p> <p>“What in the fox is going on here!” another joked, while others pondered how the man would explain the incident to his insurance company.</p> <p>“Insurance would never believe you if you didn’t have that video,” someone else added.</p> <p><em>Image credits: TikTok</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Driver's shock after copping $2.2 million speeding ticket

<p>In a shocking turn of events, a man in the US state of Georgia has found himself facing a $2.2 million ($US1.4m) traffic ticket after getting caught speeding on a freeway.</p> <p>Yes, you read that right - $2.2 million! It sounds like a punchline from a comedy show, but it happened in real life.</p> <p>Connor Cato was cruising through the city of Savannah on September 2, probably enjoying the wind in his hair, when the Georgia State Patrol nabbed him going a zippy 145km/h (90miles/h) in an 88km/h (55mile/h) zone. Now, we've all been there, right? In a rush, late for a meeting, or maybe just trying to win a real-life game of Mario Kart. But poor Mr Cato got WAY more than he bargained for.</p> <p>When the officer handed him a ticket, he must have been bracing himself for a hefty fine. But what he got was more jaw-dropping than a surprise birthday party from a circus troupe. The ticket had a price tag of $2.2 million! </p> <p>In disbelief, Cato decided to call the court, assuming it was a typo. But, to his amazement, the court clerk insisted that the amount was correct. She even had the audacity to tell him, "You either pay the amount on the ticket or you come to court on December 21 at 1:30pm."</p> <p>Thankfully, Cato's dire financial situation turned out to be a mere illusion. The $2.2 million was just what's known as a "placeholder" generated by e-citation software used in Savannah. This software, used by the local Recorder's Court, goes all <em>Mission Impossible</em> on super speeders – those who exceed the speed limit by more than 56km/h (35miles/h). It seems that the software programmers have a taste for drama, as they used the largest number possible to create this fine that sounds more like a ransom demand from a Bond villain.</p> <p>In reality, a judge will set the real fine, which cannot exceed $2,000 ($US1,000), plus state-mandated costs, at Cato's mandatory court appearance. So, our dear speed demon can breathe a sigh of relief; he won't be selling his house, car, and perhaps an organ or two to pay off that outrageous ticket.</p> <p>The city of Savannah has been using this placeholder system since 2017 and has promised to work on adjusting the language to avoid any further confusion. In the end, this story is a reminder that sometimes technology can have a wicked sense of humour. </p> <p><em>Images: Shutterstock / WSAV TV</em></p>

Legal

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Uber driver shares touching moment with grieving passenger

<p>A young Uber driver has shared the emotional interaction he had with a grieving mother.</p> <p>James Bade, a 23-year-old from Sydney, shares clips from his best Uber driving moments on his TikTok, capturing honest moments with his passengers. </p> <p>Bade's latest video has moved his followers to tears, as he drove around an older couple who broke down in tears at the end of their journey. </p> <p>James captioned his video, "This job makes me cry sometimes,” as the video shows the elderly woman telling James, “You know what? Look after yourself.”</p> <p>Her voice broke as she said, "You're a champion."</p> <p>The couple then left the car, before the woman began tapping frantically on James' window as he winds it down. </p> <div class="embed" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 600px; max-width: 100%; outline: none !important;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7279295029410057480&amp;display_name=tiktok&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40jamesbadeofficial%2Fvideo%2F7279295029410057480&amp;image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign-sg.tiktokcdn.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-alisg-p-0037%2F7648b1db68b747d38845e102a8a6ef9e_1694842956%3Fx-expires%3D1695945600%26x-signature%3DCvk%252FeflE7E2aY%252Fv15VOGr7IwGr4%253D&amp;key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&amp;type=text%2Fhtml&amp;schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> <p>“I lost my son last year,” she tells him through tears. </p> <p>“And you remind me so much of my son.”</p> <p>Bade unbuckles his seatbelt and hugs the woman through the window as she cries. </p> <p>The woman, still sobbing, holds Mr Bade for a moment, telling him to “take care”. </p> <p>“The world will take you wherever you want to go,” she tells him.</p> <p>The comments section was flooded with emotional messages, showing that the interaction obviously touched his followers. </p> <p>“You can tell she has so much love and nowhere for it to go,” one wrote. </p> <p>“Actually crying … how lovely,” said another. </p> <p>Another added, “This is just beautiful … you can just tell in her voice that she needed that so much.”</p> <p>Sadly, not every one of James' passengers are as lovely, as he recently made headlines after a rude passenger <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/travel/travel-trouble/uber-driver-shocked-by-elderly-passenger-s-intrusive-questions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">talked down to him</a> over his career choice and high school exam results. </p> <p><em>Image credits: TikTok</em></p>

