I agree with almost everything you write there, except that unfortunately here in the UK enforcement doesn't work like that. Right now, cameras are the preferred way to do a lot of things (speed, red lights, bus lanes), and databases get a lot more (uninsured, not paid the right tax at the right time, etc.). Meanwhile, the budget for traffic police officers who are out on patrol and can do something about the really serious problems has been slashed, sometimes by a factor of three or more, in most areas. During debates with local councillors here, two views come up repeatedly: drivers think that the bad driving is getting more frequent and more offensive, and the remaining traffic police officers are frustrated that they can't do much about it because they're already at full stretch, so even some major roads simply don't get patrolled at all.<p>&#62; Pretty good evidence, IMHO, that laws are not clear-cut and there's room for judgment calls in a lot of them.<p>The unfortunate thing, IMHO, is that so many of these laws <i>are</i> clear-cut. It would be much better, again IMHO, if there were fewer prosecutions, but those that took place went to a real court where a proper judgement <i>could</i> be made, taking into account all the facts of the specific case.