Tuesday 30th November 2004

Road Safety Bill targets bad driving

Fines increase, retraining becomes a possibility

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Bad driving could be targeted by police, under government initiatives revealed yesterday.

Following yesterday's story covering the changes in speeding penalties, other measures unveiled by Transport Secretary Alistair Darling in yesterday's Road Safety Bill include a commitment to "deal with poor driving standards by allowing the courts to make increased use of retraining courses for serious bad drivers, and through improvements to driving instruction and testing procedures."

At the heart of this was a doubling of the maximum fine for careless driving from £2,500 to £5,000.

The transport secretary also said that "foreign drivers cannot escape punishment in Great Britain through powers to issue fixed penalties and require deposits." This implies that the converse will also apply, when British drivers go abroad.

Summing up, Alistair Darling said, "The UK has a good road safety record and the Government remains committed to reducing the numbers of people killed and seriously injured on our roads. The number of road casualties is at its lowest for nearly fifty years - but even so, much more needs to be done.

"Ten people die on the roads every day and there are still some problem areas like drink driving which need to be tackled. The measures in the Road Safety Bill will improve safety, making penalties tougher but fairer, cracking down on anti-social driving and further reduce the unnecessary death and injury on the roads."

[v8thunder]

All very well, but will it actually be the genuine targeting of dangerous driving or another excuse to get those speed guns out and raise some cash?

[Postie]

I'd be really interested to know how they plan to do this when police traffic departments are continually being shrunk and in some cases axed completely. Our roads are now policed by camera, a method which falls flat on its face if the offending vehicle isn't registered or the plates are false.

[v8thunder]

Or it isn't speeding...

[swilly]

The article said:

Bad driving could be targeted by police, under government initiatives revealed yesterday.

So is this an acknowledgement by the Gov. that bad driving has not been a previous target.

Does it confirm the idea that the gov. have only been interested in robbing the average man on the road of the rest of his hard earned dosh by use of scamera's.

[james_j]

They've noticed the increasing awareness of the weakness of their "speed kills" soundbite and are just spinning us a new line.

They're telling us what they think we want to hear and it'll amount to nothing. They can't automate driver improvement with cameras. Spin spin spin.

[DoctorD]

So what will they choose to criminalise in their attempt to crack down on bad driving? Failure to use indicators, not switching on lights in bad conditions, lane hogging, indicating right and then turning left?

Or will they decide that the performance car driver is an easier target? So if you're caught sliding the rear end around a roundabout, overtaking more than one car at a time, crossing the centre line of the road as the corner is approached..?

Who decides? The namby pamby liberals who probably don't even own a driving licence, or the the more balanced minded who know the difference between enthusiastic driving and over-driving?

This government is all about penalties rather than encouragement. Treat people as irresponsible and they will act like it..

>> Edited by DoctorD on Tuesday 30th November 12:56

[Postie]

DoctorD said:

the more balanced minded who know the difference between enthusiastic driving and over-driving?

Oh come on, we all know there is no such thing.

Flat, inflexible, camera enforced road laws based in the dark ages are what's best for us, and any driver that suggests they know what is an appropriate speed or manner of driving is just plain wrong.

Remember, nanny knows best !

[just dave]

Anyone notice the picture used in the story?

It is a snowmobile.

[Raify]

just dave said:

Anyone notice the picture used in the story? It is a snowmobile.

Perhaps it's the one that got a Kengestion charge!

[RSTurboPaul]

DoctorD said:

So what will they choose to criminalise in their attempt to crack down on bad driving? Failure to use indicators, not switching on lights in bad conditions, lane hogging, indicating right and then turning left? Or will they decide that the performance car driver is an easier target? ... This government is all about penalties rather than encouragement. Treat people as irresponsible and they will act like it.. >> Edited by DoctorD on Tuesday 30th November 12:56

Hmmm... I wonder...

www.dft.gov.uk/pns/displaypn.cgi?pn_id=2004_0153

and I quote:

5. Introduction of variable fixed penalties for speeding - changing the range of penalty points from 3-6 to 2-6. [more chances = more £££ for Bliar]

6. Banning the carriage or use of safety camera detectors and jammers.

9. failing to give identity of driver (3 to 6 points)

14. New police powers to better target uninsured vehicles through the use of Automatic Number Plate Recognition technology and data from insurers.

15. changes to licensing arrangements for drivers to allow for administrative charges to be levied in various circumstances (e.g. renewal of a photocard licence) and **provision for the recall of old format (i.e. paper) licences.** [Hmmmm...]