Caring

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Uber driver shocked by elderly passenger's intrusive questions

<p>A young Aussie Uber driver has shared the moment he was grilled by an elderly female passenger with a line of very judgemental questions. </p> <p>James Bade, 23, regularly uploads dash-cam footage to social media from his Uber journeys with colourful characters.</p> <p>In a video he posted on Wednesday, Bade picks up an elderly female passenger, who quickly begins quizzing him about his schooling and career. </p> <p>The woman asks Bade what his Year 12 ATAR rank was, before judging his answer. </p> <p>"What was your score like at the end of the year?" the woman asked.</p> <p>"Uhh, not great," Bade awkwardly responded.</p> <p>The passenger then pressed further, asking if his mark was "70? 80?", with Bade stated he got "65".</p> <p>"You did s***", the woman bluntly said.</p> <p>"Yeah, but that's okay," Bade said, to which the passenger responded, "No, it's not okay. It's s***."</p> <p>Bade, who appeared momentarily stunned by the woman's brash assertions about his school results, told her that he gave his final tests "a good go", with the passenger saying, "You did not."</p> <div class="embed" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 600px; max-width: 100%; outline: none !important;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7277944950711438599&amp;display_name=tiktok&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40jamesbadeofficial%2Fvideo%2F7277944950711438599&amp;image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign-sg.tiktokcdn.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-alisg-p-0037%2F65176828c7d846a09f542b7a8ccae59d_1694528612%3Fx-expires%3D1694826000%26x-signature%3DJ1LS93ofX1akA%252F3OHw4mxLNRhyI%253D&amp;key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&amp;type=text%2Fhtml&amp;schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> <p>Later on in the drive, she began questioning the young man about his career aspirations.</p> <p>Bade mentioned that he was "doing real estate for a few years" that gave him "some opportunities" but that he was happy being an Uber driver in the meantime.</p> <p>"Oh, God. Well you've gotta sort of get it together," the elderly passenger said.</p> <p>"It is together!" the young driver hit back. "I'm always chatting to new people and they're giving me new ideas for different things."</p> <p>The woman responded, "No it's not, my idea is to get it together."</p> <p>Bade posted the interaction to his TikTok account, as the video has quickly accumulated hundreds of thousands of views. </p> <p>Viewers were quick to praise Bade's patience with the elderly passenger, while slamming the woman's judgement of Bade's personal life decisions and her condescending attitude. </p> <p>"Nothing like an elderly alcoholic telling another person to get it together," one person commented.</p> <p>Another wrote, "I'm so sorry you had to deal with that...she's using your services and simultaneously looking down on it. It's insane. A job is a job."</p> <p>"You're so patient and calm with her, I would have kicked her out. Who gives her the right to judge?" added another.</p> <p><em>Image credits: TikTok</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Ping, your pizza is on its way. Ping, please rate the driver. Yes, constant notifications really do tax your brain

