In memory of Mark
Page 36
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WE ARE LOOKING for a good Samaritan. The person we are looking for is one who has shown care, courtesy or courage in the interests of other roadusers.
Why should we be looking for such a person? It is because this year we are leading a campaign to improve the public image of road transport and we know that there are many drivers who do a great deal in this direction but whose efforts go unnoticed and unsung.
You may be employing the person we want to find. You may have witnessed or been on the receiving end of an act of courtesy, care or courage. We would like to hear about it.
This aspect of our campaign has its roots in a tragedy that occurred last year.
Mark Vane (19) was killed in a road accident in a country lane in Kent. He was one of five brothers, all of whom are lorry drivers, and it was Mark's ambition to follow them. Sadly, he never could.
Mark Vane was a careful and courteous young man, well liked by all with whom he came in contact. So well liked was he that when two of his friends opened a memorial fund people for miles around were quick to contribute.
The Vane family and Mark's friends offered CMa trophy in his memory for presentation to the Lorry Driver of the Year. We suggested that it should go to a quite separate aspect of the industry.
Last December we met the family, discussed the possibilities in detail and came up with this simple but, we feel, worthy project.
The Mark Vane Memorial Award will go to the person who, in the opinion of the judges, has shown the highest degree of care, courtesy or courage on the road between November 1 1982 and October 311983.
What the judges require is the name of the person nominated and his company's name and address, together with a short narrative of his act.
The judging will go on throughout the year and nominations may be submitted from now. We believe the nomination should be made as soon as possible after the incident so that nothing is forgotten.
It may be necessary for the judges to interview a final short list of nominees. If so, we will make the arrangements.
Nominations may be made by employers, family, friends, colleagues, the police, the emergency services or any other witness.
The award will be a suitably engraved piece of Kent stone to be retained for one year. The holder will then receive a replica in Swedish glass.
The details of the incident will be recorded in a bound volume as a permanent record.
In addition to the trophy the winner will be taken each year during December to Gothenburg in Sweden for a five-day visit by courtesy of CM and Volvo. In Sweden there will be a visit to Volvo's accident research unit and an opportunity to see how the company regards safety in vehicle development and construction.
This is not a competition but a project which we feel sure will be supported by employers, trade associations, the media and the general public.
Nominations should be sent to The Editor, Commercial Motor, Room 304C, Quadrant House, The Quadrant, Sutton, Surrey, SM2 5AS. The envelope should be marked MVT in the top lefthand corner. The project is open now.