totally out of order !?

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Interwired

totally out of order !?

Post by Interwired »

<font color="navy"><font face="Verdana"><b>Copied from Piston Heads forum</b>
<i>Pensioner banned from driving for reminding motorists not to speed
A 71 year old man has been banned from driving for warning other motorists of a speed trap up the road - even though he wasn't in his car at the time! He was also ordered to pay £364 in costs.
Stuart Harding stood on the A325 near Farnborough with a sign saying "Speed Trap - 300 yards ahead". He had stood there on previous occasions warning motorists to slow down because of a car boot sale up the road which generated a lot of pedestrian traffic. Police however took exception when Harding warned of their speed trap.
The court was told that Sgt Sarah Cashman confiscated his sign and was told by the defendent - under caution - "I stop people speeding down here. I am only doing what I think is right ".
Harding pleaded not guilty when he appeared in front of magistrates in Aldershot. He said: "I have been convicted of breaking the law because I was trying to stop others from doing so. It is totally unjust ."
An appeal is to be lodged but the Magistrates passed up on the option to suspend his driving ban and implemented it immediately.
This is a terrible misuse of our justice system. Why this pensioner should lose his driving licence for this 'offence' is a bizarre anomoly in itself, but the concept that stopping people breaking the law is in some way an offence surely needs to be challenged?
It sends out a clear message that the police's main concern wasn't with safety that day, but with securing prosecutions.</i></font id="Verdana"></font id="navy">
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Post by mbunting »

Seems to me like the bloke could set up a business. He had the same effect as a speed camera, and claims pension which is a lot less than the cost of a bailif ( sorry, Partnership Employee ).
It really does stink somewhat though, "Biddy banned for doing cop job".
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Post by VisaGTi16v »

On a slightly different note I think re-tests have to be bought in for people of that age. You really do risk your life driving around the town here at the weekend when all the pensioners are out. They just drive straight across cross roads and everything, its lethal.
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Post by tomsheppard »

It is the system that is criminal but we all knew that already.
philhoward

Post by philhoward »

Interesting to know how they can ban him from driving when he wasn't...hope he wins his appeal.
What offence can you be charged with if you're not even "in charge of a motor vehicle"?
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Post by AWG »

There are a number of acts which are offences whilst "in charge of a motor vehicle". There are a number of others. For example you can be 'awarded' driving licence penalties for push bike offences. Of course if you do not hold a driving licence then you cannot suffer that type of penalty.
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Post by JohnD »

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by VisaGTi16v</i>
I think re-tests have to be bought in for people of that age. You really do risk your life driving around the town here at the weekend when all the pensioners are out.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
So ageism is still alive and well! Stuart Harding (the bloke that's just been banned) is my junior by a few years, and I really do resent bigoted remarks such as this, written by VisaGT. I still manage to knock up around 15000 miles a year, with 6000 of them done during Continental caravanning. I agree - retests should be brought in - but for everyone. And just in case you think that I should put my driving skill where my mouth is - I now have a test certificate issued by the IAM
Jon

Post by Jon »

JohnD you have our respect for passing your IAM test ( I was going to say "at your age" but thought I had better not!). I'm trying for mine. (Jon)Age is no barrier!
Best wishes from
Jon
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Post by James.UK »

Hmmm..... Does anyone know exactly what the charges made against Mr Harding were? I would like to know what he was doing that the police and magistrate considered to be illegal?.. [?]
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Post by alan s »

I suppose John, that us "old farts" can always lay claim to experience as an asset not a liability.
I think one thing that our generation can be proud of is that we have never been easily stood on by authorities unlike the present generation who tend to spend too much time spending too much money that has all come too easily; they haven't learned to fight for what they've got.
Being of the more belligerant variety ('cranky old b@$+@rd' I think I am referred to) I have been putting pressure on politicians to change their ideas on the way speed is blamed as the major cause of road accidents and have gone as far as submissions to Parliamentary Committees and my suggestions have been included in their recommendations. We recently had an Election & I have been getting no support from my local member who is keener on swanning around cocktail parties and social pages so I threatened to campaign against him at the next election which I did. He laughed, reckoned nobody would be kicked out on that issue.[|)]
Should have seen the expression on his face on TV taken on election night when his opposite number was looking at the figures and saying "Looks like we've got him!!" He just scraped back in and I now have his undivided attention.[:D] I'd suggest the pensioner who had his licence taken off him follows my lead; there's nothing that makes a Politician more interested in your case than the prospect of putting him out of his job. You guys are on the eve of an election so there's the answer.
As for the "Old fart factor" I am still giving driving lessons including ones of the advanced variety and have recently had a Licence testing officer up on a "show cause" for incompetancy. There's some shockers of shall we say Hmm mature aged drivers but more so the younger ones lacking the experience; both have their good and bad and some with a few years on them have been brought up driving in lesser crowded roads which at times can be a disadvantage. I think all drivers should be judged on their ability rather than their age.....
After that, I'd better go & have my nap!![}:)][8D]
Alan S [|)]
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Post by reblack68 »

I can't make up my mind, WAS there a speed trap ahead? If there was then he would be obstructing the police in their duty, if not the charge was probably related to the dangers from panic braking and distraction of motorists. I can remember another case where a guy, fed up with people speeding along his street, stood out in the street with a hairdrier. He got charged too IIRC.
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Post by JohnD »

Yes! there was a speedtrap ahead, and the magistrate was using powers recently given under the Criminal Justice Act 2003. This new act allows magistrates to impose driving bans for offences outside the usual traffic infringements. Some justice, what?
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Post by James.UK »

I would still love to know what Mr Harding was charged with?
If-- it was obstruction of the police in the persuance of their duties, I would love to have them explain exactly what their 'duty' was on that day? i.e. if it was to enforce the speed limit, then Mr Harding was in fact helping to achieve that. If it was something else, then again, I'd love to hear exactly what it was??? [;)] It might be nice to force them into admitting they were only there to trap people in order to make money? [:D] Because that was the only thing Mr Harding was preventing realy. [:)]
As to 'panic breaking' or 'distraction' due to seeing the sign, we have thousands of camera warnings now!! and what can cause more panic than Mr Plod stepping out in front of you after you have just gone through a hidden speed trap!! [:o)] lol..
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Post by VisaGTi16v »

Johnd: It was more of a cynical statement. I appriciate that not all old people are bad drivers, perhaps its just because I live in a stereotypical seaside retirenment town and so see more of it. Fact is reactions etc get slower and I would quite happily take another test when im that age as being dangerous by yourself is one thing but if you endanger other drivers around you then thats another. I could start about women drivers but I wont :)
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Post by tonka »

Hi all in my local area the local radio station report the position of all mobile speed camera with info given to them by the police. this seems very strange considering the above story. should the police posicute themselves and/or the radio station???[8D]
The radio station is Peak 107
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