Recently police carried out a blitz in England, a concerted effort to catch careless, negligent drivers who ignore basic law not to use hand-held mobile phones while driving. In view of increased penalty of £200 and six penalty points that will hurt drivers most when renewing their insurance policies, as well as wide coverage given to these new laws, on TV and in print media, police were expecting drivers to be cautious, not to flout laws, indeed an off-day for police! Yet the result they came up with was beyond belief.
As widely reported in national newspapers, so many drivers were caught not only using mobile phones but texting, even using their ipad, while driving well over speed limit. Even an ex-cop was caught while another driver was doing 70 mph on duel carriageway, texting with both hands of the steering wheel, dangerous manoeuvre indeed that could cause multiple pileups, resulting in loss of lives.
One may wonder why our people are so irresponsible, naive, flaunt laws at will? One reason may be we live in “Nany State” where government, social services pick up the bill, albeit as a last resort. Another reason is lack of practicality, eccentricity in our elite politicians, uniformity of laws, one punishment fits all crimes. Someone using mobile while stuck in crawling traffic jam will attract same punishment as the one driving at 70 mph in a fast motorway lane!
While in US, judges have wide power, flexible laws where they may impose huge fines in exceptional circumstances and life means life, here we tied hands of our judges with fanciful laws where “Payroll Board” can even release habitual sex offenders that even government ministers cannot challenge! What we sow, so we reap!
Kumudini Valambia
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