Today i discovered WHY Cyclists are regarded as less than " Road Furniture "! Seems there is a group called the " Association of Chief police Officers "! These eminent menbers of the UK Establishment , have devised a way to keep the Courts free of Cycling related Casualty Prosecutions and thus save the Motorist MONEY !
Speed on UK roads , you are likely to get a request in the Post , demanding a remittance of your cash, drive through a Red Light , similar results ! You will also be told that your Licence has forfeited a certain number of POINTS ! In the UK you can lose 12 points before Panic sets in . There have been reports that a number of individuals have convinced the Judiciary to allow them to continue driving after amassing 43 POINTS ! All it required was a " Brief ( Smarmy lawyer who is mates with a key person )" and an appearance in court claiming that the loss of licence could cause " Personal Hardship " !
Well here is the thing , all of the above are at no cost to the personal health of other Road Users ! As a driver you would hope to avoid causing harm , to other Vulnerable Road Users ? Seems that if you do cause " Injury to V R U people , you may very likely NOT EVEN Lose Money , nor EVEN POINTS ! Seems that " ACPO " in their wisdom , have decided that Injuring Cyclists and Pedestrians , does not matter a DAMN !
In 2 cases that i am aware of , using the " ACPO Guidelines " , Police Authorities have rewarded the " Attempted Murder " of Cyclists , with a DAY OFF from driving , so as to attend a " Driver Improvement Course "! With the power of the Unions , these " Education Courses " would mean the " Traffic Violence Terrorist " will get PAID , whilst yawning through the events that will attempt to remind them of the matters they were required to know when they first sought the licence , that was in use when they MOWED Down the unfortunates that they overlooked as they operated their chosen KILLING MACHINE !
How these " ACPO Members " manage to sleep at night , is beyond me !
For speeding & running a Red light , Cash & points , for INFLICTING Pain & Suffering , a day off ?
We ALL hear of " Justice being BLIND ! Never expected to hear it was DUMB & STUPID !
Case 1 , 2 Manchester Lads Cycling from Manchester to Rome with the idea of supporting/fundraising for " Help4Heroes ". Severely Injured with weeks in Hospital in one case and yet the " perp. truck driver gets to yawn through a Day Off from Driving !
Case 2 , personal experience . Having arrived from the Tour de Romandie in London , i had completed my business and was heading for Oxon and thence the Manchester area , Riding on a Cycle Lane past a traffic Island , i found myself tossed like a Rag Doll , onto the pavement . The Mobile Police Command Centre Van , staffed by an Inspector & Sargeant , both bike riders to work , did all that was necessary to ensure a successful prosecution , yet some " Jobsworth " cocked a snoop at them and my Injuries and decided to REWARD the perp. driving the TFL D/Decker bus with a " DAY OFF " ! No cash penalty , no loss of points ! As it was lunchtime , i would hazard a guess that the driver had more on his mind than looking out for Cyclists ?
Currently i am in " No mans Land " , since i chose a " Lawyer " that seems to favour the TFL line of "No Purchase Receipts " for Garments and Equipment , thus not entitled to reimbursement , because we only pay CASH ! Even after advising the Names of my Sponsors/Donors , they are sitting on their hands ignoring common Justice . Had i been driving a Car , they would have gladly paid the Rental of a Vehicle , to get me to Belfast for the Giro D'Italia Grand Depart , for which i was heading at that time . I am sure they would have had no qualms about the expense of my trip around Eire in those Days that were on my way to Belfast ?
Below are a series of Emails that relate further info , on my attempts to obtain Justice in this matter :
" To:
Subject:
LX/1501386/2014/CH
Date:
Fri 08/15/14 02:20 AM
Attachments
Name
Type
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Part 1.1
text/plain
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Part 1.2
text/html
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Letter 22 - NDAC 3rd party decision.doc
application/msword
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Dear Mr McCarthy,
I am writing in regards to the accident you were involved in on 2nd May 2014 in Wandsworth Road, SW8.
Evidence suggests that the bus driver was at fault for the incident. It has been decided that the bus driver will be offered a place on a driver improvement course. If he fails the course or declines to attend we will proceed with court action against him for driving without due care and attention.
