Can I be among the first to congratulate Northumberland Police Force for a job well done in throwing £10,000 of taxpayers' money down the drain in bringing a 23 year old female to court charged with dangerous driving.

Her crime? She was eating an apple at the wheel. But let's not dismiss the skills and courage shown by the police in ordering the force's helicopter (and, according to some reports, a plane) to the skies in order to gain evidence to prove what a naughty girl she has been.

Overwhelming evidence, and ten court appearances, where she was fined £100 plus charges should ensure that next time you wish to tune your radio to another channel, to flick an insect from your windscreen or to take one hand off the wheel to change gear, watch out. They're waiting for you.

I reckon there are some happy burglars in that part of the country.

At least they are catching the hardCORE
Criminals, Did she get pip ped at the post?. Did she pay her fine out of the FRUITS of her labour? Why did she apPEAL :heyhey:

I'm waiting for the first court case where a driver sues a car manufacturer for selling a car with a cigarette lighter & ash-tray inside, thus encouraging the driver to break the law by smoking whilst in charge of a vehicle.
Seriously though, there was an excellent programme (30 Minutes) on C4 on Saturday night about the way the government is changing the nature of law in the UK by targeting soft issues. It featured speed cameras (contentious on this forum, I know), litter wardens who fine people £60 for dropping litter and a business person who was pulled up by the H&S people for not having a canister of Vim locked away in a cabinet.
It beats hounding the criminals though......

PS. I'm anti-litter as well but the programme showed people being charged for dropping a cigarette end whilst in the same street there were piles of black bags and rubbish that had not been collected by the council. One rule for them .....

On a serious note though,
An Ex- police chief was asked this morning on GMTV if such resources (helicopter etc) would be used if an old lady had her bag snatched, and he said "Doubt it".

Sounds about right for our country. :mad:

I know it's got nothing to do with this thread, Viking, but that looks a nice guitar you've got there. What is it? Guild? Takamine?

Its just a "cruiser" By crafter, It was only £70 (new) as i am a new starter, well i was a year ago. I love it to bits. Now i am more experienced i was hoping for a new one at Xmas, but (luckily) my other half got me a new computer.

Originally posted by viking
At least they are catching the hardCORE
Criminals, Did she get pip ped at the post?. Did she pay her fine out of the FRUITS of her labour? Why did she apPEAL :heyhey:

D'oh! :gag:

Don't give up your day job mate, as a comedian you make a good whatever you do for a living.

Don't give up your day job mate, as a comedian you make a good whatever you do for a living.
Thanks for that Rich, Our lass totally agrees with you :thumbsup:

I'm going to have to say that I agree with the decision to prosecute in this case. The cost to bring the prosecution cannot be seen as a reason to abandon it! Say you were held at knife point and robbed of £200, and told the case would not be brought because the prosecution would cost £20,000...would you think that was acceptable?

The fact is that if the motorist had caused an accident and taken a life, the media would be crucifying her and applauding her prosecution.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

this is stupid- they should ban smoking at the wheel i believe though- just think of how distracted you become when your getting your fags out/then lighter/then lighting it/then flicking the ash/ then putting it out of the window- thats a problem i believe!!!!

On Monday I saw a guy in a white van, mobile pinned betwixt ear and shoulder, leaning on the wheel of his van whilst scribbling away on a notepad...the van was in motion the whole time!

A guy called Gormless Moron TV this morning to whine that he was pulled by the police for listening to a walkman as his stereo had been nicked...if that aint distracting then what the **** is?

I agree that using a phone at the wheel should result in prosecution and yes, irrespective of the costs in bringing the case to court. But, this girl was eating an apple, something unlikely to detract her attention from driving.

The case should have been thrown out immediately. The police and Government are winning no friends with their continuous assault on the motorist.

Originally posted by Ousetunes
I agree that using a phone at the wheel should result in prosecution and yes, irrespective of the costs in bringing the case to court. But, this girl was eating an apple, something unlikely to detract her attention from driving.

The case should have been thrown out immediately. The police and Government are winning no friends with their continuous assault on the motorist.

I can only speak as a pedestrian, but it seems that some motorists are guilty of an assault on the rest of the public be they pedestrian or motorist alike! There's no way that a driver can devote enough of their attention to the road when using a mobile, eating, smoking or doing anything else that requres them to take a hand off the wheel and their eyes off the road!

It's bloody hard to eat and walk at the same time without walking into the road or banging into another person, trying to drive a car at the same time is unadulterated stupidity!

