Should L Drivers Be Prosecuted For Minor Mistakes ?

[Canary42]

A guy got 3 points on his licence for stopping over a stop line at traffic lights while taking a lesson in a dual-control car, caught on automatic camera. He took it to court and got it overthrown, but a police spokesman still insisted it was the right thing to do (prosecute) as all drivers must be treated equally.

Is this fair ? After all L drivers are not being treated equally, they are compelled to wear L plates. Because that's the whole point, alerting other road users to the student status, so expect mistakes.

It may seem trivial, but those 3 points on his licence will drive up an already heavily-loaded insurance premium for the new driver.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-54544597

P.S. All treated equally obviously excludes the Duke of Edinburgh.

[Bazile]

The amount of drivers i see over stop lines

[douglas9401]

The driver should have noticed the redlight camera and been prepared to stop.
They're supposed to know this stuff, that's the whole point of instruction and revision.

Maybe a timely lesson that'll stand them in good stead in the future.

[Canary42]

Nice one doug, so for every learner's mistake they get 3 points - that would have left me without a licence as I'm sure I made several mistakes while I was learning. Your perfection is to be admired.

[Baldric]

All part of the learning process, due care and attention.

[douglas9401]

All I can say in my defence is that I've never been summonsed due to being caught on a redlight camera.

If that makes me perfect then you set the bar quite low.

Your admission to being a poor pupil driving wise is unusually frank.

[sherrardk]

Maybe the instructor should be fined for not doing their job properly.

[Sqad]

It's just motorists version of soccer's VAR....an offence has been committed or it hasn't.

[barry1010]

Not stopping in time in the required distance at the right point could be catastrophic so learner drivers should be prosecuted. They have the right of appeal and the law does apply to everyone.

[bhg481]

The difficulty with stopping at traffic lights is that it's often a matter of opinion whether or not you stop. You should stop on amber if it's safe. If there is a 44 ton artic 10 ft behind you when the lights go amber when you are just a few feet away from the stop line then, clearly, it's not safe. You might have no-one behind you but feel that you are too close to the stop-line to come to a halt before you reach it; if you think you can stop but misjudge by 1ft is that as bad as continuing without stopping?

[lankeela]

I agree with sherrardk - fine the instructor! I remember my dad teaching me and telling me 'put your foot down and you'll get through these lights'!

[Barsel]

sherrardk @ 11.29 I absolutely agree with you.

[THECORBYLOON]

How many "mistakes" should learners be allowed prior to a fine or prosecution?

[Old_Geezer]

It's ridiculous, but probably too much hassle to check circumstances every time rather than simply feed it into the system.

[Old_Geezer]

"How many "mistakes" should learners be allowed prior to a fine or prosecution?"

At the level of being over a line ? Probably a few million. Although the instructor is the one responsible for the pupil.

[douglas9401]

If the camera was triggered then the car must have been way over the stop line and into the offence area.

On reflection though it could have been activated by an owl swooping down on a fieldmouse lost in the big city, an innocent abroad.
Mother Nature cares not a jot about the rules of man.

[New Judge]

//He took it to court and got it overthrown,../

It didn't. He was given an "absolute discharge" and the court found "Special Reasons" not to endorse his licence. But he still has a conviction. There will be an argument when he comes to obtain insurance. Insurers ask about convictions and endorsements that have been imposed during the previous five years. They can do this because under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act driving offences which are dealt with by way of an endorsement are "spent" after five years. This chap will have a conviction which was dealt with by way of an absolute discharge and such a conviction is "spent" immediately so he should have no need to disclose it. But most insurers proposal wording cannot cope with that.

[New Judge]

//On reflection though it could have been activated by an owl swooping down on a fieldmouse//

It would have to be a rather heavy owl or mouse. The detection is by means of sensors buried in the tarmac.

[teacake44]

Control, Attention and Anticipation is all part of learning to drive, someone learning to drive is what was happening here, so NO.
If the instructor had duel control, then if anyone he should have.

[MWG14]

Spiteful postscript.

[teacake44]

Just to add to that, many moons ago I flew a single engine aircraft, I was given instructions on landing, and did just that, however on landing my travelling speed along the tarmac was still to high, the instructor had to take over the duel control brakes.