Police battle rogue ‘brunch’ drivers
(CNS): The RCIPS has said that it has received numerous complaints about rogue driving, which is increasing the current traffic chaos. The police also raised concerns yet again over drunk drivers, in particular, drivers who attend Sunday brunches, consuming “an exorbitant amount of alcoholic beverages” and then driving home. Drinking and driving is now a priority for police to discourage and prevent, so officers are increasing their presence along main thoroughfares on Sunday afternoons.
However, there are a catalogue of other problems fuelling complaints and road congestion. Police said drivers are failing to use indicators at turns or when entering roundabouts, which is undermining traffic flow and causing accidents. Traffic officers said it was imperative that motorists use indicators so all road users are aware of their direction of travel and turning intentions. Failing to indicate is also an offense, with a CI$100 penalty.
Another issue is inconsiderate driving and motorists who change lanes or get in the wrong lane on roundabouts or at major junctions.
“You should choose your lanes, based on your direction of travel, well in advance before approaching the roundabout so that you can avoid causing confusion and traffic build-up,” the police stated. “Motorists should not stop on roundabouts and once you have entered a roundabout, you should not give way. You must always exit the roundabout in the lane that you entered on.”
Distracted driving also continues to be a major concern on the roads too, the police said. Drivers not paying attention at junctions can break the traffic flow, adding to the congestion. “When operating a motor vehicle, driving should be your only priority,” traffic officers warned.
Driving and using a mobile phone is an offense according the Traffic Law and carries a penalty of CI$150. So far this year, officers have issued just under 400 tickets for this offense. In the event of a collision, you might also be charged with inattention or even careless driving if it is discovered that the result of the collision was due to the driver being distracted.
Speeding and dangerous driving are other major causes for concern, with over 1,300 speeding tickets recorded for speeds over 55 miles per hour this year. Police said that was a major concern since the maximum speed for the entire Cayman Islands is 50mph and on most roads far lower.
Officers have recorded vehicles going in excess of 95mph, which, given how speeding fines work, can be a costly adrenaline rush for drivers. The traffic law provides for incremental fines for speeding at CI$20 per mile over the limit and CI$40 per mile over the limit if you are recorded speeding in a school zone.
Although tickets are capped at CI$500, drivers recorded speeding over that cost will be warned for prosecution as well for dangerous driving. Anyone caught driving double the speed limit, for example 60mph on a 30mph road, will automatically be disqualified from driving for at least six months.
Last Sunday after the first ‘brunch’ patrols were introduced, ten tickets were given to speeding drivers.
See UK video below on how to negotiate roundabouts:
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Category: Crime, Crime Prevention, Police
6 Months in Jail and 10,000KYD Fine.
See the change overnight….
Add Immediate loss of work permit with no right to obtain another work permit in the future.
The NRA states cyclists must stay in the outer lane of a roundabout, now they are closing parts of the outside lane forcing cyclists to move to the inside lane then play chicken with moving back into the outside lane. Only cyclists with a death wish would use certain roundabouts!
maybe time for a class action suit against the police for their hypocrisy and general incompetence????
I was overtaken illegally on the SMB road going north in the vicinity of Queens Court. The vehicle stayed in front of me all the way to a shopping complex into which both of us turned, me directly behind her ( yes, it was an, er, lady). I spoke to her after we had both parked and was met with a torrent of verbal abuse. I guess it takes all kinds, but in this case a total absence of “Caymankind”😷 I wish I had kept my mouth shut!
serious question for the police farce and the non-law enforcing commissioner.
my dash cam has recorded dozens of times police not using indicators going around roundabouts?
to who should i submit the footage and what are you going to do about it????
