Safe Speed Forums

Ok , we all send flowers - but what Paul would have wanted would have been support for the campaign - and MONEY for Claire.


Someone (PERHAPS roger ??????) might get of the seat and ask for donations to the Paul Smith Campaign ( to help Claire )

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lets bring sanity back to speed limits.
Drivers are like donkeys -they respond best to a carrot, not a stick .Road safety experts are like Asses - best kept covered up ,or sat on

Botach,

"What Next?" is a good question. A lot of it is down to Claire and she has a lot to do and think about and get over right now, as I'm sure you are aware.

I know that SafeSpeed management is in good hands in the mean while, the most important thing is that people switch their funding to Claire's account ASAP so that she has the money to continue, and then the hard work begins.

I'm hoping we can pull together and keep the campaign going, I hope that Claire has the strength to continue (I have no reason to think otherwise) and that we can decide and put forward a "face" for the campaign, but it is going to be very hard to fill Paul's shoes.

All the best

Paul

post edited to remove unnecessary personal feeling.

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It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his job depends on not understanding it.

Upton Sinclair

Roger is already on the case, see here:

http://www.safespeed.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=16788

No PayPal account as yet, but you can send a cheque or do a direct bank transfer.

Any existing regular payments should be stopped as they will be frozen until Paul's estate is settled.

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"Show me someone who says that they have never exceeded a speed limit, and I'll show you a liar, or a menace." (Austin Williams - Director, Transport Research Group)

Any views expressed in this post are personal opinions and may not represent the views of Safe Speed

Intestate..

Learn all out there. We never know what';s before us and death.. hell . he sneaks up like the vile creature I know him to be.


I paid in full when due. My wife too.


We donate on top -with family fines from the smilie abuse and my wife's abuse of the English Language

Have instigated transfer of what would amount to decent bouquet of flowers. Matching same with our spon/don account to British Heart Foundation and making plain that this is to commemorate the life of safespeed and very courageous man who lived for his beliefs and was Paul SAFESPEED Smith.


We are off line to try to establish what Claire needs right now .. and flowers and plants seem nice .. but she needs food.. warmth.. something to provide comfort and joy right now.

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If you want to get to heaven - you have to raise a little hell!

Smilies are contagious
They are just like the flu
We use our smilies on YOU today
Now Good Causes are smiling too!

KEEP SMILING
It makes folk wonder just what you REALLY got up to last night!

Smily to penny.. penny to pound
safespeed prospers-smiles all round! !
But the real message? SMILE.. GO ON ! DO IT! and the world will smile with you!
Enjoy life! You only have the one bite at it.

I have used various words, likely all wrong! "Frozen", "Sequestrated", "Unavailable"... PLEASE do not read anything sinister into any of them. I simply know from experience that when someone dies, their bank account, if in single name, except for specific things such as clearing pre-signed cheques, paying funeral expenses and very few other things, becomes inaccessible for a while.

This is so whther solvent or insolvent, in credit or in debt, intestate or testamented... it is simply a part of the process of estate administration.

Knmowing the difficulties the campaign has faced in the past, I felt it would make sense to divert funds for the campaign to its new owner. Nothing more, nothing less.

I have no clue as to whether Paul left a will, nor should I - that is private to his family and partner. I have no clue as to solvency either. That has been up and down with various things.

I do know though - and trust my life on it - that Paul and Claire have INTEGRITY. There is NOTHING Machaevellian in my suggesting the funds go to Claire, just common sense.

I hope that clears up any inadvertent over-reading of my perhaps earlier poor choice of wordings - here, in e-mails, and likely quoted on several boards since!

Obviously far too early to consider anything right now, but i had a thought regarding the campaign and wondered if its name should be possibly altered to:

The Paul Smith Safespeed Campaign, or something similar.

I feel Paul was a modest kind of guy who probably wouldnt approve, but i think it puts the focus firmly on his efforts as a true road safety campaigner and keeps the connection with him alive.

He was one in a million and i dont know how anyone else feels about this, but to me it seems to draw greater attention to both him and the legacy of his lifes work; The Safespeed Campaign.

Was just a thought.

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"Safety" Scamera Partnerships;
Profitting from death and misery since 1993.

Believe nothing- Question everything.

It's a nice thought - but it really has to be Claire's decision, when she feels able to come into the public.

She's the next of kin in real terms.


Accounts always tend to get locked under these circumstances. We had this with the two Swiss guys in the past.


Their estate was "locked" till it was resolved under probate -which if I recall accurately - took a couple of months. We need to help tide Claire over this period in reality.


Agree with both you and Deltaf over Deltaf's suggestion too. Nice idea which keeps Paul Smith as the founder of safepeed in the "frame" - but this is for Claire to decide as and when she feels ready to make such decisions and at the moment .. I can well imagine how this poor girl must be feeling..and I can only tell her that she has my best regards and on-forum heart felt love sent to her.

