FINES FOR SPEEDING

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 126, 25 November 1930, Page 8

FINES FOR SPEEDING

(To the Editor.) Sir, —I add my protest to those of your correspondents "Fair Play" and "Victimised" against the methods employed by some traffic inspectors. In my case a constable swore that I was' speeding at 40 to 45 miles an hour (three-quarters of a mile a minute) when.l was actually travelling at the tail of a line of cars going at half that speed. He was the sole witness in support of the charge, and it was merely his word against that of two witnesses who had the ear's speedometer in front of them. The S.M.s only comment in entering a conviction'was that the policeman's calculation was taken at the time of the alleged offence, and his memory would be fresher than that of the two. witnesses for the defence. Is not this an admission by the S.M. that the present method is unfair to the motorist? Tbjat is to say, in the administration of justice the evidence of one police witness is worth more than that of two civilians. No. wonder,many motorists don't trouble to waste time and money in defending bylaw eases against them, no matter how unjust the charges. A fine of £3, plus: Court costs and expenses of a lawyer to appear in defence is a heavy impost to inflict in such cases, to say nothing of the attendant worry and annoyance of being unjustly punished.—l am,, etc., ... ■>■-.-■." NOT GUILTY.