Me too, they are some of the worst. Also, there is nothing to stop a vehicle changing lanes when exiting a roundabout, (from the inside of the RAB onto the left hand lane of the exiting road) as long as it is safe to do so and you do not cause another vehicle to change speed or direction. According to the police spokesman, you must stay in the lane you entered on. That is total rubbish and would be impossible to enforce as everyone should get into the left hand lane if they are proceeding straight ahead. If you follow this flawed police logic, how can you traverse a RAB beyond the 12 o’clock position, (straight ahead) if you don’t cut across the left hand lane to enter your single lane exit? That kind of stupidity will result in vehicles going all the way around on the outside and potentially causing a T’ Bone collision with those who are traversing correctly. Is the police spokesman a Jamaican by any chance?
Of course, the dim wits here need to be told that they can’t use a basic road skill to traverse a RAB, so making them stay in the outside lane is easier than making them think logically. All this will do is encourage more traffic to stay in the right hand lane for longer.
The Left hand lane is the driving lane, so therefore traffic should always revert to this lane when not overtaking, it’s a basic rule of the road. The problems arise from idiots who constantly drive in the right hand lane, fail to give proper signals, approach from the wrong lane, (especially when going beyond the 12 o’clock position and cutting off direct traffic) don’t know how to merge into traffic, phoning, texting, emailing, taking selfies, combing hair, seats raked too far back, blacked out screens, facing and talking to passengers, kids jumping around without seat belts, dogs untethered, and a thousand other stupid failures of basic driving skills.
When the police train their own to abide by basic skills and give out the correct information on social media, then perhaps they can sit up there and actually enforce the laws properly.
And how about making all those from 3rd world countries, including Jamaica, take a formal driving test BEFORE letting them lose on Caymans roads. AND, get in qualified driving instructors and examiners to ensure everyone in Cayman is trained to a much higher standard?
I would suspect that 90% of the current force is made up of Jamaican officers, with the odd Caymanian and other nationalities.
Then they should stop hiring them and balance the force with more Caymanians and other nationalities other than Jamaican if there is such an imbalance.
You can send the video to police via cayman police app. Just send it never mind what you think what happen next. Top cop need be aware what going on the roads.
the fines should be increased 10 fold….then you will see an impact.
With steering wheels on the wrong side. They should all be removed from the road immediately. There, I solved your little traffic problem Joey.
I thought I knew all of the laws of using a roundabout, and with a shrug I watched the above video. I learned a thing or two and wish everyone would take a moment to watch and see if they learn anything as well.
There seem to be more than a few drivers who don’t care to learn, but chose to play an all-day game of chicken as their mode of surviving the day.
All roundabouts should have monitored CCTV if they don’t already, and tickets issued to those vehicles in which their drivers disobeyed the law.
RCIPS could save a ton of effort by parking themselves outside the brunch restaurants and breathalyzing everyone who drives past. There is no need to let them get up to speed anywhere or risk injuring anybody else. It’s not difficult, one could safely assume 75% of the drivers exiting would blow over.
So you clearly don’t believe in the bill of rights. Maybe they should wait outside your house and wait to catch you doing one of your many infractions. That is not how the law is supposed to be enforced. Do you prefer a Police State…”Your Papers Please!”
the innocent have nothing to fear
Dumb statement. Why? Flicking the bean after a stressful day isn’t illegal either but I sure as hell wouldn’t want a policeman randomly peeking in my window because they’re checking the neighborhood….
I bet you’ve been waiting for days for an opportunity to use “flicking the bean” in a post. Well done!
You have to admit, it was a quantum leap between “waiting outside a structure” to peeping, which, incidentally, is illegal.
If the crime of drink driving is occurring in a certain location then having the police in that location to observe the crime taking place sounds like a good idea. Wasting time and $ on testing everyone doesn’t.
They could do it at most of the popular bars daily too….or at the exit of the nightclub car parks every night…..pretty simple stuff.
Please could the driver of the white Porsche with registration 175 264 take note of how to use a roundabout. If you do it may save the lives of other road users and even your own.
Please increase the fine for mobile phone use to $1000.
