Wednesday, 11 June 2014

Ten grand fines, no cops and car servcing



11 June

My Doblo is supposed to be in for a service today. Opps … it’s currently got our old carpet across the rear seats and both scooters in the boot. We remember the servicing late last night, even though it was on plain view in the diary. I’ve now rearranged it for tomorrow. That will mean our planned trip to Minsmere will have to be on Friday now. Oh the fun we have … … …

And so some speeding fines are going to rise to £10,000. Can you ever see anyone getting that penalty? No, nor can I. It all seems such a waste of time and effort really. All fines are means tested, which means they are tailored to how much the offender can pay. A speeder on job seekers for example, won’t be able to pay such a large fine; but hang on, he can afford to run a car AND to speed while doing so. Think about a little further. Excessive speed uses even more fuel doesn’t it? For my money’s worth, if they can afford to run a car and speed, then they can afford to pay the fine too. Oh yes … why not take their licence away until the fine is paid? Hopefully that will ensure the fine does get paid.

Cars are nicked on a regular basis. Drivers now have photo-card licences. I’m sure it wouldn’t take all that long, or all that much effort either, for the manufactures and DVLA to come up with a method of programing the car and licence so that the car won’t start until the licence is inserted into a slot on the dash board. The program could be set up to include all the insurance drivers for that car. Dealers and registered service agents will be able to override the program for servicing and so on. Yes, that loop-hole could be exploited, but not by everyone who fancy’s a drive in car they don’t own. But will it come about? Don’t hold your breath folks!!!

Another issue that follows on from this, is the number of cops out on the roads. Watch the reality TV cops shows and you may well get the idea that are lots of cops about in cars cruising around just waiting to catch someone. I’m sure all drivers, well, the law abiders that is, will have noticed just how few there really are. What’s the use of a ten grand fine if there’s no cops about to catch the speeders? There is no point!

I finally got my photos from Sunday sorted last night. I have 155 out of 297, to go up on flikr today. Most of them are of trucks and pub signs, so won’t be of interest to most viewers. But I enjoyed taking them though. Here’s one of them … 

A bronze statue of a cooper I found at the Brewery Museum.

And today’s funny …

As a police officer I was patrolling one night when I noticed a car swerving all over the road. I quickly turned on my lights and pulled the guy over. “Sir, you know you’re all over the road, please take a step out of the car.” When the man gets out of the car I tell him to walk in a straight line. “I’d be happy to,” says the drunk “just can you get the line to stop moving.”

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