Originally posted by Carmine
I'm going to have to say that I agree with the decision to prosecute in this case. The cost to bring the prosecution cannot be seen as a reason to abandon it! Say you were held at knife point and robbed of £200, and told the case would not be brought because the prosecution would cost £20,000...would you think that was acceptable?

The fact is that if the motorist had caused an accident and taken a life, the media would be crucifying her and applauding her prosecution.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

WOW!! :wow: :wow: :wow: You really are in dire need of a life!

I can't see how holding an apple could really distract you from driving. In the event of an emergency you'd just drop it! It's not like using a phone where there's a real distraction and you have to hold it away from the steering wheel. You can hold an apple and the wheel at the same time and taking a bite is no more dangerous than taking your hand off the wheel to change gear.

You think there's a comparison between apple eating and robbery at knife point?!? :loopy:

Originally posted by Zamo
WOW!! :wow: :wow: :wow: You really are in dire need of a life!

I can't see how holding an apple could really distract you from driving. In the event of an emergency you'd just drop it! It's not like using a phone where there's a real distraction and you have to hold it away from the steering wheel. You can hold an apple and the wheel at the same time and taking a bite is no more dangerous than taking your hand off the wheel to change gear.

You think there's a comparison between apple eating and robbery at knife point?!? :loopy:

I don't think there's a comparison in terms of personal stress and suffering. I think that a crime needs to be dealt with as a crime rather than a naughty little misdeed. People are killed on the roads by careless driving, I myself have nearly been hit on more than half a dozen occasions by drivers not paying attention to the road...I don't see how demanding a certain level of concentration and discipline from a driver who could end my life for the sake of a bite from an apple or a drag of a cigarette is being "in dire need of a life"...the chances are that if they hit me I'll be in dire loss of the only one that I have!

Originally posted by Carmine
I can only speak as a pedestrian, but it seems that some motorists are guilty of an assault on the rest of the public be they pedestrian or motorist alike! There's no way that a driver can devote enough of their attention to the road when using a mobile, eating, smoking or doing anything else that requres them to take a hand off the wheel and their eyes off the road!

It's bloody hard to eat and walk at the same time without walking into the road or banging into another person, trying to drive a car at the same time is unadulterated stupidity!

Is this a joke?

You may have some sort of motoneuron disability that prevents you from even the simplest of "multi-tasks" but that is not the case for most people.

Would you spend £10k to do someone for scratching their nose? Should they first pull over their vehicle in order to conduct this difficult hand to nose manoeuver in safety?

Without wanting to sound pedantic, I'm quite sure that I simply cannot remember a time when I bumped into someone or found myself in the middle of Sheffield Parkway because I was so preoccupied eating a Twix.

Maybe chocolate bars should have a warning on their packaging: Do not eat whilst walking. The manufacturer holds no responsibility for any person bumping into any vehicle whilst consuming this product.

Your statutory rights are not affected!

Originally posted by Zamo
Is this a joke?

You may have some sort of motoneuron disability that prevents you from even the simplest of "multi-tasks" but that is not the case for most people.

Would you spend £10k to do someone for scratching their nose? Should they first pull over their vehicle in order to conduct this difficult hand to nose manoeuver in safety?

I give up...I'll just have to accept that a motorist has a right to cripple or kill me so that they can enjoy their Granny Smith in peace behind the wheel!

Originally posted by Carmine
I don't think there's a comparison in terms of personal stress and suffering. I think that a crime needs to be dealt with as a crime rather than a naughty little misdeed. People are killed on the roads by careless driving, I myself have nearly been hit on more than half a dozen occasions by drivers not paying attention to the road...I don't see how demanding a certain level of concentration and discipline from a driver who could end my life for the sake of a bite from an apple or a drag of a cigarette is being "in dire need of a life"...the chances are that if they hit me I'll be in dire loss of the only one that I have!

I think that 99% of people would disagree with your assessment that eating an apple at the wheel should be classed a "crime". Most wouldn't even class it as a "naughty little misdeed"!

If someone causes a death through careless driving then you prosecute that person.

You could argue that the fact that none of the motorist hit you when you stepped out in front of them those half dozen times (perhaps you were distracted because you were eating an apple?) was in fact down to them actually driving with due care and atention.

SOME USEFUL TIPS:

Roads are for cars.
Pavements for people.
Never walk and eat at the same time... it's reckless and could cost you your life.
Never cross the road without looking.

Originally posted by Zamo
I think that 99% of people would disagree with your assessment that eating an apple at the wheel should be classed a "crime". Most wouldn't even class it as a "naughty little misdeed"!

