Friday 30th April 2004

Chief Constable Nabbed at 104mph

"My manner of driving was safe" he tells reporters

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Anyone who's used the new M6 toll road will know what a joy it is. Devoid of traffic, a brand new surface and rarely a lorry in sight.

It's no wonder then that speeds on there are high. Local newspapers have reported the excesses of some motorists on there as downright dangerous, exercising the knee jerk reaction that all speed kills.

Police are now employing unmarked cars to deal with the law breakers and in a cruel twist of fate, an Assistant Chief Constable from Manchester was caught recently at 104mph.

After being fined £450 and given six penalty points the officer, Steve Thomas commented, "On the day in question, the driving and road conditions were good and I was part of a group of around 15 cars all doing around the same speed. I considered that my manner of driving was safe. "

The irony is that Thomas is responsible for traffic policing within Greater Manchester.

He went on to say, "Excessive speed is a contributory factor in many road traffic incidents and it's everyone's duty to drive safely and at a reasonable speed at all times. I remain committed to reducing the number of serious road traffic accidents that occur in Greater Manchester ."

[Pantani201]

There apppears to be one law for them and one for us. I got a couple of nips last year for exxcess speed ina 30 zone, my driving at the time of the offences was safe but I got the fine and points,Had I been exceeding 100mph in a 70 I would have been banned. Why wasnt this police officer.

[CarZee]

This is a result

Just goes to show that the police don't actually believe this ludicrous 'speed kills' bollocks any more than we do.

And no, I don't care that he wasn't banned. Anyone can, depending on the circumstances, make a case for points and fine rather than a ban. It's been done before.

[rutthenut]

Ha bloody Ha!

We can probably accept and agree that his driving was in all likelihood deemed as safe.

But we can't use that excuse to get off a ban, can we?

[IPAddis]

CarZee said:

Anyone can, depending on the circumstances, make a case for points and fine rather than a ban. It's been done before.

Yes but did he have to go to court to do so?!

[sublimatica]

The article said:

After being fined £450 and given six penalty points the officer, Steve Thomas commented, "On the day in question, the driving and road conditions were good and I was part of a group of around 15 cars all doing around the same speed. I considered that my manner of driving was safe."

That'll be his car and 14 unmarked police cars chasing him then?

Great story. Bad luck to Mr Thomas.

[DustyC]

Yeeeehaaaaa

[Plotloss]

IPAddis said:

CarZee said: Anyone can, depending on the circumstances, make a case for points and fine rather than a ban. It's been done before. Yes but did he have to go to court to do so?!

Looks like it, because he was fined £450 and given 6 points.

That wouldnt have been done by NIP would it?

[echo]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/3673087.stm

Love it

[safespeed]

I've written to Mr Thomas challenging him to tell the truth about the "dangers" of exceeding the speed limit.

www.safespeed.org.uk/stevethomas.html

The way I see it, the hypocrisy isn't in driving at 104mph - the hypocrisy is in telling us we shouldn't drive at 104mph because it's dangerous.

Best Regards,
Paul Smith
Safe Speed
www.safespeed.org.uk

[The Wiz]

Ahh but Paul he - and every other Police officer in the country - are the greatest drivers in the world. Don't you realise that?

[IPAddis]

Plotloss said:

Looks like it, because he was fined £450 and given 6 points. That wouldnt have been done by NIP would it?

Don't know. I'll go and do 104mph down the M6 toll and find out!

[snorky]

"how are the mighty fallen......" What a bloody hippocrite.....

[DanL]

the BBC said:

A spokesman for anti-speeding campaigners, Brake, said driving too fast increased the chances of being involved in a crash. "Someone in Mr Thomas' position, who has seen at first hand the consequences of speeding, should know better," he said.

Indeed - he has seen at first hand the consequences of speeding, which is why he felt it safe to do 104 on an empty M-way!

Dan

>> Edited by DanL on Friday 30th April 13:21

[chris_w]

Wonder what the accident stats are like on this extremely 'dangerous' piece of road...

[britten_mark]

Why come out with something sensible about driving to the conditions and then totally contradict himself (and toe the party line AND lose any potential favour from motorists) with the last bollocks statement???

[jeremysmith]

I'm sorry mate, but you must resign or loose your job. If this government is to be taken vaguely seriously on matters of road safety, how can they allow him (and the system) to be so hypocritical. The mitigating circumstances he gives are simply unacceptable in any court of law in this country and even with a clean driving license, he should have lost his license and in his position, his job too.

I hope other speeding offenders see this case and use it to defend their own driving license.

[agent006]

britten_mark said:

Why come out with something sensible about driving to the conditions and then totally contradict himself (and toe the party line AND lose any potential favour from motorists) with the last bollocks statement???

To keep his job?

[superlightr]

perhaps he would have to join the BNP to get suspended?.....

[pikey]

At least he got a ticket and went through the process. Can you imagine how much worse the situation would be if he got let off as it was his "mates" nicking him?

[stooz]

if its safe at 104mph (quote copper) then caqmeras aren't for safety!

qid pro quo - cameras should be removed, as speed is not dangerous.