The Law Without Grace

I heard on Radio 4 this morning of the desperate situation many people found themselves in during the massive floods that have hit the UK in recent days.

Many families have been stranded in their cars overnight with some reversing up motorway hard shoulders in order to get somewhere safer.

It's these that I want to comment on because the police have said that those who reversed up a Hard Shoulder could face prosecution.

I think that it is a disgrace that prosecution is even being considered. These are not normal circumstances and so the law should consider that. The law is made for the people, not people for the law (guess Who I'm paraphrasing there) and as such, people who would not normally do something as stupid as reversing up a Hard Shoulder should be shown grace.

If they do it on a lovely day and cause trouble for free-flowing traffic then by all means, throw the book at them. But when they are worried about the safety of their loved ones or little ones then please, cut them some slack!