Musing to myself driving home last night (as one does) I got to thinking about what checks are made on us as drivers.
During the last week I recon that my speed has been checked on around sixty occasions by static cameras, on at least two occasions by mobile cameras and I have been stopped at a routine road block to check my tax disc.
During the same period nobody has checked to see whether I have a driving licence, whether I have insurance, whether I have an MOT and my vehicle is road-worthy, whether my eyesight meets the minimum standard, whether I am intoxicated, whether I am under the influence of drugs, whether I am taking prescription or over the counter medication which is impairing my performance, or indeed whether I am carrying a knife or gun.
Why do I get the impression that the only checks carried out are those which raise revenue and that the ones which would actually improve safety but would cost money to administer are ignored?
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Why do I get the impression that the only checks carried out are those which raise revenue and that the ones which would actually improve safety but would cost money to administer are ignored?
Yes
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>>During the same period nobody has checked to see whether I have a driving licence, whether I have insurance, whether I have an MOT and my vehicle is road-worthy, whether my eyesight meets the minimum standard, whether I am intoxicated, whether I am under the influence of drugs, whether I am taking prescription or over the counter medication which is impairing my performance, or indeed whether I am carrying a knife or gun.
How reassuring. It's really hard to answer this without getting political, but isn't it lovely to know that we could all drive around uninsured, untaxed, in an unfit car, unable to see properly, and high on drink or/and drugs - and just not get found out.
Oh, and indeed I am much pleased to know that the police will not be searching for my knife, or indeed my gun, as I conduct my usual city-to-city rampages.
Surely somewhere here we need a zero tolerance type law about certain things? But real apologies mods if I went OTT there. From my point of view it is not political, it's just something ridiculous about our road/traffic laws. But will understand if I need to be removed.
HF
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"Surely somewhere here we need a zero tolerance type law about certain things?"
How, pray, would you expect the police to enforce the above - even if they had the resources.
Are you seriously suggesting that the police should be empowered to randomly stop motorists and test them for alcohol and drug use? - the latter requiring blood tests etc. This followed by a quick eye test and a search for knives and guns? Presumably they would also search bus and train passengers for these weapons to prevent cries of discrimination against motorists.
Get real!
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You can't have it both ways!
If police resources were focussed on the type of random checks you describe, people would start with the age old "why don't you go and stop some real criminals" comments.
Feeling more than a little opinionated tonight (nothing to do with the fact I've just got in!) and can't help thinking it's time people took back some responsibility for themselves. It's up to you to check your eyesight and vehicle are properly maintained, before it gets to the stage where the police have use their valuable time to to stop you because of your driving or you kill someone.
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Hey come on peoples, it isn't that bad is it?.
ANPR being rolled out more and more which silently checks your Tax,MOT and whether there is Insurance, without a stop and moans for being stopped.It also checks wanted, suspected etc.
And the big news and I doubt if MLC etc know about this but Met now working on "The Machine" Like a camera it zaps you and can show whether or not you are tooled up with shoooter, knife whatever.
Now to satisfy a lot more I bet Police Research Branch are working on a law that says no more than X feet from vehicle in front and a camera to measure that.
The possibilities are endless and very frightening because YOU as a driver will not show responsibility.
DVD
oce Researc
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No, not heard of that one. Then again, we still haven\'t been issued with stab vests, so we\'re a bit behind.
With regard to the original post. All I can say is that 99% of Officers do not support the use of fixed speed cameras, precisely for the reasons mentioned. When I\'m at work I\'m not interested in Mrs Miggins driving along at 34mph. I specifically target those that I suspect of serious motoring offences. (And I\'m not bad at it, even if I do say so myself.)
If you can remember that the poor infantry don\'t set the policies and often ignore the more ludicrous ones anyway.
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>>This followed by a quick eye test.......
Cardew I am thinking you are TIC there. Of course I don't expect the Police to do everything on the spot like that. But, if resources were sufficient, I see no problem at all with random stops, if it were to make any progess whatsoever against the increasingly lawless society that I find myself in nowadays.
Maybe I'm not 'getting real' as you put it, and I'm sure that at the moment our police forces do not have the resources to do everything that you mention.
I am, however, reassured by the comments below of our police officers past and present, who do seem to think that this new AN-something machine is a good idea. If we really have something that can detect whether we are carrying a gun or not, or if we are taxed or not, then this is surely a small but great step forward.
As for searching bus and train passengers - well, in an ideal world yes. I know it ain't gonna happen, but in the present climate it's a real pity that it cannot happen.
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