WITH reference to the report in The Citizen re "Tax Collectors in Blue", I feel very strongly that this police action is ill-considered and unfair, particularly to older and more experienced drivers.
I am part of an over 50s Friendship Club in North Preston and many of the members, with totally clean licences, many for 40 or 50 years, have been prosecuted for exceeding the limit on roads where that limit has recently been reduced.
I do not condone exceeding the speed limit. I, myself, have not been prosecuted, so I have no axe to grind in this matter, but what I feel is an injustice is that older, more careful and law abiding drivers, who have lived and driven in the area for many years, are pounced upon almost before they have realised that the limits have been changed.
Mr Earle is quite correct: injustice makes law abiding drivers furious, and, as he says, "angry people do not make good drivers". Neither do people who are trying to give their attention to their driving, but having to check their speedometer every couple of minutes, as Mr Earle also points out.
By all means prosecute the "boy racers" and others who are blatantly exceeding the limit -- they know that what they are doing attracts penalties and are willing to take the risk. Being "nicked" to them is inconvenient, but most admit it is a "fair cop". The older, safer, more careful driver, on the other hand, is often devastated that their clean licence is besmirched, not to mention that many are pensioners on a small income and the penalty hits them far harder.
As to Linda Sanderson's protestation that increasing revenue is not the aim of the scheme -- well, to paraphrase Mandy Rice-Davies, she would say that, wouldn't she?
Mrs B Crosby,
Levens Close,
Poulton-le-Fylde.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article