Wednesday, June 05, 2013

Bluff And Nonsense


This morning's papers dutifully report (here is The Guardian's effort) plans to increase fines for some run-of-the-mill traffic offences. Inevitably, the offences will be assessed by police who will decide whether or not to issue a fixed penalty.

These measures will be utterly ineffective in changing drivers' behaviour, for the same reason that the ban on mobile-phone use has left huge numbers of drivers unimpressed:- to detect and punish these offences there needs to be a police officer or two on the spot, and  traffic patrol cars are now a rarity. I use motorways several times every week and I cannot recall the last time that I saw a proper jam-sandwich patrol car, unless it was hammering down the outside lane on its way to a call with lights and sirens going full blast.

In court careless driving can attract a fine of up to £5000 and three to nine penalty points, allowing the bench wide discretion to assess the offence. The new arrangements will have no visible effect on drivers' behaviour, and those in charge know it perfectly well.

24 comments:

  1. Round my way there's a stretch of six-lane semi-motorway with several on and off ramps and a petrol station, all close together. On this stretch only, locals drive in the middle lane so as to leave the inside lane free for people coming on and off. Will we be fined for being considerate?

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  2. Hearing about this on the news this morning, my immediate thought was that fining for many traffic offences is ineffective generally. The fines rarely get paid and fine enforcement is rarely as draconian as our pronouncement makes out. Collection orders are often just words not deeds. Some people genuinely can't afford to pay (yes, I know the argument is that if they can afford a car, then they can afford a fine but things are rarely that simple in the real world)

    But penalty points - now these REALLY upset the offenders. The risk of totting and ultimately losing a licence is a far more effective penalty in my experience. Not only that but insurance premiums take a serious hit too. If we are to have an effective sentencing policy, it's time we moved away from simply upping the fine and instead concentrate on what offenders actively dislike.

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  3. Surely 'lane hogging' is a subjective thing? I would assume that in order for there to be an offence there must be some guideline as to what determines a lane hogger. Is it an absolute offence where one second of hogging is sufiffient or more likely I am guessing will the be equally subjective term of 'reasonable distance'.
    If the road is busy and the hogger is doing 30 and other road users are having to go around them which is causing the potential for accidents then fair enough. But unfortunately I can see this being used on a quiet Wednesday night, on a deserted motorway when a bored copper has nothing better to do and needs to improve his stats.

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  4. On the M8 around Glasgow, a significant proportion, possibly even a majority, of drivers habitually use the middle lane. It can be quite comical to see a bunch of four or five of them pootling along at 55 mph and all too stupid to overtake the one in front. On the other hand, at busy times, it can be difficult to get from the outside lane to an off-ramp when the middle lane is blocked by tailgating numpties as far as the eye can see.

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  5. I believe it is considered good practice (and may even be mentioned in the Highway Code) that when passing an incoming slip road on the motorway, one should keep to the middle lane, so as to allow vehicles easy access from the slip road onto the carriageway. In theory the entering vehicles should give way, but in practice they rarely if ever do so, and it is only sensible to give them the necessary room rather than risk a collision.

    Having said that, I am irritated by CLODs (Centre Lane Only Drivers) who cruise along for mile after mile in the middle lane. The rule is to stick to the inside lane except when overtaking, and I suppose the practice mentioned above is an exception to this, but one should get back in the inside lane if there is no vehicle emerging from the slip road, or immediately after passing any emerging vehicles. As regards CLODs, I confess that I cannot resist the temptation sometimes to overtake the offending vehicle and then cut in just a little close as one steers right over into the inside lane in front of them - they sometimes take the hint, and sheepishly move over into the inside lane afterwards.

    I have always taken the view that where there is a lane closure, it is sensible to stay in the lane one is in until one reaches the end of that lane, and for vehicles then to merge in turn as the carriageway narrows. There seems little point in joining a queue half a mile back, leaving one or sometimes two lanes completely empty. This is not queue-jumping; to do otherwise simply causes the queue to stretch much further back along the motorway than it would otherwise do, to the inconvenience of other drivers (especially if they wish to leave the motorway at an exit some way short of the hold-up).

    It is to be hoped that some commonsense will be exercised in relation to these matters by any traffic officers that are actually around to enforce the perceived rules.

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    1. It is not against the law to undertake. The Highway Code says you should not do it, but that is advice not law.