_________________
If you want to get to heaven - you have to raise a little hell!

Smilies are contagious
They are just like the flu
We use our smilies on YOU today
Now Good Causes are smiling too!

KEEP SMILING
It makes folk wonder just what you REALLY got up to last night!

Smily to penny.. penny to pound
safespeed prospers-smiles all round! !
But the real message? SMILE.. GO ON ! DO IT! and the world will smile with you!
Enjoy life! You only have the one bite at it.

Sorry ,Gents - I'm caught in something similar at present - my father is alive (JUST--he can walk ,just about knows his name etc) in a hospital after strokes AGED 86) - but although I have his bank statements , bank card etc - he needs money , would it be legal for me to withdraw money from his account to give to hospital staff to get him things he needs ?? (I know my position)
Claire has my sympathy.I will contact my bank asap.Have, and will also (with members approval ) suggest to any site I visit that comments on how well Paul came forward that they send donations ,rather than anything else .

_________________
lets bring sanity back to speed limits.
Drivers are like donkeys -they respond best to a carrot, not a stick .Road safety experts are like Asses - best kept covered up ,or sat on

No need to apologise, mate. Neither Claire nor Paul would want you - or anyone - to donate anythin that they couldn't afford.

Your encouragement and steering would ber mnuch appreciated along the lines you suggest. That is great support in itself.

botach.. talk to Papa und then apply for power of attorney so that you can pay for what he need from his pension - which what he has pension for here. See bank manager asap. Legal bods asap.

I would urge Claire to speak to bank/lawyers/probate wallies too asap to get funds released to her und family.


Meantime .. we deposit in Claire's account to keep her solvent in meantime .. able to pay the overheads etc.

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Nicht ganz im Lot!
Ich setze mich immer wieder in die Nesseln! Der Mad Doc ist mein Mann! Und ich benutzte seinen PC!

UND OUR SMILEYS? Smile ... und the the world smiles with you.
Smiley guy seen when you read
Fine me for Safe Speed
(& other good causes..)

Greatest love & Greatest Achievements Require Greatest Risk
But if you lose the driving plan - don't lose the COAST lesson.
Me?
Je ne regrette rien!

Wildy - used "papa " as example - he is in BETWEEN the stage of compos mentos and non compus mentos , which council tell me is being applied for ---- Problem is that in his case as in Claire's it takes time , and we as SS members could help Claire if we could pay our monthlies direct into Claire's account - 500 members paying £4 a month = £2000 .A lot of weight off her mind at this time.

_________________
lets bring sanity back to speed limits.
Drivers are like donkeys -they respond best to a carrot, not a stick .Road safety experts are like Asses - best kept covered up ,or sat on

Ach Liebchen .. the problem of getting old.. und a bit forgetful. My in-law Jazz ist looking after elderly relative .. it difficult as they can be convenienltly not lucid as well ,.,.but you never really certain.

But it does take time to sort.. so being bossy little me.. I would just say to folks out there that perhaps they may like to just put the cost of a bouquet or a small spray of flowers to help Claire,. This pay respect to Paul und help the woman he loved too. It what he would have wanted .. I am sure. It do more than ephemeral flowers which are die as soon as harvested for display. If folk really disagreed with Paul .. but still respected him all the same.. like the JJ trio perhaps .. then perhaps they put what they would consider paying for bouquet to charity which try to get the same cash with which to save lives.. such as British Heart Foundation etc.

Bouquets und sprays from about a fiver upwards mount up .. it make big difference to Claire und a charity too - if you decide to split 50/50 even. So many supported Paul in life ,..so in death he warrant the same respect in any case.

_________________
Nicht ganz im Lot!
Ich setze mich immer wieder in die Nesseln! Der Mad Doc ist mein Mann! Und ich benutzte seinen PC!

UND OUR SMILEYS? Smile ... und the the world smiles with you.
Smiley guy seen when you read
Fine me for Safe Speed
(& other good causes..)

Greatest love & Greatest Achievements Require Greatest Risk
But if you lose the driving plan - don't lose the COAST lesson.
Me?
Je ne regrette rien!

WC - other sites I've visited - have commiserated with Paul - my reply was to stick hand in pocket.
Suggest we ask Claire whether she wants flowers or donations to the campaign.

_________________
lets bring sanity back to speed limits.
Drivers are like donkeys -they respond best to a carrot, not a stick .Road safety experts are like Asses - best kept covered up ,or sat on

Botach, I do not believe it is legal unless you have your fathers permission.

You could assume implied permission if you have done similar before when he was more well. If you did do this you should keep all receipts and a note book and get someone to counter sign it once a week.

My experience was that getting power of attorney is very hard and may get the bank account locked up. HSBC told us they would help us with our mums account then locked it!

