pogo wrote:
PaulF wrote:
When I was a kid, I was brought up to believe that taking other people's property that didn't belong to me was STEALING.
Not really stealing... The 1968 Theft Act defined theft as "the dishonest appropriation of goods belonging to another with intent permanently to deprive..".
The crux of the matter is "dishonest"... Lincolnshire police appear to believe that they're honestly above the law. 

Of course, strictly speaking, it isn't theft as defined by the 1968 Act... It just seems like it is, that's all; along with all their cameras which meticulously record fractions of an MPH in excess of the speed limit without any regard to the road conditions, weather, other road users, state of the driver and vehicle, etc, etc, etc.
Such a shame that they don't or can't catch muggers, child molesters, rapists, burglars, shoplifters, drug-pushers and the like with the same zest.
Yes, I do acknowledge that the police have a very difficult job to do anyway - without being used to effectively steal money or other property from ordinary people otherwise going about their lawful business.
This over zealous indescriminate enforcement and use of laws which were never intended for this purpose brings the whole system into disrepute. The police are supposed to be there to be our servants - to deter and prosecute people who take the piss out of the law and other people - not take the piss out of the enforcement of the law themselves.
We are supposedly policed by consent in this country: Well, I've withdrawn my consent since having my £60 'legally' thieved off of me when I was hurting no-one and simply going about my lawful business. How many more people's respect can those in authority within the police forces across the country afford to squander before the country becomes ungovernable?
I have said before: As an individual, I am just one of 60,000,000 people - so I am expendable - as are the few thousand who question these policies who post on this board - as are, no doubt, the respect and support of the 31,621 poor bastards who have been fined in Lincs.... 
No, the country won't just 'stop' tomorrow: But let's do some simple maths. If 1 person in a hundred says "fuck the law", he is out numbered by 99 to 1. When a second joins in that number drops to 49 to 1. A third makes it just over 33 to 1. A fourth makes it 25 to 1, the fifth means 20 to 1. The sixth becomes 16 to 1.... How long before this number becomes 1 in 5 or one in 4?
Serious question for all the pro-theft lobbies who are taking the law to its extremes.... Seriously... You have taken £60 of my money on the pretext of law and order and 'safety' because I was pictured driving past a fixed point at 35 mph. The same picture shows that ther were no pedestrians about; indeed, no other vehicles at all. It also shos it was dry and good visability. How do you expect me to feel having been on the recieving end of blunt letters that are abrupt and rude, which insult my intelligence generally (about road safety - I've been driving 25 years and haven't had any 'fault' accidents or other endorsements), and that basically just want my money? These letters are veiled intimidating letters of doom for 'non-compliance' or questioning the 'evidence'. Pay now or pay more.
D'you realy, really expect me to say something like "Oh yes, it was a 'fair' cop" and "I got what I deserved"? For what? For minding my and going about own fucking business, putting no-one in any danger whatsoever???? And you want me to say how wonderful it is and cry out loud how we should "all obey the law"?? I don't mug old age pensioners - not because I can't do such a thing but because doing such a thing is not right.
People who really do need their licences removed for grotesquely inappropriate speeds at grotesquely inappropriate places are getting away with it because of this money orientated slant on persecuting ordinary people in order to extract cash from them.... The exact self same thing happened in the porn industires in this country when they went after "all porn". Now I am 
not advocating pornography in any guise but I will say this about it... Because the police's resources were tied up chasing down stories and pictures of "Bob and Tracy" who were normal, heterosexual consenting adults doing what comes naturally but on film (about 98%+ of all porn), then the nonce cases, the animals, the gays etc, etc (ie the stuff most normal people would want stopped or censured or controlled) slipped through the net because they were in with the others. Crazy way of enforcing the unenforceable!
So you still want and expect me to ring you to give you 'intelligence' about people selling 'hot property', drugs or even suspicions about bombers and the like? Well if you ain't guessed or worked out yet what is likely to be the chances of me helping you in future, having filched my £60 off of me, then perhaps you ain't got the intelligence to match that of my dog and my gripes are wasted on ignorant pigs like you.
Why was it - can anyone tell me - that around a decade ago, when Marks and Spencer, ASDA, Tesco, Sainsbury's, etc, etc, etc openly disobeyed the then Sunday trading laws, they eventually changed the law???? Who was either bunging the top people money or shagging them?
I think it's long overdue that the powers that be examine what they are doing carefully. For every 'loud mouth' like me who will spout off just how unhappy he is about this legalised theft policy, there could be thousands who have literally just said quietly to themselves "Fuck them" too.
I dread to think what may happen in  the future if this is not addressed soon.