Brain storm

Sir, During the recent storms, when half the beaches were thrown up on the coast roads, together with high speed rocks and stones, many people were keen to get really interesting photographs, presumably to put on social media etc, to let friends know how extreme the weather had been.

Some were keener than others to get good pictures and at one place on the island the following was seen.

The road in question was awash with large waves, when a relatively small car turned up with a driver clearly keen to get impressive pictures. The car was being severely buffeted by waves and was being moved at times bodily sideways – no problem. The car stopped and turned round to give the driver a lee to get out and run to a suitable place to take pictures – which happened.

At this point, bystanders noticed there were people, clearly terrified, in the car and who were obviously fearful of the motion of the car. It was suggested to the driver that it was an unsuitable place to park, that the people left in the car were distressed and wouldn’t it be a good idea to move the car. The reply was astonishing – there’s no problem, it’s got to be perfectly safe as the police have not closed the road!

Presumably, this individual considered that had the car been washed away and the people within lost, then the police would suddenly conjure up replacements as part of their responsibilities. Well, think that one over again.

The nanny state is not in the business of meaning that anything you can do that you are not told not to do, is safe to do. Or is it? Come on, grow up – we had better have some sort of responsibility for our own safety or frankly face the consequences.

Yours, Rory Cowan, Kildonan.