Please see attached letter. I have also posted a letter to you.
Kind regards
Colin Harris
Case Manager
Lambeth/Bexley
Traffic Criminal Justice OCU
Phone: 0207 230 0718
Fax: 0208 309 7773
#########################################################
Attn Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe
Commisioner of Metropolitan Police
London
Sir ,
As Commisioner of Metropolitan Police you have a considerable Pool of Talent available to deal with the myriad of Incidents that fall within your purview .
No doubt there are some that fall below the Level of Expertise that you would normally demand ?
The matter i now call your attention to , was attended by a Mini Bus full of your Met. Police Officers , who would have had every opportunity to gather sufficient evidence on the scene , to secure the conviction of the offending TFL Bus Driver ! Had i as a vehicle driver behaved in the same manner , i would no doubt have been issued with paperwork immediately , for at the minimum " Driving without due care and attention ", perhaps even speeding or passing too close to a Cyclist ? However because the vehicle is operated by a member of the TFL Consortia , the Inspector Beresford , or his Sargeant may have instructed the Woman Constable to only take down details , for later consideration ?
As far as anyone is concerned the Traffic Violence inflicted on me was due to my deciding to use that road to pass through London ? In the letter sent to me , there is a definite presumption that i deserve no better , for having decided to be a Bike Tourist in London !
After the November 2013 Cyclist deaths , your Police Force scored considerable Publicity with " Operation safeguard " , wherein Cyclists received countless numbers of " FPN " for a variety of offences , some of those offences in contradiction of the " ACPO guide lines "!
When was ramming a Cyclist in the rear on a " Marked CYCLE Lane " that passes a traffic Island , NOT an open & shut reason for a charge to be immediately imposed ? Attempted Manslaughter, Grevious Bodily Harm , etc , when using a FIST , but using 15 ton of a Metal blunt object , that is OKAY ?
Regretably this PATHETIC Example of " Fair Treatment " is not the only Traffic Violence that received the same treatment as shown in this Tweet/article : " Pedals for medals ?@Pedalsformedals May 5
@Dean_Bousfield, we will be going again, but we will need time to regroup and 'unfold' our bikes and bodies! @HelpforHeroes
So a Charity Group of " Ex Military Guys ( http://pedalsformedals.com/ ) " get wiped out by "Sleeping Driver " , they go to Hospital ( see Photo attached ) andd HE goes to a " Driver Improvement Course ! FAIR DEAL ? Well to the Admin Staff at the CPS ? YAWN ! To the attending Police Officers ? Frustration ?
Unless i am informed by return email / Tweet / other , that your office will review the matter URGENTLY , i will have to do as so many others have done , to have the matter reopened , in order to see the Driver Convicted , seek the services of the " IPCC " .
As you will see from the attachment below my signature , TFL are well known as a source of Misery to the Victims of their ongoing Traffic Violence :
Sincerely
M. Mc Carthy
Met Police Letter Ref : LX/1501386/2014/CH
Originating Officer : Colin.E.Harris@met.pnn.police.uk
#########################################################
From:
"skippy mc carthy"
Reply-To:
To:
Cc:
Subject:
MY REPLY Re: LX/1501386/2014/CH CONFIRM Receipt of Email THIS TIME !
Date:
Sat 08/16/14 11:52 AM
Attachments
Name
Type
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Message
text/html
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SO Disgusted with the reply , which no doubt , was not your decision , that i sent the following through the Facebook Social Media Page : www.facebook.com/metpoliceuk
" Attn Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe
Commisioner of Metropolitan Police
London
Sir ,
As Commisioner of Metropolitan Police you have a considerable Pool of Talent available to deal with the myriad of Incidents that fall within your purview .
No doubt there are some that fall below the Level of Expertise that you would normally demand ?
The matter i now call your attention to , was attended by a Mini Bus full of your Met. Police Officers , who would have had every opportunity to gather sufficient evidence on the scene , to secure the conviction of the offending TFL Bus Driver ! Had i as a vehicle driver behaved in the same manner , i would no doubt have been issued with paperwork immediately , for at the minimum " Driving without due care and attention ", perhaps even speeding or passing too close to a Cyclist ? However because the vehicle is operated by a member of the TFL Consortia , the Inspector Beresford , or his Sargeant may have instructed the Woman Constable to only take down details , for later consideration ?
