Dear Editor,
I didn’t know Jude Bentley personally. I remember when his dad started their cycle shop about a decade or more ago, competing with another cycle shop on the same block which had been in business for more than three decades. I remember Jude in his earlier years getting into cycling, passing him and his colleagues occasionally on the East Coast and Carifesta Avenue when I myself was out riding, in which I had been involved since the eighties. I remember him becoming popular on the national scene as his dedication to training paid off. Jude was a most unassuming, successful person who those of us who respected cycling came to admire. He was a good son who assisted his dad much with his business. On the occasions we encountered each other during visits to his cycle store, he always impressed me as someone who had developed an immense sense of awareness, which was sharpened by his competitive spirit, and as with many other Guyanese, I wondered what he could have become had he pursued tertiary studies.
Jude Bentley is dead. The victim of another reckless drunken adult who had all the age and experience to know better than to drink and drive. Accidents involving injuries and loss of lives, etc are so much harder to bear when we reflect that drunken driving is a tested topic in our national driving test, and on our own national sorry attitude of absolute disregard for government-sponsored public advertisements across the media spectrum, inclusive of billboards around the country warning against driving under the influence of alcohol. This makes it so much more unforgivable when accidents and deaths like Jude’s occur, as we have no other emotion but intense anger when they do.
As with every other accident involving drunk driving, Jude’s death cannot be allowed to be a victim of our challenged court system. Jude was a major player in his family’s business, and contributed much to its growth and success. This death has torn a wound in the hearts of his family, friends and the national cycling arena, including many aspiring young children and adults. Most importantly however, Jude has left a young wife with a son to take care of through to adulthood. Jude meant a lot to his wife, his son, and they must be compensated.
During my time, I’ve observed a number of early-morning morning accidents which very likely involved driving under the influence. These include another early-morning fatal accident involving another cyclist and a bus driver just around Liliendaal a few decades ago, vehicles mashing into the same post just before the gas station on Camp Street (twice), a pick-up running under what used to be the Plaza Cinema, and a host of other accidents on the Camp & Lamaha and Camp & Church streets intersections through the years. The absolute irrationality behind these accidents, many involving death, injury and much financial cost and lost time, was unbelievable, and continues even in spite of increased public awareness efforts.
On the score of our current national attitude of disregard for warnings and penalties for driving under the influence, we are brutally reminded once again of the costs and personal tragedies of drunk driving with Jude’s death, and I personally add my voice to those already on record, do not drink and drive! I understand many drivers are mistakenly under the impression that driving under the influence is the supreme driving test, and they are ‘man’ enough to drive unfazed by alcohol, but we are too often reminded that our senses are undoubtedly impaired. Be rational. Alcohol alters reality and impairs motor responses, and regardless of how we feel, just for a moment consider that we could well be responsible for the next fatality if we drink and drive. Let us make a national effort to be more responsible and save a life. If you drink, don’t drive. Sleep over, take a taxi, or have a friend or someone give you a drop. Further, if you know you’re going out to have a good time, call a taxi, and have friends do likewise. Lack of sleep also causes accidents. Just think about it and do the right thing. It takes around twenty-four hours for the effects of alcohol to wear off. Be responsible. If you drink, don’t drive!
Yours faithfully,
Craig Sylvester.
