Minister for speed cameras admits to having a detector

[Alan Holmes]

"P" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Paul wrote:
>> Only someone pedantic to the point of lunacy would argue that the
>> minister's actions show him to be a competant, legal, driver.
>
> But the pedantic person doesn't need to argue that point. The prosecution
> has to prove beyond all reasonable doubt that the minister is not a
> competent legal driver; the mere presence of a legal device in his car
> does not prove that point.

I was under the impression that speed camera detecting devices were illegal.

Alan

>
>

 

[Alan Holmes]

"Simon D" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> mb expressed precisely :
>> Simon D wrote:
>>
>>> mb submitted this idea :
>>>> Simon Brooke wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> in message <[email protected]>, mb
>>>>> ('[email protected]') wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> Drinking a beer once does not make you an alcoholic. Breaking a
>>>>> speed limit once does make you a criminal.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Hmm, OK what about knives? I've got some big long pointy knives in
>>>> the kitchen, so I must be a murderer?
>>>
>>> Owning a kitchen knife isn't an offence. I really don't feel I should
>>> need to repeat the fact that this distinguishes it rather neatly from
>>> speeding.
>>
>>
>> Bzzt. Owning a GPS speed camera "detector" isn't an offence.
>
> Bzzt. I buy beer because I enjoy the odd drink, and it's not against the
> law. I buy a kitchen knife because I wish to cut up my Sunday joint, and
> it's not against the law. I buy a speed camera "detector" because...?

You like the funny sounds it makes!

Alan

 

[dkahn400]

Alan Holmes wrote:
> "P" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...

> > But the pedantic person doesn't need to argue that point. The prosecution
> > has to prove beyond all reasonable doubt that the minister is not a
> > competent legal driver; the mere presence of a legal device in his car
> > does not prove that point.
>
> I was under the impression that speed camera detecting devices were illegal.

The gadget he admits to having doesn't detect cameras as such. It just
warns him when he's approaching an area where cameras are known to be.

--
Dave...

 

[Pyromancer]

Upon the miasma of midnight, a darkling spirit identified as Alan Holmes
<[email protected]> gently breathed:
>"P" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>> Paul wrote:

>>> Only someone pedantic to the point of lunacy would argue that the
>>> minister's actions show him to be a competant, legal, driver.

>> But the pedantic person doesn't need to argue that point. The prosecution
>> has to prove beyond all reasonable doubt that the minister is not a
>> competent legal driver; the mere presence of a legal device in his car
>> does not prove that point.

>I was under the impression that speed camera detecting devices were illegal.

This used to be thought to be the case but I gather someone brought a
test case a few years ago where it was declared that detectors were in
fact legal, at which point a significant industry in selling them took
off overnight.

I gather there are now moves to have them properly banned by
legislation, but this will only (can only, in fact) apply to devices
that are specifically designed to detect and warn of the presence of
speed detecting equipment. Devices that work using stored knowledge
(e.g. GPS-based databases of known locations) cannot be banned as you
cannot ban knowledge[1].

[1] Well, you probably can but only if you repeal most civil rights and
turn the country into a Taleban-style police state, something even the
current shower would baulk at, at least for now.

--
- DJ Pyromancer, The Sunday Goth Social, Leeds. <http://www.sheepish.net>

Broadband, Dialup, Domains = <http://www.wytches.net> = The UK's Pagan ISP!
<http://www.inkubus-sukkubus.co.uk> <http://www.revival.stormshadow.com>

 

[dkahn400]

Pyromancer wrote:

> [1] Well, you probably can but only if you repeal most civil rights and
> turn the country into a Taleban-style police state, something even the
> current shower would baulk at, at least for now.

Are you sure? While listening to last night's Friday Play 'Metropolis'
on Radio 4 it occurred to me that it could easily be interpreted as
glorifying terrorism.

This might even be on-topic as I was riding my bike while listening to
the play.

--
Dave...

 

[Nick Kew]

dkahn400 wrote:

> Are you sure? While listening to last night's Friday Play 'Metropolis'
> on Radio 4 it occurred to me that it could easily be interpreted as
> glorifying terrorism.

Unlikely. The hero of the story was horrified when a real terrorist
event happened, and then started finding agents provocateurs. Add to
that the (sympathetic) resistance movement being labelled terrorist
for painting slogans, and it seems exceeding topical ...

> This might even be on-topic as I was riding my bike while listening to
> the play.



By contrast, we performed Mendelsohn's "Elijah" a few months ago.
The story of a biblical "man of God" who brings immense death and
destruction on godless people, incurs the wrath of the powers-that-be,
goes into the desert and mountains with a small band of loyal
followers, and later perpetrates another massacre of the enemies
of God before ascending to heaven on a fiery chariot ...

.... well, the strong parallels to modern events must surely be
inspirational to a True Believer.

--
not me guv

 

[Richard]

dkahn400 wrote:
> While listening to last night's Friday Play 'Metropolis'
> on Radio 4 it occurred to me that it could easily be interpreted as
> glorifying terrorism.

Just wait 'til you see V for Vendetta.

R.

 

[dkahn400]

Nick Kew wrote:
> dkahn400 wrote:
>
> > Are you sure? While listening to last night's Friday Play 'Metropolis'
> > on Radio 4 it occurred to me that it could easily be interpreted as
> > glorifying terrorism.
>
> Unlikely. The hero of the story was horrified when a real terrorist
> event happened, and then started finding agents provocateurs. Add to
> that the (sympathetic) resistance movement being labelled terrorist
> for painting slogans, and it seems exceeding topical ...

But the play ends as he's about to carry out a bomb attack on
Metropolis himself. He sees real terrorism as the only course left to
him.

--
Dave...