As far as anyone is concerned the Traffic Violence inflicted on me was due to my deciding to use that road to pass through London ? In the letter sent to me , there is a definite presumption that i deserve no better , for having decided to be a Bike Tourist in London !
After the November 2013 Cyclist deaths , your Police Force scored considerable Publicity with " Operation safeguard " , wherein Cyclists received countless numbers of " FPN " for a variety of offences , some of those offences in contradiction of the " ACPO guide lines "!
When was ramming a Cyclist in the rear on a " Marked CYCLE Lane " that passes a traffic Island , NOT an open & shut reason for a charge to be immediately imposed ? Attempted Manslaughter , Grevious Bodily Harm , etc , when using a FIST , but using 15 ton of a Metal blunt object , that is OKAY ?
Regretably this PATHETIC Example of " Fair Treatment " is not the only Traffic Violence that received the same treatment as shown in this Tweet/article : " Pedals for medals ?@Pedalsformedals May 5
@Dean_Bousfield, we will be going again, but we will need time to regroup and 'unfold' our bikes and bodies! @HelpforHeroes
So a Charity Group of " Ex Military Guys ( http://pedalsformedals.com/ ) " get wiped out by " Sleeping Driver " , they go to Hospital ( see Photo attached ) and HE ( the perp. )goes to a " Driver Improvement Course ! FAIR DEAL ? Well to the Admin Staff at the CPS ? YAWN ! To the attending Police Officers ? Frustration ?
Unless i am informed by return email / Tweet / other , that your office will review the matter URGENTLY , i will have to do as so many others have done , to have the matter reopened , in order to see the Driver Convicted , seek the services of the " IPCC " .
As you will see from the attachment below my signature , TFL are well known as a source of Misery to the Victims of their ongoing Traffic Violence :
Sincerely
M. Mc Carthy
###########
No doubt , if there are conscientious people running that Facebook page , a copy will be on his desk on Monday ? Should i not receive your confirmation of this email by close of business on Monday , then i shall be following these examples :
http://saferoxfordstreet.blogspot.co.at/2013/12/protecting-their-own-what-i-learned.html IPCC by MP ?
The Met’s “re-investigation” of my case compelled by the IPCC simply confirmed that everything Met had done to investigate my collision had been carried out “within standard operating procedures” which - apparently - include:
Not interviewing the victim of a KSI collision involving a TfL bus during the formal investigation phase
Not revisiting the site of the collision during the IPCC-mandated reinvestigation
Not reconstructing the collision...ever.
Not collecting available CCTV evidence in time so it is destroyed
Not reviewing or analysing CCTV evidence (unless two years later and only if compelled to by the IPCC counts)
Not contacting key witnesses (even two years later and even though the Mayor's office managed to do so)
Not reviewing available CCTV evidence to see if it corroborates any witness statements.
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/cyclist-tells-of-struggle-for-justice-after-almost-dying-beneath-lorry-in-hackney-9670790.html
I have ridden my Bike at ProWorld Road Race Major Cycle Tour Events for the past 17 seasons , i did not spend the first 4 months of 2014 preparing to be cheated of success by some 2 bit TFL bus driver , who was probably speeding to his lunch !
You had better have ALL your ducks in a row , because i will be looking for a conviction of something more noteworthy than "Careless Driving "!
Sincerely
M. Mc Carthy
###################################
--- Colin.E.Harris@met.pnn.police.uk wrote:
From:
To:
Subject: LX/1501386/2014/CH
Date: Fri, 15 Aug 2014 09:19:59 +0000
Dear Mr McCarthy,
I am writing in regards to the accident you were involved in on 2nd May 2014 in Wandsworth Road, SW8.
Evidence suggests that the bus driver was at fault for the incident. It has been decided that the bus driver will be offered a place on a driver improvement course. If he fails the course or declines to attend we will proceed with court action against him for driving without due care and attention.
Please see attached letter. I have also posted a letter to you.
