"There was a comic awhile back -- I've long since forgotten which one -- who had this idea. Everyone would be issued these little dart-guns. They'd shoot a dart that had a little flag on it that said "STUPID". They'd shoot them at any driver they saw doing something, well, stupid. If any law enforcement officer saw a car with five or more "stupid" darts on it, he could stop the car and arrest the driver without further ado."
"Just zis Guy, you know?" <[email hidden]> wrote in :"]news:[email hidden]:
Quoted message said:
Posted elsewhere by Zippy:
"There was a comic awhile back -- I've long since forgotten which one -- who had this idea. Everyone would be issued these little dart-guns. They'd shoot a dart that had a little flag on it that said "STUPID". They'd shoot them at any driver they saw doing something, well, stupid. If any law enforcement officer saw a car with five or more "stupid" darts on it, he could stop the car and arrest the driver without further ado."
"Just zis Guy, you know?" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Posted elsewhere by Zippy:
"There was a comic awhile back -- I've long since forgotten which one -- who had this idea. Everyone would be issued these little dart-guns. They'd shoot a dart that had a little flag on it that said "STUPID". They'd shoot them at any driver they saw doing something, well, stupid. If any law enforcement officer saw a car with five or more "stupid" darts on it, he could stop the car and arrest the driver without further ado."
Good idea, but you'd have to have a large trailer to carry the ammunition!
"Just zis Guy, you know?" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
Quoted message said:
-- who had this idea. Everyone would be issued these little dart-guns. They'd shoot a dart that had a little flag on it that said "STUPID". They'd shoot them at any driver they saw doing something, well, stupid. If any law enforcement officer saw a car with five or more "stupid" darts on it, he could stop the car and arrest the driver without further ado."
... Incidentally, Which Online is offering a free digital camera to all new subscribers (30 day free trial, you can cancel before it ends and still keep your camera!). It's not brilliant, but it's small enough to attach easily to the frame and could be used to provide evidence, or to log number plates of idiot drivers (There are often too many on Leith Walk to remember them all!).
I had a similar idea. If two or three unconnected people report separate incidents of dangerous behaviour by the same driver, this should be taken as sufficient proof for a dangerous driving conviction. This would get over the problem of police ignoring complaints not supported by witnesses.
Colin Mckenzie -- Why believe statistics? Ignore them and you can believe the damned lies instead!
On Tue, 20 Apr 2004 09:43:07 +0100, Colin McKenzie <[email hidden]>
Quoted message said:
I had a similar idea. If two or three unconnected people report separate incidents of dangerous behaviour by the same driver, this should be taken as sufficient proof for a dangerous driving conviction. This would get over the problem of police ignoring complaints not supported by witnesses.
Problem is you need several willing people to actually see the incident. Like the guy I saw yesterday tailgating another car through an urban area while on the phone. He drove straight past the fron of the police station while doing this but I don't think the police look out the windows
Also, if there was a hint that the witnesses had got together before reporting the incident then the police might consider some sort of collusion was going on.
On Tue, 20 Apr 2004 09:43:07 +0100, Colin McKenzie
Quoted message said:
I had a similar idea. If two or three unconnected people report separate incidents of dangerous behaviour by the same driver, this should be taken as sufficient proof for a dangerous driving conviction. This would get over the problem of police ignoring complaints not supported by witnesses.
Problem is you need several willing people to actually see the incident. Like the guy I saw yesterday tailgating another car through an urban area while on the phone. He drove straight past the fron of the police station while doing this but I don't think the police look out the windows
NO, several people seeing separate (but similar) incidents - this should carry the same weight as several people seeing the same incident.
Quoted message said:
Also, if there was a hint that the witnesses had got together before reporting the incident then the police might consider some sort of collusion was going on.
A risk - but I think the burden of proof could be on the driver to prove collusion, as in this case the witnesses would be innocent (of collusion) until proven guilty.
Colin McKenzie -- Why believe statistics? Ignore them and you can believe the damned lies instead!
On Tue, 20 Apr 2004 10:17:17 +0100, Colin McKenzie <[email hidden]>
Quoted message said:
NO, several people seeing separate (but similar) incidents - this should carry the same weight as several people seeing the same incident.
Sorry I misread that but that's either more unlikely to happen or...
Quoted message said:
A risk - but I think the burden of proof could be on the driver to prove collusion, as in this case the witnesses would be innocent (of collusion) until proven guilty.
...or more obvious collusion. The driver would have to prove nothing, it's what the CPS/police would consider which is important.
"Colin Blackburn" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
...or more obvious collusion. The driver would have to prove nothing, it's what the CPS/police would consider which is important.
3 cyclists on the same road all witness someone driving like a [censored]. All three take a photo and report it. This is not collusion, it is three separate incidents, and someone who drives like a [censored] at one point will usually continue to do so down the length of the road.
Indeed, but the original suggestion for this however was about organised behaviour.
3 cyclists on the same road all witness someone driving like a [censored]. All three take a photo and report it. This is not collusion, it is three separate incidents, and someone who drives like a [censored] at one point will usually continue to do so down the length of the road.
Indeed, but the original suggestion for this however was about organised behaviour.
I thought that the original suggestion for this was mine, with regard to a small, free, digital camera. I believe the comments were meant to suggest that if enough people adopted a practice of reporting bad driving, the same drivers would ultimately get reported enough times to prompt action from the police (Naive, but possible!).
Jon
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I thought that the original suggestion for this was mine, with regard to a small, free, digital camera. I believe the comments were meant to suggest that if enough people adopted a practice of reporting bad driving, the same drivers would ultimately get reported enough times to prompt action from the police (Naive, but possible!).
Yes, sorry, on re-reading the thread I realise I was reading too much organisation into the plans! I guess your suggestions and Colin M's follow-up boil down to asking evryone to report bad driving whenever they see it. Probably naive :-( and it would involve the police actually recording and then cross checking complaints. With my mentioned incident I was yards from the police station but as I didn't notice the reg plate I don't think they'd have been interested despite the proximity.
On Tue, 20 Apr 2004 11:17:17 +0100, "Jon Senior" <jon_AT_restlesslemon.co.uk> wrote (more or less):
Quoted message said:
"Colin Blackburn" <[email hidden]> wrote
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
3 cyclists on the same road all witness someone driving like a [censored]. All three take a photo and report it. This is not collusion, it is three separate incidents, and someone who drives like a [censored] at one point will usually continue to do so down the length of the road.
Indeed, but the original suggestion for this however was about organised behaviour.
I thought that the original suggestion for this was mine, with regard to a small, free, digital camera. I believe the comments were meant to suggest that if enough people adopted a practice of reporting bad driving, the same drivers would ultimately get reported enough times to prompt action from the police (Naive, but possible!).
The problem is that by the time the incident happens, you get out the camera/get it pointed at the right place, the incident is over, or the relevant number-plate is out of camera range.
What ewe need is a camera that, when you hit the button, then records whatever it has 'seen' during the preceding 30/45/60 seconds.
The problem is that by the time the incident happens, you get out the camera/get it pointed at the right place, the incident is over, or the relevant number-plate is out of camera range.
What ewe need is a camera that, when you hit the button, then records whatever it has 'seen' during the preceding 30/45/60 seconds.
The camera equivalent of a Tivo or some mindisc recorders. These both buffer the default source for some fixed time and include that buffer in the recording when record is hit. Great for catching the start of TV or radio programmes as long as you are tuned to the right channel.
A digital camera working something like this, within the limitations od CCDs, would probably eat batteries.
