The Sunday Quote

''Anti-speed police chief clocked at 82 mph in 40 mph zone''

Headline The Sunday Telegraph - 17 April 05.

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The Head of the Metropolitan (that's London for the benefit of our many overseas readers) Police traffic division a Chief Supt. Les Owen was 'clocked' at over twice the speed limit on his way to a meeting in his 'chauffeur' driven Police Car. Apparently the Police Vehicle occasional used its siren on the journey taking the senior officer to a routine meeting for which the Police boss was late.

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On behalf of many of Her Majesty's Subjects who have been fined and penalized with points on their driving license following a conviction for speeding, caused by running late for a business meeting, I hope that Owen is fined a lot of money that he can not afford and banned from carrying out his job for 12 months.

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If subsequently when Owen fails to pay the fine (because he has been seriously ill) I hope that a bailiff from TNT, a national bailiff company, used by the courts calls and illegaly attempts to wheel clamp or impound his car. When Owen then calls for Police assistance perhaps he will find that his junior colleagues support the illegal action of the so called bailiffs ('tools of the trade' can not be removed and neither can vehicles as stated on court warrents). When, he later checks his law books and complains about the wrongful and negligent, actions of the Police, supporting the court's bulling agents, he may well find that the attending officers then lie to the investigating Inspector. Not wishing to make a formal complaint he may well accept a placatory apology offered by a senior Police colleague which is never forthcoming from the young rude attending officer.

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Annoyed ? Yes I am, not just on behalf of my self but on behalf of many hard pressed self employed business people who are needlesly persecuted in the name of 'road safety'.

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Despite a lifetime of support for law and order I (and many others) receive what I belive is poor service from the Police, as I did from county Durham Police in September 2003 when in a distressed state three thugs employed by TNT assulted me when attepting to remove a vehicle, which I did not own, (useing unauthorised paperwork) to execute a warrent issued by County Durham Magistrates Court (reported in The Sunday Telegraph Nov 2003)

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If indeed Chief Supt Owen is prosecuted it would be no less than the fate suffered by of all those who are caught by the 'Police partnership safety cameras' that Owen is disgracefully in charge of. Maybee it would be less hypocritical if all motorists were permitted to drive at over 80 mph with their sirens blazing.

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Perhaps on the other hand Owen will do the honorable thing and resign, somehow I doubt it. ------ Ed.