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Australian journalist who seriously injured cyclist when test-driving McLaren car jailed for 12 monthsMcLaren 540C (CC licensed by emperornie via Wikimedia)

Australian journalist who seriously injured cyclist when test-driving McLaren car jailed for 12 months

Amelia Hungerford sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment following incident last May
by Simon_MacMichael
Wed, Jul 03, 2019 13:45
14

An Australian lifestyle journalist who injured a cyclist when she crashed a McLaren car she was test-driving has been jailed for 12 months.

The incident, which happened in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park in New South Wales in May last year, left cyclist James Tan who was taken to hospital with serious facial and leg injuries.

Amelia Hungerford, 28, a journalist with Signature Luxury Travel & Style, was attending a media event when she was invited to test-drive the £195,000 McLaren Sport Series Coupé.

Following the incident, she was charged with dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm, negligent driving, causing bodily harm by misconduct in charge of motor vehicle and negligent driving.

9News reports that she has been sentenced to 12 months in jail and will not be eligible for parole for seven months.

It adds that Hungerford, who has been granted bail, plans to appeal against the severity of the sentence.

Amelia Hungerford
James Tan
McLaren
Simon MacMichael

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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14 comments

Avatar
ktache | 5 years ago
4 likes

It's not just inexperienced journalists.

There are a lot of overly powerful cars being driven by people who really don't have the abilities, on very short term rentals.

Avatar
dobbo996 replied to ktache | 5 years ago
2 likes

ktache wrote:

It's not just inexperienced journalists.

There are a lot of overly powerful cars being driven by people who really don't have the abilities, on very short term rentals.

Few people have the skills to drive these things. There have been several instances of premier league footballers spinning their cars in the Mersey Tunnel. "This car sounds fantastic in the tunnel, I'll give it a blat - oh shit".

I'd be happy to see GPS speed limiters fitted to all motorised vehicles. Urban driving, in particular, does not require powerful, large cars.   

Avatar
Legs_Eleven_Wor... | 5 years ago
6 likes

Twelve months?  F**k me, was the cyclist related to the Aussie PM or what?

Avatar
growingvegtables | 5 years ago
1 like

And she appeals ... against the "severity of the sentence".      

Avatar
Grahamd replied to growingvegtables | 5 years ago
3 likes

growingvegtables wrote:

And she appeals ... against the "severity of the sentence".      

She probably thought sentence should mirror that she would receive in the UK.

 

Avatar
burtthebike | 5 years ago
5 likes

"...dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm, negligent driving, causing bodily harm by misconduct in charge of motor vehicle and negligent driving."

"..Hungerford, who has been granted bail, plans to appeal against the severity of the sentence."

Sounds like she was a whisker away from killing the cyclist, and committed multiple crimes whilst doing so, but hey, it wasn't that serious was it?  Just an accident and anyway, the cyclist was riding on my bit of road.

I'm continually amazed at the ability of drivers to ignore their own failings and to refuse to accept what are usually extremely light sentences, but society values driving above pretty much anything else it seems.  I was surprised at the severity of the sentence in what is reported to be such a pro-car society, but amazed at how light it is compared to the crime, but I suppose it was only a cyclist. she hit and almost killed.

 

Avatar
Jetmans Dad | 5 years ago
3 likes

I have long been an advocate of two things ...

First, having to renew your driving licence at least every ten years, including a theory test to make sure your HC knowledge is up to date. 

Second, having different classes of licence for different vehicles. As you identify, a 1 hour test at age 17 should not entitle you to drive any type of car without further assessment of your abilities. My licence also entitles me to drive a minibus of up to 16 seats, which is very different from a normal car and put the lives of up to 15 other people in my hands. 

In the UK, it is way too easy to get a licence to drive fast, powerful and/or large vehicles, and way too difficult to have that licence taken off you, regardless of how often you prove yourself incapable of doing it responsibly. 

It is now over 32 years since I passed my driving test. There was no theory test then, and I have never had to take one. That really makes no sense whatsoever. 

Avatar
mike the bike replied to Jetmans Dad | 5 years ago
0 likes

Jetmans Dad wrote:

....... It is now over 32 years since I passed my driving test. There was no theory test then, and I have never had to take one. That really makes no sense whatsoever. 

 

You understate your achievement sir.  Your test would have included about a dozen questions on the Highway Code and traffic signs, the Theory Test of its day.

