Appropriate sentencing?
Discussion
Current Political agenda seems to favour custodial sentences for 'high' speeding, under the charge of Dangerous Driving.
Why then do other cases of Dangerous Driving, for example Drink Driving not usually involve a custodial?
Is speeding more dangerous than Drink Driving? and if so then why are highly trained Police Officers allowed to speed but not, AFAIK, allowed to Drink & Drive?
Is speeding, at high speeds always Dangerous Driving?
Is Drink Driving not Dangerous Driving?
Opinions anyone?
Why then do other cases of Dangerous Driving, for example Drink Driving not usually involve a custodial?
Is speeding more dangerous than Drink Driving? and if so then why are highly trained Police Officers allowed to speed but not, AFAIK, allowed to Drink & Drive?
Is speeding, at high speeds always Dangerous Driving?
Is Drink Driving not Dangerous Driving?
Opinions anyone?
Well DD can be ok, if you don't go anywhere near the DD limit. eg, I don't mind driving afer a pint, but wouldn't after 2.
Being over the limit can happen inadvertantly if someone spikes your drink - but if you deliberately go over the limit, I think you should be done severely.
Speeding *seems* to be totally different, as the limits appear abitrary at times... however I was not impressed with the GSRX750 doing about 70 past us when we crossed the road (30 limit, on a bend). He nearly hit a car coming out of my road, and had to use the entire other side of the road. If he'd have had an accident, I think I'd have ratted on him for being a pratt.
Anyway back to DD - yeah, usually more dangerous than speeding. But why does anything have to have "fixed" limits of danger? sometimes the speed limit is too fast, sometimes double is safe. With drink, some people seem to be good at driving above the limit, others are dangerous well below it.
Judge each case on it's own merit?
Keep it shiney side up folkes!
C
Being over the limit can happen inadvertantly if someone spikes your drink - but if you deliberately go over the limit, I think you should be done severely.
Speeding *seems* to be totally different, as the limits appear abitrary at times... however I was not impressed with the GSRX750 doing about 70 past us when we crossed the road (30 limit, on a bend). He nearly hit a car coming out of my road, and had to use the entire other side of the road. If he'd have had an accident, I think I'd have ratted on him for being a pratt.
Anyway back to DD - yeah, usually more dangerous than speeding. But why does anything have to have "fixed" limits of danger? sometimes the speed limit is too fast, sometimes double is safe. With drink, some people seem to be good at driving above the limit, others are dangerous well below it.
Judge each case on it's own merit?
Keep it shiney side up folkes!
C
You want crazy, we got crazy in Bedfordshire.
This week a 20 year old yob assaulted and sexually assaulted a 16 year old girl in Bedford. I believe he also tried to sexually assault another woman. He was apprehended, taken to the police station, given a police caution and LET OFF!
However, a friend of mine who runs a motor business in Bedfordshire is waiting to go to court to plead against being disqualified for 12 points. He drives a BMW728 and has been caught by two fixed cameras and two laser scamera vans during the last 3 years. At no time was he more than 10 mph over the limit, the latest being 37 in a 30 at 01-00 hours on an A road, but now he must plead to keep his licence and his business. He is 46 years old and no young tearaway.
Is this any way to run a justice system. No wonder the general public are becoming anti-police.
I have several friends in the Met and they believe that the entire scamera business is causing public backlash. What do our friendly plods think?
This week a 20 year old yob assaulted and sexually assaulted a 16 year old girl in Bedford. I believe he also tried to sexually assault another woman. He was apprehended, taken to the police station, given a police caution and LET OFF!
However, a friend of mine who runs a motor business in Bedfordshire is waiting to go to court to plead against being disqualified for 12 points. He drives a BMW728 and has been caught by two fixed cameras and two laser scamera vans during the last 3 years. At no time was he more than 10 mph over the limit, the latest being 37 in a 30 at 01-00 hours on an A road, but now he must plead to keep his licence and his business. He is 46 years old and no young tearaway.
Is this any way to run a justice system. No wonder the general public are becoming anti-police.