Kind regards
Colin Harris
Case Manager
Lambeth/Bexley
Traffic Criminal Justice OCU
Phone: 0207 230 0718
Fax: 0208 309 7773
Total Policing is the Met's commitment to be on the streets and in your communities to catch offenders, prevent crime and support victims. We are here for London, working with you to make our capital safer.
Consider our environment - please do not print this email unless absolutely necessary.
NOTICE - This email and any attachments may be confidential, subject to copyright and/or legal privilege and are intended solely for the use of the intended recipient. If you have received this email in error, please notify the sender and delete it from your system. To avoid incurring legal liabilities, you must not distribute or copy the information in this email without the permission of the sender. MPS communication systems are monitored to the extent permitted by law. Consequently, any email and/or attachments may be read by monitoring staff. Only specified personnel are authorised to conclude any binding agreement on behalf of the MPS by email. The MPS accepts no responsibility for unauthorised agreements reached with other employees or agents. The security of this email and any attachments cannot be guaranteed. Email messages are routinely scanned but malicious software infection and corruption of content can still occur during transmission over the Internet. Any views or opinions expressed in this communication are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS).
Find us at:
Facebook: Facebook.com/metpoliceuk
Twitter: @metpoliceuk
#####################################################
My Reply
" Totally ignoring my previous Email , means that i have NO REGRETS about advising the world about YOUR abismal efforts on my behalf ! That YOU failed to show even the courtesy of inquiring after my HEALTH , demonstrates that you are worthy of the title " Mr jobsworth "!!
Together with the TFL Personnel that i have had occasion to deal with , i regard you as little better than the dross at the bottom of the barrel !
I am not alone in being treated to this cavalier attitude , since i saw thatt 2 Manchester Area Men , were treated to the same disregard , when skittled by a trucker , whilst riding from Manchester to Rome , in support of the " Help4Heroes Charity "!
When you find yourself mown down by 15 tonnes of metal , forgive me if i hope it is by someone that your organisation , gave a " Day Off " , to revise " Skills " required BEFORE being allowed to turn on the ignition of the vehicle that they had become licenced to drive !
That both the attending Inspector and Sargeant , that attended my " TRAFFIC VIOLENCE Incident " , they Cycle to work , took the time to see that my Incident was properly documented to ensure a SUCCESSFUL PROSECUTION , and YOU and YOUR colleagues have SNUBBED their efforts speak volumes for the current " Sweep under the carpet " attitude that prevails for Victims of TFL !
The Met. Police have an " Anti Terrorism Unit " to safeguard the Citizens of London , who would be better employed dealing with those that TERRORISE CYCLISTS !
When 9 Cyclists were KILLED in November 2013 , the Met. Police solution was " Operation Safeguard "! Great effort to solve the problem ? Since when did VEHICLES have the right to RAM Cyclists off the road ? Releasing Police Officers , not properly aware of the UK Laws about CYCLING , on a STOP Cyclists Exercise to TELL THEM that they should be wearing Helmets and Wearing High Vis. garments , none of which are required by the Highway Code , OR , UK Laws demonstrates a level of STUPIDITY that is also demonstrated by giving a TFL Bus Driver a " PAID HOLIDAY " for ramming a Cyclist , and thus causing 5 months ( so Far ) of pain & suffering !
YOU think you are finished with this matter ?
Think AGAIN , jobsworth !
Your Superiors will find the Blogs generated , UNCOMFORTABLE Reading !
Under is the email , previously sent , just so YOU can avoid claiming that it was unseen !
Sincerely
M.Mc Carthy
###########################
From:
"skippy mc carthy"
Reply-To:
To:
Cc:
Subject:
MY REPLY Re: LX/1501386/2014/CH CONFIRM Receipt of Email THIS TIME !
Date:
Sat 08/16/14 11:52 AM
Attachments
Name
Type
Save
View
Message
text/html
Save
SO Disgusted with the reply , which no doubt , was not your decision , that i sent the following through the Facebook Social Media Page : www.facebook.com/metpoliceuk
" Attn Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe
Commisioner of Metropolitan Police
London
Sir ,
As Commisioner of Metropolitan Police you have a considerable Pool of Talent available to deal with the myriad of Incidents that fall within your purview .
No doubt there are some that fall below the Level of Expertise that you would normally demand ?
