Future Speeding offences......

[catso]

Crystal ball, anyone?

http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/04/414.asp

Another London Ticket Given for a Future Offense

Another London, UK camera ticket for speeding in in the future shows the error is not just an isolated occurence.

Despite London's police force claim that speed camera tickets given to motorists for future offenses were a mistake and "an isolated occurence," others are falling victim to this error. Matthew Smith received a ticket in the mail on April 12 for an offense the government claimed it had photographic evidence that he would commit three days later.

"I thought who ever sent this letter was an idiot because of the simple date error," said Smith who has been a motorcycle courier for the past fifteen years without a single speeding citation on his record.

The police letter dated April 11 claimed his motorcycle would be clocked at 39 MPH in a 30 MPH zone on Kennington Park Road on April 15. Although police dropped charges after Smith appealed, Smith asked, "Why didn't the police get their facts right before sending me a NIP [Notice of Intended Prosecution]?"

[pic]http://www.thenewspaper.com/rlc/pix/smith-big.jpg[/pic]

[wolves_wanderer]

I'd love to have my day in court with that one

[WildCat]

Und I wonder how many coughed up on this scam because they only read the scary bits....

[-DeaDLocK-]

Can anyone say "Minority Report"?

[leosayer]

I take it that Matthew Smith has never exceeded the speed limit on that road before then

[havoc]

catso said:

"Why didn't the police get their facts right before sending me a NIP [Notice of Intended Prosecution]?"

Why indeed? Could it be that there is NO check on the accuracy of what is sent out, and in fact those police / SCP employees involved in this area follow the Little Britain policy of "Computer says no!"

[Dwight VanDriver]

I doubt the paperwork involved ever passed through the hands of a Plod but civvies employed by SCP, who seem not to invoke checks and balances leaving Plod to take the flack.

DVD

[havoc]

Probably true. One of my main roles at work is process improvement. And I feel like a 1-legged man in an arse-kicking contest! Worse - this is in the private sector - I can imagine what an organisation which is directed politically rather than by the need to be efficient could be like!

But that's not to excuse this, or the blatent weaknesses it's highlighting. If you are charging individuals with breaking the law, and potentially having a SUBSTANTIAL effect on their life and livelihood, you MUST ensure that the details are reviewed and validated first - to do otherwise is to make a mockery out of law-enforcement.

Which, sadly, is where this country has got to with the whole "speed" thing - whether the government, the police, or the SCPs realise it, or want to realise it. The public no longer trust those tasked with enforcing safety on the roads, largely because such people are clearly acting
a) without sufficient checks and balances over their actions;
b) in the interests of profit, not safety.

Unfortunately for Dibble et. al., this increasing dissatisfaction and resentment is being targeted against the people PERCEIVED to be at fault, namely the police. Not to say the police are totally innocent (Brunstrom?!?), but I feel the creation of the SCPs and their governance structure massively exacerbated the already unsatisfactory situation.

[wolves_wanderer]

leosayer said:

I take it that Matthew Smith has never exceeded the speed limit on that road before then

Irrelevant

[scoule]

Let's hope they lower the recruiting standards even further :-)

[turbobloke]

scoule said:

Let's hope they lower the recruiting standards even further :-)

Excessive, just wait a few months for edukashum standards to plummet further