Huhne

[John Wright]

So, after all this, how many points does Huhne have on his licence? I suppose after all this time they have expired?

(like mine have, presumably, though they are still pencilled on my paper licence. Hmmm that's a thought, I must mention to my insurers this year that those points go back to 2008, I should be due a reduction in premium, otherwise I'll be calling the meerkats, oh, I mean the bearded fellow in garters and stilettos!)

[Bryn]

Not sure why 'a friend of Pryce's ' was invited to comment in the first place on a subject for which she seems otherwise unqualified.

The original offence (the speeding) was a bit footling, but I can't see how that need affect the gravity of the subsequent offence for which they were actually being tried.

Sorry frenchie, nothing "a bit footling" about speeding in my book. The speed limits are not imposed on a whim. There are far, far to many deaths and serious injuries that can be put down to criminals like Huhne ignoring those limits.

[Sir Velo]

Sorry frenchie, nothing "a bit footling" about speeding in my book. The speed limits are not imposed on a whim. There are far, far to many deaths and serious injuries that can be put down to criminals like Huhne ignoring those limits.

:ok:

The number of deaths caused by speeding motorists in the UK is vastly in excess of the number of murders committed annually so hardly a "footling" offence.

The irony is that had he taken the rap and pleaded the old "undue hardship" line the magistrates, with their usual leniency towards motorists, would almost certainly have let him keep his licence.

[eighthobstruction]

So, after all this, how many points does Huhne have on his licence? I suppose after all this time they have expired?

(like mine have, presumably, though they are still pencilled on my paper licence. Hmmm that's a thought, I must mention to my insurers this year that those points go back to 2008, I should be due a reduction in premium, otherwise I'll be calling the meerkats, oh, I mean the bearded fellow in garters and stilettos!)

Huhne was actually convicted only one month later....and banned....his last offence was telephoning while driving....

Personally I'll be very glad this hopefully falls from the media spotlight....it has been given far too much attention and time

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Agreed.

[teamsaint]

:ok:

The number of deaths caused by speeding motorists in the UK is vastly in excess of the number of murders committed annually so hardly a "footling" offence.

The irony is that had he taken the rap and pleaded the old "undue hardship" line the magistrates, with their usual leniency towards motorists, would almost certainly have let him keep his licence.

Speeding is a serious matter. From what I have seen though, "usual leniency" is generally extended to those with high profile jobs and expensive lawyers.

[teamsaint]

Huhne was actually convicted only one month later....and banned....his last offence was telephoning while driving....

Personally I'll be very glad this hopefully falls from the media spotlight....it has been given far too much attention and time

good point. The establishement will always sacrifice one of their own if need be, and divert from the real issues.

Remind me again, who is it we are supporting in Syria? and why?

[Resurrection Man]

Been offline for a couple of days and so not really had time to catch up on this thread but two things sprint to my mind (and apologies if already covered) but to make their time in jail (however short) that bit more of a punishment then perhaps they should share the same cell?

And on Monday's Today programme, when asked if he knew anything about the Pryce affair, Vince Cable said that "neither he nor his wife were aware of the evidence that came out in the trial" which is a masterpiece in cleverly seeming to answer the question, or not to be seen to be deliberately lying.

[MrGongGong]

Vince Cable said that "neither he nor his wife were aware of the evidence that came out in the trial" which is a masterpiece in cleverly seeming to answer the question, or not to be seen to be deliberately lying.

:laugh:

Slippery merchant (and not in a Scratchy sense :winkeye:)

[Bryn]

:laugh:

Slippery merchant (and not in a Scratchy sense :winkeye:)

Just a tad esoteric, that parenthetical comment, what?! Zees is what we find on the window. :whistle:

[french frank]

Sorry frenchie, nothing "a bit footling" about speeding in my book. The speed limits are not imposed on a whim. There are far, far to many deaths and serious injuries that can be put down to criminals like Huhne ignoring those limits.

As in, I defy anyone to claim they never break a speed limit when making regular journeys, albeit by 1 or 2 mph. It's quite easy to do when you're on a strange road and you've observed the 40mph limit mistakenly for a 30mph. You're a professional driver: have you never been 'a criminal'? This particular case was a fixed penalty offence for which VP paid the usual £60.

But that wasn't the point I was making: it was about the harshness or otherwise of this particular sentence. You have to be shown to be drunk, driving dangerously &c before you get a jail sentence for 'speeding': perverting the course of justice is bound to be treated differently. The point I was making was that if you pervert the course of justice that is an offence which has its own penalties and I don't see why the leniency or harshness should depend on a less serious offence (and some have argued that it was too harsh): ie. in this case £60 apiece. In the same way, I don't see why a drunk driver who was lucky enough not to actually have killed anyone should be treated any more leniently than one who has. I wasn't arguing for leniency: if anything the reverse.

[MrGongGong]

Just a tad esoteric, that parenthetical comment, what?! Zees is what we find on the window. :whistle:

It was mean't for you :ela:

[Resurrection Man]

It was mean't for you :ela:

If it was meant for me, I'm afraid that it went way over my head!

[Bryn]

frenchie, Huhne had already accumulated 9 points, IIRC. My licence is clean and has been so since the day I got my provisional car licence. I am, perhaps, something of a stickler for speed limits, and that includes the 5 mph ones in car parks as well as the 20 and 30 mph town limits and 50, 60 and 70 mph National Speed Limits. How can you mistake a 40 mph limit for a 30? If there are lamp-posts and no frequent small round signs indicating a higher limit, it's 30 mph or lower.

[ahinton]

frenchie, Huhne had already accumulated 9 points, IIRC. My licence is clean and has been so since the day I got my provisional car licence. I am, perhaps, something of a stickler for speed limits, and that includes the 5 mph ones in car parks as well as the 20 and 30 mph town limits and 50, 60 and 70 mph National Speed Limits. How can you mistake a 40 mph limit for a 30? If there are lamp-posts and no frequent small round signs indicating a higher limit, it's 30 mph or lower.

To be fair, there are times when confusion over the applicable speed limit is perfectly possible. Only a couple of weeks back, I passed a temporary 40mph limit sign placed no more than 10m before a more permanent 30mph one and then a further temporary 40mph limit sign within that 30mph limit area; OK, someone had made a couple of mistakes by misplacing - or maybe even a couple of p**stakes by moving - the temporary ones, but the confusion thereby caused in either case is hardly the observer's fault. A few months ago, a temporary 50mph limit was placed on the westbound side of the Avon Bridge but only on side of the bridge itself and no digital displays of this were showing above the carriageway; it's still legally enforceable but at the same time easily challengeable because a driver's chances of seeing it from any lane other than the nearside one would be negligible when that lane's chock full of large trucks.