Sick man fined for speeding at 4am
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Sick man fined for speeding at 4am
By Joanna Codd
A SICK man told to hurry home from hospital to await a telephone call from a doctor found himself up in court - after being caught speeding at 4 o'clock on a Sunday morning.
Surveyor John Lewis, of Bransgore, had got up in the middle of the night and driven to the Royal Bournemouth Hospital's accident and emergency department because of severe ear pain.
"When I got there, the place was mayhem. The police were there and there was one girl on reception," he said. "She was under siege. She just said: Sorry, there's a four-hour wait'."
Mr Lewis spoke to a hospital doctor by telephone. "He said: If you get back to your house as soon as possible, we'll get a locum out to prescribe something for you'.
"My main focus was on driving home as quickly as I could. I didn't drive dangerously. There was nothing on the roads."
A month later he received a notice that he had been clocked by a speed camera doing 37 mph in Castle Lane East - seven mph above the limit.
advertisement"I immediately wrote with an apology. I said I didn't know I was speeding and would like to be considered for extenuating circumstances.
"I attached a letter from my doctor but didn't even get a reply."
Although he admitted the offence, Mr Lewis, who travels 30,000 miles a year through his job, opted to go to court so he could explain what happened.
"The magistrates were very sympathetic and said they were minded to waive the three points, but the young clerk reminded them they didn't have the power."
He was fined £60 and had his licence endorsed by three points.
Mr Lewis spoke out after the Daily Echo revealed that nearly a million motorists in the country are within three points of a driving ban.
Dorset Safety Camera Partnership did not wish to comment.
4:00pm Tuesday 3rd April 2007
Sick man fined for speeding at 4am
By Joanna Codd
A SICK man told to hurry home from hospital to await a telephone call from a doctor found himself up in court - after being caught speeding at 4 o'clock on a Sunday morning.
Surveyor John Lewis, of Bransgore, had got up in the middle of the night and driven to the Royal Bournemouth Hospital's accident and emergency department because of severe ear pain.
"When I got there, the place was mayhem. The police were there and there was one girl on reception," he said. "She was under siege. She just said: Sorry, there's a four-hour wait'."
Mr Lewis spoke to a hospital doctor by telephone. "He said: If you get back to your house as soon as possible, we'll get a locum out to prescribe something for you'.
"My main focus was on driving home as quickly as I could. I didn't drive dangerously. There was nothing on the roads."
A month later he received a notice that he had been clocked by a speed camera doing 37 mph in Castle Lane East - seven mph above the limit.
advertisement"I immediately wrote with an apology. I said I didn't know I was speeding and would like to be considered for extenuating circumstances.
"I attached a letter from my doctor but didn't even get a reply."
Although he admitted the offence, Mr Lewis, who travels 30,000 miles a year through his job, opted to go to court so he could explain what happened.
"The magistrates were very sympathetic and said they were minded to waive the three points, but the young clerk reminded them they didn't have the power."
He was fined £60 and had his licence endorsed by three points.
Mr Lewis spoke out after the Daily Echo revealed that nearly a million motorists in the country are within three points of a driving ban.
Dorset Safety Camera Partnership did not wish to comment.
4:00pm Tuesday 3rd April 2007
vonhosen said:
WildCat said:
I think this tale prove how "sick" this system ist. I bet if he had been tugged .. the officer would have simply escorted him home to ensure he arrive safely :roll:
An escort for a man with earache going from hospital to home ?
I think the point is that a real policeman would/ could use discretion, although of course there are plenty of "PC Bored" out there. Time for an old joke?
"Officer - thank God I've found you - I've got enteritis and I'm trying to find a sh1thouse"
"You've found one Sir - lets have your name and address"
You don't get any discretion from a speed camera at 4am in the morning ....
vonhosen said:
WildCat said:
I think this tale prove how "sick" this system ist. I bet if he had been tugged .. the officer would have simply escorted him home to ensure he arrive safely :roll:
An escort for a man with earache going from hospital to home ?
Liebchen . if a genuine ear ache .. he would not hear the whooo--whoooze
But jokes apart.. what ist someone deaf/hard of hearing supposed to do if stealth police vehicle om shout but who wants "element of surprise" supposed to do if this shout appear on rear end. All very well to say to look in mirror ,. but I will bet most are not like me und thee Liebchen who know wat in frontund behind at any one time.
