Old signs 'illegal'

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DavidBrown
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Old signs 'illegal'

Post by DavidBrown »

Political Correctness gone mad...

BBC News

How on earth can you mistake an old 3 for a 5? Even if you did make that mistake, why was that teacher doing 60mph? :?

The article claims the signs are faulty. They're not, they're just old. Because of this, some old relics have been replaced. :evil:
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Bryn666
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Post by Bryn666 »

I agree, sounds like another bunch of dumbarse lawyers trying to make a fast buck on a technicality. It's people pulling stunts like this that undermines the cause of those genuinely mistreated by the law.

There's no excuse for not being able to read the old flat topped 30 signs. Presumably this teacher needs to hand in his license and get his bloody eyes checked.
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Hagbard
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Re: Old signs 'illegal'

Post by Hagbard »

DavidBrown wrote:Political Correctness gone mad...

BBC News

How on earth can you mistake an old 3 for a 5? Even if you did make that mistake, why was that teacher doing 60mph? :?
Presumably its a built up area. The presence of street lamps and the lack of repeaters ought to have given a clue. No wonder educational standards are so low with teachers this dumb.
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a228_mb
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Post by a228_mb »

God forbid the teacher having to mark maths homeworks! What is the children don't all write their 3's the same(!)
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Nic
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Post by Nic »

I'd like to complain at this thread being Teacherist.

Teachers can be stupid too, ya know. And just for the record, if you can't read a kidlets work, you have to mark it wrong :p
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Post by BigToe »

I wrote Tambourine in my Music exam, but the u and the r were joined together, so she crossed out the ou... and wrote ou! :P

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Post by boing_uk »

are pre-worbouys (or whatever it was that changed the font) speed limit signs actually revoked by any of the previous TSR&GD's?
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a228_mb
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Post by a228_mb »

Nic_A47 wrote:I'd like to complain at this thread being Teacherist.

Teachers can be stupid too, ya know. And just for the record, if you can't read a kidlets work, you have to mark it wrong :p
I'm not having a go at teachers in general, just this one. I'm doing my degree in teaching next year so im sympathetic to those who aren't idiots!
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Bryn666
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Post by Bryn666 »

Boing - AIUI speed limit signs are still allowed, but all other pre-worboys signs were meant to be gone by 2005.
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Paul
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Post by Paul »

Bryn666 wrote:Boing - AIUI speed limit signs are still allowed, but all other pre-worboys signs were meant to be gone by 2005.
There's loads and loads of old "40" repeaters on suburban roads the length and breadth of the country. Still a few 30s on the side-streets off those roads as well.
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SubaruImprezaWRX
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Post by SubaruImprezaWRX »

That teacher must've been totally adamant he was right to go to court so many times!!!

Doing 60 in a 30 though, on a technicality, presume if he hit someone he'd be done for careless driving?

BTW I love those old 30 symbols - something magical about them!
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PeterA5145
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Post by PeterA5145 »

At present, if signs don't conform to the regulations, they're not valid. Which seems fair enough to me. It is NOT "getting off on a technicality" - either the signs are correct, or they aren't, it's totally black and white.

If the law was changed to introduce a concept of "reasonable interpretation" or whatever, then that really would be a field day for lawyers.
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Post by tommyd49 »

He should have known 60 mph signs in England are extremely rare because NSL signs are used, and also built up areas always have 40, 30, or 20 mph limits.
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Paul
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Post by Paul »

PeterA5145 wrote:At present, if signs don't conform to the regulations, they're not valid. Which seems fair enough to me. It is NOT "getting off on a technicality" - either the signs are correct, or they aren't, it's totally black and white.
Come off it!!!! If ever there was a case of following the letter of the law, rather than the spirit of the law, this is it. :o
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PeterA5145
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Post by PeterA5145 »

Paul wrote:
PeterA5145 wrote:At present, if signs don't conform to the regulations, they're not valid. Which seems fair enough to me. It is NOT "getting off on a technicality" - either the signs are correct, or they aren't, it's totally black and white.
Come off it!!!! If ever there was a case of following the letter of the law, rather than the spirit of the law, this is it. :o
If enforcement practices follow the strict letter of the law rather than the spirit, it is hardly surprising that accused drivers respond in kind :P

IIRC a speed limit terminal sign has to be at least 450 mm in diameter.

What if it's 440 mm? Or 400 mm? Or 300 mm? Or 200mm? Where do you draw the line of reasonableness?
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Post by boing_uk »

Hey, I rely in the strict letter of the law to get me off speeding offences. :wink: :lol:
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Post by C83 »

While signs should meet the appropriate regulations if you are going to prosecute people for igniring them, he claimed he thought the 30 sign said 50, but was caught doing 60. 10% + 2 gives 57, so he was still speeding.
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Post by Ian198 »

From the original report:

Campaigners said the figure has a flat top and can be confused with a five.

It also has a round bottom, so can just as well be confused with an eight - so if he was doing only 60, he wouldn't even be breaking the 80 limit, unlike the supposed 50 one.
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PeterA5145
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Post by PeterA5145 »

C83 wrote:While signs should meet the appropriate regulations if you are going to prosecute people for igniring them, he claimed he thought the 30 sign said 50, but was caught doing 60. 10% + 2 gives 57, so he was still speeding.
If the sign is incorrect, it is invalid, and the enforceable limit reverts to NSL. What the accused "thought" it said is irrelevant.
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boing_uk
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Post by boing_uk »

PeterA5145 wrote:If the sign is incorrect, it is invalid, and the enforceable limit reverts to NSL.
Which, if the area is street lit to the appropriate standards, is 30mph.
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