Four motorists are caught speeding every minute, according to a survey.

The statistic came from breakdown service company Autonational Rescue which also said that 34 per cent of drivers believed speed cameras existed merely to raise revenue.

While 36 per cent of motorists thought cameras did prevent speeding, only 23 per cent believed they saved lives or prevented accidents.

A total of 28 per cent did not think cameras prevented speeding or accidents.

Autonational Rescue marketing manager Ronan Hart said: "The numbers of cameras is set to grow, with up to two million drivers expected to be on the receiving end of speeding fines this year."

He went on: "The vast majority will get a £60 fine and three points on their licence for doing just a few miles over the speed limits on town or rural roads.

"Somehow, when we weren't looking, things seem to have gone too far in the UK and many speed cameras have been sited in places that bear no relation to road safety.

"That's why so many drivers feel that cameras are simply there to raise revenue."

From:

http://www.five.tv/home/frameset/?content=97666&id=story1882573

 

Nick Lester

22 March 2004

Tory opposition leader Kevin Wigens is pressing home calls for an urgent review of speed cameras in the city by tabling more than 30 questions on the issue at next week's full council meeting. Cllr Wigens is angry that he has not yet received a response to a letter he sent at the start of January relating to the location of camera sites in the city, and arguing that any not found to meet Government guidelines should be removed and relocated in 'genuine' accident blackspots.

Now, in an unprecedented move, Cllr Wigens has put forward 34 questions on the issue of speed cameras for answers by Labour transport portfolio-holder Cllr George Wheeler.

Most relate to individual camera sites, such as Outland Road and Wolseley Road, asking whether they would meet Department of Transport guidelines 'if installed today', and for evidence of area accident histories to be provided.

Under the guidelines, first outlined in 2002 - when Safety Camera Partnerships between police and local councils were created - fixed cameras must be clearly visible and sited in areas where there have been at least four incidents involving death or serious injuries, or eight injury accidents, over the previous three years.

There is also some discretion at locations which have been the scene of serious accidents and there is strong public opinion locally.

Many of Plymouth's cameras were installed before 2002, their locations decided by the city council based on accident statistics, and some may not meet the guidelines.

But road safety officials are concerned that removing cameras - even those failing to meet the strict Government criteria - could lead to more speeding and accidents. It is also pointed out that their removal would be likely to excite local opposition.

Plymouth has more than 40 of the 125 speed and red light camera sites in Devon and Cornwall.

Conservatives, locally and nationally, have been following up public concerns that cameras have been installed to raise cash rather than improve safety.

Cllr Wigens said: "All we are asking for is a proper evaluation of every site, to ensure they are properly deployed.

"It's essential that the council and the partnership make it absolutely clear to people the justification for all these cameras, if you are going to keep the public on board. The motorists of Plymouth deserve answers."

Cllr Wheeler said a full response had been provided by safety camera partnership project manager David Hughes, adding: "The emphasis in Devon and Cornwall is to use the cameras in such a way as to reduce accidents, and for no other purpose. They deter people from driving faster than they should in blackspot areas, and have been remarkably successful saving life and limb."

He said cameras introduced under the previous Labour administration up to May 2000 were installed in accident blackspots. He also pointed out Plymouth pioneered the use of highly-visible cameras to alert motorists.

Cllr Wheeler added: "If people don't speed, they will not get a ticket."

From:

http://www.thisisnorthdevon.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=103351&command=displayContent&sourceNode=103340&contentPK=9290317

 

Cllr Wheeler added: "If people don't speed, they will not get a ticket."

Tell that to all the people who weren't speeding:

And did get a ticket!

 

Oh, yeah?!

