Automobiles – their shortcomings
IT is inevitable that in every walk of life we at times become too complaisant, take success and convenience too much for granted, forgetful of the shortcomings of the past…
Sir,
At last I have read an opinion that echo’s my own and I concur completely with your conclusions.
You have clearly differentiated between transgressions of the various Road Traffic Acts for which endorsement is in the public interest, and the crime of exceeding the speed limit for which the more serious punishment is the endorsement under the toting up procedure, and not the fine—although Lord knows how various courts can justify the wide differentials for the same offence.
My strongest objection is that no cognisance is taken of the annual mileage covered and the law deals in a similar manner with the housewife who covers one thousand miles per year and the business traveller who may do well over thirty to fifty thousand miles per year—it seems that only a bookmaker would declare the odds of being caught by radar trap or lurking Q-car, but not the magistrates.
I wish you every possible success in your current venture, and I wouldn’t even object to a standard fine based on each mile per hour over the legal limit for at least the offending driver could calculate his risk in a fair and unarguable manner.
N.K. Stoller – Whitefield.