Fookin Rozzers - VERDICT ADDED

General General Lotus Talk
61

Guys… you have NO idea how lucky you (we) all are when it comes to driving in the UK!!!

Here is OZ… the country that USED to be laid back, chilled out, relaxed, there is now virtually a police state when it comes to speeding and driving after a drink.

My recent indiscretion, began at the beginning of a ‘normal’ 1000km drive from Melbourne to Sydney. I was on a 3 lane TOLL motorway at 8 am on a Saturday. Road empty, cruise control set (to avoid a staring and fixation on the speedo rather than road hazards ahead!!), under the toll gantry… Three weeks later the letter arrives! 106kph in a 100kph zone! That is 6kph over… about 3.72 mph over the limit… 3.72%!!! My bloody speedo needle is wider than that!

(My Dad’s car is a Holden (Vauxhall) Astra… 1.8L. Guess what speedo range it has… 0 - 280 kph!!! So, why don’t these government legislator idiots here make the speedo range 0 - 110 KPH… the ranges of speeds in OZ? Then at least you would have a better chance at knowing EXACTLY what your Fffing speed was!!!)

The reason… the government fixation with ‘Speed Kills’!!! So, the net result here is that all and sundry drive along at exactly the posted limit. You then get 3 lanes of traffic, 3 lanes of MORONS! now all tail-gating, cars alongside trucks, motor bikes etc etc with no room to change lanes. So guess what happens next… rear end accidents with multiple cars involved, side-swipe accidents. People still die as they are flattened sideways by the truck and huge insurance premiums are the order of the day. It does my bloody head in!

I have been pulled over 9 times in one year for RBT… ‘Random Breath Testing’. Never even had a drink when I have been pulled either… last Christmas in NSW they stopped over 280,000 people for RBT over 3 days… guess how many were over the limit… 530!.. Over the limit of .05, perhaps .051 or heaven forbid, .08 as in the UK! That would be a jail sentance here!!!

I am Sooooo looking forward to returning to the UK and having a nice drive along a quiet deserted ‘B’ road… and excited about being in the outside lane of the motorway at whatever speed that happens to be! In either case… it will be a bit more that 100 kph!!!

Mike is right… there are peeps out there who should NEVER be at the wheel of a car… who probably have 10 accidents a year and cause another 10. And there are professional drivers or skilled peeps who can drive a car safely at speed without really even trying… The law has to cater for the Lowest Common Denominator… I just wish Plod would cater for common sense! :imp:

62

Try to avoid Carlisle when you get here Pete. :angel:

63

There’s so many ways to deal with speeding, where we are now isn’t perfect, but better than a few years ago when it was all secret cameras, unmarked vans and hiding in bushes. At least now there are people behind laser guns in some of the cases, cameras painted yellow, list of sites, etc.

As for the speed issue making people not trust the police, well that’s up to you. Remember why speed limits were first suggested on motorways? At first it was all done on trust, cars weren’t that fast and there were no speed limits. Then a couple of manufacturers had a bit of pre Le Mans test on the M1, and rumours were circulating about time trials going on at various sections by the public. As ever small minority spoil things. Same with trucks and coaches. Slow down guys, you’re killing a disproportional amount of people in the accidents you are involved in. Trucks don’t slow down. Slow down guys, and fit these in the cabs, we want to check your speed and as a bonus get to check your hours as well, and may take retrospective action, you’re still killing too many. Trucks still don’t slow down enough. We said slow down, so go fit these speed limiters, you now can only do 56mph max. And leave the tacho in the cab for good measure, so we can still check up on your hours and you haven’t twiddled with your limiters.

Better education is where its at. Motorway lessons, night, city, country, wet, dry, retest every 10 years say. Not answer 20 multiple guess questions and do a three point turn, emergency stop when I say so and try not to crash on the test route.

