reported for driving without due care and attension

[paul25601]

hi all, tonight i have been reported for driving without due care and attension aswel as 6 other drivers. here what happened, driving down a road saw a sign saying road ahead closed, so carried on driving past it as the cars infrond did, further down the road there was another sight saying police incident road closed, all the other cars went around so i did, then saw some police lights so i started to turn around and a police man screamed at me what are you doing and made us all line up, took details and told me i was been reported for driving whenout due care and attension and so was every1 else, i said i dont understand the charge and he said whats there not to understand. i am not from the area and do not no the roads.

i dont think il plead guilty

heres my case.

saw the first sighn saying road ahead closed, carried on as i needed access to an emercancy responce alarm activation and my turn off was further down the road,
did not see the second sighn as a van was parked infront of it, went around the van as did the car infront of me and several cars behind, saw police lights and began turning round but was stopped by police. the officer that reported me said my college has told me to report you for driving without due care and attension, i said i dont understand the charge, he said whats ther not to understand, i asked further questions and he said ul get something threw the post probibly a written warning, ask the the other police office and he said he was putting his case to the cps.

he advised me lots of cars had done it but not he was getting fed up of it.

the road was open to cars the other way.

the was a sighn on the other side of the road that said road closed between future dates due to road works,

i also took photos of the sighns and at the time of taking photos a car was parked infront of 1 of them.

any advice? do you think i have a case?

[sigma]

You ought to be reported for bad spelling.

[Ankou]

so in paragraph one you saw both signs.....,
then in paragraph 2 you didn't see the signs?

[JimmyCooper]

You have no case whatsoever.

If you go to court you will get a bigger fine and will make yourself look even more stupid in the process

[TWR]

With respect, if there was a brick wall in front of you, would you try & drive through it? the first sign clearly stated " ROAD CLOSED" so if the sign said road closed, it does not matter what you thought, the road was closed, end of case you are in the wrong.

[andy-hughes]

In the eyes of the law you are guilty.

You saw a sign clearly indicating that the road was closed, and you ignored it.

The actions of other drivers are not mitigating circumstances - you can only ignore a sign like this if directed by a police officer, or other appropriate official.

Best to plead guilty and take your fine - the court will not appreciate you trying to argue a case when the issue is clear and beyond doubt - they will simply increase your fine for your trouble.

So my advice is to pay up and learn the lesson - no you do not have a case.

[Davethedog]

As TWR said, if the cars in front of you drove over a cliff would you follow? It said road closed. Then there was a sign that said "police incident" but you thought it was ok to just drive around it.

You don't think you will plead guilty?

Heres what will happen you will get a summons, this will give you the option of three points and a fine probably £60, if you are (never mind) you will pay up and take the points.

If not you go to court you face higher points, higher costs and a possible crimnal record. Its your word against the police Good luck

[jno]

hang on - if a sign says 'road closed' you should stop, but if it just says 'road closed ahead' surely you're entitled to go ahead until you reach the actual point of closure? As for instance, if your turnoff is before the actual closure, as seems to be the case here?

(I'm a little unclear of the actual details of what happened, I must admit.)

[exdc]

Hi

My knowledge of traffic law is not good but JNO has made a valid point which needs clarification by some one who knows what they are talking about.

[Davethedog]

police incident road closed,

[joko]

the signs were put there for a reason... and i am not surprised he was getting sick of other cars doing the same.

the road was closed - you should have stopped - or at least got out an asked the police if you could continue to a nearby street - not just drive round TWO signs...just because others did it does not absolve you are exercising due care and independant thought...you are not sheep...

you extra points like the road being open the other way are irrelevant

sorry but you are guilty and have no defence...

[paul25601]

this is my defence, i saw a sign saying caution road closed ahead, incident slow. further down the road there was another sighn, however a van was parked infront of it so i could not see it, the cars infront drove around it so i slowly and carefully followed, i then saw a police car ahead parked across the road so to began to turn around in a safe place a good distance from the accident, i saw atleast 10 cars do this whist i was stood there, some got away. traffic was also alound coming from the other way.

[paul25601]

and reported not arrested

[paul25601]

and i no i probibly am guilty, but i want to build a case to get out of it if i can

[Old_Geezer]

I'm no expert but if you could prove the sign which said "police incident road closed" really was obstructed by a van so you could not reasonably have been able to see it, then it may be worthwhile speaking to someone qualified to explain the legal position.

I'm unsure of the likely outcome though since at one point they suggested they only intend to send you a warning, yet another says the Crown Prosecution Service is involved. If it goes beyond the warning then why not see a lawyer. Could be worthwhile.

[merciasounds]

you say you needed access to an emergency response alarm - how far down this 'closed road' was this alarm - and can it help you with your case?

[joko]

oh well as you went 'slowly and carefully' round the TWO ROAD CLOSED signs, then they should let you off...

[jno]

as I read it, the first sign just said "slow", which paul obeyed, and the second was hidden. On that basis I'd plead not guilty.

[sddsddean]

I work in roadworks often entailing road closures. You can guarantee that everyone will ignore 'Road (Ahead) Closed' signs, often passing 4 or 5 and they get really stroppy when they have to turn round. Often I'm asked by drivers " Is this road closed?". I say "What does the sign say?". They say "Road Closed". Me - " So which of those two words have you got a problem with?!"

[TWR]

Lets put this situation in prospective, the sign said Road Closed ahead, now think about a dozen cars going down this road Paul, the build up & congestion, now just think about the Emergency Vehicles that would try & get passed all these drivers that have ignored the signs! do you get where I am coming from Paul?