<p>A ping from the pizza company. A couple of pings from your socials. Ping, ping, ping from your family WhatsApp group trying to organise a weekend barbecue. </p> <p>With all those smartphone notifications, it’s no wonder you lose focus on what you’re trying to do do. </p> <p>Your phone doesn’t even need to ping to distract you. There’s <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2015-28923-001">pretty good</a><a href="https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/full/10.1086/691462">evidence</a> the mere presence of your phone, silent or not, is enough to divert your attention.</p> <p>So what’s going on? More importantly, how can you reclaim your focus, without missing the important stuff?</p> <h2>Is it really such a big deal?</h2> <p>When you look at the big picture, those pings can really add up. </p> <p>Although estimates vary, the average person checks their phone <a href="https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/30085/1/PubSub7601_Andrews.PDF">around 85 times</a><a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/trapped-in-the-net-are-we-all-addicted-to-our-smartphones-20190531-p51t44.html">a day</a>, roughly once every 15 minutes.</p> <p>In other words, every 15 minutes or so, your attention is likely to wander from what you’re doing. The trouble is, it can take <a href="https://lifehacker.com/how-long-it-takes-to-get-back-on-track-after-a-distract-1720708353">several minutes</a> to regain your concentration fully after being <a href="https://www.ics.uci.edu/%7Egmark/chi08-mark.pdf">interrupted</a> by your phone.</p> <p>If you’re just watching TV, distractions (and refocusing) are no big deal. But if you’re driving a car, trying to study, at work, or spending time with your loved ones, it could lead to some fairly substantial problems.</p> <h2>Two types of interference</h2> <p>The pings from your phone are “exogenous interruptions”. In other words, something external, around you, has caused the interruption.</p> <p>We can <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-46276-9_21">become conditioned</a> to feeling excited when we hear our phones ping. This is the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1046/j.1360-0443.2002.00015.x">same pleasurable feeling</a> people who gamble can quickly become conditioned to at the sight or sound of a poker machine.</p> <p>What if your phone is on silent? Doesn’t that solve the ping problem? Well, no.</p> <p>That’s another type of interruption, an internal (or endogenous) interruption.</p> <p>Think of every time you were working on a task but your attention drifted to your phone. You may have fought the urge to pick it up and see what was happening online, but you probably checked anyway.</p> <p>In this situation, we can become so strongly conditioned to expect a reward each time we look at our phone we don’t need to wait for a ping to trigger the effect. </p> <p>These impulses are powerful. Just reading this article about checking your phone may make you feel like … checking your phone.</p> <h2>Give your brain a break</h2> <p>What do all these interruptions mean for cognition and wellbeing? </p> <p>There’s increasing evidence push notifications are associated with <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352853217300159">decreased productivity</a>, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2451958820300051">poorer concentration</a> and <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0927537116300136">increased distraction</a> at work and school. </p> <p>But is there any evidence our brain is working harder to manage the frequent switches in attention? </p> <p>One study of people’s brain waves <a href="https://www.hindawi.com/journals/cin/2016/5718580/">found</a> those who describe themselves as heavy smartphone users were more sensitive to push notifications than ones who said they were light users. </p> <p>After hearing a push notification, heavy users were significantly worse at recovering their concentration on a task than lighter users. Although push notification interrupted concentration for both groups, the heavy users took much longer to regain focus. </p> <p>Frequent interruptions from your phone can also leave you <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0747563219302596">feeling stressed</a> by a need to respond. Frequent smartphone interruptions are also associated with <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360131519301319">increased FOMO</a> (fear of missing out). </p> <p>If you get distracted by your phone after responding to a notification, any subsequent <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/2050157921993896">procrastination</a> in returning to a task can also leave you feeling guilty or frustrated.</p> <p>There’s <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0747563219300883">certainly evidence</a> suggesting the longer you spend using your phone in unproductive ways, the lower you tend to rate your wellbeing.</p> <h2>How can I stop?</h2> <p>We know switching your phone to silent isn’t going to magically fix the problem, especially if you’re already a frequent checker. </p> <p>What’s needed is behaviour change, and that’s hard. It can take several attempts to see lasting change. If you have ever tried to quit smoking, lose weight, or start an exercise program you’ll know what I mean.</p> <p>Start by turning off all non-essential notifications. Then here are some things to try if you want to reduce the number of times you check your phone:</p> <ul> <li> <p>charge your phone overnight in a different room to your bedroom. Notifications can prevent you falling asleep and can repeatedly rouse you from essential sleep throughout the night</p> </li> <li> <p>interrupt the urge to check and actively decide if it’s going to benefit you, in that moment. For example, as you turn to reach for your phone, stop and ask yourself if this action serves a purpose other than distraction</p> </li> <li> <p>try the <a href="https://www.themuse.com/advice/take-it-from-someone-who-hates-productivity-hacksthe-pomodoro-technique-actually-works#:%7E:text=The%20Pomodoro%20Technique%20is%20a,are%20referred%20to%20as%20pomodoros">Pomodoro method</a> to stay focused on a task. This involves breaking your concentration time up into manageable chunks (for example, 25 minutes) then rewarding yourself with a short break (for instance, to check your phone) between chunks. Gradually increase the length of time between rewards. Gradually re-learning to sustain your attention on any task can take a while if you’re a high-volume checker.</p> </li> </ul> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/ping-your-pizza-is-on-its-way-ping-please-rate-the-driver-yes-constant-notifications-really-do-tax-your-brain-193952" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. </em></p>

