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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jh ... otor07.xml

Motorists face EU crackdown

By Patrick Hennessy, Political Editor, Sunday Telegraph
Last Updated: 12:29am GMT 07/01/2007

British motorists face the imposition of "European standard" speed and drink-drive limits under plans by Brussels to cut deaths on the road, The Sunday Telegraph has learned.

The European Commission wants a continent-wide "harmonisation" of traffic laws. This could see many of the penalties currently set by national governments standardised across the EU.

Britain's permitted level for alcohol in drivers - 80 milligrams per 100 millilitres of blood - is much more liberal than in most EU countries where the level is 50 milligrams or less.

Commission papers say other planned moves would compel drivers to have their headlights on at all times, and would give Brussels effective control of Britain's network of speed cameras.

In addition, British drivers could be made to re-apply for licences every 10 years - requiring individuals to show they are fit to drive and placing big potential obstacles in the way of people fitted with pacemakers and sufferers from angina or diabetes.

The changes are being planned by Jacques Barrot, the French EU transport commissioner, an ally of President Jacques Chirac. Mr Barrot's father died from complications after a car crash.

Last night, Chris Grayling, the shadow transport secretary, said he would write to Douglas Alexander, the Transport Secretary, to ask why ministers were not doing more to resist the "completely unacceptable" new rules.

He added: "What I don't understand is why our ministers are being so weak when it comes to looking after our interests in Europe and in ensuring that the commission doesn't stifle Europe in a tide of unneeded regulations.

"Surely it's for the democratically elected governments of member states to decide policy on things like speed cameras - not for unelected bureaucrats in Brussels."

The regulations being planned by Brussels are contained in a series of briefing papers and consultation documents prepared by the commission. EU officials say the changes are aimed at halving the number of deaths on EU roads by 2010. They want member states to change the laws in their own countries voluntarily, but the documents show they are ready to enforce community-wide rules if they do not.

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I think this really means we're on a race against time.

IF EU control of speed cameras or ISA gets a grip it'd be unshiftable. However if we win the speed and safety argument it'll be unsupportable.

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

I can see the harmonisation of drink-drive limits happening, as can I see the headlights-on-all-day thing happening.

But speed limits being harmoised? How would Germans react to being told to change their unrestricted autobahns to 120 kph? Also, since the quality of roads varies so much from country to country it's unrealistic to try and set EU-wide speed limits.

Will punshments be harmonised?

Yes the EU has a lower drink drive limit? But I have been lead to belive from members of this fourm the punshment is not as harsh?



Just as point of intrest. How did the EU get so powerfull. I am only 26, and have only really taken an intrest in what goes on in the last two or so years.
Please help me out of my ignorance

http://www.safespeed.org.uk/forum/viewt ... 596#119596

Was there a vote.

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Oct 11 Birmingham Half Marathon. I am running for the British Heart Foundation.
http://www.justgiving.com/Rob-Taylor

That's what makes the EU such a joke. The can't harmonise shit.

Bring it on I say. The more they try to harmonise the longer it will take. And probably never happen.

remember e-call http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-Call




oops. got it wrong again dad.....

http://www.telematicsupdate.com/europe2006/diagnosticsInEurope.pdf


bunch of wankers

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Speed camera policy Kills

Will the Swedes be expected to increase their draconian 20 mg drink-drive limit, then?

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"Show me someone who says that they have never exceeded a speed limit, and I'll show you a liar, or a menace." (Austin Williams - Director, Transport Research Group)

Any views expressed in this post are personal opinions and may not represent the views of Safe Speed

He has to get this past a lot of people. Subjectivitity does not win support either any more than it forms the basis of good law.

I still think the suggestion of a graded assessment which does not remove mobility but which does give an incentive to want to improve sounds a lot more reasonable especially now ..

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Take with a chuckle or a grain of salt
Drive without COAST and it's all your own fault!

A SMILE is a curve that sets everything straight (P Diller).

A Smiley Per post
FINES USfor our COAST!

Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon - but driving with a smile and a COAST calm mind.

I recon its about time we got out of Europe. We are being f*cked over left, right and centre and I for one don't see any actual benifit. According to a recent BBC programme, we have the 5th largest economy in the world, so why the hell do we need to be part of a 'superstate'?

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Science won over religion when they started installing lightning rods on churches.

I certainly don't want to be part of an EU superstate, or any other superstate, and I suspect we don't need to be.

This could all be quite simple. All our government needs to do is quietly tell the EU busybodies to go and boil their fat heads and that could be the end of it. As net contributors to EU funds they have no hold over us in that respect, or any other way so far as I can see. What would they do - send a gunboat?

