Safe Speed Forums

Let’s put this into context. If this had been a Joe public driver and he/she was caught doing 159 mph they could go to prison and would certainly get a long ban, as others already have. If we made the excuses "I was just trying out my car officer" what do you think would be said? We would get the book thrown at us (You f..king maniac you could kill somebody). So in this case yes he should loose his job. If I was banned from driving (and given a prison sentence) there would be a good possibility I would lose my job.

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Useless laws weaken necessary laws.

Well if you can be banned from driving just for holding a placard up advising drivers there is a "safety" camera up ahead, then it probably won't be too long before dismissal from your job is part of the punishment if you are caught speeding

On a slightly more serious note, while dismissal certainly isn't the answer, being late for an appointment does NOT warrant doing 82mph in a 40 zone no matter who you are, and the driver concerned should suffer the same penalty as what Joe Public would have done (ie, a fine and an instant ban).

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What makes you think I'm drunk officer, have I got a fat bird with me?

DISGRACE!!

Am I really a disgrace?

I'm doing my best not to bite here.

My job is to manage and supervise the construction of major infrastructure schemes. A fundamental aspect of which is drawing up and enforcing health and safety guidelines and rules. If I breach these rules then I face a disciplinary hearing possibly leadinig to dismissal. I can list a number of examples where this has occurred. My breach would be far greater than the man on the shovel because I am in a position of authority. I have to set an example!

As for my earlier post then why the hell not? You chose to be a police officer, you chose to become part of an organisation that enforces and upholds the law, you put yourself in a position where you should be beyond reproach. Your organisation and their political masters have decided that the technical offence of speeding is actually a serious crime that leads to death, misery and serious injury.

As the intevening posts have stated, the result of me losing my licence, possibly on one day through minor breaches would be loss of employment, therefore defacto dismissal through speeding offences.

I have always been of the opinion that we should live and let live and generally where offences are 'victimless' then we should really consider their value. I also don't happen to believe that an offence that is regularly committed by the majority of the population has any moral legitimacy. And that as such should be no impediment to a police officer's continued employment. I was brought up to respect the police and for the main part I do.

But your organisation has changed that, they are part of a system that persecutes otherwise law abiding citizens for minor technical transgressions.

Every time I see a panda car speeding with the driver eating a sandwich whilst putting her seatbelt on, when at the same time theres an NIP on my desk and an ad on the radio telling me to think and slow down.....what do you think goes through my mind.

So my answer to your query about whether my post was a joke or not is ...... do you find it any more or less comical than the current persecution of motorists and hypocrisy of some of your collegues?

In summary, if you really are 'The Man' then you need to accept the situation and work within the laws that you have sworn to uphold.

Remember the mantra....the only people with anything to fear are those who break the law.

You may have your opinion and it may differ from mine. I however never call your right to express it a disgrace!

I trust it to your judgement to consider whether that comment was in the spirit of open debate or simply insulting.

Civil Engineer

Best wishes all,
Dave.

Indeed

This thread reminds me of something that happened to me a couple of weeks ago while I was on holiday, driving in New South Wales, Australia, where they are just as anal about their speed limits and speed cameras as they are here. Maybe even more so - 15km/h over the limit and you're in trub, and double licence demerit points at weekends and on public holidays.

So I was on the main road running inland from Sydney, between Lithgow and Bathurst, doing exactly the speed limit - 100km/h - according to my GPS. This was actually a few kays faster than most other drivers who were relying on their slightly-optimistic speedometers. The traffic was extremely light, as it usually is "out in the sticks" there.

A police car comes up behind me and follows me for a few km, then as soon as an overtaking lane came up, he was past and away at 120-plus. No flashing lights or anything, just routinely on his way somewhere.

I was unimpressed.

you know they still give you a 20km/h margin...

That's not what I was told by my expat friend who lives out there, but they may be wrong. I'll remember it for next time

It's certainly not the way most of the locals seemed to drive - head buried in speedo!

Just saw a police van doing an illegal u-turn at a busy junction (Anniesland Glasgow). No blue lights not in a hurry. Wouldn't have bothered me a few years ago, it does now.

well I've never had a problem and I've been past plenty of cops at 130 on the motorways and I'm generally doing 110-120 on the open road where appropriate.
That doesn't mean that they're not allowed to pull you for doing that speed though - I guess you could get unlucky and meet a cop having a bad day. More likely to happen in a 60 or 70 zone though.

