Beetle causes crash as pals drive 10 miles to walk dog
A DRIVER who crashed when a huge beetle flew through the car window was slammed by police yesterday for breaking coronavirus lockdown rules just to walk a dog.
Angry traffic officers said a group of friends were travelling 10 miles from their home when the creature, thought to be a “doodlebug” cockchafer beetle, caused the panicstricken driver to lose control.
The four shocked occupants of the car and the dog escaped with cuts and bruises and the black Vauxhall Corsa was written off. The doodlebug was killed.
Police, an ambulance and a fire engine rushed to the accident on the B4009 Hermitage to Newbury road near Thatcham, Berkshire.
Thames Valley Police traffic officers who went to the crash pulled no punches in scathing online criticism of the group.
Posting photos on Twitter, the officers said: “They were driving TEN miles from home to walk their dog. Clearly an avoidable journey. Stay at home!”
The driver is now faced with the embarrassing task of explaining the circumstances of the accident to insurance company bosses. The friends received no sympathy from furious social media users either.
They called the friends selfish “halfwits” for clearly breaking the Government’s rules about exercising only close to home.
Chris Smith said: “Should report it to their insurance company who should stop paying out for people who don’t comply!!! Halfwits !!!! ” Joanna Green told police: “I wish you were given the power to take their licences away. It’s all emergency services workers that are unnecessarily being exposed and their households.
“Selfishness has gotten the better of society.”
Mels said: “I hope the dog and the bug are unharmed! The people in the car should be locked up !!!! ” Because of yesterday afternoon’s hot weather, the car had at least one of its windows open.
The bug apparently flew in as the vehicle travelled past open fields.
Police across Britain have reported that many people have been driving at high speed because the roads are relatively deserted. A resident who lives near the scene of yesterday’s accident said cars had been “racing round the roads all afternoon”.
Stapleford tweeted: “Start fining these muppets. They are not listening.”
And Andy E said: “And here is the prime example why we don’t drive to exercise.
“Dog owners/walkers really are proving to be a special breed of selfish in this pandemic.”
David Reeves said: “Expensive, unnecessary drive – wishing them good luck with the next insurance quote (not).”
Cockchafer bugs, also called Maybugs, fly around in April and May looking for a mate.
The two-inch beetles lay their eggs in the soil and the grubs hatch into beetles the following spring.