I have several friends in the Met and they believe that the entire scamera business is causing public backlash. What do our friendly plods think?
[quote]Well DD can be ok, if you don't go anywhere near the DD limit[/quote]
Well by DD I meant over the limit as Drinking less than the limit is not an offence although it may adversely affect some peoples driving ability - whether the limits are right or whether they should they be based on actual impediment, such as walking straight line etc is another issue altogether.
[quote]
Speeding *seems* to be totally different, as the limits appear abitrary at times... however I was not impressed with the GSRX750 doing about 70......[/quote]
Speeding 'can' indeed be Dangerous Driving and this (40mph above the 30 limit) certainly sounds Dangerous, particularly as you describe it but 40mph above the NSL or Motorway limit is not neccessarily so.
I think most of us would agree that 70mph in a (justified)30 limit *is* Dangerous Driving.
[quote]
Anyway back to DD - yeah, usually more dangerous than speeding.
Judge each case on it's own merit? [/quote]
Agreed but for example, driving at twice the speed limit on an empty motorway (conditions permitting blah blah..) would almost certainly be 'automatically' charged as Dangerous Driving with 3-12 months custodial and 2 or 3 year ban, whereas Driving at twice the DD limit by a school (at 'kicking-out' time) at 30mph might only receive a 12 month ban and no custodial, is this appropriate sentencing?
Whenever big numbers are involved we always hear the shock & horror cries of 'insane' 'lucky to be alive' etc when maybe little or no danger was posed and those same speeds are driven 'legally' on the same roads by 'Highly trained' Police officers, (but not by ambulance drivers on transplant duty
) and then theres the fact that such speeds are legal on German Autobahns etc, so how many thousands die in high speed crashes on the Autobahns? are the Germans then by definition 'child killers' etc ? should the UK dissasociate with Germany due to their Governments 'irresponsibility'? What is the meaning of life? 
Edited to add why isn't the [quote] working?
>> Edited by cazzo on Monday 23 June 15:08
Well by DD I meant over the limit as Drinking less than the limit is not an offence although it may adversely affect some peoples driving ability - whether the limits are right or whether they should they be based on actual impediment, such as walking straight line etc is another issue altogether.
[quote]
Speeding *seems* to be totally different, as the limits appear abitrary at times... however I was not impressed with the GSRX750 doing about 70......[/quote]
Speeding 'can' indeed be Dangerous Driving and this (40mph above the 30 limit) certainly sounds Dangerous, particularly as you describe it but 40mph above the NSL or Motorway limit is not neccessarily so.
I think most of us would agree that 70mph in a (justified)30 limit *is* Dangerous Driving.
[quote]
Anyway back to DD - yeah, usually more dangerous than speeding.
Judge each case on it's own merit? [/quote]
Agreed but for example, driving at twice the speed limit on an empty motorway (conditions permitting blah blah..) would almost certainly be 'automatically' charged as Dangerous Driving with 3-12 months custodial and 2 or 3 year ban, whereas Driving at twice the DD limit by a school (at 'kicking-out' time) at 30mph might only receive a 12 month ban and no custodial, is this appropriate sentencing?
Whenever big numbers are involved we always hear the shock & horror cries of 'insane' 'lucky to be alive' etc when maybe little or no danger was posed and those same speeds are driven 'legally' on the same roads by 'Highly trained' Police officers, (but not by ambulance drivers on transplant duty
) and then theres the fact that such speeds are legal on German Autobahns etc, so how many thousands die in high speed crashes on the Autobahns? are the Germans then by definition 'child killers' etc ? should the UK dissasociate with Germany due to their Governments 'irresponsibility'? What is the meaning of life? Edited to add why isn't the [quote] working?
>> Edited by cazzo on Monday 23 June 15:08
5ltr-chim said:
APPROPRIATE SENTENCING You don't mean :
murder = 100 hours scamera operating rape = Asked not to do it again Speeding = (i.e. 80 on a M'way) public flogging followed by hanging Me thinks this sounds a bit like Blair's policy !
A Bit like???
I thought you copied it out of the criminal justice bill!
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