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  6. No doubt in a short while the government- and others- will be moaning that too many matters are dealt with out of court!

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  7. Another government plan that's long on intent but short on enforceability.

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  8. Another fine title!
    Kate Caveat

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  9. So, after consultation, and with Magistrates, motoring organisations and other groups, all in agreement that this is an ill thought out piece of legislation, the government are going to ignore all the advice and do it anyway!!! Democracy at it's finest!!
    We can only hope for a U-turn (but not on the motorway) something that our PM seems to be very adept at. Failing that, it could take a large bite out of his 'public school' back side.
    What odds on one of the first to be caught is a member of the coalition???

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  10. I'm a middle lane hogger. There I have said it. I travel at 70mph, the legal speed limit on motorways, or as fast as the middle lane is moving. When I am going at 70mph anyone over or undertaking me is breaking the law. I consider not constantly changing lanes every few hundred yards by staying in the middle lane to be safer for me and other drivers. If I can move into the left lane for a reasonable distance then I do that but opportunities are not frequent except on the M6 Toll road or at very quiet times.

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    1. You consider it to be safer? Maybe if motorways are that dangerous from your point of view you'd be best off avoiding them?

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    2. How do you know you have an accurate speedometer? Most speedometers are not calibrated and over-estimate speed, leading you to think you're doing 70, when; in all probability; you're doing less.

      Those who overtake (to avoid you pottering along) may not be breaking the law at all.

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    3. And that's not even the point. You should be in lane 1. All the time. Unless you're passing something in lane 1. That's what the highway code says. And even if it doesn't say 'must' in that section, it can be referred to when considering a case of 'without due care' which is no doubt what these 'lane hoggers' will be charged with.
      I can't stand people who drive like you MLH, effectively closing a third of the motorway. This 'I'm doing the speed limit' claim is tosh.

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  11. I'll buy that Dinky Toy in the picture for a tenner! Any takers?

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  12. Anyone who thinks that changing to the left lane is somehow 'unsafe' probably ought to avoid motorway driving altogether.

    As for Bystander's original point, I commute to work on the A1M every day and I estimate I see a patrol car on my 20-mile stretch once a week or so, with a long queue of people doing 68 in all three lanes behind it.

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  13. Fixed penalty notices do influence driver behaviour as demonstrated in Aberyswyth over the past 12 months when there was no parking law enforcement.

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  14. What will happen on the M25? I'm sure I've seen a sign saying"Stay in Lane".

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  15. Where in my comment do I say that motorways are dangerous from my point of view? I simply draw attention to my opinion that constantly swopping lanes is more dangerous (less safe if you inist)than travelling at the legal speed limit and staying in one lane. I am certainly not alone with this view and consider other problems such as not signalling, tailgating, speeding and aggressive driving much more serious issues for the police to deal with.

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    1. Classic 'deflection' which I've seen a hundred times. There's always someone 'more dangerous' to go after instead of poor old you. Otherwise known as the 'why aren't you out catching murderers and rapists?' effect.

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  16. MLH you are an idiot and a poor driver.

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  17. MLH : Seriously not impressed. You should know better. Sorry to seem judgemental but you appear to be leading the way here (from the comfort of your smug lane 2 position. Out of interest, do you get to the top of an escalator regardless of who is coming behind you on the basis they can probably get past? On the left of a London underground escalator because there are posters telling people to be careful on the escalators?

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  18. Oh dear, I have really upset some of you it seems. Responses to my view that staying in the middle lane under particular circumstances is safer than frequent changes of lane include simple abuse (Anonymous) to spurious comparisons with escalators. My escalator etiquette is impeccable by the way rex_imperator, especially when I am carrying luggage. Whatever happened to polite argument? When it comes to driving it seems it goes out of the window and rex you disappoint me.

    As an average driver with no convictions in over 45 years and nearly 700,000 miles of motoring and only one 'no fault' accident (a hostage to fortune if ever there was one)I bow to your superior judgement and perfect driving skills. Happy motoring.



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  19. I don't have a dog in this fight, but as a point of reference, I recently had need to take a taxi from Polmont to the Glasgow airport, and said driver (presumably "professional") spent most of his time in the centre lanes when such were available. Make of that what you will.

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Posts are pre-moderated. Please bear with us if this takes a little time, but the number of bores and obsessives was getting out of hand, as were the fake comments advertising rubbish.