Safe Speed Forums

The campaign for genuine road safety
It is currently Mon Oct 27, 2025 14:43

All times are UTC [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 33 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
Author Message
PostPosted: Fri Apr 04, 2008 19:42 
Offline
Friend of Safe Speed
Friend of Safe Speed
User avatar

Joined: Tue Mar 09, 2004 23:09
Posts: 6737
Location: Stockport, Cheshire
Daily Mail

Quote:
Muslim escapes ban after driving at double the speed limit because he has to 'commute between two wives'
By ALEX DOWDALLS -
Last updated at 19:18pm on 4th April 2008

When it comes to avoiding a speeding ban, the courts have heard just about every excuse in the book.

But one motorist offered what could only be described as a unique explanation as to why he should keep his licence.

Mohammed Anwar argued that it would be difficult to commute between his two wives if he was banned from the roads.

The curry house boss stays with his spouses on alternate nights and would have been unable to fulfil his matrimonial duties if he was banned from driving.

Incredibly, a sheriff allowed him to stay on the roads, instead fining him and putting points on his licence.

Anwar, 57, was his way home from his restaurant in Falkirk, Stirlingshire, when he was clocked by police, driving at 64mph in a 30mph zone.

Yesterday, at Airdrie Sheriff Court, Anwar, of Glasgow, pleaded guilty to the speeding offence, which took place in August last year.

His lawyer, Paul Nicolson, said: "He realises his licence is at risk, but this is an unusual case and is very anxious to keep his driving licence as he has two wives.

"He has one wife in Motherwell and another in Glasgow and sleeps with one one night and stays with the other the next on an alternate basis.

"Without his driving licence he would be unable to be able to do this on a regular basis. He is also a restaurant owner and has a restaurant in Falkirk, which he has had for the past 30 years.

"He has had a clean driving licence until now, and on this particular evening was on his way home after a busy evening at his restaurant."

Prosecutor Kate Fleming earlier told the court how Anwar was driving in Glasgow, when police using a hand held speed camera, clocked him at driving at more than twice the permitted limit.

The restaurateur made no reply during his five minute court appearance, apart from confirming his identity.

Sheriff John C. Morris Q.C. allowed him to keep his licence, fining Anwar £200 and imposing six penalty points on his driving licence.

Speaking from his Indian restaurant, Sanam, in Falkirk's Callander Road, Anwar said: "It is true that I have two wives - but Muslim men are allowed up to four.

"But I am not a religious leader and it is not my place to comment. And as a matter of respect to my wives I would not comment on my home life.

"The sheriff did not ban me because I need my licence to run my business, although my wives were also part of the decision."

Last night Lorna Jackson, from road safety charity Brake, said it was "astonishing" he had escaped a ban.

She said: "Regardless of the number of wives or businesses this man drives to, he broke a law which is there to protect everyone.

"Travelling just a few miles over the limit in a 30mph zone can be the difference between life and death if you hit someone, let alone driving at more than twice the speed limit.

Anwar's plea to be allowed to keep his licence joins a long list of unusual excuses heard in courts down the years.

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson was cleared of illegally driving on a motorway hard shoulder because he was rushing to the toilet.

And footballer David Beckham also escaped a ban after arguing he had to break the speed limit to escape a photographer.

_________________
"Show me someone who says that they have never exceeded a speed limit, and I'll show you a liar, or a menace." (Austin Williams - Director, Transport Research Group)

Any views expressed in this post are personal opinions and may not represent the views of Safe Speed


Top
 Profile Send private message  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Apr 04, 2008 21:55 
Offline
Member
Member
User avatar

Joined: Wed Mar 17, 2004 18:17
Posts: 794
Location: Reading
Great. Yet another piece of reverse discrimination.

_________________
Paul Smith: a legend.

"The freedom provided by the motor vehicle is not universally applauded, however: there are those who resent the loss of state control over individual choice that the car represents. Such people rarely admit their prejudices openly; instead, they make false or exaggerated claims about the adverse effects of road transport in order to justify calls for higher taxation or restrictions on mobility." (Conservative Way Forward: Stop The War Against Drivers)


Top
 Profile Send private message  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 09:53 
Offline
User
User avatar

Joined: Mon Mar 08, 2004 21:41
Posts: 3608
Location: North West
I hope she did not have a "headache" after his 23 mile from Falkirk to Glasgow :popcorn:

If he was serious about "respect to his wives by not commenting on his home life" - then perhaps he broke this commitment of "respect" by allowing his lawyer to disclose he would find it difficult to "perform his matrimonials" if he lost his licence :popcorn:

Apart from that .. I do understand a Mormon gent in Utah was sent to prison for indulging in Mormon teachings in this respect. He got done for bigamy some years ago. He lives in the UK. I do not care what religion he practises - but in this country, you can go to prison for committing bigamy. This is not a Muslim country but of a CofE tradtion with a law based on some common law principles dating from before the Norman invasion. :popcorn: His religion may allow this back in the Middle East - but he's been in this country for over 30 years if he's owned the restaurant for that length of time. As such - he is a British citizen and not a recent asylum seeker who may arrive here with more than one wife in tow.. and our law should not recognise any "perceived rights" he claims to have in this respect.

Way out of order. For once I agree with Brake on the grounds this was a ridiculous reason to drive at an OTT speed in the middle of urban/suburban Glasgow. I am sure that an English man on the way to see his "bit on the side" would have been banned. :popcorn:

_________________
If you want to get to heaven - you have to raise a little hell!

Smilies are contagious
They are just like the flu
We use our smilies on YOU today
Now Good Causes are smiling too!

KEEP SMILING
It makes folk wonder just what you REALLY got up to last night!

Smily to penny.. penny to pound
safespeed prospers-smiles all round! !

But the real message? SMILE.. GO ON ! DO IT! and the world will smile with you!
Enjoy life! You only have the one bite at it.


Top
 Profile Send private message  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 09:57 
Offline
User

Joined: Sat Oct 20, 2007 22:50
Posts: 3267
Quote:
He has had a clean driving licence until now


I love the assertion in there that this was the first and only time he sped at such speeds.

Could it be he's simply not been caught before?


Top
 Profile Send private message  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 09:59 
Offline
User

Joined: Sat Oct 20, 2007 22:50
Posts: 3267
bombus wrote:
Great. Yet another piece of reverse discrimination.


Hi Bombus

I can find you cases of non muslims getting off with equally lame excuses if you like.


Top
 Profile Send private message  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 10:04 
Offline
Gold Member
Gold Member
User avatar

Joined: Wed Dec 08, 2004 14:26
Posts: 4364
Location: Hampshire/Wiltshire Border
weepej,

Do you find yourself getting into fights in the pub all the time? :D

_________________
Malcolm W.
The views expressed in this post are personal opinions and do not represent the views of Safespeed.


Top
 Profile Send private message  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 10:20 
Offline
User

Joined: Sat Oct 20, 2007 22:50
Posts: 3267
malcolmw wrote:
weepej,

Do you find yourself getting into fights in the pub all the time? :D


Never, I've stopped a fair few though!


Top
 Profile Send private message  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 10:26 
Offline
User
User avatar

Joined: Mon Mar 08, 2004 21:41
Posts: 3608
Location: North West
weepej wrote:
bombus wrote:
Great. Yet another piece of reverse discrimination.


Hi Bombus

I can find you cases of non muslims getting off with equally lame excuses if you like.



Somehow I do not think a non muslim bloke going to see his "mistress" would cut much ice with the magistrate. :popcorn:



Sir Alex had the runs and Beckham was fleeing the paparazzi per King Loophole. But they could at least prove a dicky tummy and a crazed photographer at the time.

I am pretty sure I would not be let off if I raced home to make more kittens with Wildy. She gets decently "serviced" though :D :popcorn:

_________________
If you want to get to heaven - you have to raise a little hell!

Smilies are contagious
They are just like the flu
We use our smilies on YOU today
Now Good Causes are smiling too!

KEEP SMILING
It makes folk wonder just what you REALLY got up to last night!

Smily to penny.. penny to pound
safespeed prospers-smiles all round! !

But the real message? SMILE.. GO ON ! DO IT! and the world will smile with you!
Enjoy life! You only have the one bite at it.


Top
 Profile Send private message  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 10:27 
Offline
Gold Member
Gold Member

Joined: Wed Apr 21, 2004 17:46
Posts: 823
Location: Saltburn, N. Yorks
edit


Last edited by Oscar on Sat Apr 05, 2008 16:38, edited 1 time in total.

Top
 Profile Send private message  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 10:29 
Offline
Gold Member
Gold Member

Joined: Wed Apr 21, 2004 17:46
Posts: 823
Location: Saltburn, N. Yorks
Quote:
Never, I've stopped a fair few though!


