no ban for 143mph soldier

[TH3R4POR]

This makes you sick!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1269178/Soldier-driving-143mph-escapes-ban-save-lives-Afghanistan.html

A soldier clocked driving at twice the speed limit on the M40 has been spared a driving ban so he can serve in Afghanistan.

Kameron Edmondson was travelling at 143mph in his Ford Focus ST when police, in an unmarked Subaru Impreza, spotted him.

The 20-year-old Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineer believed he was being followed by the super-charged motor and accelerated.

The court was told that Edmondson was due to start a tour of Afghanistan in June, where he would carry repairs to British vehicles damaged by roadside bombs.

But without a driving licence he would not be able to begin his training.

Judge Marten Coates told the defendant: 'You richly deserve to be disqualified because of this appalling behaviour on the motorway, which is what I was going to do.

'But taking you off the road for 56 days means you would not be trained to do a job not many people want to do.

'It is a matter of balancing two different public interests, and the saving of lives must be the more important.'

The judge's leniency has sparked outrage among safety campaigners and critics, with one claiming the soldier's actions were as 'lethal as a speeding bullet'.

Edmondson, from Blackburn, had originally been charged with dangerous driving, which he denied, but plead guilty to speeding.

He was fined £300 and ordered to pay £80 costs, a £15 surcharge and had six points endorsed on his licence at Warwickshire Crown Court yesterday.

Road safety charities slammed the sentence, claiming it sent out the wrong message.

Ellen Booth, from Brake, said: 'It is a dangerous level of speed and shows a lack of responsibility and consideration for other people's lives.'

Drivers caught travelling at speeds in excess of 100mph normally receive a ban, but it is at the judge's discretion.

Paul English, Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for Blackburn, said: 'His actions were as lethal as a speeding bullet.

'The law of the land should be equal to all, full stop. There should be no exceptions, it doesn't matter if he is a soldier, if you break the law, you should suffer the consequences.'

Michael Law-Riding, Conservative parliamentary candidate, added: 'If you are driving at 143mph, then you should be banned - it's the law of the land, and everyone should obey.'

But Justice Secretary Jack Straw said that the judge showed 'appropriate mercy for someone risking his for the rest of us'.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said it would be inappropriate to comment on a judge's decision.

 

[cj10jeeper]

What - that he avoided a ban or that a 20 year old has to serve his country fighting a war, risking his life for a war that we don't need or want?

 

[flimper]

I agree that he should have been spared a ban but it should have been matched with a proper fine (say £2000) to balance it

 

[Rudd]

i agree that he should be allowed to do his job, going on tour and helping to keep our guys going in (agreed CJ) a war that isnt even ours

i think he should have had his sentence suspended until he got back. that would be a fair outcome?

 

[Tweed]

So the law should be different depending on your job?
no way... he chose to join the army, he wasn't forcibly drafted, and he chose to drive at more than double the speed limit on a public road. If they really want to make an exception for him, then ban him, but allow him to do his training.

 

[Rudd]

His training would probably involve going on public roads for which you have to have a licence. Letting him retain it is a damn sight better than letting him drive without one.

He should be punished for what he did but he has been called up to do an operational tour. I say letting him do it. Potentially he is helping save lives of our troops by keeping their vehicles going when in the sh!t.
Banning him when he gets back is a fair compromise IMO.

 

[mcbeee]

There's a few choices here:
1. He could have been given a restricted license allowing him to travel to and from work/training.
2. He could have his license suspended, fined ... and suffer the wrath of REME for not being able to do his required training, therefore requiring someone else to go in his place, possible demotion etc. etc
3 or what the judge did....

and many many more.

He would probably spend his time in a nice protected camp motor pool and be at less risk then going to a football match and sitting in the wrong seats.Unless he's being trained as a tow truck driver and that's not really that special is it?

I'd give him choice #2.

