To those who suggest simply removing the ignition keys, on some older british models the key is not next to the door, it's in the middle.
This woman obviously had some kind of episode and yes, I would suggest if she was that disturbed, she shouldn't be allowed to drive.

Rebecca, Northwich, England

Have I missed something in this story? Nowhere does it say she had a mental illness. The coroner referenced her mental state at the time, that's all i.e. she couldn't think rationally . Sad state of modern life that people speculate wildly and fill in their own facts, as 24-hour news media often do.

Wayne, London, UK

To Suzie in Chesterfield, the erratic behaviour of someone suffering from bipolar disorder is hardly novel to our times.

Michael Richard Allen, Exeter, UK

What sad commentary on the times we live in. I feel very saddend by this needless and stupid waste of life.

suzie, chesterfield,

let the lady rest in peace.

bosire, nairobi, kenya

It must have been an extremely harrowing scene for all those involved & with the benefit of hindsight perhaps people may have tried to do more. Its very unfair to judge people harshly after the event. My job involves attending scenes such as this and my sympathy goes to all involved.

K Knowles, Derbyshire, UK

Having come suddenly upon a bizarre situation myself it takes some time for your brain to understand what is going on. I'm sure these poor onlookers have rerun this over in their heads every day since and what they could have done. This wasn't road rage but she was acting suicidal on the road.

KR, Market Harborough, Leicestershire

@Nonki
Ahem... reality check...someone hits my car from behind and while I get out, tries to push it forward by applying the accelerator fully, injuring me in the process. Only someone equally deranged would actually try to get back into his/her car to drive out of the way.

Nader, London, UK

For the benefit of the posters from the USA we don't have to worry about guns being carried in other peoples cars in the UK as it's illegal to carry any firearm.

Does say something about your 'rights' when your first thought is always 'They might have a gun?'. Must make you feel very protected

Paul, London, UK

Lots of "I would have..." on here. Strange that none of these 'heroes' ever happen to be about when these things happen isn't it? A sad incident and I feel equally sorry for those that had to witness it as I do for the woman who died.

Alex Ritchie, Salisbury, United Kingdom

@Nonki

I hope you're not trying to be witty with your last comment. Obviously, a small compact car like a Nova would not be able to push a heavier car forward without any momentum....

Perkins, London, UK

A truly horrific experience for the woman concerned and the nearby observers. And a timely reminder that, with our 'care in the community' policies, there are people living un-supervised and un-medicated who can be both a danger to themselves and others.

Tony, West Lothian, Scotland

How did the car in front not get pushed along while the car behind was spinning its wheels? Why didn't the driver of the car infront move of once it was realised that the other car was burning? How did brake fluid escape from that car to catch fire?

Nonki, ondon, UK

The bystanders clearly did everything in their power to help this deranged person. It sounds as if some of the commenters here feel they should have climbed in the car and died with this woman in order to prove they acted responsibly. I think they were remarkably brave to get that involved.

Barbara, Cincinnati, United States

Surely Eyri, any prescription drugs she was taking (and you seem to assume she was taking them) would have been prescribed to have the opposite effect on someone suffering a mental illness? Or are you of the opinion that all psychiatric drugs are dangerous?

Lee Lewis, London,

That's because it would be speculation Eryri - if it was public knowledge that she was on prescriptive drugs it would have been mentioned! Not everyone who is bi-polar takes meds & conversely the drugs aren't wrong for many - my bi-polar mum totally erratic without them. So don't jump to conclusions

Gemma, Burton,

It mentions she had suffered from bi-polar, but doesn't attribute her actions to it totally - there is no way of knowing whether it killed her. Mental illness isn't black & white - the illness doesn't govern all personality aspects - some people are just bloody minded, violent & antisocial anyway!

Gemma, Burton,

Reading all the comments, I have to say there are a lot of good points made. However, I don't blame the bystanders I think they did what they could at the time. We weren't there so we can't make the determination if enough was done. I think I would have tried to pull her out tho, just don't know.

susan, Waco, USA

Why was this woman allowed a driving licence?. How many more like this are on the road?.

pete m, HULL, UK

Yet again, while mention is made of her illness, nothing is said about the prescription drugs which can have a devastating effect on the mind.

Eryri, cheshire, uk

I know the news media love to propagate the "road rage" thing but this clearly was not.

The poor woman was ill and there was little that anyone could do.

R Bingham, Lauzun, France

Scene from a J G Ballard novel.

Adam O'Toole, Boston, USA

good grief!!! i was expecting this story took place in America. Maybe one of the tests to pass to get your license should be a mental evaluation.

mike grant, Philadelphia, USA

This is the front story, but we don't know what went on in here personal life to act in this way. It is very interesting what triggers this kind of actions. Recently in Greece a 50 year old jobless man set himself on fire. All people can get enraged but most have a mental "break" these 2 didn't

Spyros, Athens, Greece

A lot of people seem to be missing the point that this woman had bipolar disorder i.e. this was not just road rage but a severe mental illness. However as others have pointed out, there is no reason to stop all mentally ill people driving - in many this condition is well-controlled with medication.

Emily, Cambridge,

I'm with Simon. I think something happened before this incident. I think there might be people/a person who know/knows perfectly well what that was.

Ross, Lancaster, UK

Sad story, the woman was obviously ill..but I feel more sorry for the innocent bystanders who had to witness it. Terrible !!

S Herring, crowthorne, uk

I feel terrible for this woman. I hope that her family/friends get the support they need while handling the details of this tragedy.

Tiffany, Phoenix, United States of America

I think most people here that say the bystanders should have helped are missing a very important part of the story. This woman had her foot on the accelerator the whole time. Sparks and rubber were flying off. I would hate to be leaning inside if she put it in reverse.....

