On David Vine's Radio 2 programme this lunchtime, they were talking about magistrates. I was only half listening, so this will not be accurately quoted.
He cited an example: "Police approached a car, which sped off, then drove fast round a residential area at school turning out time. It eventually stopped, and the 19-year old driver admitted it wasn't his vehicle. What would you do?"
The wording is such that one's first reactions are to throw the book at this lout, possibly for careless driving, speeding, TWOCing, etc. But, in reality, one should do nothing. Speeding off is not an offence (no-one said the police were trying to stop him), driving fast in a residential area is not an offence as long as speed limits are observed (you can get 40 or 50mph DCs in residential areas), there's no mention that he was driving anywhere near a school, his age is immaterial, and driving someone else's car is not an offence, provided that he has permission and is insured. He was perfectly within the law all the way.
Speed Enforcement At IAM meeting 1654So in actual fact, the government's claim that speed cameras are good is bollocks, as they've chosen statistics (# KSIs) which are improving anyway due to design...
So, next time you make all sorts of buttumptions from a news report, stop and think what is NOT said, and don't always buttume the worst (which any news report will allude to, if not actually say).
