MrBitsy The offence of theft occurs at the point at which the thief decides to permanently deprive the shop of the shirt. There is no middle ground. Shop lifters have been apprehended and convicted without leaving the store, provided that there is evidence that they intended to permanently deprive the shop of the item. You are going to have to think a little harder if you want to use this analogy against me.
I would be very interested to know how you define a 'small' amount over the limit. I suspect our thresholds might differ quite a bit! I just don't buy the moment's inattention argument, frankly. I see enough deliberate, casual speeding, to think that most of those caught, habitually go over the limit. I have certainly broken the speed limit on occasions, almost all of them through sheer inadvertence, or momentary inattention, or through poor signage. I have yet to get a NIP.
100% agreed. Any penalty levied where the signage was obscure or not there is clearly unjust. I saw a notious case driving through Coventry last month. Joined dual carriageway from slip road. No signs to indicate that this wasn't NSL. About to accelerate to 70mph when I remembered that when I'd driven along that road 6 years ago, it had a 60 limit, so I slowed to be on the safe side. Sure enough I sailed past a speed camea and the *FIRST* 60 sign was after the fricking camera. I wrote to Coventry Council to complain - still no response.
There's no reason why we can't do both.
