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My gripe this week is with speed cameras! "Speed Kills" is the message that is filling the current advertising campaign; however, in my opinion, it is not speed alone that kills but dangerous driving. The problem with speed cameras is that they are not able to make this differentiation.
We all speed at sometime during our driving experience, even if not intentionally. Sometimes it is necessary to exceed the speed limit to keep safe on the road, to manoeuvre out of a dangerous situation for example. Speeding on an empty motorway at night is not the same as speeding in a built up area, where children might run into the road. Speed cameras are unable to judge an offence individually and therefore penalise each offence as being equal when they are clearly not.
Speed cameras do not penalise drivers for speeding, we all speed now and then. I think it would be more appropriate to say that speed cameras penalise drivers for getting caught.
The most dangerous offenders of breaking speed limits and threatening road safety are probably the ones that know where all the camera points are and take deliberate measures to avoid getting caught.
Whilst I agree that there is a place for prevention and increased speed awareness, I feel that speed cameras do not really work to make the roads a safer place; they merely make driving a less pleasurable experience.
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A 60 mph speed limit along 32 miles of the M1 as a trial implemented by the EU. I know there will be people that will say they intend to ignore the limit, but remember, along that stretch there has been installed SPEC's (average speed) camera facility's. So to those that regularly travel at high speed along that section in their loverly German pose machines, I can guarantee your speed will be more like 55mph along with all the rest of the drivers that don't want a fine. And this will only be the start of slowing the traffic down on other motorways. You can't beat a SPEC's camera.
07/01/14 Nico
1
Stalag 14 you didn't say what 70's Ford you have...?
22/12/11 Oi
4
"I drive a 1970’s classic ford"
What sort?
19/12/11 Oi
What sort?
5
I drive a 1970’s classic ford and you wouldn’t believe the hassle I get from other drivers when they consider me to be too slow off the mark at junctions or not doing 100mph on the motorway, bloody idiots.
Only last year an idiot behind me thought I was slow off the mark at a junction and started flashing his lights and beeping his horn whereas I gave him the appropriate salute of two fingers (not one) he then pursued me down the road waving his fist and tried to force me off the road.
I made the decision to remain in the car and laugh it off rather than get out and show him what’s what; do these idiots think they are invincible?
If he behaved like that in the USA he would come to a grisly end but in this country it seems to be normal behaviour without any repercussions. Such people should be banned from driving, but they never are because they get away with it.
19/12/11 Stalag 14
Only last year an idiot behind me thought I was slow off the mark at a junction and started flashing his lights and beeping his horn whereas I gave him the appropriate salute of two fingers (not one) he then pursued me down the road waving his fist and tried to force me off the road.
I made the decision to remain in the car and laugh it off rather than get out and show him what’s what; do these idiots think they are invincible?
If he behaved like that in the USA he would come to a grisly end but in this country it seems to be normal behaviour without any repercussions. Such people should be banned from driving, but they never are because they get away with it.
-1
18/12/2011
16:10
X633MCE
Fiat LTIPLA JTD 105 ELX
Grey
Church Road between traffic lights and Birley Arms
Harasses me for sticking to the 20 mph limit.
Most motorists coming the other way stuck to it but as usual some don’t. Shows impatience and attempts to overtake but fails, then his impatience gets the better of him and eventually overtakes into oncoming traffic and flashes at me for going too slow.
Sorry mate it is the law and no doubt you’ve got problems if you haven’t got patience with law-abiding motorists. I suggest you see a counsellor as you nearly caused an accident speeding into oncoming traffic.
19/12/11 Easy Come Easy Go
16:10
X633MCE
Fiat LTIPLA JTD 105 ELX
Grey
Church Road between traffic lights and Birley Arms
Harasses me for sticking to the 20 mph limit.
Most motorists coming the other way stuck to it but as usual some don’t. Shows impatience and attempts to overtake but fails, then his impatience gets the better of him and eventually overtakes into oncoming traffic and flashes at me for going too slow.
Sorry mate it is the law and no doubt you’ve got problems if you haven’t got patience with law-abiding motorists. I suggest you see a counsellor as you nearly caused an accident speeding into oncoming traffic.
-2
Jethro, Your suggestion won't work because speeding drivers are still racing around even when they are out of their cars, they simply cann't slow down.
12/07/11 Jack
2
If most drivers are so against speed cameras, why don't everybody stick to the posted speed limits for a month and then see who's laughing at the loss of revenue. With no revenue the motorists of this country can dispatch speed cameras to the scrape heap!
26/06/11 Jethro
7
We buy cars mainly to travel from place to place in comfort, although some buy their cars to enhance their status and pose in. The art of travel is really time management, leaving one place in sufficient time to arrive at your destination in time for whenever you need to be there. Speed is always an issue as there's both high speed and low speed and whereas some drivers drive quickly because they enjoy the sensation and the handling of the car, others do so because they haven't allowed sufficient time for their journey. Those that are driving quickly for the enjoyment of it will usually choose a road where it's possible to do so uninterrupted and without causing danger to others and I don't really see too many problems with them as they seem to be happy to slow down when conditions dictate. Those drivers who leave insufficient time for their journey are the real problem, as they are trying to make up lost time, taking risks by speeding when it's inappropriate and overtaking dangerously.