One word of caution though - this DOES NOT apply in Victoria. There they enforce the limit to within 3km/h - even in 110km/h zones!!!!!

I thought about this today when what appeared to be a Panda car was batting on a bit up the M61 - what does, or what should count as operational duties? Of course chasing after the bad guys or getting to the scene of a crime in progress is clearly a given. However, what if a particular officer had a lot of work to do? Say they needed to collect loads of witness statements or other such non-999 work if you get my drift. It's important stuff and it's vital our officers should be as productive as possible. However, until this barmy obsession with speed comes to the end, if officers were allowed to routinely break speed limits in connection with their non-999 activities then it will surely created much resentment amongst Joe Public - who also probably has a lot of work to do in a day.

Agree completly though that we didn't have such problems until the over-enforcement of speed happened.

Civil engineer - a very civil reply -- : Also the bit if also in charge of site safety and death results of facing a prison sentance --

Civil Engineer,

a very interesting read (seriously) and it has made me think a bit....however, i still stand by my view that NOBODY deserves to lose their job because of speeding. NO WAY! Just because i choose to do what i do and try and help people does NOT mean that i have to fully believe in everything the law says. If that was the case i would be sat behind a hedge somewhere zapping people and giving them points for nothing! I will never do that....

My point again, and i stick to it despite the obvious 'outrage' by others here, is that nobody deserves to lose their livelihood because of speeding. Serious discipline, fines whatever, but not dismissal......

Apologies for the 'disgrace' comment, a cheap shot....

I agree with The Man on this one, but civil engineer argues beautifully.

Sorry - the very civil reply from CE under extreme pressure , in my book puts him ahead ( plus the fact trhat he makes more sense)

The point is that speeding per say isn't dangerous.

The Police and Justice 'Industry' know this thats why they allow the 159mph driver to get away with it.

I happen to think that if he was doing 159mph and there was no danger to anyone then so what? I couldn't care less.

Unfortunately he is doing it against a back drop of 'speed kills' dogma perpetuated by our misguided masters. And a campaign of persectution against otherwise law abiding motorists.

So unfortunately my opinion has changed......the Police need to walk the talk......or change the record.

We need sensible senior officers to stand up and condemn this nonsense and start some real policing. Why can't the police federation make a stand?

I tell you one thing...If someone like me is having 'anti-police' thoughts and views then the rift between the police and public must be dangerously wide.

Echo your sentiments entirely, CE.
ou used to have to be fairly 'naughty' to lose your licence and hence, in many cases, your job/career. Now it's so easy to get to 12 points without ever driving in an irresponsible way.
If our society believes that the 'crime' of slightly exceeding the speed limit in complete safety deserves the penalty of loss of job/career for a few minor cases, or for just one numerically greater, not still not necessarily unsafe incidence of speeding, then this must also apply to police officers who are caught whilst doing so when not 'on a shout'.
For approved and authorised training exercises that's a different matter, but the law must be seen to apply to all.
Remember, because you have blue lights and have been on a training course, it doesn't mean that the laws of physics no longer apply. If, and it's a big if, the breaking of speed limits is the major cause of casualties the police would have us believe, then the police must only do it when they really, really have to, and then be prepared to justify it. If Mr. Average loses his job through speeding, then so must Mr. Plod. If Mr. Average is imprisoned for doing 140, then so must Mr. Plod be.
For it to be otherwise will be seen as unacceptable by the public and that will drive a wedge between public and Police, which is not what anyone really wants.

Er. The way we are going, if you are a lorry driver doing 100,000 miles per year, it will soon get to the point where it is inevitable where you lose your job.

It is. I always used to co-operate with the police. In the past I've given up hours of my time to help them.

Not any more.

They lied in Court to get me convicted of speeding. I can prove this beyond any shadow of doubt.

They will now get from me the respect they deserve.

NONE.

From my own case, I now believe that the CPS, the Police and the Home Office are no longer the good guys. They are the Criminals.

And while I'm at it, here's another one.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/3632859.stm

Four cops driving back from the rugby. Driver gets done for speeding and tries to say he was chasing a criminal. Other cops in the car testify that he did not tell them about this. Nor did he tell the control centre. None of the cops told him to slow down.

Oh look. And he gets off.

Now there's a surprise.