Technology

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Drunk driver blames burrito for crash

<p dir="ltr">After slamming into a line of traffic stopped in front of him, a 65-year-old man has blamed being distracted by his burrito for the crash - rather than the beers he’d had before getting behind the wheel.</p> <p dir="ltr">Ross Coeland had picked up a burrito on his way home in early June, claiming that he was distracted enough by his food that he didn’t see the car ahead had stopped.</p> <p dir="ltr">After telling police he had been drinking, Mr Coeland was charged with driving with excess breath alcohol for a third or subsequent time, having been most recently convicted for the same charge in July 2017, per the <em><a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/drunk-driver-covered-in-burrito-after-crashing-into-line-of-traffic/UKPA5HDIYUNXHYH5KTLXE5P7BE/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NZ Herald</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">On this occasion, Mr Coeland was found to be three times over the limit.</p> <p dir="ltr">Appearing briefly in Nelson District Court, Mr Coeland admitted that he had been driving over the limit on June 2, with the police summary of facts showing that he returned a reading of 861 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath - equivalent to a reading 0.08 BAC in Australia.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Due to his intoxication and distraction the defendant failed to see a line of traffic which had slowed to a crawl,” police prosecution told the court.</p> <p dir="ltr">When he eventually noticed the slowing traffic and took evasive action, it was too late.</p> <p dir="ltr">"When the defendant noticed the traffic ahead of him, he slammed his brakes on and skidded, crashing hard into the rear of the trailing vehicle,” the prosecution said.</p> <p dir="ltr">When police found him, Mr Coeland was covered in his ill-fated burrito.</p> <p dir="ltr">He has been remanded on bail for sentencing in September, as well as for a pre-sentence and alcohol and drug report.</p> <p dir="ltr">According to <a href="https://www.nzta.govt.nz/roadcode/general-road-code/road-code/about-limits/alcohol-and-drugs-limits/#:~:text=Your%20licence%20will%20be%20suspended,alcohol%20per%20litre%20of%20breath." target="_blank" rel="noopener">NZ Transport Agency</a>, Mr Coeland could see his licence suspended, a fine of up to $6000 or a prison sentence of up to two years if it is his third offence, and the court impose a “zero alcohol licence”.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-36c3b8c2-7fff-20a3-8fc4-bfca368b08c5"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Legal

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Shocking footage emerges of pregnant woman hit by out of control driver

