Speeding conviction policy

[anonymous-user]

With the silly season of pre-election manifestos building up a thought comes to mind.

What would be wrong with a policy of removing the fine attached to driving "offences" such as speeding?

If there were no £60 attached to the three points, the SCPs would have diffused the "it's a cash cow" argument.

The other effect of this being that as cameras would then actually *cost* money rather than generate it, there would be more of a tendency to place them in locations where they might possibly have an effect. Pretty soon, they'd all be replaced with flashing signs that have more of an effect and are cheaper.

[docevi1]

and replace the £60 with x hours community service.

[blademan]

LexSport said:

With the silly season of pre-election manifestos building up a thought comes to mind. What would be wrong with a policy of removing the fine attached to driving "offences" such as speeding? If there were no £60 attached to the three points, the SCPs would have diffused the "it's a cash cow" argument. The other effect of this being that as cameras would then actually *cost* money rather than generate it, there would be more of a tendency to place them in locations where they might possibly have an effect. Pretty soon, they'd all be replaced with flashing signs that have more of an effect and are cheaper.

Hi LexSport
I have had this thought too, for the same reasons as yourself. It's a nice idea and is totally logical, but I find it difficlut to believe that ANY party will give up this money making machine.

[Don]

I have often thought that the points on one's licence is punishment enough. After all...totting up would still lead to a ban - and a ban causes very real hardship - a "real" punishment - after all you can be JAILED for ignoring a ban.

It would totally defuse the "cash extraction" accusations as well...

We'd still all be up in arms about the cameras, no doubt...but it would make life a lot more difficult for us as we wouldn't have the "its cash, not safety" argument.

The vile (Labour) government proposals to introduce cash fines with no points for people caught in 30s just highlighted to me that they were only thinking of the money. Because then you can pay over and over and over again and still be able to drive...so you can still be caught and still go on paying...

[TheExcession]

Isn't the fine supposed to cover the admin cost of the letters and having the points recorded etc etc.

When you put it into the context of a bank letter costing £30 then it starts to make sense.

Ex

[cdp]

Don said:

The vile (Labour) government proposals to introduce cash fines with no points for people caught in 30s just highlighted to me that they were only thinking of the money. Because then you can pay over and over and over again and still be able to drive...so you can still be caught and still go on paying...

Removing the points aspect in 30s also removes any relationship to safety. Afterall 30 zones are amongst our most dangerous roads (along with country lanes).

Thing is, reducing the limit on lanes to 40 won't work as it is the speed through the dangerous bits that matter (i.e. where you can't see). The worst bits on country lanes are normally bad at more than 20mph, the clear bits don't really need a limit at all.

Possibly the best thing they could do would be to introduce compulsary training (say to advanced level) at 6 points or above, then 3, then every 5 years (for everybody)....



>> Edited by cdp on Tuesday 3rd August 12:45

[dazren]

docevi1 said:

and replace the £60 with x hours community service.

Why replace it with anything? The point should be if you are a danger on the road you will get to 12 points and you will lose your licence. The points are therefore issue.

DAZ

[plotloss]

But its not that simple unfortunately.

Assuming 12 points = bad driver also assumes that that driver has not passed a badly sited speed trap etc etc.

Ability is subjective so why they thought cameras would solve this issue in the first place I have absolutely no idea.

[anonymous-user]

TheExcession said:

Isn't the fine supposed to cover the admin cost of the letters and having the points recorded etc etc. When you put it into the context of a bank letter costing £30 then it starts to make sense. Ex

The fact that X million ends up in Mr Brown's back pocket even after paying for more cameras, company cars, pr, etc. proves it's more than admin.

[anonymous-user]

plotloss said:

Assuming 12 points = bad driver also assumes that that driver has not passed a badly sited speed trap etc etc.

But if cameras actually *cost* the government money to place, there'd be more incentive to place them more responsibly.

[supraman2954]

I think the government will always hand out a fine. These scameras that they erect are dammed expensive (30k-300k a pop), so they will be wanting this money back (even though it's really OUR money), then more again to pay for the next scamera.