By getting knocked out? :twisted:


(:oops1: :trolls: I bit again. :cry: )


Top
 Profile Send private message  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 10:31 
Offline
User

Joined: Sat Oct 20, 2007 22:50
Posts: 3267
Oscar wrote:
(:oops1: :trolls: I bit again. :cry: )



YAAAWWN!


Last edited by weepej on Sat Apr 05, 2008 10:32, edited 1 time in total.

Top
 Profile Send private message  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 10:32 
Offline
User

Joined: Sat Oct 20, 2007 22:50
Posts: 3267
Mad Moggie wrote:
Somehow I do not think a non muslim bloke going to see his "mistress" would cut much ice with the magistrate. :popcorn:


But a divorced guy hurrying to see his ex wife and kids would you think?


Top
 Profile Send private message  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 10:45 
Offline
Member
Member
User avatar

Joined: Sat Dec 04, 2004 13:41
Posts: 514
Location: Thames Valley
64 in a 30 might not be as bad as it sounds, as speed limits these days give no indication at all of the ideal safe speed at which to drive. In my area we have straight rural roads with no side turnings and no pedestrian access which have a 30 limit, and roads in the middle of a village with lots of pedestrians on the approach to an unguarded level crossing where the limit is NSL/60. (These two locations are less than 5 miles apart!)

But the bigamy aspect of this case is interesting. :D Given that the gentleman concerned is 57 years of age, it seems likely that he was not born here, but lived in his home country and married both his wives there, or at least outside of Britain.

Merely coming to the UK would not, IMO, make him a bigamist. Instead, the law should (and probably does, except in this speeding case) recognise his first marriage but not the second, for the purposes of British law (divorce laws, capital transfer tax, intestacy laws etc.). In America, for example, most states forbid marriage to one's first cousin, whereas it's allowed in Britain. For a married couple of which each person is the first cousin of the other to go to America does not make them criminals, but if one of them were then to obtain resident alien status, the spouse cannot also obtain resident alien status on the grounds of being married to a resident alien because their marriage would not be recognised in US law. In the eyes of the law, they would simply be a law abiding unmarried couple.

But this speeding case is different. This guy has managed to pull a fast one - and I'm not talking about exceeding the speed limit. He has managed to manipulate the decision arrived at by the court by citing a marriage that should not be recognised by UK law, which includes or should include the legal processes within a magistrates' court. The only reason the magistrates can have for not imposing the punishment that I would have received for the same offence is because they were afraid of appearing to be racist.

This sets an alarming precedent, and also spotlights yet again the muslim capacity for setting double standards. If his second wife had been Heather Mills, and she divorced him and wanted half of his wealth, you can be sure that this guy would cite the fact that the marriage to her had no legal basis in UK law and that he owed her nothing.

It would be interesting to hear from fisherman about this case.

Personally, I am appalled.


Top
 Profile Send private message  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 11:06 
Offline
User

Joined: Sat Oct 20, 2007 22:50
Posts: 3267
Oscar wrote:
Quote:
Never, I've stopped a fair few though!


By getting knocked out? :twisted:


No, by being quite a calming presence, being six foot five helps too.


Top
 Profile Send private message  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 12:10 
Offline
Member
Member
User avatar

Joined: Wed Mar 17, 2004 18:17
Posts: 794
Location: Reading
weepej wrote:
Oscar wrote:
Quote:
Never, I've stopped a fair few though!


By getting knocked out? :twisted:


No, by being quite a calming presence, being six foot five helps too.

:shock:

No wonder you hate cars if you can't fit in them! :P

I'm 6'3" myself (with two 5'8" parents!), and usually I'm the tallest when I look around in a public place. I'm glad I'm this tall for a variety of reasons, but I wouldn't want to be any taller, because then I'd need to duck for doorways, have difficulty finding clothes (maybe anyway), have even more legroom problems than I already do, etc. Still I'm sure one gets used to whatever height one is.

_________________
Paul Smith: a legend.

"The freedom provided by the motor vehicle is not universally applauded, however: there are those who resent the loss of state control over individual choice that the car represents. Such people rarely admit their prejudices openly; instead, they make false or exaggerated claims about the adverse effects of road transport in order to justify calls for higher taxation or restrictions on mobility." (Conservative Way Forward: Stop The War Against Drivers)


Top
 Profile Send private message  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 13:35 
Offline
User

Joined: Tue Oct 23, 2007 00:12
Posts: 22
Without actually being in court during the case and knowing the stretch of road its difficult to come to any real conclusion if the punishment is fair or not. When was the last time anybody remembers a newspaper reporting much fairly or accurately? The "man keeps licence because two wives" is gonna sell more copies than "man keeps licence because needs car for business" .... which one do you think they will put the emphasis on?