Unfortunately, because a proportion of the population of this country are incapable of self-regulation (in this case, driving fast when it's inappropriate), the government has to pass laws to protect those people from themselves and us from them. Probably, the majority of drivers in this country would happily adjust their speed according to condtions, driving 80mph+ on empty motorways and maybe under 20 mph in heavily bult-up areas, but are not allowed to make those decisions because of a percentage of the population are too stupid or inconsiderate to manage their time better and drive sensibly.
26/06/11 Alf Red
Unfortunately, because a proportion of the population of this country are incapable of self-regulation (in this case, driving fast when it's inappropriate), the government has to pass laws to protect those people from themselves and us from them. Probably, the majority of drivers in this country would happily adjust their speed according to condtions, driving 80mph+ on empty motorways and maybe under 20 mph in heavily bult-up areas, but are not allowed to make those decisions because of a percentage of the population are too stupid or inconsiderate to manage their time better and drive sensibly.
3
There is a school of thought that says that speed itself is not the issue. It is more about inappropriate speed. The law sets the speed limit on a motorway at 70mph and in a city centre at 30mph. So consider this, is it dangerous to do 100mph on th M6 at 3 am? Probably not! Then again it isn't exactly safe to do 28mph in Piccadilly Circus at 9am!
So in real terms, it's the circumstances that determines the safety factor not the speed limit and cameras cannot control that.
26/05/11 Freddie
So in real terms, it's the circumstances that determines the safety factor not the speed limit and cameras cannot control that.
3
You will never stop speeding under current conditions. The government will do nothing as lots of speeding cars means lots of taxes & fines to support immigrants, dossers & other countries.
There is little point in whingeing and ME watch your step printing number plates.
We need even higher fuel prices, insurance reductions for speed limited cars and realistic limits, such as 80mph on motorways.
26/05/11 J man
There is little point in whingeing and ME watch your step printing number plates.
We need even higher fuel prices, insurance reductions for speed limited cars and realistic limits, such as 80mph on motorways.
-17
W214NBA
Van pulls out from behind me when I stopped at red light in Wolverhampton and he went through a red light. This wasn't human error or a reaction time error since I managed to slow down so he had more time and he chose to overtake. If he had enough time to adjust to overtake he had enough time to stop at red.
FM55LJN in excess of 60 mph on dual carriageway where limit was 40 on A51 near Weston.
L33SJA exceeds 40 mph speed limit on A34 near Tittensor but slows down sharply at speed cameras. Dangerous braking.
15/05/11 The Midland Explorer
Van pulls out from behind me when I stopped at red light in Wolverhampton and he went through a red light. This wasn't human error or a reaction time error since I managed to slow down so he had more time and he chose to overtake. If he had enough time to adjust to overtake he had enough time to stop at red.
FM55LJN in excess of 60 mph on dual carriageway where limit was 40 on A51 near Weston.
L33SJA exceeds 40 mph speed limit on A34 near Tittensor but slows down sharply at speed cameras. Dangerous braking.
-12
My beef is; We live on an major busy dual-carriageway, you try turning into your drive or exiting it with a car + trailer. To get out of my drive I pick a long car gap, except the car driver does not think so mostly because he wants to keep on speeding on his / her way into town. Reversing back in to my drive is awkward for me and the traffic needs to stop and allow me room to do so, and thats when the car horns start blowing and the V salutes go whizzing by. I caught one V salute up at the lights and took a good look at him, to my surprise he was a really respectable and educated looking man, yet, stopping him for about 45 seconds whilst I was coming out of my drive had really blown his mind. The fact is people buy cars to speed, to own the road, to show off, and you must not stop them from doing so, nor must you interfere with this right. I like the idea that one day they will get ki11ed, lose a leg, spend a month in an hospital, but take if from me that they are totally un-interested in any personal injury or safety message. They pass blue-light crash spots at 60 mph, and roadside flowers Tributes leave them unmoved. Moderate, polite driving is OUT, and immigrants are just as bad, take it from me I can guess a persons nationalty by the way he drives and the way he parks.
13/03/11 John Charles Law
6
I think the case of Michael Thompson, the Grimsby Flasher, proves for once and all that the purpose of speed cameras is to raise revenue.
If they were genuinely installed to increase road safety, and the police and CPS were on board with this, then he would never have been prosecuted.
The officer he fell foul of is obviously a self-righteous jobsworth who wasn't going to let anyone stop her fining as many drivers as possible, whether they were actually driving dangerously or not. Michael Thompson interfered with this; that is why he was prosecuted.
15/01/11 grumpyoldwoman
If they were genuinely installed to increase road safety, and the police and CPS were on board with this, then he would never have been prosecuted.
The officer he fell foul of is obviously a self-righteous jobsworth who wasn't going to let anyone stop her fining as many drivers as possible, whether they were actually driving dangerously or not. Michael Thompson interfered with this; that is why he was prosecuted.
7
I can't find the discussion from the person who keeps getting sent speeding fines so I'll put this here. Speed camera generates income for the police. Money talks and it's important that people like Sgt Mark Andrews assults grandmothers in police cells and get away with it because it's expected of them. Let the police make money any way they can because they need it to keep people sweet.
18/11/10 hello
0
Tough
They are used as cash machines !