Perhaps part of the problem is that our present government <spit> is itself very much of a regulatory and control freak disposition, and a lot of this EU meddling and rule making is right up their street anyhow. This kind of thing merely allows them to blame it on the EU.

Well I'm not interested where any of this nonsense comes from - the EU, or our own central or local government - there are far too many of them interfering in our lives to a grossly excessive extent and they can all get stuffed as far as I'm concerned. Furthermore this is costing us huge sums in our taxes, paying these people - millions of public servants (huh!) of one sort or another - and to a large extent they are nothing more than a pain in the arse. We simply have far too much government at all levels, and in due course it will IMHO have to be significantly trimmed back to what:
a) the hard working tax paying people are prepared to pay for, and
b) can be seen to be helping to enhance our collective quality of life.

At the moment things are moving rapidly in the wrong direction, and there is no sign of this being reversed, but it will need to at some point, and if it takes some serious protests by the people, so be it. I hate conflict, but government in all its forms is urgently in need of a major clip round the earhole, and the sooner it happens the better.

Thank goodness I've just had my 67th birthday - I really would not wish to be any younger - and that, sadly, is the truth of it.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

I'm with you on this TripleS. We are about the same age and I can never remember any time when there was such an attack on personal freedom as this lot have started. They have virtually declared war on anyone who drives, especially those who drive for a living. Now they want to track us, monitor our life-patterns, fine us all for small offences which in reality matter not a jot, and then blame EU regs for it all whenever they can.
If 100% realtime vehicle tracking arrives (doubtful?) this really will become a totalitarian society of the type our fathers fought against.
I must admit that, although I've never, ever wanted to live abroad before, I am seriously considering doing so when I get to 70-ish. In the 60's I turned down 2 job offers from the USA on the basis that I was an Englishman and loved my life in England. However, we really only stay here now because of our kids and grandkids. Southern Ireland is very attractive as they will never be able to impose those sort of controls - it's just not in their mentality - and it's so easy to get back over here in an Irish registered car with no risk of being tracked or caught on a speed camera.
Alternatively, it's so cheap to buy a place in the USA to which to retire and they'll never accept personal and individual tracking as it goes against their written constitution.

Dave, Cooperman. I'm 67 next week and I feel sooooo sorry for my grandkids!

Totally agree with you both!

Yep...thats my plan. looking at property now, 3 bed house in 5 acres of land for $60K.

The state pension will be worth nothing so you won't lose out. Just cash in the house and see how long the money will last in the land of the free where EVERYTHING costs less.

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Speed camera policy Kills

I'm 25

I want to leave and go to Australia. Now, I'm lazy and not particuarly politically inclined, so if even I'm motivated to leave then I recon there's a fairly big problem...

The thing is, I'm skilled and educated as are most of the people who are leaving in droves. Sooner or later there's going to be no one left here to actually run the place..

Oh well... last one out, turn the lights off.

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Science won over religion when they started installing lightning rods on churches.

It was on 5 live last night that they wanted someone to take over 'sealand' off the kent coast. The offshore platform that declared UDI in the 60's.

Any takers?

Wasn't that the guy who used to shoot anyone that came closeby?

I'll have it! (Trouble I don't have the £3m or whatever it was to buy it....)

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Science won over religion when they started installing lightning rods on churches.

Where abouts? If you live anywhere near a city you will find the prices are similar to here, and US property tax is more expensive than our council tax.



Good luck in getting through immigration! I'm not sure that you can just "up sticks" and move there. From what I remember, there are quite strict rules on entry as a permanent citizen, and I think it's even harder if you come from the EU.

Is the NSL enforced there?

Best wishes all,
Dave.

apparently it's £65M. Bargain!



presuming it has roads that would be up to the owner as it's not part of the UK...

edit: good luck getting a road onto this

That would be one of these then......


Mind you tether the car - if not you could end up in the sea if something went wrong!

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Time to take responsibility for our actions.. and don't be afraid of speaking out!

Who wants to live near a city? I am currently lookin at the Ozarks between southern Missouri and Arkansas. I have got friends who live there that I see every few months, Climate is great and their standard of living is far superior to mine, on half the salary!

My favorite places are:-
Naples, Florida
Anywhere in North Carolina
Big Horn Mountains, Wyoming
The Ozarks
The Black Hills, South Dakota

I would live in any of those places.

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Speed camera policy Kills

You are right about the attractions of the bit of the USA that most people fly over. I have business connections in the mid-West and have driven all over from St. Louis to Kansas City.

The only downside is that now I know where all the George Bush voters live.

My friends felt that the population density was getting a bit high in Missouri so they moved to Wyoming which is a great place if you don't like many neighbours.

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Malcolm W.
The views expressed in this post are personal opinions and do not represent the views of Safespeed.