Comment by cameronh90
6 years ago
In the UK we fixed this by making it a legal requirement for the owner of the car to identify the driver (obviously unless there's a valid reason you can't, such as it being stolen).
Two MPs have actually been caught out by this law, convicted of perverting the course of justice and sent to prison:
> On 3 February 2012, Huhne resigned from the Cabinet when he was charged with perverting the course of justice over a 2003 speeding case. His wife at the time, Vicky Pryce, had claimed that she was driving the car, and accepted the licence penalty points on his behalf so that he could avoid being banned from driving. Huhne denied the charge until the trial began on 4 February 2013 when he changed his plea to guilty, resigned as a member of parliament, and left the Privy Council.[7][8][9] He and Pryce were sentenced at Southwark Crown Court on 11 March to eight months in prison for perverting the course of justice.
Going to prison for lying about speeding 10 years ago seems insane. Did they punish these MPs especially heavily just to make a point?
Generally the courts punish "crimes against justice" such as perjury very harshly as it is seen as an attack on the rule of law itself, something much more valuable than any amount of money. When I was a juror they made it clear that if we got caught talking about the case or did any independent research, we could and would be going to prison.
He didn't get sent to prison for speeding. He got sent to prison for having the audacity to think he could pull a fast one on them and the balls to actually try.