White Lines

Eleven years with a clean driving license came to an end today. My heinous crime against society being 'contravening double white lines'. The offending lines were 20 meters before hatched white lines on a two mile straight. The straight was clear of traffic. I checked my blind spot, indicated and over took a slow moving van within the 60 mph speed limit.

As I did this, I saw the patrol car and then watched in my rear view mirror as they pulled out and followed, lights flashing. I was expecting a caution: a quick telling off, a lecture on road markings and a slap on the wrist. So the offer of either three points and a £60 fine or being reported to the procurator fiscal and court came as a bit of a surprise.

Punishment has to be relative to the crime. Had I been speeding, talking on my phone or overtaking into the path of on coming traffic then fair cop. But the maneuver was safe, the road was clear and the only offense was driving over two white lines painted on a straight piece of road.

The irony is that one the way home I witnessed two near collisions, both head on. Both of these occurred on hatched white lines where it is legal to over take and beg the question which is the worse offense?

I have the up most respect for the police and the law of the land but life is not black and white.