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Or you could just not break the law

(11 posts)
  • Started 9 years ago by gibbo
  • Latest reply from UtrechtCyclist

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  1. gibbo
    Member

    Motorists face 'zero tolerance' approach to speeding on the motorways

    prompting the usual whining:

    Hugh Bladon, co-founder of the Association of British Drivers said the plan “beggared belief” and would lead to revolt on the roads.

    He said: “I think this is a dangerous precedent. I am really appalled that a police force should be even considered such an idea. My fear is that if police forces see this working in one area they will quickly adopt a similar approach and soon the whole motorway network will be operating a zero tolerance policy”.

    Surely the "dangerous precedent" was created when police turned a blind eye to speeding?

    Posted 9 years ago #

  2. Stickman
    Member

    I've got no problem with the zero tolerance approach, or the fines/points.

    Where I do have a serious problem is the idea that the police will be the ones to receive the proceeds.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  3. dougal
    Member

    Soon every driver will be punished for breaking the law! The horror.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  4. earthowned
    Member

    This is one of the reasons why I have learned to love average speed cameras on the motorway. The widespread view that speed limits are advisory needs to be broken.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  5. chdot
    Admin

    "learned to love"

    You mean you used to be a hard pressed law-ignoring-motorist??

    Posted 9 years ago #

  6. acsimpson
    Member

    The article takes a long time to point out that the fines are going to the treasury not the police. It's only if the speeders decide to buy their way out of receiving points that the police receive a penny. I thought someone recently said that the 10%+2 leeway on speeding was a national guideline but this article seems to suggest otherwise.

    I'm on the fence about whether police should receive at least some of the fines money. On one hand it seems to provide an incentive to chase a certain type of criminal and probably only a subset of them as a camera on the motorway is likely to create more fines and cost less to run than a bobby on a back road. On the other hand it would allow police to increase their patrols and hopefully improve road safety.

    Perhaps safety camera should be centrally funded and not come from individual forces budgets.

    Some great editing by the telegraph gives this photo caption: The UK is involved in a technology race with Chinese manufacturers to lead the way with battery-powered cars

    Posted 9 years ago #

  7. earthowned
    Member

    @chdot - I will neither confirm or deny.

    Drive at 70 mph on the motorway and you'll have a steady stream of traffic overtaking you. Drive at 20 mph in a 20 zone and you'll be overtaken. Drive anywhere at the speed limit and you'll have someone tailgating within minutes.

    It is the cultural norm in this country to speed, reinforced through car manufacturers advertising, popular TV shows (e.g. star in a reasonably priced car), motor sport (F1, Moto GP). Slow driving is generally perceived as bad driving. I don't know how you shift this way of thinking. To my mind it is just as bad as the American "right to bear arms".

    Posted 9 years ago #

  8. 559
    Member

    @earthowned
    Totally agree, and would supplement with car advertising is always on empty roads, where speed is implicit if not stated.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  9. chdot
    Admin

    "To my mind it is just as bad as the American "right to bear arms"."

    Yes and no.

    The problem there is 'interpretations' of the Constitution.

    Here laws are fairly clear.

    Unfortunately law makers and law enforcers seem content to sanction 'a reasonable degree of lawbreaking' - 'because everyone does it'.

    Gun deaths, road deaths - all fine in a democracy.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  10. slowcoach
    Member

    The proposals described in the Telegraph article in first post wouldn't apply in Scotland. Here, we do have centrally funded cameras, although Police/roads authorities could choose to spend extra. We don't have compulsory speed awareness courses as an alternative to a fixed penalty for a speeding offence. The money from fines doesn't go to the Police or roads authority (and even when it did years ago, only costs were allowed so they couldn't be used to generate a surplus).
    The ACPO Guidelines (for England Wales and N Ireland) do allow prosecution at any speed over the limit - see para 9.7. There is a reminder that their equipment is accurate to 2mph, or 3mph for 70mph limits, so it would difficult to have less than 2 or 3mph tolerance, but other offences might be relevant even if the speed was below the maximum limit.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  11. UtrechtCyclist
    Member

    The Daily Mash responds.

    Posted 9 years ago #

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