<p dir="ltr">Footage has emerged of an out-of-control ute accelerating into a medical centre full of people, but not before hitting a pregnant woman who had been about to walk inside.</p> <p dir="ltr">The mum-to-be was heading into the Balcatta Radiological Clinic in Perth for her eight-week scan when she was struck by the ute, which launched out of the car park.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-b37ddfe5-7fff-15d3-c1c6-681a0a0841dd"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Footage captured from multiple angles shows the driver carefully edging into a parking spot right outside the medical centre entrance, before it’s believed they hit the accelerator and hit both a bollard and the woman.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/05/car3.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="281" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>The car struck the pregnant woman and a bollard before crashing into the medical centre. Image: 9News</em></p> <p dir="ltr">The car then crashed into the centre, narrowly missing the patients and staff inside but rattling them and other bystanders nonetheless.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I haven’t actually heard a noise like that before, it was huge,” Sandy Meikle, a witness, told <em><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/out-of-control-driver-smashes-through-perth-surgery-clinic-injuring-pregnant-woman/df8d5f64-8c4b-4af1-9c6c-842892ecfeba" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9News</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“(There was) a lot of screaming and a lot of jumping,” Meikle said.</p> <p dir="ltr">The pregnant woman, who is in her 20s, was taken to Royal Perth Hospital and another woman was treated for shock.</p> <p dir="ltr">However, workers at the medical centre said this isn’t the first time someone has crashed into the building.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’ve actually seen it happen before, someone drove through the building before, it’s happened twice,” a security guard said, with staff adding that the unlucky bollard had been installed to prevent such incidents from happening.</p> <p dir="ltr">Police questioned the elderly driver, who was uninjured, at the scene.</p> <p dir="ltr">No charges have been laid as of publication.</p> <p dir="ltr">Watch the shocking footage <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/out-of-control-driver-smashes-through-perth-surgery-clinic-injuring-pregnant-woman/df8d5f64-8c4b-4af1-9c6c-842892ecfeba" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-85e4fcbb-7fff-5e52-c587-b91bae6951ac"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: 9News</em></p>

Caring

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Uber driver slammed for refusing guide dog

<p>An Uber driver in South Australia is being slammed for refusing to let a vision impaired woman bring her guide dog in the car.</p> <p>Born with low vision, Ellen Fraser-Barbour relies on her guide dog Inca for safety and sight.</p> <p>But on Wednesday when she was trying to catch an Uber home, Ms Fraser-Barbour says she was told Inca was an unwelcome passenger.</p> <p>She was able to capture footage of the exchange between herself and the Uber driver.</p> <p>"This is an assistance dog, a guide dog," Ms Fraser-Barbour can be heard telling the driver.</p> <p>"No. No. No. I can't do it. Sorry," he replied.</p> <p>"It's an assistance dog, you can't refuse by law," Ms Fraser-Barbour added.</p> <p>But the driver still refused, claiming he was not obliged to accept the ride, leaving Ms Fraser-Barbour on the curb.</p> <p>She says the experience is one that is common for people with a disability.</p> <p>"I have a lot of blind friends and they all tell me about distressing experiences that they've had of being left on the curb. It's a really rampant issue," Ms Fraser-Barbour said.</p> <p>Since the incident she has made a report to Uber and received an apology. Ms Fraser-Barbour says it should never have happened in the first place and is now calling for stricter penalties.</p> <p>"For example being able to fine drivers if they refuse," Ms Fraser-Barbour said.</p> <p>In a statement Uber said a first offence will see a driver's account temporarily deactivated while they receive further education.</p> <p>A second strike could see them permanently banned from the platform.</p> <p>"Taking someone off the platform temporarily doesn't say zero tolerance approach. That says we'll give you another chance," Ms Fraser-Barbour said.</p> <p><em>Image: Nine News</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Heroic bus driver saves woman and 4-year-old

<p>A bus driver has been hailed a hero after his quick reaction saved a woman and her four-year-old son from the ledge of a bridge. </p> <p>According to surveillance footage, the woman and her child were walking along a non-pedestrian bridge in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou. </p> <p>The video then shows the mother begin to lift her son over the barrier of the bridge and place her own leg over the side. </p> <p>The bus driver, Zhang Zhide, pulled up to the pair and rushed out of the bus before wrapping his arms around them both and pulling them to safety. </p> <p>Passengers on the bus rushed to the aid of the driver as the woman continued to struggle. </p> <p><span>Speaking to reporters Guangzhou Daily about the incident, Mr Zhang, 48, said he was thankful he managed to prevent a tragedy with just seconds to spare.</span></p> <p><span>"When I think of it now, I'm quite scared, because the guardrail is very short. If I arrive later or if I don't have enough strength, the consequences would be unimaginable," he said.</span></p> <p><span>Mr Zhang said he was watching the woman carefully as he could sense something was not quite right. </span></p> <p><span>After passengers helped the woman to calm down, she was taken to the local police station where a relative picked up her four-year-old child. </span></p> <p><span>The Guangzhou Public Transport Group said Mr Zhang would receive a reward for his behaviour while on duty.</span></p> <p><span>This was not the first time Mr Zhang has helped someone while on duty, as he recalled once helping a pregnant woman get to a hospital. </span></p> <p><span>"We also maintain a high degree of vigilance at all times. We can help others and it makes me feel that this job is more meaningful," he said.</span></p> <p><span>The video of the surveillance footage has since been viewed more than 250 million times, with many praising Mr Zhang's efforts. </span></p> <p><em>Image credits: Weibo / Guangzhou Daily</em></p>