The matter i now call your attention to , was attended by a Mini Bus full of your Met. Police Officers , who would have had every opportunity to gather sufficient evidence on the scene , to secure the conviction of the offending TFL Bus Driver ! Had i as a vehicle driver behaved in the same manner , i would no doubt have been issued with paperwork immediately , for at the minimum " Driving without due care and attention ", perhaps even speeding or passing too close to a Cyclist ? However because the vehicle is operated by a member of the TFL Consortia , the Inspector Beresford , or his Sargeant may have instructed the Woman Constable to only take down details , for later consideration ?
As far as anyone is concerned the Traffic Violence inflicted on me was due to my deciding to use that road to pass through London ? In the letter sent to me , there is a definite presumption that i deserve no better , for having decided to be a Bike Tourist in London !
After the November 2013 Cyclist deaths , your Police Force scored considerable Publicity with " Operation safeguard " , wherein Cyclists received countless numbers of " FPN " for a variety of offences , some of those offences in contradiction of the " ACPO guide lines "!
When was ramming a Cyclist in the rear on a " Marked CYCLE Lane " that passes a traffic Island , NOT an open & shut reason for a charge to be immediately imposed ? Attempted Manslaughter , Grevious Bodily Harm , etc , when using a FIST , but using 15 ton of a Metal blunt object , that is OKAY ?
Regretably this PATHETIC Example of " Fair Treatment " is not the only Traffic Violence that received the same treatment as shown in this Tweet/article : " Pedals for medals @Pedalsformedals May 5
@Dean_Bousfield, we will be going again, but we will need time to regroup and 'unfold' our bikes and bodies! @HelpforHeroes
So a Charity Group of " Ex Military Guys ( http://pedalsformedals.com/ ) " get wiped out by " Sleeping Driver " , they go to Hospital ( see Photo attached ) andd HE goes to a " Driver Improvement Course ! FAIR DEAL ? Well to the Admin Staff at the CPS ? YAWN ! To the attending Police Officers ? Frustration ?
Unless i am informed by return email / Tweet / other , that your office will review the matter URGENTLY , i will have to do as so many others have done , to have the matter reopened , in order to see the Driver Convicted , seek the services of the " IPCC " .
As you will see from the attachment below my signature , TFL are well known as a source of Misery to the Victims of their ongoing Traffic Violence :
Sincerely
M. Mc Carthy
###########
No doubt , if there are conscientious people running that Facebook page , a copy will be on his desk on Monday ? Should i not receive your confirmation of this email by close of business on Monday , then i shall be following these examples :
FROM
http://saferoxfordstreet.blogspot.co.at/2013/12/protecting-their-own-what-i-learned.html IPCC by MP ?
" The Met’s “re-investigation” of my case compelled by the IPCC simply confirmed that everything Met had done to investigate my collision had been carried out “within standard operating procedures” which - apparently - include:
Not interviewing the victim of a KSI collision involving a TfL bus during the formal investigation phase
Not revisiting the site of the collision during the IPCC-mandated reinvestigation
Not reconstructing the collision...ever.
Not collecting available CCTV evidence in time so it is destroyed
Not reviewing or analysing CCTV evidence (unless two years later and only if compelled to by the IPCC counts)
Not contacting key witnesses (even two years later and even though the Mayor's office managed to do so)
Not reviewing available CCTV evidence to see if it corroborates any witness statements.
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/cyclist-tells-of-struggle-for-justice-after-almost-dying-beneath-lorry-in-hackney-9670790.html
I have ridden my Bike at ProWorld Road Race Major Cycle Tour Events for the past 17 seasons , i did not spend the first 4 months of 2014 preparing to be cheated of success by some 2 bit TFL bus driver , who was probably speeding to his lunch !
You had better have ALL your ducks in a row , because i will be looking for a conviction of something more noteworthy than "Careless Driving "!
Sincerely
M. Mc Carthy
###################################
--- Colin.E.Harris@met.pnn.police.uk wrote:
From:
To:
Subject: LX/1501386/2014/CH
Date: Fri, 15 Aug 2014 09:19:59 +0000
Dear Mr McCarthy,
I am writing in regards to the accident you were involved in on 2nd May 2014 in Wandsworth Road, SW8.