Und we know.. stealth vehicle just "appear" if not marked. which ist why we should have lots of marked cars after all to contradict something you said ages ago Am not unreasonable.. I just ask the rather obvious questions of you. Ist not being rude to you Liebchen
Wildy
vonhosen said:
WildCat said:
I think this tale prove how "sick" this system ist. I bet if he had been tugged .. the officer would have simply escorted him home to ensure he arrive safely :roll:
An escort for a man with earache going from hospital to home ?
OK, maybe an escort is a bit over the top. But, if you had been out in a patrol car that night, would you have stopped him for doing 37mph at 4am? And would you have given him a fixed penalty notice as well?
7db said:
the wiz said:
"The magistrates were very sympathetic and said they were minded to waive the three points, but the young clerk reminded them they didn't have the power."
Poor advice if that's really what was given. Mags could have given a conditional or absolute discharge.
Exactly, what's the betting the clerk is a lentilist / cyclist?
waits for incoming ad551 said:
vonhosen said:
WildCat said:
I think this tale prove how "sick" this system ist. I bet if he had been tugged .. the officer would have simply escorted him home to ensure he arrive safely :roll:
An escort for a man with earache going from hospital to home ?
OK, maybe an escort is a bit over the top. But, if you had been out in a patrol car that night, would you have stopped him for doing 37mph at 4am? And would you have given him a fixed penalty notice as well?
Not enough informarmation.
Flat in Fifth said:
7db said:
the wiz said:
"The magistrates were very sympathetic and said they were minded to waive the three points, but the young clerk reminded them they didn't have the power."
Poor advice if that's really what was given. Mags could have given a conditional or absolute discharge.
Exactly, what's the betting the clerk is a lentilist / cyclist?
Or just not a very good clerk.
ad551 said:
vonhosen said:
WildCat said:
I think this tale prove how "sick" this system ist. I bet if he had been tugged .. the officer would have simply escorted him home to ensure he arrive safely :roll:
An escort for a man with earache going from hospital to home ?
OK, maybe an escort is a bit over the top. But, if you had been out in a patrol car that night, would you have stopped him for doing 37mph at 4am? And would you have given him a fixed penalty notice as well?
Told there is a 4 hour wait.
Told by the Dr on a telephone (presumably in the ear that wasn't the bad one) that he should hurry home as quickly as possible for a locum to be sent out
Did he seriously think the locum would be there upon his return to his home?
Just goes to show that all advice given by a doctor is not necessarily to be relied upon
Better advice from the Dr would have been, don't drive if you are suffering an ear complaint, it can upset concentration, balance and co-ordination!!!
Nice try but sadly just a weak excuse!
By the way, I don't like cameras either
Told by the Dr on a telephone (presumably in the ear that wasn't the bad one) that he should hurry home as quickly as possible for a locum to be sent out
Did he seriously think the locum would be there upon his return to his home?
Just goes to show that all advice given by a doctor is not necessarily to be relied upon
Better advice from the Dr would have been, don't drive if you are suffering an ear complaint, it can upset concentration, balance and co-ordination!!!
Nice try but sadly just a weak excuse!
By the way, I don't like cameras either
mg6b said:
Nice try but sadly just a weak excuse!
Agreed, a bit like saying your nan's got cancer or something, so what.
I reckon folks should get let off if its a really good or clever original reason, and should get double points if its a really moany whiny excuse, even if its genuine, like this blokes earache.
The bloke was going at significantly above the speed limit:
- on a road he wasn’t familiar with (as he didn’t know there was a speed camera there), or
- his judgement was severely impaired (knew the road but forgot the camera was there).
It is a real-world fact that other road users can reasonably expect vehicles to be going no faster than 30 in a 30 limit; hence in this case it may lead the other road users to be fooled and misjudging the situation, hence creating risk.
And I’m a paid-up SafeSpeed supporter
Of course, this is discounting the very real possibility that the camera was placed in an area where a competent driver can react and stop from 40mph within the area they can reasonably judge and expect to be clear.
- on a road he wasn’t familiar with (as he didn’t know there was a speed camera there), or
- his judgement was severely impaired (knew the road but forgot the camera was there).
It is a real-world fact that other road users can reasonably expect vehicles to be going no faster than 30 in a 30 limit; hence in this case it may lead the other road users to be fooled and misjudging the situation, hence creating risk.
And I’m a paid-up SafeSpeed supporter
Of course, this is discounting the very real possibility that the camera was placed in an area where a competent driver can react and stop from 40mph within the area they can reasonably judge and expect to be clear.
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