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Driver Prosecuted for eating a banana while not even driving.

Just when you thought British justice couldn't get any more barmy and stupid a woman was arrested by police for eating a banana whilst stuck in a traffic jam. Her car was stood still at the time, in neutral and handbrake on. She was summoned to court and received a fine, penalty points and criminal record. They charged her for 'Driving without due care and attention' even though the car wasn't even moving!

Seriously have 'The Police' got nothing better to do? I think not. This is the perfect way to turn the public against 'The Police'. They are facing massive cuts in man power yet can spare the time to more or less bully motorists for very minor infringements without any common sense or discretion. My faith and support for 'the Police' is shrinking rapidly. I had condemned the government cuts against the Police, but when things like this happen then the fewer Police the better. I'd rather tax payers money went to better causes like the NHS, welfare, Fire service and Education.

Now a previously law abiding citizen has her clean driving licence ruined and her future ruined by a criminal record meaning she is unable to work in schools, work with miners, work in positions of responsibility such as in banks or travel to the USA because she has a criminal record. No thanks to some police jobs worth, who wanted a pat on the back. Well hopefully that member will be one of the first to be sacked when the government cuts police officers!
(edited 8 years ago)
It seems absurd. However rather than accepting a smaller fine/driver awareness course, she opted to challenge the decision in court then entered a guilty plea and got whacked with penalty points. A bit self inflicted. I'm pretty sure driving without due care and attention is not a criminal offence though.
In the eyes of the law, driving means the engine is on and you're sat in the driver's seat. Technically speaking, she was driving. That's why you can get pulled for using your phone in a traffic jam as well. That being said, a slap on the wrist would've sufficed imo, it's not as if she's on her phone or doing her makeup, you don't really need to look elsewhere to stuff your face... Not that I'm recommending people to eat and drive.

I mean, just turning the engine off in a traffic jam could be a way to bend around the law. It probably wouldn't stand well with the officers, but, theoretically, it'd stand up in court. Though again, I wouldn't recommend doing it.
(edited 8 years ago)
Ridiculous. I was in traffic just last week and there was a police car in the opposed lane right next to me also in traffic, we could have wound down our windows and touched each other (not like that) and I was munching on a sausage roll and drinking a bottle of Pepsi Max. Not one eyelid was battered.
Reply 4
Avatar for shawtyb
shawtyb
20
that does amuse me. i hate our law system
It does seem extreme but on the other hand, I think too many people treat their car like their living room. If she was parked up, engine off - fine eat a banana. But if you're in traffic, you shouldn't be having lunch, making phone calls, playing games on your phone, writing a letter to your nan, playing snakes and ladders etc. You should be focused on your surroundings and be ready to respond to things. If a car smashed into the back of her whilst she was happily munching on her fruit, I'd hate to be the person in front of her who gets stoved into because she wasn't paying enough attention to hit the breaks.

Likewise, if I was in an ambulance who was trying to get through traffic I'd hate to be stuck behind a bunch of people like her who would waste precious seconds putting their snacks down and getting hold of the controls to move out of the way. If everyone sat in traffic jams having lunch, doing their make-up, texting, doing their tax returns etc - we'd never get anywhere and the roads would be a lot more dangerous. Just because it's not actually illegal to do something doesn't mean it's sensible.
The op has a point in the first paragraph and a decent copper would "give advice" rather than issue a ticket.

The rest is a meaningless rant and factually incorrect.
Driving offences such as this are civil, not criminal and so wouldn't have any work influence but is vaguely possible that she would be prevented from applying for a job that required a clean licence.

Follow the rules....simple
Although I don't see how holding folded up burning leaves, wrapped in paper is safe, but a banana isn't
Original post by TheMcSame
In the eyes of the law, driving means the engine is on and you're sat in the driver's seat. Technically speaking, she was driving. That's why you can get pulled for using your phone in a traffic jam as well. That being said, a slap on the wrist would've sufficed imo, it's not as if she's on her phone or doing her makeup, you don't really need to look elsewhere to stuff your face... Not that I'm recommending people to eat and drive.

I mean, just turning the engine off in a traffic jam could be a way to bend around the law. It probably wouldn't stand well with the officers, but, theoretically, it'd stand up in court. Though again, I wouldn't recommend doing it.



That's an interesting point about the engine being on whilst on a public road, is considered driving.

So where do you draw the line? What about bus drivers who pull up to a bus stop on the road, then take fares and issue tickets to passengers. If the engine is running and they're on a public road then technically they'd be committing an offence because they're not in full control of the vehicle, the same with taxi drivers when they take a fare.

Then there is the issue of sneezing and reaching for a tissue paper for wiping your nose, should drivers stop very time they sneeze or to wipe their nose?

I
(edited 8 years ago)
Reply 8
Avatar for _Fergo
_Fergo
19
Original post by shawtyb
that does amuse me. i hate our law system


Lol... Perhaps you should check Saudi Arabia's and Qatar's.

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I have little sympathy, though wish the Police were targeting people with a mobile phone at the wheel instead.
I'm sure police have done a lot worse while driving. Can't believe this, absolutely ridiculous
Reply 11
Avatar for Reue
Reue
20
Complete overzealous approach. Embarrassing that it came to this when the police complain about resource cuts.
Original post by Reue
Complete overzealous approach. Embarrassing that it came to this when the police complain about resource cuts.


I was once against government police cuts, now the fewer police officers the better. They've lost my support.
Surely a ticking off would have been enough.
Original post by Ambitious1999
Just when you thought British justice couldn't get any more barmy and stupid a woman was arrested by police for eating a banana whilst stuck in a traffic jam. Her car was stood still at the time, in neutral and handbrake on. She was summoned to court and received a fine, penalty points and criminal record. They charged her for 'Driving without due care and attention' even though the car wasn't even moving!

Now a previously law abiding citizen has her clean driving licence ruined and her future ruined by a criminal record meaning she is unable to work in schools, work with miners, work in positions of responsibility such as in banks or travel to the USA because she has a criminal record.

Have we even got any miners left in the country? What with the last mine shutting down and all...

Just read a couple of articles relating to this issue and there's no reference to being in neutral with the handbrake on, an omission which would be surprising if it were true. In this article the woman in question states "...when I stopped at a roundabout I pulled down a little bit of banana skin momentarily and carried on eating and driving...Unbeknown to me, there was an unmarked police car that followed me all the way down the dual carriageway..." which suggests that far from being stuck in heavy traffic, she was approaching a roundabout and the roads were reasonably clear. If a solicitor told her that there was no hope of her winning the case... I just have a sneaky suspicion that the actual circumstances aren't quite as they've been portrayed.

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