Filling the coffers

Juan Mourep

Juan Mourep

Vital 1st Team Regular
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/06/10/motorway-speeding-fine_n_5477105.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular

While f ing the motorist


Motorway Speeding Maximum Fine To Soar To £10000 As Courts Get Tough

A fourfold increase in the maximum fines available to magistrates is to be introduced, as part of sweeping reforms to the penalties which can be imposed by magistrates, the Government has announced.

Under the planned reforms, maximum fines for speeding on dual carriageways and for using a mobile phone while driving will also quadruple, going from £1,000 to £4,000.

Courts will also be able to levy unlimited fines for the first time for the most serious crimes dealt with in the lower courts - such as environmental offences - which at present attract penalties of up to £5,000 or more.

But Justice Minister Jeremy Wright said the dramatic hike - the first since 1991 and which the Government paved the way for in legislation passed two years ago - would give magistrates the "greater powers" needed to punish offenders.

The Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 allowed for magistrates to be give the power to impose unlimited fines for some offences but the Government is only now tabling legislation to put that into effect.

Magistrates' Court Guidelines set out how the appropriate level of punishment should be determined according to the seriousness of the offence.

The amount of fines collected reached an all-time high of £284 million at the end of 2012/13 and remains on an upward course.

 
They are only planned reforms currently. I think there will be so much uproar about this, even the planned reform will be reformed....

 
More taxes !

Millions left unpaid though.

They should have followed through and raised speed limits on motorways in my humble, 70mph is too slow for the modern car which is a million miles away from the versions that graced our roads when the limits were introduced.
 
I have no real problem with this - especially if you're caught on your phone driving without using a hands free kit, in fact, I'd support a flat £10,000 fine for anybody caught doing that, might make arrogant tossers think twice. If you're involved in an accident because you were using your phone you should get an instant ban.
 
Can't argue re phones, there should be more education on it though, some of the campaign videos I've seen on youtube from other countries should be played at all driving tests and in schools for those just approaching driving age.

Young Asian in a blacked out Range Rover Sport drove through pedestrian lights in Redditch as I was packing today happily talking on the phone. I wouldn't mind (I would!) but those cars have handsfree surely!??!? I gave him a middle finger salute in honour of his stupidity. He thought he was cool and a gangster I think. I thought differently.
 
Kinda reminds me of the Demolition Man - "You are fined one credit for a violation of the Verbal Morality Statute"
 
McGrath4Pope - 12/6/2014 15:37

I have no real problem with this - especially if you're caught on your phone driving without using a hands free kit, in fact, I'd support a flat £10,000 fine for anybody caught doing that, might make arrogant tossers think twice. If you're involved in an accident because you were using your phone you should get an instant ban.
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The stats are interesting. I can't remember where I saw them but texting whist driving was the most dangerous, with talking on a mobile second. What was surprising was that talking on a hand-free was more dangerous that drinking and driving.

I've stopped using the hand-free as well. What is so important that we can't wait until we stop?
 
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