16. Legislation to enable the international exchange of driver and vehicle data to combat driving licence and vehicle crime.

17. ... extend the current registration scheme for number plate suppliers from England and Wales to the rest of the UK and make improvements to its enforcement.

What a suprise. Big brother looms slightly larger over us.

How long 'til we backlash? I'll meet you there...

[sgt^roc]

RSTurboPaul said:

DoctorD said: So what will they choose to criminalise in their attempt to crack down on bad driving? Failure to use indicators, not switching on lights in bad conditions, lane hogging, indicating right and then turning left? Or will they decide that the performance car driver is an easier target? ... This government is all about penalties rather than encouragement. Treat people as irresponsible and they will act like it.. >> Edited by DoctorD on Tuesday 30th November 12:56 Hmmm... I wonder... www.dft.gov.uk/pns/displaypn.cgi?pn_id=2004_0153 and I quote: 5. Introduction of variable fixed penalties for speeding - changing the range of penalty points from 3-6 to 2-6. [more chances = more £££ for Bliar] YEP HAVE WANTED TO LOWER THE THEASHOLD FOR A LONG TIME NOW THEIR CHANCE 6. Banning the carriage or use of safety camera detectors and jammers. ANOTHER WAY TO ENSURE THEY CATCH PEOPLE 9. failing to give identity of driver (3 to 6 points) FUNNY HOW WHEN ITS A BUGLER THEY NEED CONCLUSIVE PROOF TO EVEN BOTHER, BUT FOR MOTERIST WELL OVER TO YOU M8 GUILTY UNTIL U PROVE OTHERWISE 14. New police powers to better target uninsured vehicles through the use of Automatic Number Plate Recognition technology and data from insurers. SO A CAR DRIVES PASS WITH NO REG ETC AND DRIVES OFF...? 15. changes to licensing arrangements for drivers to allow for administrative charges to be levied in various circumstances (e.g. renewal of a photocard licence) and **provision for the recall of old format (i.e. paper) licences.** [Hmmmm...] MORE REVENUE 16. Legislation to enable the international exchange of driver and vehicle data to combat driving licence and vehicle crime. NEVER HAPPEN 17. ... extend the current registration scheme for number plate suppliers from England and Wales to the rest of the UK and make improvements to its enforcement. What a suprise. Big brother looms slightly larger over us. YEP... How long 'til we backlash? I'll meet you there...

[sgt^roc]

RSTurboPaul said:

DoctorD said: So what will they choose to criminalise in their attempt to crack down on bad driving? Failure to use indicators, not switching on lights in bad conditions, lane hogging, indicating right and then turning left? Or will they decide that the performance car driver is an easier target? ... This government is all about penalties rather than encouragement. Treat people as irresponsible and they will act like it.. >> Edited by DoctorD on Tuesday 30th November 12:56 Hmmm... I wonder... www.dft.gov.uk/pns/displaypn.cgi?pn_id=2004_0153 and I quote: 5. Introduction of variable fixed penalties for speeding - changing the range of penalty points from 3-6 to 2-6. [more chances = more £££ for Bliar] YEP HAVE WANTED TO LOWER THE THEASHOLD FOR A LONG TIME NOW THEIR CHANCE 6. Banning the carriage or use of safety camera detectors and jammers. ANOTHER WAY TO ENSURE THEY CATCH PEOPLE 9. failing to give identity of driver (3 to 6 points) FUNNY HOW WHEN ITS A BUGLER THEY NEED CONCLUSIVE PROOF TO EVEN BOTHER, BUT FOR MOTERIST WELL OVER TO YOU M8 GUILTY UNTIL U PROVE OTHERWISE 14. New police powers to better target uninsured vehicles through the use of Automatic Number Plate Recognition technology and data from insurers. SO A CAR DRIVES PASS WITH NO REG ETC AND DRIVES OFF...? 15. changes to licensing arrangements for drivers to allow for administrative charges to be levied in various circumstances (e.g. renewal of a photocard licence) and **provision for the recall of old format (i.e. paper) licences.** [Hmmmm...] MORE REVENUE 16. Legislation to enable the international exchange of driver and vehicle data to combat driving licence and vehicle crime. NEVER HAPPEN 17. ... extend the current registration scheme for number plate suppliers from England and Wales to the rest of the UK and make improvements to its enforcement. What a suprise. Big brother looms slightly larger over us. YEP... How long 'til we backlash? I'll meet you there...