Here they go again!

Do you not think that not entering box junctions unless your exit is clear should be enforeced? The chap from the RAC is complaining that it is a gravy train, the solution is easy: obey the Highway Code. Not rocket science really. How many times have you wished that you had an Exocet ready to launch at the tosser in front of you who has decided that it's OK for him to start indicating (if you are lucky) his illegal right turn as the lights turn to green in the ahead only lane?

Or what about those who can't use lane one on a motorway because that's the 'slow lane'????

Nurse, where's me copy of The Telegraph? ;-{)}

Absolutely wholeheartedly agree with this sentiment. Trouble is where does it stop ? Speed cameras are a good idea if used to slow traffic; many councils are now using them as a revenue earner. All depends how the sytem is applied and if it is used with common sense in mind or profit in mind.

Watched Terminator some time ago; seems the basic idea was war against machines and machines were winning. I wonder how long before we put up with not instant fines but being zapped by some electronoics that disable the car ( being tried in US ). Clamping is bad enough, dont lets get to the state where some tw..t gorilla is liscenced by council to do as he pleases with these devices.

I wonder if George Orwell got his dates mixed up with "1984" ?

I agree, anyone blocking a box junction deserves what they get. Follow the rules of the road and you will be OK. I hope it catches the idiots who persist on going through a green light even though the exit is blocked due to traffic, and then block the crossroads when your lights turn to green!

I agree with the sentiments above. It's good if we all stick to the Highway Code and keep to speed limits. What worries me is the sheer bloody effort they are putting into all this traffic enforcement stuff. There was something in the news the other day (sorry, can't remember the source) about the Govt planning a massive crackdown on motoring offences. FFS why? Have motorists suddenly got militant in the last 5 years and need stamping down? We're told we are more of a target than ever before for Al Qaeda, gun crime is running out of control, some of our sink estates are becoming no-go areas, hospital trusts are going broke, schools are falling down (add more from your own list) - and what? The Govt is going to have an extra big push on box sodding junctions. Where is the sense of proportion?

The more things go wrong for this Govt, the more they seem to need a few quick wins, and the poor old motorist is the easiest target.

Wait at a junction, ambulance comes along, get out of the way, get a penalty! It's already happening with bus lane cameras and you'll be damned lucky to avoid the fine.

Also in multi-lane traffic across a junction, someone in the lane next to you realises that they don't have a space to move into but that you are heading for a space, so they knick your space, result, you get a fine and fat chance of an appeal.

Lots of other similar things. This is robotic judge and jury and we need a little less of it thanks.

On or around Sat, 21 Oct 2006 15:28:39 +0100, Richard enlightened us thusly:

Yeah, I've got more time for this than speed cameras.

Personally I reckon the UK has some of the best and most courteous drivers around. I had n't driven in the UK for at least 25 years and last year had a 3 month stint, I could n't believe how good people were at obeying road rules, letting vehicles into traffic flows, etc. It was a pleasure driving there again. The further South I went in Europe the less obliging were the manners and the more flagrant abuse of the road rules. The French seem to think hazard flashers are "a park anywhere I like indicator".

Why the hell the UK Government would waste its time on something like that beats me. They'd do a better road safety job of nicking all the irresponsible parents with kids sitting on their laps in the front seats of cars. I could n't believe how many kids we saw unbuckled and roaming around cars.

|| Personally I reckon the UK has some of the best and most || courteous drivers around. || Why the hell the UK Government would waste its time on || something like that beats me.

Absolutely. We have one of the lowest (if not *the* lowest, depending on how you measure it) rates of road casualties in the world. Any sensible Govt would be concentrating all its efforts on the many much more serious threats to our health and well-being, such as the terrorist threat for one. The fact that our Govt seems to have the motorist as Public Enemy No 1 suggests two things to me:

1. An easy and reliable source of revenue
2. Softening up public opinion in advance of a longer-term political aim.

Being less cynical, and giving them the fullest benefit of the doubt, it looks like the old socialist belief in the perfectability of human beings - every time you see something you don't like, enact a law about it, and eventually things will be perfect.

Just hope and pray you're not wearing a padded jacket and sitting minding your own business on Stockwell tube station!

If you're talking about that chap who got shot, bear in mind that the bit about him wearing a padded jacket was part of the c*ck-up, he never was as CCTV pictures proved, and he didn't vault any ticket barriers or run either! All he did was get accidentally fingered by the watchers who then set the lads with guns on him, who just did what they were trained to do.

So it was more like "sitting minding your own business in a house near some suspected terrorists then walk to Stockwell tube station!"

There is one fact we all agree on, the motorist is an easy target and it has been open season for a long while now. I for instance must be an enemy of the state because I drive, plus I actually drive a 4x4 and I smoke a cigar once a week!!! Good gawd, public enemy No. 171/2!!!! The Gov wish us all of the roads so they can drive around in their own huge gas guzzling monsters! In my humble opinion. LOL

I'm still nowhere near satisfied with the subsequent obsequeous refusal to accept any responsibility by those who should! CMP, HS, PM? one or preferrably all.

Well, I suspect that they find pointing the finger at themselves for a change to be more than they can take ;-)

Ditto, plus I'm a white, single, childless, just-about-middle-aged british male who isn't on any benefits of any kind, I'm expecting the knock at the door any day now ;-)

If the knock ever comes, I'll pretend to be a gay drug addict burglar who's just converted to islam, they won't know if they can arrest me or not without offending my dignity and will promptly be swallowed up by their own guidelines!

On or around Sat, 21 Oct 2006 23:43:26 +0100, "Greg" enlightened us thusly:

but not as impressively as it does when people ignore the box junctions...

We'll just have to wait and see, personally I think it's yet another way to collect tax from the motorist justified by very dubious trials. Greg

I've found the most courteous and obliging drivers to be the Americans

- away from the big cities that is. And even there they aren't too bad. I have absolutely no doubt that it's because of their gun laws, and the remote but possible chance that should you piss somebody off then you could be on the receiving end of a 9mm or fatter.

MJ