On-the-spot fines planned for careless driving
 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13356057

Seems fair enough to me but I bet my last pound that there will be those that don't like this measure.

Re: On-the-spot fines planned for careless driving
 

And for good reason. Many a time a driver has failed a breathalyser, but passed the blood test. Portable breathalysers aren't as accurate and there can be calibration issues. I don't agree that they're now planning to deny the right to demand a blood test.
Additionally, the training courses are expensive. I did one rather than accept points, paid around £270 for a 2 day course. One instructor, about 30 people in the class. Seems a bit of a cash grab.

Re: On-the-spot fines planned for careless driving
 

Good. Although I sometimes have undertaken because the guy in front is going slow. I.E Someone doing 65 on the right hand land of the motorway.

Re: On-the-spot fines planned for careless driving
 

I couldn't find that in the OP link - can I ask where that info is?

Re: On-the-spot fines planned for careless driving
 

The way we're heading we won't be able to go to court to argue the case. it's all down to the police and what they judge.

Re: On-the-spot fines planned for careless driving
 

Judge Dredd rulez..

Re: On-the-spot fines planned for careless driving
 

I was going to say that.

Judge Dredd style. because we're just too busy to do it properly.

we will comply.

Just imagine if cars and motorists didn't exist. the police wouldn't know what to do with themselves.

Who wants a career in the Fine Issuing Force?

Re: On-the-spot fines planned for careless driving
 

I agree, as long as there is evidence provided to the driver of his/her dangerous driving.

There are many drivers who drive whilst under the influence of prescribed drugs, I was one of them, and because of this (and other reasons), I decided to voluntary send my licence back to the DVLA. I have a bus pass now.

Re: On-the-spot fines planned for careless driving
 

I have not problem with this.

I just wish i could fine the idiot copper who missed my front end at a junction by mm yesterday in hyde and then gave me the finger. :mad:

Re: On-the-spot fines planned for careless driving
 

Admittedly I didn't read the OP link as I'd read the story earlier.
I believe I'd read it here:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...-shake-up.html

---------- Post added at 11:42 ---------- Previous post was at 11:34 ----------

From the above link:

• New fixed penalty notices of between £80 and £100 for careless driving rather than going to court

• An end to the right to request blood tests rather than breath tests for drink-driving

• Re-test for banned offenders before regaining licence
• Police station drug-testing and a possible new offence for drivers who drive under the influence of drugs

• The seizure of vehicles belonging to the most dangerous offenders to keep them off the road

Re: On-the-spot fines planned for careless driving
 

On the spot fines then....better make sure I have enough cash with everytime I get in the car....or will they accept credit cards

--------------------------------------------
ok - just seen Sparkles post

Re: On-the-spot fines planned for careless driving
 

Generally people pass the blood test as they have an hour or two to sober up until a doctor can take the blood sample. The roadside tests aren't used as evidence, it's only the fixed machines which include calibrations as part of the sampling procedure.

Anyway it all sounds good to me. :tu:

Re: On-the-spot fines planned for careless driving
 

Same here. People often do 50mph on a congested motorway which turns into 2 lanes then 3 again over 500 yards. I come off at that junction so I'm often forced to undertake because of the congestion. It would make me miss the junction to go around the other side.

Re: On-the-spot fines planned for careless driving
 

I still feel, if you're caught driving under the influence of drink or drugs you should lose your licence indefinitely.

Re: On-the-spot fines planned for careless driving
 

On the spot fines? Not so fortunate for young drivers with acne.

Re: On-the-spot fines planned for careless driving
 

If you feel the police have got it wrong, you can still go to court and argue your case.

I frequently pass traffic on the left hand side on motorways.

In fact the person who is hogging the fast lane or middle lane and refusing to move left if the one that should be done for "careless driving". In those instance I don't the police would penalise you.

The Highway code states:

As you can see it's far from black and white. especially:

It doesn't define "queing"

If a car in the right hand lane is doing say 60mph, and there is a line of cars behind it, then that could quite correctly be defined as queing, and in relation to the speed limit "slow moving"

So if you undertake in a "non-aggressive" manner then I fail to see how the police could do you.

And if they did, go to court and argue your case.

Even if you lost it's very doubtful you would be penalised anymore that the original fixed penalty.

