Gary Posted January 18, 2008 Report Share Posted January 18, 2008 Just heard more cameras being put on Bridge Foot to catch those who end up "parked" in the yellow hatchings when the trafic backs up. Being one of those who occasionally gets caught in them when unsighted behind a bus or a wagon I can see another taxation looming. More easy pickings for the police to bank roll the coffers to go alongside the speed cameras. Then when there are serious crimes ( a friend had their businesses premises ram raided) the police don't have the resources to visit the crime scene the same day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted January 18, 2008 Report Share Posted January 18, 2008 Must be honest as I've got caught out there a few times too. Seems to be a bit of a problem with the phasing of the lights and amount of traffic going throuugh at times causing people to be stuck in no-mans land. Do you get points on your license if you are stopped on a yellow cross hatch or just a fine :confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted January 18, 2008 Report Share Posted January 18, 2008 I blame the pedestrians insisting on using the pedestrian crossing lights at the bottom of Bridge St. Damn pedestrians :spin: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparky71 Posted January 18, 2008 Report Share Posted January 18, 2008 On the other hand, I've been stuck with the lights on green and unable to move because the traffic is stopped across my path. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted January 18, 2008 Report Share Posted January 18, 2008 No sympathy for morons who enter a hatched junction: they then block traffic from another direction - which is one of the biggest causes of grid lock on our roads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reader Posted January 19, 2008 Report Share Posted January 19, 2008 In all fairness its not always the car driver thats at fault here. Large vehicles, Lorries or Buses tend to cause the problems but the main problem is the timing on those traffic lights around the two bridges. Like all the other TL's around the town where the clowns installed them 1/4way ie Longford they cause more congestion than if they wernt there. If the highways bods visited the sites they would be amazed at the speed the traffic progresses (again particularly Longford) when the lights are out of order cos the jam the part way round causes the main stream aint there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wahl Posted January 23, 2008 Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 try suing the council for poor road signing as most of the painted stuff is invisible and does not meet the department of transport recommended signing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Owens Posted January 23, 2008 Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 Fines are not taxes and do not go to the local authority. If criminals dislike paying fines then the answer is simple - start obeying the law. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Kennedy Posted January 23, 2008 Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 Well they are not meant to be Pete, but there is a suspicion that they have become a form of so called "stealth taxation", now being applied to various aspects of day to day life. Indeed some fines now have an "add on" to pay for the criminal compensation scheme, when the offence and fine has no relationship to that scheme at all....but rather a way of raising money, which to my way of thinking is a tax albeit one raised in a novel way. No problems with yellow hatchings, provided that they have been properly thought out. Some of them are extended to areas where they make not one iota of difference. As with all regulations, laws etc, it is a question of credibility. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Owens Posted January 23, 2008 Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 Originally posted by Paul Kennedy: Well they are not meant to be Pete, but there is a suspicion that they have become a form of so called "stealth taxation", now being applied to various aspects of day to day life. Only the day to day life of criminals. Fines are the exact opposite of "stealth" in that they are highly visible. And even if you do consider fines to be a tax on criminals then I cannot see whay any law abiding would object. Thew more crimials pay in fines the less I have to pay in tax. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayC Posted January 23, 2008 Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 Sorry but am I missing something here since when is a motor offence (other than stealing from or stealing the actual vehicle) a crime. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted January 23, 2008 Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 Originally posted by JayC: Sorry but am I missing something here since when is a motor offence (other than stealing from or stealing the actual vehicle) a crime. John JayC not sure I follow that [ 23.01.2008, 19:28: Message edited by: Dismayed ] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayC Posted January 23, 2008 Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 Dismayed. Its not a criminal offence to commit a motoring offence its known as process law and not criminal law. A motoring offence such as drink driving is still process it only becomes criminal when the offender repeats the offence after being prosecuted i.e. he drives while disqualified , stealing a car is a crime , driving the stolen car through a red light is process, I know its sounds daft but thsts the way it is. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Kennedy Posted January 23, 2008 Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 Originally posted by Pete Owens: Originally posted by Paul Kennedy: Well they are not meant to be Pete, but there is a suspicion that they have become a form of so called "stealth taxation", now being applied to various aspects of day to day life. Only the day to day life of criminals. Fines are the exact opposite of "stealth" in that they are highly visible. And even if you do consider fines to be a tax on criminals then I cannot see whay any law abiding would object. Thew more crimials pay in fines the less I have to pay in tax. Here's a thought then Pete, a public body is fined for a criminal act, all of the money it has is raised through taxation, the fine is therefore paid from the tax receipts it receives. Rather agree with your latter point, alas much serious crime that involves the criminal compensation scheme is committed by those with no ability or inclination to pay a fine, hence those with the ability to pay get a disproportionate surcharge. I understand a motorist being fined ?60 in a court has a levy of ?15 added, whilst a murderer not fined but imprisoned has to pay a levy of ?30 :confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Kennedy Posted January 23, 2008 Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 Worth pointing out that some "crimes" have been decriminalised. Certainly true to say that more fines are issued now than a few years ago, yet I suspect very few more additional offences are actually being committed, it is just that they are more targetted now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted January 23, 2008 Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 Thanks JayC All very confusing [ 23.01.2008, 20:16: Message edited by: Dismayed ] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Owens Posted January 24, 2008 Report Share Posted January 24, 2008 Originally posted by Paul Kennedy: Certainly true to say that more fines are issued now than a few years ago, yet I suspect very few more additional offences are actually being committed, it is just that they are more targetted now. Improved crime detection is certainly something that law abiding citizens should approve of - and this will lead to a reduced number of offences being committed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Owens Posted January 24, 2008 Report Share Posted January 24, 2008 Originally posted by Dismayed: Not saying that I agree with all the new fines that are imposed on people these days for trivia like acidentally finishing up on a cross hatch You are expected to be in control of your vehicle at all times - thus wherever you end up is a result of your deliberate actions - not an accident. Any driver who claims that their position on the road is accidental is effectively admitting to careless driving. I don't think many magistrates would be impressed by such a defence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Student Geoff Posted January 24, 2008 Report Share Posted January 24, 2008 Well said Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackored7 Posted January 24, 2008 Report Share Posted January 24, 2008 Maybe some people find it easier to blame over officiousness for their predicament rather than themselves. At least automated cameras are fair to all and cannot be accused of bias or worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted January 24, 2008 Report Share Posted January 24, 2008 Originally posted by Pete Owens: Originally posted by Dismayed: Not saying that I agree with all the new fines that are imposed on people these days for trivia like acidentally finishing up on a cross hatch You are expected to be in control of your vehicle at all times - thus wherever you end up is a result of your deliberate actions - not an accident. Any driver who claims that their position on the road is accidental is effectively admitting to careless driving. I don't think many magistrates would be impressed by such a defence. see you took the last bit off my sentence from my comment which said 'or having a tyre touching a white line in a parking bay' (which was actually my point) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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