Driving me crazy.

[jakesi]

In the news today is a story about a woman being fined �30 for eating a apple while driving,( the police thought she was using her mobile) and are using the fact that her mind was distracted and put the public  in danger. Also a man was  fined for eating a kit kat whilst driving which was unwrapped by his wife and feed to him, for the same reason, Fair enough, but surly all that roadside advertising does exactly the same and if the police  are going to keep fining people for these misdemeanours they must have to do something about that too. Your thoughts please.

[andy hughes]

I can appreciate the wisdom of legislation concerning drivers being in proper control of their vehicle, but there has to be some common sense applied. A warning in the first instance would seem apropriate - especially in view of the ongoing legal farago (I haven't read any details yet) which has cost several thousand pounds.

I would never condone the breking of a valid law, but there has to be a degree of application used, and I'm sure most police would agree. I'd be more impressed if the chavs driving with their stereos at ear-bleeding volume and the windows down to show off were all fined for the same reason.

[The Tiggster]

I can't believe that the Police force in quetion spent �10,000 taking her to court resulting in a �60 fine with �100 costs. I am not surprised that the lady in question fought it in court but it does make you think what else you could be done for, having only 1 hand on the wheel when changing gear?!

andy hughes is right common sense must be applied.

[bazwillrun]

Common Sense applied by the police, you are joking of course ?

[pamnez]

If I had a �1 for every person that I saw using their mobile phone whilst driving and another �1 for every small child that I saw, unrestrained, travelling in a car, and another �1 for every driver I see not wearing a seat belt, I would be able to retire.  These are the people that the police should be targeting.

[BenDToy]

Easy targets who can (normally) be counted on to pay their fines and not cause a fuss - unlike the real criminals, who are much too difficult to catch and prosecute. Our roads are amongst the safest in the world, and our streets the most dangerous. So who do the police concentrate their efforts on catching...?

[FP]

Excellent answer BenDToy

[morg_monster]

Yes - I find roadside advertising distracting as I'm driving through a town or city!  Also piles of flowers left as a remembrance of someone killed on the road.  Of course honour them this way but where is the honour a month later when noone has cleared it up, the flowers are rotten and cellophane blowing in the wind.  Just a personal bugbear!