What's Your Excuse?!

Dorset Police's 'No Excuse' road safety campaign targets dangerous driving -catching drivers out for things like speeding, talking on mobile phones or not wearing a seatbelt.

Here are some snippets of 'excuses' given by people caught out in July 2011:

*A motorcyclist travelling along the 60mph stretch of the A31 at Ferndown put his life, the life of his pillion passenger and his job at risk when he decided it was a good idea to overtake the car in front of him at speed. Unfortunately the car was an unmarked police car which caught up with him as he was travelling at 108mph. The rider stated "I can't believe what an idiot I am – I'm going to lose my job".

*An unmarked police motorcycle stopped a lady travelling at 76mph in the 50mph zone of the A338 Wessex Way – on being stopped the lady burst into tears and stated, "You are right, I know I was doing that [speed] but I just don't learn".

*One gentleman when caught travelling at 52mph as he approached a school in Weymouth stated, "I've got to pick my son up and get back to work and I only have 10 minutes" – it didn't impress the officers and it always takes longer than 10 minutes to check documentation and issue the ticket.

*One lady stopped after being seen with her mobile in her hand at Weymouth stated, "I wasn't using it I was just checking for a signal" – definitely no excuse for not being in proper control of the vehicle.

One lady's reason for speeding towards the lifting bridge in Poole was, "I wanted to get to ASDA before the bridge lifted as I need shampoo" – not even a good attempt at an excuse – ticket issued.

*An HGV driver stopped after traveling 54mph up a single carriageway of the A35 at Bloxworth where the vehicle should have been restricted to 40mph informed the officers, "It's a bit of a grey area isn't it – drive at 40 and it holds everyone up" – the officers pointed out that it wasn't a grey area in the slightest – HGV's by law are to travel at 40mph on a single carriageway – as they issued the driver his ticket.

*The gentleman stopped for driving at a very high speed on the Wessex Way immediately questioned why police officers had stopped him, he firmly stated to the officers that, "I wasn't speeding – I've got insurance & I have my valid MOT". The officers kindly pointed out that firstly he was driving at 20 mph over the limit and his MOT certificate had expired 3 months previously – no excuse – tickets issued.

*One gentleman stopped for not wearing a seatbelt near the Civic Centre in Poole, surprised officers when he stated, "I should know better – my brother was seriously injured because he wasn't wearing a seatbelt" – definitely no excuse.

One lady caught driving at 93mph on the Puddletown By-Pass admitted that when she was listening to her I-Pod it
made her go, "into auto pilot" and she didn't check her speedo – hopefully the £60 fine & 3 points will remind her to check her speedo in the future.