Avatar
Grahamd replied to mike the bike | 5 years ago
3 likes

mike the bike wrote:

Jetmans Dad wrote:

....... It is now over 32 years since I passed my driving test. There was no theory test then, and I have never had to take one. That really makes no sense whatsoever. 

 

You understate your achievement sir.  Your test would have included about a dozen questions on the Highway Code and traffic signs, the Theory Test of its day.

I did my test approximately 32 years ago and there were no more than 6 questions on the Highway Code, including traffic signs.

 

Avatar
The _Kaner replied to Grahamd | 5 years ago
0 likes

[/quote]

I did my test approximately 32 years ago and there were no more than 6 questions on the Highway Code, including traffic signs.

[/quote]

Similar to me 1st Nov 1988, passed first time with only 6 paid lessons beneath my belt...and about 6 questions on the 'Theory' portion. 

Reversing around a curve, '3 point' turn, negotiating a fairly busy area of Glasgow...it was as 'simple' as that.

Fast Forward to 2003 and having to get an Oregon State license...start car, drive 100 yards and stop...passed the practical...

Theory...such 'baffling' questions as:

"If you see a _________ sign in your lane, it means you are going the wrong way."

"You are parked parallel to the curb, facing downhill. Which way should you point your front wheels?"

"You are driving on a divided highway with the two roadways separated by a painted median strip. You approach a school bus with its lights flashing that is stopped on the opposite roadway. What should you do?"

"If you spot a slow-moving vehicle in your lane, you should
 - pass it at high speed.
 - alert the driver by blowing your horn.
 - adjust your speed and slow down safely.
 - stop and then take a detour."

And there is also a question on what the maximum height a vehicle with a canoe on it's roof should be...or something to that effect....

Unfortunately, in Ireland, the Gardai turn pretty much a blind eye to 'L' drivers driving unaccompanied, driving on motorways and a whole slew of other issues.

But, the 'L' drivers must have taken at least 12 one hour lessons before they can be tested. Then have 'N' plates for a minimum of two years once they have passed....oh and pay upwards of €4-5k in insurance costs for driving ~1L cars...more for larger capacity, a 17 year old male - first time pass was quoted €11k for his first years insurance on a Focus...
 

Avatar
RobD | 5 years ago
4 likes

Should there not be a responsibility on a manufacturer of 'performance' cars to ensure that those buying/driving them are suitably skilled to do so? The idea that that 1 hour test you took at 17 qualifies you to drive a performance vehicle is pretty ridiculous. And I say this as someone who enjoys driving.

Avatar
Rick_Rude replied to RobD | 5 years ago
4 likes

RobD wrote:

Should there not be a responsibility on a manufacturer of 'performance' cars to ensure that those buying/driving them are suitably skilled to do so? The idea that that 1 hour test you took at 17 qualifies you to drive a performance vehicle is pretty ridiculous. And I say this as someone who enjoys driving.

This gets on my tits and it's not just jealousy about affording the machines as my motorbike is faster than most supercars and most supercar owners can't drive either.

To pass your motorbike best you have to jump through a number off hoops, each one a step up in performance because...bikes are dangerous or something. Meanwhile in car land some useless twunk with no performance driving skills can jump in a hypercar and have no ability readily available at all to handle it.

I used to live somewhere pretty affluent and I'm used to seeing people off to hairdressers in Porsches and Maseratis but it's kind of annoying that kids are told sorry 15hp or 12hp or your motorbike and then 33hp but Joanna Tarkington Otter can drive a 500hp Porsche.

 

Avatar
srchar replied to Rick_Rude | 5 years ago
3 likes

Rick_Rude wrote:

I used to live somewhere pretty affluent and I'm used to seeing people off to hairdressers in Porsches and Maseratis but it's kind of annoying that kids are told sorry 15hp or 12hp or your motorbike and then 33hp but Joanna Tarkington Otter can drive a 500hp Porsche.

Agree. New drivers should be limited to 80bhp/ton for at least the first two years. Want to drive something more powerful? Go to a track.

Avatar
Master Bean replied to srchar | 5 years ago
2 likes
srchar wrote:

Rick_Rude wrote:

I used to live somewhere pretty affluent and I'm used to seeing people off to hairdressers in Porsches and Maseratis but it's kind of annoying that kids are told sorry 15hp or 12hp or your motorbike and then 33hp but Joanna Tarkington Otter can drive a 500hp Porsche.

Agree. New drivers should be limited to 80bhp/ton for at least the first two years. Want to drive something more powerful? Go to a track.

Makes no difference to this journalist who is 28 and has been driving for 10 years.

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