Evidence suggests that the bus driver was at fault for the incident. It has been decided that the bus driver will be offered a place on a driver improvement course. If he fails the course or declines to attend we will proceed with court action against him for driving without due care and attention.
Please see attached letter. I have also posted a letter to you.
Kind regards
Colin Harris
Case Manager
Lambeth/Bexley
Traffic Criminal Justice OCU
Phone: 0207 230 0718
Fax: 0208 309 7773
#########################################
letter from colin : yet to scan this into Computer
##########################################
From:
To:
Subject: : " JOBSWORTH Effort "!!
Date: Mon, 6 Oct 2014 09:40:38 +0000
Dear Mr McCarthy
Your e mail has been passed to me as the senior police staff manager in charge of Mr Harris. I will review your case and respond to you ASAP,it is too early to say at this moment if you have any genuine reason to complain as your e mail is a mixture of personal abuse,threats and a general tirade against the system.
One thing which cannot be changed is our action in your case the offender has taken a course and as such cannot be prosecuted for your collision as this is considered by the law as an abuse of process.
Yours Sincerely
Trevor Benton.
############################################
my reply
Thankyou for your prompt attention and email . Somewhere i mentioned that your colleague was the victim of the system , that you have to work within !
Whilst i am only aware of the two cases mentioned , mine and the 2 Charity riders for " Help4Heroes " , i am almost certain that there are countless others , that have suffered the same fate . The derision that the judiciary holds to that 2nd class citizen , the Vulnerable Road User !
We CHOOSE to ride bikes , we Choose to leave our vehicles at home , yet reading , listening and watching the Media , we are little more than " MOBILE Road Furniture "! Indeed there are Politicians that have stated similar sentimen ts , such as those described in that website :
www.facebook.com/groups/stopkillingcyclists/1505539113030329 ( it may be Southwark Council ? )
When you consider that a Mobile Police Command Van attended the scene of the Traffic Violence and that the Ambulance Crew required tthat i travel to Hospital and abandon the Bike to other arrangements , it must be clear that ENOUGH EVIDENCE wouldd have been collected to eensure a successful prosecution of the errant driver .
That he was given a " DAY OFF WORK " as a reward for whatever negligence he displayed , is an insult to ALL that attended and tried to assist me there ! That a similar reward was made to the Driver thatt albut killed the Charity Riders adds further derision to this form of dealing with Traffic Violence !
Politicians are involved in deciding the form of retribution meted out to the " Errant Drivers " , much to the frustration of the thinking person , yet , very little appears to be happening to ensure that the " Victims " are fairly treated .
I chose to suffer the pain and after being delivered by the Police Van to a Bike shop , i took the cheapest options to stay mobile . It is being held against me by those at TFL that i was wearing clothes provided to me and using equipment that was also provided . it is their contention at present that until i provide receipts for PURCHASE , the destroyed /damaged property has NO VALUE ! Yet they only wish to give me cents on the euro , if i had those receipts ! Had the bus rammed my car , i would have had a rental provided and the car returned to a similar condition , paintwork and roadworthy .
5 months later i am still suffering a slight problem with my elbow and the " Lawyer ( my unfortunate choice ) prefers that i travel at expense to London for Examination by Specialists . I would sooner go without , than trust the NHS or UK Specialists to tell me what an Austria Doctor is MORE CAPABLE of telling me .
Frankly the System you administer is BROKE ! Having to work within it must be the source of Daily Frustration ?
No doubt your examination of this case will show that your colleague has done his job to the " Specifications required " , BUT , why do you ALL , not remedy the situation by ensuring , that those that IMPOSE these lenient " slap on the limp wrist " penalties , replace it with FINANCIAL PENALTIES and loss of POINTS ?
With Unions requiring that " Education Courses " be on Paid Work Time , it is likely that the Errant drivers are even PAID to learn/revise ALL they were required to know to obtain the Licence in use at the time they delivered their NEGLECTFUL actions !
Sincerely
M. Mc Carthy
This email will also receive exposure on Social Media !
#####################################################
LONDON, arrive in Good Health , leave as a CASUALTY !