If someone causes a death through careless driving then you prosecute that person.

You could argue that the fact that none of the motorist hit you when you stepped out in front of them those half dozen times (perhaps you were distracted because you were eating an apple?) was in fact down to them actually driving with due care and atention.

SOME USEFUL TIPS:

Roads are for cars.
Pavements for people.
Never walk and eat at the same time... it's reckless and could
cost you your life.
Never cross the road without looking.

The times I mention were motorists who didn't indicate and ignored red lights...I suppose I should be grateful that the apple gave me the energy to leap out of the way as they sailed past!

Originally posted by Carmine
I give up...I'll just have to accept that a motorist has a right to cripple or kill me so that they can enjoy their Granny Smith in peace behind the wheel!

I can see why you feel strongly about this. What with stories appearing week in week out about apple munching killers getting away with causing death and destruction on our roads.

Originally posted by Carmine
The times I mention were motorists who didn't indicate and ignored red lights...I suppose I should be grateful that the apple gave me the energy to leap out of the way as they sailed past!

Were any of them eating an apple?

Originally posted by Zamo
I can see why you feel strongly about this. What with stories appearing week in week out about apple munching killers getting away with causing death and destruction on our roads.

I don't mean to sound like a right tw*t, but it does brown me off...maybe I should stop watching GMTV?

Originally posted by Zamo
Were any of them eating an apple?

One or two were engaged in extracating their craniums from their backpassages...

Originally posted by Carmine
One or two were engaged in extracating their craniums from their backpassages...

At last something we can agree on!

I think extracating your cranium from your backpassage whilst driving is potentially dangerous and should be banned! ;)

Originally posted by Carmine
It's bloody hard to eat and walk at the same time without walking into the road or banging into another person, trying to drive a car at the same time is unadulterated stupidity!

I have eaten on the pavement many a time, can't say I have ever fallen into the road :confused: and I suffer with coordination problems as well.

Originally posted by Zamo
I think extracating your cranium from your backpassage whilst driving is potentially dangerous and should be banned! ;)

Yes, as I imagine you would need to take your seatbelt off, and take both hands off the wheel to do it properly.

Originally posted by Skatiechik
I have eaten on the pavement many a time, can't say I have ever fallen into the road :confused: and I suffer with coordination problems as well.

Eating on the pavement?

Surely eating off a plate, or at least holding the food in your hand would be more hygenic?

Originally posted by Skatiechik
Yes, as I imagine you would need to take your seatbelt off, and take both hands off the wheel to do it properly.

Perhaps there's a niche in the market for someone to develop a hands-free kit?

Originally posted by Carmine
Eating on the pavement?

Surely eating off a plate, or at least holding the food in your hand would be more hygenic?

Sorry maybe my english wasn't adequate enough for you there.

Whilst walking along the pavement and eating food held in my hand, such as a chocolate bar or a bag of crisps I have never bumped into someone, or fallen into the road.

Also I for one don't normally take the best dinner plates into town to eat from, when I get hungry.

Originally posted by Skatiechik
Sorry maybe my english wasn't adequate enough for you there.

Whilst walking along the pavement and eating food held in my hand, such as a chocolate bar or a bag of crisps I have never bumped into someone, or fallen into the road.

Engrish adekate good...mak jok...tree lyten moode...

Not to be outdone by the namby-pamby Northumberland police ["She should have got 6 months "said a S.Y.P.spokesperson] , the South Yorkshire Police will soon be targeting drivers who ;-- 1] Talk to their passengers or encourage them to sing silly songs.
2] Drive longer than 2 hours 31 minutes without a rest [Drivers will be responsible for checking their own journey times]
3] Stereo systems ...etc....will be confiscated if proved to have been played whilst the vehicle is in motion.
4] Drivers who sing to themselves will be examined by a doctor.
5] Food , drink , toys , newspapers....etc ...will be confined to the boots of vehicles.

The above restrictions are "just the beginning " a S.Y.P.spokesperson added. We will be looking into every aspect of motoring safety. We cannot have maniacs mowing people down , left , right and centre.
Naturally we will be tackling crimes of violence too and we have already put another officer on the beat somewhere in the South Yorkshire area. Mind how you go , Sir.

I read a story last week where a man in pulled over to ask a policeman for some directions.

The officer refused, and instead wrote out a £40 fixed penalty notice, alleging that the man's car radio was too loud.

I think it may have been somewhere in Manchester.