Sunday, January 13, 2008
When columnists lose it
It is my own fault for even reading these columns I suppose but I take the view that if I am going to spend 85p for the Wales on Sunday then I should make the effort to peruse it comprehensively. Thus I stumbled across Angharad Mair's piece this morning.
Now Ms. Mair has a bee in her bonnet about Richard Brunstrom and I perfectly respect her right to vigorously disagree with him on drugs policy. In this respect she is reflecting the views of a large number of her readers. However, I consider her latest rant on speeding to be just downright irresponsible. She writes:
And on the subject of Richard Brunstrom, I am currently being hounded as part of his zero tolerance policy towards drivers.
It’s been a long saga, but having been caught doing 36mph through a 30mph zone one quiet evening last summer, the police have been working hard to ensure that I pay up.
Wouldn’t it be better if they spent more time and money pursuing drug pushers or criminals or burglars or hooligans or thieves or violent people instead of law abiding citizens like myself who crawled just a tiny bit too fast through one of North Wales’ villages. It’s no wonder our country is in such a mess because the police will do everything but tackle the really difficult issues.
My heart bleeds, but let us face it, Ms. Mair broke the law and as such she should accept her punishment and pay up without complaint. What irks me most though, is her supposition that driving at 36mph in a 30mph zone through a quiet North Wales village is somehow acceptable behaviour. It is not.
Contact with a pedestrian at this speed would almost certainly be fatal. The village in question no doubt contains children and old people, all of whom would be particularly at risk from speeding motorists and may be intimidated at the prospect of crossing the road in the face of on-coming traffic. Speeding vehicles also create noise that disturbs householders.
Ms. Mair may well be right that drug pushers, criminals, burglars, hooligans, thieves and violent people should be a police priority and I am sure that North Wales police, which has one of the best clear-up rates in the country, is targeting them as well. But the Police have a responsibility to catch all law-breakers and to enforce the law. Dealing with speeding motorists in quiet country villages is part of their job too. That task also protects lives and helps to preserve people's way of life.
Rant over.
Now Ms. Mair has a bee in her bonnet about Richard Brunstrom and I perfectly respect her right to vigorously disagree with him on drugs policy. In this respect she is reflecting the views of a large number of her readers. However, I consider her latest rant on speeding to be just downright irresponsible. She writes:
And on the subject of Richard Brunstrom, I am currently being hounded as part of his zero tolerance policy towards drivers.
It’s been a long saga, but having been caught doing 36mph through a 30mph zone one quiet evening last summer, the police have been working hard to ensure that I pay up.
Wouldn’t it be better if they spent more time and money pursuing drug pushers or criminals or burglars or hooligans or thieves or violent people instead of law abiding citizens like myself who crawled just a tiny bit too fast through one of North Wales’ villages. It’s no wonder our country is in such a mess because the police will do everything but tackle the really difficult issues.
My heart bleeds, but let us face it, Ms. Mair broke the law and as such she should accept her punishment and pay up without complaint. What irks me most though, is her supposition that driving at 36mph in a 30mph zone through a quiet North Wales village is somehow acceptable behaviour. It is not.
Contact with a pedestrian at this speed would almost certainly be fatal. The village in question no doubt contains children and old people, all of whom would be particularly at risk from speeding motorists and may be intimidated at the prospect of crossing the road in the face of on-coming traffic. Speeding vehicles also create noise that disturbs householders.
Ms. Mair may well be right that drug pushers, criminals, burglars, hooligans, thieves and violent people should be a police priority and I am sure that North Wales police, which has one of the best clear-up rates in the country, is targeting them as well. But the Police have a responsibility to catch all law-breakers and to enforce the law. Dealing with speeding motorists in quiet country villages is part of their job too. That task also protects lives and helps to preserve people's way of life.
Rant over.
Comments:
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I rarely agree with Peter Black, but on this occassion I do. Let us just remeber that the police's resources come from government and no one else. How and when the police do their duty is not just conjured up. More resources given to real, proper police and hey! you get better policing. Simple equation really.
# posted by 
: 6:10 PM
: 6:10 PM
I live in a village called Penyffordd near Mold. We used to be a quiet village but we now have 2000 speeders a day. Arrive Alive will not release the full traffic data to me because it is so embarrassing. Airbus and Raytheon shift workers come through the cemtre of our village at 60 mph. The limit is 30 mph
We are currently being lined up for a million or two extra vehicles a year with the following developments in the wings.
1. A55 Warren Hall exit
2. Warren Hall Business Park
3. Broughton Park Extention
4. Wrexham UDP
5. Saltney Shopping Centre
We have a by-pass which the traffic is not forced to use. Flintshire County Council have decided that our village centre can be our 2nd By-Pass.
WAG regeneration without a thought for environment?
Colin Hughes
Penyffordd District
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We are currently being lined up for a million or two extra vehicles a year with the following developments in the wings.
1. A55 Warren Hall exit
2. Warren Hall Business Park
3. Broughton Park Extention
4. Wrexham UDP
5. Saltney Shopping Centre
We have a by-pass which the traffic is not forced to use. Flintshire County Council have decided that our village centre can be our 2nd By-Pass.
WAG regeneration without a thought for environment?
Colin Hughes
Penyffordd District
# posted by : 8:38 PM
: 8:38 PM<< Home