Please actually fine people
You wrote that on your phone while stuck in traffic, didn’t you?
Gee, this brunch thing must be new said no one while having brunch at the former Hyatt or Holiday Inn.
Police need to go by the Cannon place roundabout, that roundabout is joke.
How about stopping and fining that inconsiderate a@#les in the blue double cab F150 or the green Tacoma who make a third lane at the centre of Kings Roundabout at 5pm every day? In front of the cops, who do not do anything to stop them?
Hey Joey, dare you to take a drive east one evening so you see exactly what you have done to people’s quality of life!
Nah. He got a fancy dinner in Monaco that night.
Sandwich boards on sidewalks up in EE promoting drinking. Lots of drinking and driving all day in EE, no one sees anything up there…
Yeah but these promoters actually offer a free pick up service for people staying at the east end resorts, thus reducing the temptation for our visitors to drink drive. Obviously that targets visitors not locals but hey, it’s a start
LOL Plenty of local and rental cars at those establishments daily, eh?
No, it’s an excuse.
If only the police knew how to use their own indicators.
As most people don’t use the rounabouts correctly, due to ignorance of how to use it or purposely, which leads to traffic woes and accidents, could all roundabouts be replaced with traffic lights?
Yes. if you want to slow traffic down, and people still jump red lights. Roundabouts are not that hard, its just that people will not use them correctly. How about if anyone who looses their licence for more than 12 months has to resit both the driving test.?
I agree with traffic lights at roundabouts. The truth is that driving standards are not going to get bettèr and the police are ********. So lights are the only way to make these junctions safer.
Traffic lights are a huge failure in the UK, all they do is slow up the traffic and defeat the entire purpose of the roundabout, the continuous flow of traffic. And FYI, have you seen the cluster f### that is the cricket green four way or the nonsensical and hopeless lights at the end of South Sound?
Give me Uber or Flex to take to brunch!
Doesn’t fix alcoholism or taxi fare complaints for those living 20 miles away!
Yes it does!
Clean public transport is better.
This makes me want to get a little ‘brunch’
This is really rich coming from RCIPS! I see them daily – not indicating – on roundabouts or otherwise, using cell phones whilst driving, texting whilst driving, in the wrong lane, going through amber lights, stopping without indicating… they seem to be breaking all of their own rules …. it really is a joke.
Third World Cops
Third World behaviour
Move on, nothing to see here
Thank you for saying it like it is! What has become of Cayman?
I’m going to take this as sarcasm. Cayman has always (30yrs that I have been here at least) been like this. You’re only noticing it more because the number of people have increased.
Funny how this 3rd world country serves 1st world champagne at brunch for 1st rate a-holes. Thank goodness for our 3rd world cops picking up the same people who say they use taxis where they come from so they don’t drink and drive. Yet every Sunday… guess who’s drink driving?
They wouldn’t do it in Guernsey. They would lose their work permit with immediate effect and would not be able to act in the capacity as a director for any Guernsey companies.
Well said.
Many of our police officers wouldn’t qualify to be police officers in Guernsey. Their standards are higher when it comes to law and order. Hell, most places standards are now higher than ours, as we continue to become more and more like our failed and failing neighbors. We need to reverse course now.
It’s not the police. It’s the law over in Guernsey. So people are too scared to lose their livelihood and would not risk the money they never had before in their life to drink while under the influence.
There is no equivalent law in Cayman.
Please for god’s sake…. STAY IN THE LEFT LANE… unless you’re passing. I wish the cops would clamp down on that.
They could, but the law is ambiguous when you read it. The wording needs clarifying.
I agree. There appears to be no knowledge of the obvious rule of staying left unless overtaking. The constant switching between lanes to overtake slow moving traffic must be a major cause of accidents. Like many things it is not tested in the joke of a practical driving Ted in Cayman which is a major cause of the bad driving and high incidence of accidents.
This is news? It’s been going on for years. I know staff from one well-known bar regularly do a very alcoholic brunch if it’s been a good week for tips.
And have you done your civic duty and informed the authorities? No? Well pipe down then.
Most bar tenders and staff I know don’t even drive. So who cares.
What are the police doing about people that are using their vehicles bright lights to blind other road users at night?
And what about the cars imported from USA, whose headlights are pointed in the wrong direction for left side driving Cayman, thereby blinding the drivers coming from the opposite direction?
They are supposed to be required to change the dip angle of their lights upon being inspected for road-worthiness prior to getting their plates.
I know it was the case a dozen years ago when my buddy brought in a car from the U.S.
The police themselves do not indicate. Can I pull them over and give them a ticket?
explain why school buses are stopping in the middle of roundabouts. I have seen this on a number of occasions. They are too lazy to go down the road, cause it would mean they actually have to turn around. So they inconvenience everyone, by stopping on a roundabout.
Explain why the police were making cars stop in hurleys roundabout, to give way to incoming traffic from Crewe Rd and the bypass? You are not supposed to stop once in the roundabouts!
“Drinking and driving is now a priority for police“…the RCIPS keep saying. Show us please.
“You must always exit the roundabout in the lane that you entered on.”
This is information needs to be further clarified to also explain which exit you must take if you enter in the left lane.
To my knowledge if you enter in the left lane, you are only allowed to pass one exit maximum and must exit on the second exit. In other words, if you intend to exit at the third or fourth exit, you must enter the roundabout in the right lane then switch to left lane after passing the second exit.
Cars passing more than one exit while in the left lane cause accidents. I see near misses because of this every day!
What I dont understand is when I am in the left lane intending to go straight through to my second exit, but a guy coming from other way is in the inside lane intending to exit at his third exit (my first exit) has to cut in front of me to get off, or duck behind me and cut across whoever is following me. This is not addressed in the guides as far as I can tell. Can one of you keyboard warriors explain? I assume the guy changing/crossing lanes has to give way to me?
@ 5:11 Correct, the inside lane should yield in those circumstances, though it feels a bit weird to yield from the inside lane. I have experienced being cutoff as you described, on several occasions.
What I find is that you have to drive a certain way based on the roundabout. Some tend to have different natural flows for existing.
In a roundabout you need to give way to any car on to your right – so you need to give way to the other car. You should not enter the roundabout unless you can give way to any car that is already in the roundabout.
No overtaking in roundabouts, so nobody should be going faster than the cars already in the roundabout. Also not enforced.
The guy coming from the right has the right of way and you must allow him to complete his indicated path. You must not move onto the roundabout until he passes you, neither should the guy behind.
“You must always exit the roundabout in the lane that you entered on” is plain wrong. It doen’t need clarification it needs re-wording. We need a Govt infomercial on TV on this for everyone (including tourists) to show how you turn left, right or go straight on and the lane(s) and signalling that should go with each.
It’s quite simple really. Look at the roundabout as if it were a clock face. You approach at 6 o’clock. If your exit is beyond 12 o’clock and if your approach road has two lanes, you need to be on the right. You indicate to turn into your exit road immediately as you pass the exit previous. You then exit the roundabout by entering the road, crossing the outside lane which should not have any other vehicle impeding your exit. You are obliged to get into the left lane of your exit road as soon as is practical to do so, without causing another vehicle to change speed or direction.
It matters not how many exits there are as some can have numerous exits, it only matters that you indicate at the start of your approach to the right, maintain the signal right, then indicate left when passing the exit before your chosen direction. All exits before the 12 o’clock position should be approached on the left and exited on the left. Approaching on the left, staying in the left lane on the roundabout and attempting to pass the 12 o’clock position is incredibly dangerous and should be avoided at all costs.
“Motorists should not stop on roundabouts ..” Explains why I saw a cop car parked on the outside lane of the Cost U Less roundabout along with another car, which he had presumably pulled over. Could easily have turned off into Lime Tree Bay, but no – lets just block a whole lane on the roundabout.
On the Esterley Tibbetts and Linford Pierson Highways; Please use the left lane unless you are overtaking. If you are in the right lane and you are not going faster than the car in left lane, you should overtake that car (within the speed limit) then move to the left lane. If you are driving below the speed limit in the right lane and a car behind you wants to pass, please indicate left and then move to the left lane. Thank you!
Use the left hand lane unless you are overtaking – do not need to say anything else!
In the UK you overtake in the right hand lane
Yea. That’s what the poster is saying….
I do like the new guard rails I must say. Keeps those doing 70 in the right hand lanes much safer than before.
“You must always exit the roundabout in the lane that you entered on.” – I think this guy needs to go back and learn how to use a roundabout as well. Unless the roundabout is dual entry and exit, you merge into the outside lane after you pass the last exit before yours, otherwise you cut off traffic.
All of our dual lane roundabouts have dual entry/exit. Even those exits that eventually become a single lane has dual lane space at the actual exit.
That’s not true. Chrissie Tomlinson does not, and is full of idiots turning from the bypass onto shamrock road in the outside lane. Utter morons.
Prime example of what 1:05pm is talking about.
How about speed cameras that will pay for themselves through the thousands of offenders that they will catch on a monthly basis, and a user friendly online payment system that would allow one to pay online, heck they could even do it through PayPal.
Then the police would have a bit more capacity to deal with the drunk drivers and everything else.
Thanks CNS for bringing to light the fines associated with these offences but does anyone know a single person that has been ticketed for not indicating?
Speed cameras only work if you can find the vehicles and drivers but knowing the state of vehicle licensing here that’s unlikely. This is why we still don’t have ANPR.
Let’s become a police state while we’re at it?
If you want RCIPS acting like the cops they have in the US, literally harassing everyone 24/7 with trigger happy fingers, killing everyone who doesnt comply .. carry on.
No. Lets just enforce the law.
Great to see a police presence in the mornings and evenings. Are they giving out fines at the same time if they observe drivers flouting the rules??
The levels of dangerous driving are truly horrendous .. Yesterday a driver tried to overtake between the two cars already in the roundabout, and a couple of days ago a driver actually forced his way against the flow of traffic within the roundabout to avoid having to go all the way around!
Hopefully restraining children and pets while driving is on the list as well. Saw a driver with a yappy dog on her lap ..
Jamaica style driving is now the norm in Cayman. Speeding trucks and buses to the districts .
These are the same morons who just yesterday were stopping residents of Crewe Road who work East of Kings Sports Centre from accessing their homes without taking the bypass all the way down to Jose’s and joint back in the traffic. I wouldn’t be concerned about them catching too many drunk drivers on a Sunday.
Yet the brunch bunch still drive better than the church crew.
the blood of christ is potent stuff!
It is indeed! Only substance known to man that removes sin.
Lol. More like removes the conscience from the guilty but still leaves the person who they abused with physical or emotional scars.
you’re going straight to hell for this comment.
See you there. I’ll bring the beer!
more lip service from the police farce….
how many times have they ticketed someone for failing to use indicators????
my dash cam records 1000’s of incidents everyday….what are the police doing?
The police farce do not routinely enforce the law. Any law. Get used to it. They have supervised our descent in to lawlessness and have the gall to lecture us. I was once a big supporter, but the reality has long hit. They are as much a cause of our problems as anything else, and are showing no signs of being part of any solution.
Your dash cam records more than the CCTV system!
it’s mainly the rich foreigners’ spoiled kids who spend mommy and daddy’s wealth on champagne, orange juice and cocaine.
Huh?
It’s not just the kids. There are expats that make money themselves and drink themselves silly and drive. However, the same goes for the locals that also go to brunch.
Orange juice?