64

Will do! :laughing:

65

Re trucks …
Now we have the tacho in the cab…
A speed limiter 49.5 mph in Tesco’s trucks…
ISOTRAK , a real time tracking system which relays live data to the depots computers…
MICROLISE , a real time route analysis system, again sending live data to the depot…
FLEETBOARD , another analysis system that sends 6 driving parameters back to the depot including braking , revs, speed again! , idling time etc etc.
So think yourself lucky you car drivers only have plod to contend with! !

66

Next step…robot drivers :thumbdown:

67

Another update -

I have received notice to appear at court on Thurs 28th Nov at 2.00pm. A ban is being considered.

I have taken legal advice:-

Apparently it is the points on my license at the time of the offence that is considered, not which points are still ‘active’ at the date of the hearing. At the time of the offence (4th Sept 2013) I had 6 points (2 x 3point speeding convictions). Three of these points ceased to be active after 9th Oct 2013. My first hearing was 7th Nov.

If I am sentenced to 6 points the will constitute a ban under totting up. The ban would be 6 months. Less than a six point sentence means I keep my license which will on return to me show a total of

8 points (for a five point sentence)
7 points (for a four point sentence)

My solicitor thinks it would be harsh to be given 6 points. He agreed that it appeared the magistrates either did not read the enclosed letters, or simply chose to disregard them. He feels that if I appear in person and read out the letters then I should not get 6 points. He felt his attendance would make no difference.

If I were to receive 6 point I can (and will) appeal. This will be heard at a Crown Court.

I’ll be taking the train to Carlisle on the day……….

The court could even issue a warrant for my arrest if i fail to show :crazy:

68

Mate, I’ve just read through this in full and find it absolutely amazing - what a bunch of nob heads!

Fingers crossed you get away with keeping your licence on the 28th & all is OK.

Mark

69

I did the Crown Court route for something similar and got away with it but the extra stress of representing myself sometimes made me think “was it worth it ?”

I was still angry when I left the court :imp:

70

When you say got away with it what do you mean?

I am appealing if I get 6 points and therefore a ban under totting up. If this were to happen I will by then have served a ban until an appeal is held. I wonder how my license would look if it was overturned? Short ban, license retuned with no points or some other outcome I wonder (reduced fine for example).


Totally agree about the stress issue.

71

Tim mate… I am TOTALLY astounded :open_mouth:

FFS… the whole of the UK drivers have done what you did… just a common sense way of passing someone in that situation…

I REALLY hope that common sense prevails… I do wonder :question: :question: :question: if perhaps you are being made a scape goat mate… this is an open site… perhaps you should get this post deleted? :crazy:

72

Few years now since my brush with the Cumbria plod and subsequent ban - Mega stressful mate.

Fingers crossed for favourable outcome Tim when the court reads the full details.

73

I pleaded not guilty and got found not guilty and I wasn’t guilty, it’s a totally long story and basically they never had any evidence of what they were accusing me of.

I would advise deleting/editing this thread because if it’s 50/50, plod could be reading it and know your next move, unlikely but possible

74

I’ve already admitted guilt to exceeding the limit, so that’s not up for debate. Plod will therefore not be at court.

What is up for debate is the sentence to be handed down, which if is 6 points will be a sham (& a ban). This will be instantly appealed for being too severe (bearing in mind the events and mitigating circumstances). I am confident a Crown Court would have the sense to see a fair outcome…

75

If it goes against then the best thing is to go for short ban/clean license IMO.

Good luck.

You didn’t do anything dangerous and was very practical but the law can’t cope with that :frowning:

76

When I went to Crown Court it got adjourned twice,which cost me two days in wages :imp:

I’d just get the court on your side by showing remorse,coming across as a decent person etc and fingers x

77

Thanks to you and all for the kind wishes :angel:

A short ban is unlikely as totting up = 6 month mandatory :frowning:

S1Exige - that’s the plan mate :slight_smile:

What I don’t know is if 6 points (& therefore a ban) is ‘awarded’, and if appealed successfully…what then? Short ban & clean license or some points and no recompense for loss of (driving) liberty. Who knows?

78

Hope it was good news yesterday?

79

No internet in the Old Bailey mate… :astonished:

80

I’m confused where is the verdict