RE: Treadaway Hill speeding fines and last week’s letter: “Time to stop branding all motorists criminals.”
MR Everson confuses me with his letter in which he wants ‘whoever controls the speed limits’ to put their house in order and tackle those who drive at excessive speed, and yet complains when Thames Valley Police do that.
Speeding is a criminal act, you cannot pick which laws you wish to adhere to and which you don’t, or rather you can but don’t start bleating when you get caught. In addition you do not get charged twice for the same offence, the fine and points are part of the same punishment.
That 1,700 others were also caught would suggest a more draconian approach is needed. It is inappropriate speed that kills, the speed limit is set at the maximum safe limit for a given road, other factors reduce this figure. If as a consequence of estimating a vehicle to be within the speed limit I allow myself and dog adequate time to cross the road, and am then knocked down because they don’t agree with the law could I ask for them to be put in stocks on the village green as that is a law I don’t think should have been repealed. What next – vigilantes and summary justice?
Possibly were the speed limit adhered to, the need for ‘nifty acceleration’ mentioned in a further letter, by Mr Barron would also be negated. That there have been no accidents on this stretch of road between 2000 and 2010 would indicate a success on the part of police. Ultimately it is your right foot on the accelerator, it is your hand on the throttle – should you have so little control over these and such a dim knowledge of the Highway Code, it may be the road would be safer for all if you didn’t use it, there is after all no God given right to drive.
Tim Jinks, Roman Way, Bourne End
