Be wary of finding fault (From Gazette Series)

Be wary of finding fault

SIR - If I decide to consume excessive quantities of alcohol, drive too fast for the conditions and in so doing break the law and end up injuring myself and others, or open the rear door of a moving vehicle and step out, then I expect to have to live with the consequences of my decisions and actions.

I do not expect those who choose to make it their job to pick up the pieces to have to face actual or implied criticism, through your pages or elsewhere, for not preventing me from acting in ways which demonstrate my complete lack of a sense of personal responsibility.

I would like to thank and pay tribute to those such as the employees of the Gloucestershire Ambulance Trust who exercise their skills indiscriminately and non-judgementally in the service of our community to save lives and help people in difficulty.

I would also like to express my support for those in the licensed trade who are required, quite correctly, not to serve alcohol to persons under 18 years of age or those who appear to be intoxicated.

Their job is impossible to do in complete accordance with the law and there is bound to be a margin of error. We cannot expect them to compensate for a lack of personal responsibility on the part of their customers.

John Taylor, Address supplied