Re: On-the-spot fines planned for careless driving
 

Fair play when it isn't busy and you get the idiot-not-paying-attention brigade tootling along in the outside lane but when it's particularly busy then things have to be looked at in a different way, eg: HGV drivers will move into lane 2 well in advance of a junction, for perfectly good reasons. This causes problems because impatient people in the slowing line of traffic end up flying out into the outside lane often without indicating causing the usual panic-breaking domino effect back down the line.

If some sections of motorway were managed better then this wouldn't be an issue, ie: more use of reduced limit matrix signs well in advance of busy junctions and more use of adaptive traffic management such as the system in use on the M42.

Re: On-the-spot fines planned for careless driving
 

This has to be a joke, for many reasons, IT WON'T BE ENFORCED and why ?, A few years ago it was an offence to drive whilst using a mobile phone, is it enforced NO,

Auhtorities, are worrired that the culprits will take it to court and nine times out of ten the courts will just rap there wrists.

IF this has to be enforced by fining careless driving, then they have to hit everyone.

Re: On-the-spot fines planned for careless driving
 

It's a good idea i think ,i don't know how they will enforce it but the principle is sound and very workable if the police have the rescources to enforce it .My only concern is that they take rescources away from other areas in order to fund this ,also will they use it as a way to raise money as with speed cameras

Re: On-the-spot fines planned for careless driving
 

Oh yes it is. Sadly there isn't a big box full of cops that can magically be everywhere to catch all the people who use their phones in the car. I'd say that giving out tickets for going through red lights and being on a mobile are the two most enforced traffic laws there are.

Again a bit simplistic. Most people who drive can and do get hit with big fines if they decide to contest the tickets they are issued with.

Re: On-the-spot fines planned for careless driving
 

On the spot Arthur.No court involved.I think the few remaining police will do their best.;)

Re: On-the-spot fines planned for careless driving
 

Plenty of offences already dealt with by fixed penalties come with points attached. All this is doing is expanding the crimes that can be dealt with by them.

Re: On-the-spot fines planned for careless driving
 

All these laws that are brought out, are not enforced whatsoever, the mobile phone for example, If l went to the top of my road PCs could make a fortune, you can count on ten mobile users,within minutes and going through a no entry sign.

They bring these rules out, its a waste of time - theres no bill about

Re: On-the-spot fines planned for careless driving
 

:confused::confused:

Re: On-the-spot fines planned for careless driving
 

Well I can count on the fingers of one hand how many people I have seen using mobile phones whilst driving this year.Me thinks that once again you are exaggerating..Of course if you can find the data to back up your assertions then maybe I would believe you but until YOU do I'll ignore the ranting.:rolleyes:

Re: On-the-spot fines planned for careless driving
 

I could count on one hand the number of people I've seen using mobiles whilst driving within the last 2 days. Within the last 7 days I'd need more hands than I've got.

Re: On-the-spot fines planned for careless driving
 

Swings and roundabouts. In the rare occasions I have spare time at work and don't fancy stop-searching fans of Afghanistans national product there are a few places I sit at attempting to catch motorists on phones or ignoring red lights.

Sometimes you catch someone, sometimes you don't it's the luck of the draw. The only thing pretty much guaranteed is that whenever you have a prisoner in the back you'll see all manner of road based law breaking when you can't do anything about it. :mad:

Re: On-the-spot fines planned for careless driving
 

I wonder how many women wont like this lol :-x

---------- Post added at 07:57 ---------- Previous post was at 07:56 ----------

Nose picking is also another distraction when driving.

Re: On-the-spot fines planned for careless driving
 

That and all the advert billboards and such. if the right people weren't making money from it they'd say no you can't put them up as they're a distraction to road users.

a bit like the streets on recycling day. a right mess with tubs and buckets all over the place. obstructing the footpaths and everything. but it doesn't count because it's the council.

a bit like when the fire service have an open day on some grass down your road, and the little kids are setting the sirens and horns off for 4 hours non stop. it doesn't count as anti social because it's the fire service.

bib your horn as you drive past though. and they look at you like you're an idiot :D

Re: On-the-spot fines planned for careless driving
 

Or you could remain in lane 2 if there is an incoming junction ahead to better allow joining traffic safely in. Or maybe there is a hazard in the lane that the speeders behind you can't see.

Me thinks lane discipline is more complex and needs to evolve with conditions. If traffic is lightish but there are intermittent slow traffic in lane 1 and lane 3 is free and clear, staying in lane 2 may be a safer alternative that switching into lane 1 and then out again. Or if you are in lane 2 but with heavy traffic coming up behind and you are at the speed limit, staying out so you don't get stuck in lane 1.