 

[JimmyPop]

One of my friends from uni had 9 points on his license and got caught THREE times in a number of weeks for speeding/ being on mobile phone. Fortunately for him, three of his original points expired which took him to the grand total of 12 points. He managed to wangle it down to 9 points without a fine because he said he needed his car for his job as a GP. Personally, I think he should have been banned - anyone who has been stopped 3 times in such a short period of time obviously isn't going to learn their lesson. The same guy always comes out of situations smelling of roses - he managed to get a fine for running a red light thrown out because his name had been spelt wrongly on one of the documents!

 

[bigdog]

Imagine that! A sports car forum decrying that a guy got out of a speeding ticket. Oh wait! It was a military guy. I see the difference now.

If anyone here got caught going that fast. And your lawyer came up with an excuse to possibly get you out of trouble. What would you do? TH3R4POR?

If this fellow was speeding recklessly in a residential area with pedestrians about. or driving drunk. Then by all means. Off with his head. But as I understand it. The M40 is a controlled access, pedestrian free area. So who cares that he was going that fast. Would I have got away with it. I doubt it. But that does not mean I should begrudge him because he did.

Cheers
Jerry

 

[Dav the wheel nut]

One of my friends from uni had 9 points on his license and got caught THREE times in a number of weeks for speeding/ being on mobile phone. Fortunately for him, three of his original points expired which took him to the grand total of 12 points. He managed to wangle it down to 9 points without a fine because he said he needed his car for his job as a GP. Personally, I think he should have been banned - anyone who has been stopped 3 times in such a short period of time obviously isn't going to learn their lesson. The same guy always comes out of situations smelling of roses - he managed to get a fine for running a red light thrown out because his name had been spelt wrongly on one of the documents!

Oh well look on the bright side after he reads this he won't be one of your friends!

 

[JimmyPop]

bigdog, it has nothing to do with him being in the military. We're not talking about someone who was doing 80mph on a 70mph - this is someone who was consciously speeding significantly above the limit and should therefore accept he was caught and should face the appropriate penalty. Noone should be exempt from the law - doesn't matter what your background or career is.

And Dav, there's no chance he'll read this - he's a Megane driver

 

[Tweed]

And Dav, there's no chance he'll read this - he's a Megane driver

definitely should be banned then

If anyone here got caught going that fast. And your lawyer came up with an excuse to possibly get you out of trouble. What would you do?

one big difference here; no-one here would be so stupid (or arrogant) to be doing those speeds on a public road. If they were caught then yeah, I'd say hang them out to dry! If it were my best mate that got caught at that speed, again I'd call him a twat and buy him a bus ticket for his birthday.

 

[Breaker]

You've cropped your avatar pic too much! :?


Can't see your halo!

 

[Tweed]

hehe

 

[bigdog]

bigdog, it has nothing to do with him being in the military. We're not talking about someone who was doing 80mph on a 70mph - this is someone who was consciously speeding significantly above the limit and should therefore accept he was caught and should face the appropriate penalty. Noone should be exempt from the law - doesn't matter what your background or career is.

And Dav, there's no chance he'll read this - he's a Megane driver

Ok. I'll concede that I may have misinterpreted the posts then. And I apologize.

I guess I live in a different world here in the states. Generally our attitude is this. If a guy is driving very fast on a controlled access highway, who cares. If he gets caught. Ok. If he gets caught and gets away with it. That's ok to. But if the same guy is driving very fast within the city with pedestrians about or causes an accident, kills someone, then that's different. He should get in big trouble.

What upsets me is seeing judges give light punishment to violent criminals. But speeders going free. The least of my worries. I worry far more about the ever growing nanny government in the USA. Hence, my attitude towards this case. And others like it.

 

[z4phill]

i think he was in a 50 mph limit wich makes nearly twice the speed limit , should have been a delayed ban and a huge fine

 

[easty027]

i read this today in a newspaper and it wound me up a bit. he should have got the same penalty/fine etc as anybody else, his job has nothing to do with it - separate issue entirely. also agree with the other comments, he chose to go into the army, he wasnt forced.