Another over reaction, or reasonable punishment?
Discussion
A cabbie was sentenced to five days in prison after refusing to pay a fine for leaving his fog lights on.
www.portsmouthtoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=455&ArticleID=1501535
www.portsmouthtoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=455&ArticleID=1501535
Seems fair enough to me. Fog lights is one of my personal dislikes. 5 days in prison? Seems harsh given the circumstances, but if he flatly refuses to pay the fine, what are they to do? Non-payment of any fine can eventually lead to prison. If a fine is too much, measures can be set up by the Court which allow easier payment, but this guy was flatly refusing. By the looks and sounds of it he *might* have given the Officers a load of grief at the roadside too, a bit of a 'wide boy'.
I know I'll get flamed for the next 10 inevitable pages of this thread, but there you go!!!
HW
"Chief Superintendent John Campbell,defended the officers' actions, saying Mr Potter had been warned before about driving with his fog lights on.
He said: 'Advice had not been followed and there was little alternative but to issue a fixed-penalty notice."
If he had been warned before, seems fair. Not new - Tom Goode in the Good Life was sent to jail for not paying his fine
Showing my age (and trivial knowledge)
He said: 'Advice had not been followed and there was little alternative but to issue a fixed-penalty notice."
If he had been warned before, seems fair. Not new - Tom Goode in the Good Life was sent to jail for not paying his fine
Showing my age (and trivial knowledge)
If he'd been warned before, and if it was clear where he was, then they were right to issue the FPN. After that, it's cut-and-dried...although the Cat-B prison seems harsh.
BUT...there is a warning in there for all of us regarding how FPNs can be used, and the lack of options once received.
Imagine if they started issuing FPNs for 'unnecessary acceleration'!!!
BUT...there is a warning in there for all of us regarding how FPNs can be used, and the lack of options once received.
Imagine if they started issuing FPNs for 'unnecessary acceleration'!!!
Rest easy HW, it looks like this was a one man crusade to get behind bars, who knows maybe it's more comfortable there than being with erindrawers. The multiple warning thing shows BiB were more than reasonable imo, and it was the guy's approach to the fine that got him a short stay at HMTQ's pleasure. Maybe he's a very principled man, or maybe it's the opposite.
havoc said:
BUT...there is a warning in there for all of us regarding how FPNs can be used, and the lack of options once received.
It is your choice what to do about a FPN.
1. You can pay it if you have been caught and accept that fact.
2. You can ask for the FPN to be replaced by a hearing at court.
FPNs can only be usedin those ways. The alternative for no FPN is being reported for the offence and being summonsed anyway. The choice is ultimately yours in how you wish to deal with the matter after your offence has been dealt with by a police officer.
You do not have to accept a FPN. You can tell the officer at the time that you will not accept it. That does not mean however that the officer will not issue it anyway. If you do not accept it at the the time, the only way from there is summons.
havoc said:
Imagine if they started issuing FPNs for 'unnecessary acceleration'!!!
We can
! mg6b said:And have! Been discussed on here before iirc, someone 'caused' a bit of wheelspin and was ticketed. Emergency starts should be exempt from police action on spurious safety grounds related to the word 'emergency'
Imagine if they started issuing FPNs for 'unnecessary acceleration'!!!
We can
mg6b said:This assumes that, at the time, you are capable of making a rational decision and understand exactly what you are being FPN'd for. It is likely you won't know the exact law surrounding the situation.
You do not have to accept a FPN. You can tell the officer at the time that you will not accept it. That does not mean however that the officer will not issue it anyway. If you do not accept it at the the time, the only way from there is summons.
Is it possible to reject an FPN after you have been given it, not at the time of issue?
If not, it strikes me as very open to abuse.
mg6b said:
Imagine if they started issuing FPNs for 'unnecessary acceleration'!!!
We can
'You'll have to catch me first copper!!!'
No Flamin' from me HW - one of my pet hates also.
Only thing I see is, 5 days for a £30 fine in a prison that most probably will need to spend more than that on food to feed him.
Just can't square the circle that they can't send criminals found guilty of things like personal attacks because the prisons are 'full' but they can soon find a space for someone who won't pay a £30 motoring fine.
Just seems like priorities are bit twisted.
BB
Only thing I see is, 5 days for a £30 fine in a prison that most probably will need to spend more than that on food to feed him.
Just can't square the circle that they can't send criminals found guilty of things like personal attacks because the prisons are 'full' but they can soon find a space for someone who won't pay a £30 motoring fine.
Just seems like priorities are bit twisted.
BB
BigBob said:According to Tony Blair today, you're right (another thread). Trouble is it's his f
No Flamin' from me HW - one of my pet hates also.
Only thing I see is, 5 days for a £30 fine in a prison that most probably will need to spend more than that on food to feed him.
Just can't square the circle that they can't send criminals found guilty of things like personal attacks because the prisons are 'full' but they can soon find a space for someone who won't pay a £30 motoring fine.
Just seems like priorities are bit twisted.
BB
g fault with the so-called social justice claptrap and HR bowing and scraping to pondlife. BigBob said:
No Flamin' from me HW - one of my pet hates also.
Only thing I see is, 5 days for a £30 fine in a prison that most probably will need to spend more than that on food to feed him.
Just can't square the circle that they can't send criminals found guilty of things like personal attacks because the prisons are 'full' but they can soon find a space for someone who won't pay a £30 motoring fine.
Just seems like priorities are bit twisted.
BB
Hear hear ! What's wrong with it HW, is not that this guy goes to prison, but that the dross which probably is responsible for 90% of your problems seems immune to it !
Well, if he's been warned before and still drove with them on then he's pretty stupid. Someone who drives all day long for a living would surely be aware enough not to keep forgetting to switch them off.
Prison is a bit extreme, but not sure what else they could do if he refused to pay the fine.
Prison is a bit extreme, but not sure what else they could do if he refused to pay the fine.
havoc said:
Is it possible to reject an FPN after you have been given it, not at the time of issue?
If not, it strikes me as very open to abuse.
You have 28 days to think about it afterwards
havoc said:
Imagine if they started issuing FPNs for 'unnecessary acceleration'!!!
We can
'You'll have to catch me first copper!!!'
Thats been said before too
! >> Edited by mg6b on Monday 15th May 18:44
Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff