YP Letters: Why didn't David Beckham just pay his fine?

REGARDING David Beckham (The Yorkshire Post, September 28), his escape from justice for speeding, which he admitted, has been bought with the help of his fancy solicitor. At what cost?

Several thousand pounds I suspect; the speeding fine would probably have been £200/£300, and a disqualification for 12 months.

Anyone else would have to comply with the law. Why is Beckham above the law?

In my 55 years of driving my only offence was driving at 34mph in a 30mph area, for which I was fined £60 and three points on my licence. I was guilty as charged and paid the fine, and my letter arrived about 10 days after the incident telling me no conversation would be entered into, except in a courtroom!

From: ME Wright, Harrogate.

RE David Beckham and his speeding case, 59mph in a 40mph zone is hardly ‘borderline’. It was 5.30pm, so there were plenty of traffic and people about. Had this incident resulted in death or injury, would “the post was late” have seen him escape those consequences?

Joshua Harris of Brake hopes that the “role model” in question will accept that speeding is not acceptable. Role model or not, speeding fuels the ego and arrogance of macho men – and women. The law and courts continue to proclaim that, when it comes to driving, you may do as you please as long as you can afford it.

For how much longer must we wait for these people to kill or maim before taking effective action?

From: Christine McDade, Morton on Swale, North Yorkshire.

HANG your head in shame David Beckham, hiding behind Mr Loophole to avoid a conviction for driving at 59 mph in a 40mph zone.

A friend of Princes William and Harry, and, apparently networking to show he is worthy of a knighthood, he doesn’t have the moral courage to plead guilty.

After all, if a ban from driving had been part of the penalty handed out by the court, it would be no inconvenience to him when he can afford a garage full of chauffeurs.

From: Gavin Harrison, Leeds.

WHAT do people not understand? If you get paperwork out of the legal timeframe, you have the right to appeal and will get away with it.

It doesn’t matter who it is and I am sure everyone would do the same, and before anyone starts, I don’t condone speeding.

From: Mark Harrison, Leeds.

HE admitted the offence, got off on a technicality with a ‘loophole lawyer’. What message is this sending out? He should have just paid it, like the rest of us have to. The fine and next year’s premium would be less than the lawyer’s fee.

From: Libby Rhodes, Leeds.

ALTHOUGH unfair, it’s the murderers and rapists who get let off technicalities that infuriate me. About time all loopholes were sorted.

From: Paul Massey, Leeds.

David Beckham should have done the honourable thing and just paid the fine,

From: James Scott, Leeds.

IF we could get out of any kind of fine on a legal technicality – most of us would I think.

Better Corbyn than fracking

From: Geoff Smith, Hovingham.

THIS is a letter that I have sent to my local MP Kevin Hollinrake.

“When advised that fracking may cost your party the election, your party chairman recently stated that people will think of other things, and vote Conservative in spite of the industrialisation of vast swathes of countryside.

“I firmly believe that fracking is not only unnecessary but it will ruin people’s lives and the ecology.

“I also believe that Labour will ruin the economy, making thousands of people poorer.

“So it appears to me we can vote to ruin the economy or the ecology, that being the case. Please advise your party chairman that he is completely wrong, he has no idea about the strength of feeling of those that have taken the time to understand this technology. He is displaying a level of arrogance that is completely mind boggling.

“I, and many like me, will never vote to increase drilling for fossil fuels.

“Bearing this in mind please be advised I shall vote for anyone who may prevent fracking and respects local democracy, unlike the Conservatives. Even if that means a Corbyn government.”

Perils of giant pushchairs

From: Hilary Andrews, Nursery Lane, Leeds.

IS it only me who thinks the size of pushchairs on buses has grown to ridiculous proportions?

Some are as large as the old Sivercross prams and, when loaded with shopping bags, form a hazard in the bus aisle. Older and disabled passengers would have no chance of getting off the bus in the event of an emergency.

Oh for the days when we left our children with our husband or relatives when we had shopping to do in the polluted atmosphere of our cities.

Armada date

From: Elisabeth Baker, Leeds.

IAN Oglesby (The Yorkshire Post, September 29) tells us that the Spanish Armada was in 1599. It was, of course, in 1588.

However, he makes some very valid points about British sovereignty and I wonder if he was as bemused as I was when watching The Last Night of the Proms to see the Prommers belting out Rule Britannia with gusto – while wearing berets and waving European Union flags.