Fool's rules - Lenient points just cuckoo

WHEN Transport Minister Martin Cullen first unveiled the 35 new penalty points, the plan was to introduce them today - April Fool's Day.

Wisely, Monday is the new deadline. Yet, there remains a strong whiff of April 1st about some new offences. For example, driving a vehicle on the motorway against the flow of traffic is a two-point offence - provided the €80 penalty is paid on the nail.

Only two points for diving down the wrong side of a motorway? It would be churlish to recall the behaviour of a certain minister who did just that.

By the same token, failure to drive on the left hand side of the road carries a penalty of one point, as does driving on the pavement.

And - think about this one - the penalty for failing to turn left on entering a roundabout is also a one pointer.

This means a motorist would have to drive the wrong way around a roundabout 12 times before accumulating 12 penalty points and incurring automatic disqualification.