From: "E.J. Totty", [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>The speed camera decision is being appealed apparently.
>
>Rememeber this case is not necessarily about speed cameras
>it is about the wording of the 'Notice of Intended Prosecution'.
>This means that the police may have to persue the vehicle and
>detain the driver to gain a prosecution or conviction for any
>road traffic offence. Who's up for more police chases through
>urban areas at stupid speeds? Dukes of Hazard style police
>chases where you can't prosecute them unless you catch them?
--snip--
>--
>No-one says the police have to pursue the speeder. What annoys
>me about the whole thing is this obsession with speeding. There
>are a million other unsafe things that can be done with a vehicle
>that are just as big a threat to public safety but I don't see
>national campaigns to do with them.
Steve, and Jeremy,
I think it interesting that the police (politicians)
haven't pursued the more classic English method of getting
at the problem English style.
I presume that you are all aware of 'civil forfeiture'?
That unique little machination of law was invented
by the English Admiralty as a means of restitution to the state
where vessels were found with contraband, and no one claimed
responsibility for said cargo. Prior to the implementation of
said law, the owner would get his ship returned minus the
cargo. Thereafter the law, the ship was held guilty of the offense,
and held forfeit. How unique.
Here in the jolly US, that aspect of law has been abused
so mightily, that the US Congress yearly has had various bills
placed before it to rehabilitate the law and severely restrict the
application of it until after a finding of guilt.
Pray that that aspect of your law isn't reinvented in
the case of speed. And, you are 'spot on', Steve, about the offences
committed with vehicles. It really devolves to the easiest thing
that they can catch you doing, because it is the thing done most.
The cops around here (Washington) have taken lately
to a bit of a relaxed attitude in the matter of speeders, and instead
ticket the really obvious ones, and those who move in traffic
like a bloody idiot. As an example, on the highway, above 50 mph,
5 over is nothing, 10 over is usual, 15 over will usually get you
pulled over if the traffic or the conditions warrant it.
And, you know? Once the speed limits were upped
from 55 to 70 mph, the accident rate dropped accordingly.
Interesting, isn't it? The nay sayers were predicting
'blood running in streets'. Where have we heard that before?
ET
--
In many countries they have cameras at traffic lights
to catch people going on red, not in the UK though.
Most accidents I have seen have been a result of
people jumping the lights or not giving way.
Steve.
Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org
List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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