Caring

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Driver shamed after blocking traffic for photoshoot

<p>A woman has enraged hundreds of people after parking in the middle of a busy road to take photos of her car.</p> <p>Her antics were captured on video by a Canberra local and shared to Facebook on Friday where she was put on blast by a dozens of peeved locals.</p> <p>The person who filmed the incident, which took place at the start of May in the inner city suburb of Red Hill, said the woman blocked the road for 15 minutes while her friends took photos of her car.</p> <p>When people told her to move her car, she refused,” he wrote to a Facebook group.</p> <p>More than 200 people weighed in on the incident, many labelling the woman a “nuisance”.</p> <p>“She is a public nuisance and should be fined,” one person asserted.</p> <p>Someone else agreed, saying “she should be fined” over her “self absorbed behaviour”.</p> <p>“She’s breaking the road rules parking in an unsafe manner and should be lucky she didn’t get seen by the police,” another said.</p> <p>“Just shows lack of consideration for other people. An indication their basic respect for others is non existent,” someone else added.</p> <p>While most drivers were furious, some rugged it wouldn't have been difficult for drivers to simply go around her.</p> <p>“What’s the big deal? You could drive a Mack truck through the gap beside her. Let her take her photos, it’s not doing any harm,” one person wrote.</p> <p>“Why can’t people just be nice? Let her take the photos and move on,” another said.</p> <p>Many were left scratching their heads at how there were people defending her behaviour, with some arguing it was never acceptable to park in the middle of the road.</p> <p>“This is never OK, nor is it ever not absolutely baffling,” one wrote.</p> <p>“She should’ve pulled to the side instead of being inconsiderate of other drivers,” another said.</p>

Legal

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Hospitalised driver cops fine after dodging flying couch

<p><span>A driver has been handed a hefty fine after he reportedly swerved his car because a couch fell from a truck travelling in front of him.</span><br /><br /><span>Jake Singer was driving with his girlfriend from Boca Raton, in the US state of Florida, on February 20 when a couch from a truck fell in front of him, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported.</span><br /><br /><span>Mr Singer swerved and flipped his car to avoid the couch.</span><br /><br /><span>He and his girlfriend were both hospitalised as a result of the accident.</span><br /><br /><span>Mr Singer told the Sun-Sentinel. People "could not believe" he and his partner were okay.</span><br /><br /><span>However Mr Singer is not happy after he copped a fine over the crash.</span><br /><br /><span>He told reporters a police officer arrived at the hospital to give him the ticket.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840155/driver.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/eda143eb9d7a4df3970552ec552ad352" /></p> <p><em>Image: Twitter</em><br /><br /><span>“TIL (today I learned) that if you swerve to avoid a flying couch on I-95N in FL [Florida], make sure not to change lanes or you’ll get a citation for improper lane change from FL Hwy Patrol [Florida Highway Patrol],” he tweeted.</span><br /><br /><span>“Even if your car crashes into the median and flips over, totalled. (We’re both fine, somehow).”</span><br /><br /><span>According to the paper, a police officer gave Mr Singer a US$166 (A$213) ticket for “failing to drive in a single lane”.</span><br /><br /><span>Florida Highway Patrol Lieutenant Yanko Reyes said the ticket had to be issued.</span><br /><br /><span>“Remember, in Florida it is recommended to have at least a two-vehicle length between your vehicle and the vehicles in front of you because that way you have enough time to react in case something like this happens, in case somebody brakes, in case debris falls on the roadway, you’re able to avoid any and all difficulties,” he told the Sun-Sentinel.</span><br /><br /><span>The explanation didn’t sit well with Mr Singer, who took to Twitter to write: “I hereby challenge Lt Reyes to drive two car lengths behind a flying couch at 80mph (128k/h) and avoid it without leaving your lane.</span><br /><br /><span>“Hope you have enough time to look at the totality of the circumstances.”</span></p>

