How Lucky we are...speeding!
Discussion
Just thought I'd share this.
In morocco 2 weeks ago on my scheduled transfer the minibus was pulled over by the local plod and the driver removed. 20 minutes sat whilst he gestured frantically, looked at a laptop, swore and gestured more before he got back in.
End Result...65kmph in a 60kmph section of road (40.6mph in a 37.5mph) so ~8% over the limit.
No mention of penalty points or anything just a 600 dirham (£41) fine and no appeals, he had to pay there and then.
In morocco 2 weeks ago on my scheduled transfer the minibus was pulled over by the local plod and the driver removed. 20 minutes sat whilst he gestured frantically, looked at a laptop, swore and gestured more before he got back in.
End Result...65kmph in a 60kmph section of road (40.6mph in a 37.5mph) so ~8% over the limit.
No mention of penalty points or anything just a 600 dirham (£41) fine and no appeals, he had to pay there and then.
If we had the number of fatalities they have on the roads, 30+ times the number of deaths per 100,000 vehicles than the UK, and they were related to speeding, I'd be happy to tighten up on our laws. But we don't.
Have you driven in Australia? Despite the small population and relatively empty roads, they have worse figures than we do and they are far more strict than we are on motoring offences as a consequence.
We aren't lucky, arguably we've gone too far, especially with speed limits given the relatively small impact they have on the accident statistics.
Have you driven in Australia? Despite the small population and relatively empty roads, they have worse figures than we do and they are far more strict than we are on motoring offences as a consequence.
We aren't lucky, arguably we've gone too far, especially with speed limits given the relatively small impact they have on the accident statistics.
REALIST123 said:
If we had the number of fatalities they have on the roads, 30+ times the number of deaths per 100,000 vehicles than the UK, and they were related to speeding, I'd be happy to tighten up on our laws. But we don't.
Have you driven in Australia? Despite the small population and relatively empty roads, they have worse figures than we do and they are far more strict than we are on motoring offences as a consequence.
We aren't lucky, arguably we've gone too far, especially with speed limits given the relatively small impact they have on the accident statistics.
Quite true, may surveys have shown that about 96% of all accidents are not related to excess speed for the conditions. As you show, Australia is a good example of stupidly draconian enforcement of very low (mind numbingly low) limits, which do nothing to improve safety - in fact possibly make things worse.Have you driven in Australia? Despite the small population and relatively empty roads, they have worse figures than we do and they are far more strict than we are on motoring offences as a consequence.
We aren't lucky, arguably we've gone too far, especially with speed limits given the relatively small impact they have on the accident statistics.
I got pulled over for speeding there a few years back, I just pretended I couldn't speak the lingo and that I didn't have a clue what he wanted. After about 10 minutes of me pulling my confused face he waved me back into the car and off we went sans fine.
To be fair, speeding is the least of their problems on the road especially at night.
To be fair, speeding is the least of their problems on the road especially at night.
£40 to us ok....but if we scaled it up to bring it in line with miniumu wage across the 2 countries....
Minimum wage in Morocco is just about £1.00/hr (its just under 14 MAD and £1 is about 14.5 MAD)
Minimum wage UK is £6.50
600MAD is about a weeks wages for someone on minimum wage
Would most people be happy if they received a £250 fine for the same offence?
Minimum wage in Morocco is just about £1.00/hr (its just under 14 MAD and £1 is about 14.5 MAD)
Minimum wage UK is £6.50
600MAD is about a weeks wages for someone on minimum wage
Would most people be happy if they received a £250 fine for the same offence?
no idea but the driver was a local, probably not minimum wage but having returned I've done some research and the average morrocan earnings is around 1000MAD a week compared with the UK £515 before tax (ONS 2013).
SP30 - £60 against £515 8.5%
Morocco whatever system - 600MAD against 1000 60%
these fines are huge relative to the UK
obviously the reliability of my figures is called into question but its no wonder everyone was tootling around well under the posted speedlimits!
SP30 - £60 against £515 8.5%
Morocco whatever system - 600MAD against 1000 60%
these fines are huge relative to the UK
obviously the reliability of my figures is called into question but its no wonder everyone was tootling around well under the posted speedlimits!
Edited by andburg on Tuesday 11th August 09:52
I got done in the middle of the sahra by a copper on a plastic seat with a speed gun. Nothing for 100kms before nor 50kms after. Just him sat there in his lovely police outfit, tassles and all.
Very polite, pretty good English but did the thing in french. Thought I was getting done for some cash in his pocket, made a joke about could he prove it and give me a receipt. Took me to the machine showed me the video of our car and wrote out a ticket for me.
50 euros (they take either in the western sahra region). All in all seemed fair to me.
Very polite, pretty good English but did the thing in french. Thought I was getting done for some cash in his pocket, made a joke about could he prove it and give me a receipt. Took me to the machine showed me the video of our car and wrote out a ticket for me.
50 euros (they take either in the western sahra region). All in all seemed fair to me.
andburg said:
no idea but the driver was a local, probably not minimum wage but having returned I've done some research and the average morrocan earnings is around 1000MAD a week compared with the UK £515 before tax (ONS 2013).
SP30 - £60 against £515 8.5%
Morocco whatever system - 600MAD against 1000 60%
these fines are huge relative to the UK
obviously the reliability of my figures is called into question but its no wonder everyone was tootling around well under the posted speedlimits!
Did you chip in?SP30 - £60 against £515 8.5%
Morocco whatever system - 600MAD against 1000 60%
these fines are huge relative to the UK
obviously the reliability of my figures is called into question but its no wonder everyone was tootling around well under the posted speedlimits!
Edited by andburg on Tuesday 11th August 09:52
Umm I hate to spoil the speeding is bad self-righteousness party, but usually when an "on the spot fine" is involved in developing countries, it is a bribe to the police.
The other common scenario is that you are not bribing the police to forget about a genuine infraction, the police are inventing spurious infractions to extort money from hapless innocent civilians.
The other common scenario is that you are not bribing the police to forget about a genuine infraction, the police are inventing spurious infractions to extort money from hapless innocent civilians.
creampuff said:
Umm I hate to spoil the speeding is bad self-righteousness party, but usually when an "on the spot fine" is involved in developing countries, it is a bribe to the police.
The other common scenario is that you are not bribing the police to forget about a genuine infraction, the police are inventing spurious infractions to extort money from hapless innocent civilians.
Depends on if you know how the systems work. It is pretty obvious when it is a petite cadaux that is being sought. Sometimes though it is a fair cop and then it is a skill of negotiation. Same for locals, although we are less likely to get carted off in the back of a car or taught a lesson with a baton.The other common scenario is that you are not bribing the police to forget about a genuine infraction, the police are inventing spurious infractions to extort money from hapless innocent civilians.
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