Joe, Austin, USA

If you want to judge people, please judge yourself first! Case is end! She learn a good lesson and teach us a valuable one! Road rage is not acceptable!!! God bless Us!

Alex, Glasgow, UK

I wonder what happened prior to this event which propelled her to act in this way?

Simon, Ashford,

Here in my country, especially where I live, we have a serious problem with road rage motorists. Many of them carry guns. It's very hard for me to find any sympathy for this woman. She brought this on herself. People need to learn to count to ten before they go off on another motorist

Andrew, Phoenix, Arizona, USA

she probably had her seat belt on....

pulling someone out is one thing , but leaning into a burning car over the lap of a dangerous lunatic to try and undo their seatbelt (against their will) is another...

g, brighton,

Who knows what actually happened, this story seems a bit fishy to me. People were willing to try to put out the flames, but NOBODY thought to pull her out? Obviously she was going to die if she sat in a burning vehicle. Plus, It happened in the UK, nobody carries firearms there!

Sarah, Amherst, USA

JB that could of been a possibility to take the keys out but a few factors can easily come in to play.

1. She Had a Death Wish
2. why would you risk your own life to save someone else that could possibly cause harm to you..

3. easy to say what he should of done, but put in the actual situation..

Chris, Melbourne, Australia

What would this woman have done if she had a firearm or other weapon in her vehicle? Why would anyone think Mr Willmore was in anyway responsible for the ridiculous ending to this story. In my opinion the road in front of Mr Willmore's house is much safer now!

Will, Caldwell, U.S.

I think it's easy to sit calmly and judge all actions in this incident. Nobody really knows what it was like or how violent this woman was really acting. For all the bystanders knew, she could have had a gun next to her in the car. Noone really knows what's going on in another's mind.

Becky, dallas, USA

Mr Willmore should have had the presence of mind, whem he opened the door, to turn off the ignition and grab the keys out.

JB, Preston, Lancs

Kelly of London said:

"Some people are just uncontrollable & irrational when they lose their temper".

As a layman I ask: is there a spectrum of behaviour from normal to insane, or is there a distinct point where mental illness starts?

ColinG, Doha, Qatar

georgie from london - You are right. bipolar is only as severe as other mental disorders when used as an excuse in 'court'

tony, brewarrina, australia

It appears she was filled with anger very often. I agree with the writer who said "it could have been much worse" God bless her soul.

alex, oklahoma city, usa

Personally suffering from bi-polar I don't believe that this was the sole reason she did this. Yes I get quite angry with other drivers at times but never in a thousand years would I ever do something that stupid. I have never hit anyone or shown true road rage. I pitty the bystanders and victim...

Graham, Nova Scotia, Canada

A friend of mine used to get severe road rage, it was caused by the artificial sweetener aspartame. He found out by removing all aspartame products from his diet.

Spare a thought for the witnesses, they're going to remember that day for a long time to come.

Horace, Hunmanby, Yorkshire, UK

Ash from Sydney - are you suggesting we ban all people with any sort of mental illness from driving?? She had bipolar disorder, so you're saying no-one with bipolar should drive??! You should get a better understanding of these illnesses before you say that, truly.

georgie, london,

I have seen this kind of rage 1st hand & yes it could be describe as mental illness but I do not believe it is. Some people are just uncontrolable & irrational when they lose their temper. Some people just like to intimidate others. My sympathy lies with the bystanders who where unable to help.

Kelly, london, uk

Why are people who are this ill allowed a license? What would have happened if it the car she had rammed ahd caught fire instead?.

John Wood, Uxbridge, UK

Some folk are in such a desperate state inside their heads that it is very hard to say what was going on. Probably to do with relationships and money. So much so that she no longer cared what the hell happens. Lots of people find modern life so grim and disappointing they just want to sign off.

Colin, Carmarthen, United Kingdom

I agree with Ash. This woman should not of been driving as she was an accident waiting to happen with such erratic behaviour. However I can't help thinking...not another article about bi-polar disorder.The few people that give it bad press contributes to the stigmatisation of mental health issues.

C. Findlay, W. Yorkshire, UK

Would you feel sympathy for the woman if she had injured or killed the person she was ramming?

Would you risk injuring yourself to save a potential murderer?

Let people take responsibility for their own actions.

Andrew, London, England

This article makes her out to be an idiot... yet it takes until the very last parapgraphs to get the context that she was mentally ill and that's what probably led to her actions. Very sad.

Tony, Islington, London, UK

I would have dragged the woman out of the car for the sake of my conscience and to hell with the aggro which may follow.

Alex, London,

so poor woman ! have a good way in heaven !

Lyon, JiangSu, China

i dont understand how someone would allow her to stay inside the car.
there are many ways you could intefere like simply open the passenger door and shut of the ignition, slip the car into neutral...etc.
people should be more pro active. my opinion is that everyone is afraid of being sued.

Ronald, Beirut, Lebanon

It would be interesting to compare reader reactions to male road rage patients.

Road rage is a severe mental illness regardless of patient sex.

Would anyone talk about dragging a male road rage patient out in similar firey circumstances?

Most people/drivers have imperfect mental health.

Keith S, Winnipeg, Canada

This poor woman wanted to die. Rage and anger cause more deaths and problems than any other emotion. I hope her family, if she had one, do not blame themselves.

Terry Owings, Auckland,

Nor really road rage, though, is it? The poor lady suffered from a severe mental illness, and it killed her. Very sad.

Jamie, Bolton, UK

If it was known that there were questions over this person's mental health, why was she allowed to drive in the first place???

Ash, Sydney, Australia

Did anyone think to drag the woman from the car?
There would be a row yes but justifiable.
Hindsight...

J erry Scriggin, Phoenix, Arizona/USA