Legal

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Michael Schumacher’s former manager reveals F1 driver’s “stupidest decision”

<p><span>When Michael Schumacher retired from Formula 1, he was untouchable as the greatest champion in the sport’s history.</span></p> <p><span>Five straight championships and seven all up, Schumacher was in a league of his own.</span></p> <p><span>In the 250 races he took part in between 198 and 2006, Schumacher had 68 pole positions, 154 podiums and an astounding 91 wins.</span></p> <p><span>Schumacher was breaking records left right and centre – until he signed on to a three-year deal with Mercedes in 2010.</span></p> <p><span>In his last 58 races over three years, Schumacher claimed just one podium, finishing third behind Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso at the 2012 European Grand Prix, where he was the oldest driver to make a podium since Jack Brabham at the 1970 Grand Prix at the age of 43.</span></p> <p><span>While the end of his career left some of his records under pressure from a driver such as Hamilton, Schumacher’s former manager Willi Weber revealed that he tried to talk Schumacher out of a return in 2010.</span></p> <p><span>“Let’s say, this was, even in hindsight, the stupidest thing he could do,” Weber told Motorsport-Total.com.</span></p> <p><span>“He told me he was bored, he had to drive. Then I say, ‘Michael, what do you want? You can only lose. You can’t win anymore. You won everything. You are the best racer in the world. You stand on the highest pedestal that exists. You can only lose now’.</span></p> <p><span>“But, he just didn’t want to hear it.”</span></p> <p><span>Schumacher ended up sticking to his decision and the two ended their professional relationship.</span></p> <p><span>But despite his comeback wasn’t what many expected, he’s still considered one of the greatest drivers of all time. </span></p> <p><span>After sustaining a head injury in 2013 during a skiing accident, Schumacher is now rarely sighted as his family has remained notoriously tight lipped about his condition.</span></p>

International Travel

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Amazon driver refuses to deliver alcohol to 92-year-old woman without ID

<p><span>An Amazon driver refused to deliver liquor to a 92-year-old UK woman after she failed to show her ID.</span></p> <p><span>Louise Wilkinson was expecting a bottle of Harveys Bristol Cream sherry from her grandson Carl Johnston as a holiday present, <em><a href="https://nypost.com/2019/12/31/amazon-driver-refuses-to-deliver-booze-to-92-year-old-granny-without-id/">The Sun</a> </em>reported.</span></p> <p><span>However, the grandmother of four was left surprised after the Amazon delivery driver arrived at her County Durham home and asked for her ID. She failed to produce a passport or driver’s licence, and the bottle was taken away despite her insistence that she was of legal age.</span></p> <p><span>“I can understand that if you are lucky enough to look around 18 you should have to show ID,” Johnston said. “But my grandma is 92.”</span></p> <p><span>A second attempt to deliver the item was again unsuccessful after the widow tried to use a bus pass as identification. “A bus pass isn’t on Amazon’s list of accepted identifications,” said Johnston.</span></p> <p><span>The accepted forms of identification are military ID cards, a biometric immigration document or a photographic identity card bearing a national Proof of Age Standard Scheme (PASS) holograms.</span></p> <p><span>Johnston questioned why the online marketplace’s drivers could not “just accept a visual check if you are clearly over 18”.</span></p> <p><span>The grandson said he plans to purchase another bottle and deliver it himself.</span></p>

Food & Wine

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Face of mystery driver revealed in Claremont serial killer trial

