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Original poster

Can reversing slowing into a lamppost equal careless driving?

41 replies

raisedeyebrows · 30/05/2013 19:43

I've name changed to ask this on behalf of a friend (honest, not me!)

Does anyone know the answer to the question? The circumstance was one of no damage to the lamppost and just a scratch to the bumper of the car.
My friend was advised to plead guilty and did so. (There was also a charge of failing to report the incident to which she also pleaded guilty).

OP posts:
Startail · 30/05/2013 20:20

I hope the busy body who reported her is proud of the amount of our money, court and police time they wasted.

prh47bridge · 30/05/2013 20:21

Smartieaddict is wrong. If a lamp post or any other street furniture is damaged you are required to stop and give your details to anyone reasonably requesting them. If no-one takes your details you must report the incident to the police within 24 hours. Road Traffic Act 1988 Section 170 refers.

HandMini · 30/05/2013 20:21

No, any fine won't go directly to the council, but it will go into the "public purse" so theoretically (and indirectly) goes into the maintenance and repair of such thing as lamp posts.

Original poster
raisedeyebrows · 30/05/2013 20:21

Sunny That's what everyone I've spoken to is saying. We are all now very nervous about taking to the road. I wonder if this would include reversing into a hedge? Hedges belong to people. I just don't get it.

OP posts:
Boomboomboomboom · 30/05/2013 20:21

Of course it is careless driving - most people don't hit lamp posts when they drive their car, however fast or slowly they were going, therefore the standard of her driving fell below the norm.

It does all sound rather odd, no damage, police being called by a bystander, prosecution etc. but given she was represented by a solicitor and the case is done and dusted what is the point of dragging it up now?

Original poster
raisedeyebrows · 30/05/2013 20:22

Startail I'd love to know how much the court case cost.

OP posts:
Original poster
raisedeyebrows · 30/05/2013 20:23

I'm dragging it up because I want to know if it's all correct and could happen to me. I'm just so surprised by it all. I only heard about it today. The court case was last week.

OP posts:
SunnyRandall · 30/05/2013 20:27

Outrageous waste of time and money.

I bet your friend's local paper would love to do a piece on this ridiculous waste of public money!

Boomboomboomboom · 30/05/2013 20:34

I wasn't trying to be rude, it just seems an odd thing to be worrying about. You friend obviously did hit a lamppost. The strike was obvious enough for someone to notice and report them. You now know if you are in a similar situation you should report. Nothing to worry about unless you intend to go about hitting lamposts.

In the absence of seeing the evidence you cannot judge the reason for summonsing. Obviously your friend's solicitor told her to plead guilty so there we go...

Yettish · 30/05/2013 20:38

We are all now very nervous about taking to the road.

If that means you'll all try very hard not to drive into anything/anyone, then - Good.

Good drivers don't reverse into lampposts. They really, really don't.

Smartieaddict · 30/05/2013 20:55

prh47bridge how was I wrong? If she had given her details to the owner of the lamp post there is no need to report to the police. Yes if she couldn't or didn't do that, then it would need reporting, but what I said is still correct!

prh47bridge · 31/05/2013 01:13

You said, "Even if there was damage, if there is no injuries to anyone it doesn't need to be reported to the police, she would have just needed to contact whoever is responsible for the lamp post and given them her details".

You cannot simply report it to the Council later which is what you seem to be saying. If you do not give your details to someone who is present at the scene of the accident and who is responsible for the street furniture involved you must report the incident to the police.

Original poster
raisedeyebrows · 31/05/2013 21:15

Yettish Yes, I know we ought to be able to do a three point turn and not hit a lamp post. My point was - does it constitute careless driving and should it be prosecuted as such? Bearing in mind that there was no damage.

Sunny She probably would go to the press but I think she's too embarrassed about the whole thing.

Anyway, thanks all. I'm still not sure if it's careless driving or not. It isn't my area of law. I used to be in probate and conveyancing.

OP posts:
Smartieaddict · 31/05/2013 21:26

Sorry, I should have been more specific. I meant it didn't need to reported to police if she was reporting straight away to the council. Although that is irrelevant really given that there was no damage! I shall try to be more precise in future!

MidniteScribbler · 08/06/2013 06:18

We had a competition being held one night on a council owned filed and someone ran in to one of the light poles. There was no apparent damage, but the police had to be called and the light had to be immeditely switched off and roped off until it could be inspected the next day just in case it was damaged. I wouldn't have thought to do it, but one of the competitors was an off duty police officer and told us that it had to happen if you can't contact the owner (in this case it was after hors, so no one at the office. Police taped it off and put a sticker over the key box to stop it being used. We ended up having to finish the competition by headlights.

Of course it is careless driving. Ooops I didn't see that big pole is not exactly careful driving.

Rosa · 08/06/2013 06:31

What a total waste of public money.... Yes report it to the council and pay any damages direct to the council but going to court FGS....

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