Some sheriffs do actually have a brain, he may well know the stretch of road involved, maybe had several cases involving the same spot with similar speeds and recons the guy was probably not actually doing anything particularly dangerous. Taking into account the guys previous clean record, his real need to keep license for business, the guys attitude to what he's done, it could well be a perfectly fair and proper decision. I doubt whether his need to travel between two wives had much to do with the decision ... but that doesn't sell many newspapers.

Really unless the facts are known its improper to come to any fair conclusions ... and I for one tend not to take newspaper stories as fact :roll:


Top
 Profile Send private message  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 14:39 
Offline
Member
Member
User avatar

Joined: Sat Dec 04, 2004 13:41
Posts: 514
Location: Thames Valley
Rumbly - true enough ^ - and it has to be said, it was the Daily Mail!


Top
 Profile Send private message  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 16:41 
Offline
Gold Member
Gold Member

Joined: Wed Apr 21, 2004 17:46
Posts: 823
Location: Saltburn, N. Yorks
Quote:
being six foot five helps too.


You know the old saying, then.

The bigger they are, the harder they fall :lol:


Top
 Profile Send private message  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 18:04 
Offline
Friend of Safe Speed
Friend of Safe Speed
User avatar

Joined: Tue Mar 09, 2004 23:09
Posts: 6737
Location: Stockport, Cheshire
Rumbly wrote:
Without actually being in court during the case and knowing the stretch of road its difficult to come to any real conclusion if the punishment is fair or not. When was the last time anybody remembers a newspaper reporting much fairly or accurately? The "man keeps licence because two wives" is gonna sell more copies than "man keeps licence because needs car for business" .... which one do you think they will put the emphasis on?

Some sheriffs do actually have a brain, he may well know the stretch of road involved, maybe had several cases involving the same spot with similar speeds and recons the guy was probably not actually doing anything particularly dangerous. Taking into account the guys previous clean record, his real need to keep license for business, the guys attitude to what he's done, it could well be a perfectly fair and proper decision. I doubt whether his need to travel between two wives had much to do with the decision ... but that doesn't sell many newspapers.

Really unless the facts are known its improper to come to any fair conclusions ... and I for one tend not to take newspaper stories as fact :roll:

Yes. A fair number of people do escape instant or totting-up bans by pleading special circumstances. While on the face of it the reasons given here sound rather dubious, it may well be as you say that he would seriously struggle to run his businesses if he couldn't drive between them.

Personally I'd prefer to see a few people escape bans for apparently dodgy reasons than to have a draconian one-size-fits-all policy with no exceptions whatsoever. I'm almost inclined to say "good luck to him" :twisted:

_________________
"Show me someone who says that they have never exceeded a speed limit, and I'll show you a liar, or a menace." (Austin Williams - Director, Transport Research Group)

Any views expressed in this post are personal opinions and may not represent the views of Safe Speed


Top
 Profile Send private message  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 18:36 
Offline
Gold Member
Gold Member

Joined: Fri Sep 24, 2004 23:26
Posts: 9268
Location: Treacletown ( just north of M6 J3),A MILE OR TWO PAST BEDROCK
DieselMoment wrote:
Rumbly - true enough ^ - and it has to be said, it was the Daily Mail!


Daily Anything - the story counts ,and the ending has to fit .

Try this --

Many moons ago a gent incarcerated in a mental institution in the NE of Scotland got out , treked across to the west coast , stole a dingy and rowed toward the western Isles. A west coast Lifeboat was launched and eventually found the dingy , pulled up on a beach on an island . Members of the crew ,including one very athletic ( a cross country athlete) pursued this gent over the hils for some miles . Next day in the paper the story read " The escapee was found exhausted in the bottom of the dingy " ---and quote from the crew " that exhausted we chased him for a few miles " .
Anyway some might think this fiction -- except that my dad , cousind and other relatives were members of that crew .


And that perhaps summs up the relationship between acuracy and truth in newspaper reporting .

_________________
lets bring sanity back to speed limits.
Drivers are like donkeys -they respond best to a carrot, not a stick .Road safety experts are like Asses - best kept covered up ,or sat on


Top
 Profile Send private message  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 33 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next

All times are UTC [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 15 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You can post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
cron
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
[ Time : 0.086s | 12 Queries | GZIP : Off ]