<p>A mystery driver’s face who was seen creeping around a young woman the same night Sarah Spiers vanished, has been revealed to the jury in the Claremont serial killings trial.</p> <p>The never-before-seen composite was a description given to police over 21 years ago by Julie-Anne Johnstone.</p> <p>The man accused, Bradley Robert Edwards, sat just metres away from the woman during his trial after prosecutors accused the now 50-year-old of the murder of Sarah Spiers, Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon in the mid 1990’s.</p> <p>The former Telstra electrician has plead not guilty.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7833126/claremont-killer-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/a0aaaab1db8a48a9b07bf13b7a2d97b5" /></p> <p>Ms Spiers was last seen after calling a taxi from a phone box in Claremont, Western Australia, just one day after Australia day in 1996.</p> <p>The 18-year-old’s body has never been found.</p> <p>Julie-Anne Johnson, now 45, was just like Ms Spiers the night before when she left Club Bayview in the early hours of the morning to find a taxi by herself.</p> <p>Ms Johnson told the court she had been waiting on Stirling Highway when a white sedan pulled up in front of her.</p> <p>She says the male driver “leaned over the passenger’s side” and stared at her for 10 to 30 minutes.</p> <p>The woman admitted she wasn’t the best with distinguishing car models but determined the vehicle the man was driving looked like a Toyota Camry sedan and had a Telstra logo on the side of the door.</p> <p>Edwards was assigned the same model of car for his Telstra job at the time. </p> <p>Ms Johnson is one of a few several apparent “living witnesses” who survived Edward’s offering of lifts in the mid 90’s, prosecutors say.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7833127/claremont-killer-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/505a82c23aa146dc995bd0d9a319c7e8" /></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><em>Bradley Robert Edwards</em></p> <p>Annabel Johnson, 45, is another woman who says she was a passenger of a mystery man’s car.</p> <p>She says she had a “strong instinct” to force herself out of the vehicle after accepting a ride.</p> <p>Both she and her friends Trilby Smith hitched a ride after a night out in Cottesloe, Western Australia in December 1996, when a white station wagon approached them on Eric Street.</p> <p>She told the court they were walking home from the Ocean Beach Hotel when the white station wagon in question slowed down to them on Eric Street, and returned from the other direction sometime later.</p> <p>The court claims the driver offered them a ride which they accepted.</p> <p>Ms Bushell said the vehicle looked like a Commodore or Camry and had a large Telstra logo placed on the bonnet.</p> <p>She says she remembers approaching a traffic lights on Stirling Highway in Claremont and “just wanting to get out,” so made an excuse to quickly exit as she dragged her drunk friend out of the back seat.</p> <p>Trilby Smith’s memory differs to her friend who described the vehicle as an “electrical van” and getting out at a different part of Claremont.</p> <p>Ms Bushell said they'd had 15 to 29 middies of beer between them that evening, but her friend was more drunk than her and had fallen asleep. </p>

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Man gets kicked in the head by passing train driver

<p><span>A man has gotten more than he bargained for after filming dangerously close to a speeding train.</span></p> <p><span>The short video posted to social media shows the young man was kicked in the head by a train conductor who held nothing back as he passed by.</span></p> <p><span>The younger man, who was filming, had headphones in and an oncoming train can be heard in the distance.</span><span> </span></p> <p>The train sounds the horn and the man is suddenly flung forward as the train passes by.</p> <p>"Wow, that guy kicked me in the head!" the man in the video yells as the train passes by, clutching at his face.</p> <p>“Hope I got that on film!”</p> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Dy8Yt-P614w"></iframe></div> <p><span>It’s unclear why the man was filming so close to the passing train, but commenters on Reddit have said that he’s lucky to be alive.</span></p> <p>"I've never seen someone so happy to be kicked in the head before," one commenter said.</p> <p>"That had to hurt," another said.</p> <p>"Likely saved this dipsticks life," one commenter said. "Rather a boot to the noggin then some thing either going through your head or knocking it off."</p> <p>"(He) could’ve died and he’s thinking about the video," another commenter said.</p> <p>Scroll through the gallery to see when the man gets kicked in the head.</p>

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