Speeding - one law for all of us?

You would think that all things being equal, a speeding arrest would lead to a ban. Sadly not. Here are a few examples dredged up this week. Read these and tell me the law treats us all as equals.

Speeding ban for Scots Labour MP

THE Labour MP for Falkirk, Eric Joyce, has been banned from driving for six months after speeding on the M9.Mr Joyce, 47, who is private secretary to the Business Secretary, John Hutton, pleaded guilty by letter this week at Falkirk District Court to driving at 81mph on the motorway near Bo'ness, West Lothian, on 4 April.
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And then....

Plaid MP Elfyn Llwyd gets 28-day ban for speeding

PLAID Cymru parliamentary leader Elfyn Llwyd was banned from driving for 28 days yesterday after being accused of travelling at 101 mph.
Mr Llwyd, 57, MP for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy and a barrister, was also ordered to pay £675 in fines and costs by magistrates at Caernarfon.
He admitted speeding in his Mercedes car in a 60mph limit zone on the A487 near the Cross Foxes south of Dolgellau.

And then...

Obafemi Martins escapes driving ban

Road safety campaigners were furious today after Newcastle striker Obafemi Martins was not banned from driving having been caught doing 106mph in his Porsche.
Martins was clocked breaking the 70mph speed limit while on the way to the airport.
Newcastle Magistrates' Court heard yesterday the former Inter Milan player put his foot down because he was concerned he was going to miss a flight to see his sick son in Italy last May.
He was fined £550 and ordered to pay £400 costs and had six points put on his licence.
The 24-year-old Nigerian international was given credit for his unblemished driving record and his guilty plea by District Judge Stephen Earl.

It's not just me is it? There is something very wrong here. I'm not one to point an accusing finger but someone has done very well in court this week.

And on another note, a regular blog reader has sent me this...

Police chief gets speeding fine

The head of Tayside police has apologised after being caught speeding on a hazardous stretch of the A9.
Chief Constable Kevin Mathieson was travelling at 72mph in a 60mph zone near Kingussie last September.
He accepted responsibility for the offence and was fined £60 and received three penalty points on his licence.

I'm struck here about how good the top cop is to cough up and admit it - and well done to the copper who caught him and gave him the ticket. However, being a copper we only get to find out about this speeding offence after it came to light through a Freedom of Information Request made by a newspaper.

I'll leave you to make your own judgement here.

Captain Gatso
captaingatso.net