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Speed limit sign radio interview. TV Snap Unhappy
“It has never been the rule in this country – I hope it never will be - that suspected criminal offences must automatically be the subject of prosecution” He added that there should be a prosecution: “wherever it appears that the offence or the circumstances of its commission is or are of such a character that a prosecution in respect thereof is required in the public interest”
This approach has been endorsed by Attorney General ever since 1951. CPS Code

I now do all my banking online and you can more or less set up anything you want to send money to Claire’s (or anyone else's) account. I send most of my donations bank to bank using online banking, you only need the sort code and the account number of the person you are sending it to, that’s it, you can send what you want, when you want .

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Useless laws weaken necessary laws.

I feel that I have friends in you all and this is so comforting.

The funeral was recorded (not great quality) but it is a record.
If you wish for a copy or ? then this can be arranged, however my thoughts are for a southern SafeSpeed Gathering and perhaps show the funeral then, so the 100's of people that could not attend, may be able to pay their respects at this time ? What do you all think?
I also thought that it may give people the opportunity to focus on the future too.

The local BBC are going to try & look out all the recordings they have. They are shocked & amazed.
A local newspaper in Norfolk, rang on the friday, and wanted Safe Speed's opinion about their drivers, so I gave him the 100 word Highway Code, and told him that if they all learned and used it then their roads would be safe. It seemed a bit unreal at the time, but I am sure Paul would have been proud of me.
I briefly met with Jamie Stone (works with John Thurso), my local MP, who knew Paul (we know the family anyway), and apart from being utterly shocked & saddened by the sad news, he is going to start hunting down publishers.
I know that we need to sort out the information to collate into a book.
So a 'writer/editor' will be needed. Then there is the money to produce it.

I know just about every aspect of SS and all Paul's driving for safety points. However what I fall back on is all the research that Paul did and learned. I can learn it to, in time, and can then couple to two but it will take time.
And as you have all very correctly guessed, money is a very big issue.

Regarding Estate issues, Paul had very little when he died. I have seen the Bank, and everything is on hold. But as it is so little they believe that they can (just!) send me a cheque. I have yet to sort out the Paypal account. I will do this later.
I have a Paypal account : claire@animationsource.net
(for the moment)

So that you all know - I am an animator / animation director. Paul & I had always hoped to produce a cd/dvd about 'real driving' where he did the words & I did the animation / pictures. I can easily produce images for a published book to illustrate the points (prob 3d in style). I recall taking hours with Paul, about how to express the 'regression to the mean' scenario.

I tried to help Paul with how to lay out the website, and although it helped him, guess what, he 'did it his way'

Whilst I know that he died doing what he loved, and in a far nicer way than being in hospital, which he was not looking forward to one bit, I shall miss him, so terribly much, words totally fail me.
I know that you will all too of course, as he had made many, many excellent friends and aquaintances.

Some of you that have called that I have told the news to directly, I know will miss him terribly to. He had so much to give and gave so willingly.

We will never know the true number, of lives that he has saved from all the work that he has already done, but I shall try my best to promote what he has done, and see what I (with your help) can do to continue finding the figures, showing the errors, and the promotion of those faults.

I LOVE driving, and as I drove late last night, back to my friends, the moon lit up the blanket of white that covers everything at the moment. It was wonderful. The roads were clear and my car felt good as I found my apex and powered along the clear open straights. I know that Paul is with me as I feel him by my side and speaking in my ear.
I am sure that he wants me to tell you, that he misses you all, but he did what he could & his body let him down, now it is a new chapter, he has laid down a motorway of a track, and it is up to us to now put the car in gear and go for it.
I have every intention of doing so, I hope that you will join me.

My love to you all for all the fabulous comforting words, and the flowers and cards.

Although right now I can't contibute financially (I hope, once my attempt at getting my business off the ground is successful, SS is still about to donate to, however) if those who are more in control feel it would help - I'd be more than happy to contribute by giving the site design a bit of tidy up. I'm a freelance web designer, and I'd love to help by organising it into a more presentable promotional tool.

Other than that, Claire, keep at it you're doing wonderfully.

Paul had someone working on a SafeSpeed lite version of his web site. He wanted to give his website a better look with less clutter, with a link to the original site. I don't know how they are getting on but he did say that they were a bit slow. He was also trying to come up with a different logo because people associated it with the SS (Germany). Maybe Claire will know how things were progressing.

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Useless laws weaken necessary laws.

There is so much to organise and sort out.
The site I can promise you will stay around for as long as I am (and websites ), for that matter.

I know how Paul worked and whilst I cannot be 'him' I can see what I can do. I need some time to get my head round everything that has happened.
I shall grieve forever.

Money is a big issue. I need at least a £1K a month, and we have not always seen this. Whilst I run my own biz, it has been on a complete back burner with ALL of the events of this year. (Later).

You can reach me on 01862 893 893.
Thank you all for the supporting words, cards and flowers - they have been gratefully received.
Claire