22 March 2004

Mobile speed cameras have gone into action at 17 new hot spots to put the brakes on dangerous drivers. The hi-tech laser equipment has been brought in to cut the number of accidents on Gloucestershire roads. There are now 57 sites where the three mobile speed units can be set up. Because the vans can turn up at any time, police hope drivers will keep their speed down rather than slow up when they approach fixed roadside cameras. At one of the new sites, on the A4019 at Uckington, the message seemed to be getting across. In a two-hour spell no drivers were caught breaking the 50mph limit and the highest recorded speed was 44mph. The vans are the brainchild of the Safety Camera Partnership. [Brain, what brain? So what speed must most have been doing? Probably a "safe" 29mph, just in case there was a hidden lowered limit. So how many people died in another county because their journey took twice as long and they fell asleep at the wheel? And how many people will die because the NHS and DSS are starved of funds because the economy is being driven at half speed?] It is made up of representatives from Gloucestershire police, the county council, Highways Agency, Cheltenham borough and Gloucester city councils, Crown Prosecution Service and primary care trusts. Spokesman Nigel Murray said: "The principle objective is to be visible and raise awareness, not to catch people. "People would agree that if someone is thrashing along in excess of the speed limit they deserve to be caught....... [So what's that got to do with people braking the speed limit?!] .........Last year 26 per cent of fatal accidents on the county's roads were caused by speeding. [Really?!] From: http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?j136398884&w=2018958

http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=110954&command=displayContent&sourceNode=110953&contentPK=9290803

 

Visit another Wacky Racer who lives in East Anglia at same dates each year (his anniversary bash!)

We have to drive down A14 to get there! Norhtants - one Truvelo on NSL stretch. Once in Cambs - they are every half mile!

WE looked up talivan activity on their web site before we set off - and this said talivans would be monitoring both A14 and A141 on the dates we would be travelling.

Curiously, it gave the number of deaths on these roads on these particular days for 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003.

It said 187 people had been killed on these roads on those particular days - to justify their action!! (Yeah - right! Lightning strikes at same place all the time!)

OK! So where exactly were these accidents? Reason we ask is because we were driving on these roads on those particular days in 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003. Unless we left trail of chaos and mayhem behind us - we certainly never witnessed any incident, nor were we held up in any ensuing traffic jam as result of these "accidents"!

We never read of any accident in the local paper, nor saw any mention on local TV (Look East etc). There was no mention of 187 deaths in national media either!

Where do these statistics come from?


However, do know from the tales of poor motorists in Cambs - that four drivers do indeed get copped speeding every minute! And none of them remember being significantly held up through the alleged high number of road deaths in the county! After all - you cannot be done for speeding in a traffic jam - unless they set the scam at 2mph!

Is it any wonder so many get criminalised:

 

30 YEARS OF THE WRONG SPEED LIMIT*

Mar 23 2004

*And thousands of illegal speeding tickets

By Tom Parry

A CITY road's speed limit has been set at 40mph instead of 60mph for 30 years. Now thousands of drivers fined for "speeding" could win a refund. The 40mph signs will stay up as officials apply to make the lower limit legal. Yesterday the AA said: "This sounds like a complete administrative cock-up and just the thing to bring speed enforcement into disrepute." Tory councillor Kate Mackenzie had appealed to extend a 200-yard 40mph zone on the busy Maybury Road in Edinburgh. But officials found the limit should have been 60mph. Ms Mackenzie said: "The council admitted there was no order to cover the lower limit. "Obviously they aren't going to take the signs down because that would make the problem worse." Lawyer Margaret Smillie said: "Drivers fined for speeding have been wrongly penalised. They should be reimbursed." Edinburgh Council blamed the error on failures in the 70s by now defunct Edinburgh Corporation. A spokeswoman said: "There may have been quite a few speeding convictions over the years." A MOTORIST is caught speeding in Britain every 15 seconds, breakdown company Autonational Rescue said in a survey yesterday.

From:

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/allnews/tm_objectid=14079359%26method=full%26siteid=50143%26headline=30%2dyears%2dof%2dthe%2dwrong%2dspeed%2dlimit%2d-name_page.html

 

Not just reimbursed! Not just clean licence reinstated!

They should go the whole hog - damages for stigma of being classed as a "speedophile", damages for being wrongfully prosecuted, damages for excessive insurance premium as result of wrong and unsafe conviction, total refund of excessive premiums as well!

Followed by full public apology.

Followed then by public flogging of the numpties who did this!

Who should then be hung, drawn and quartered!


Oooh! Getting carried away again!

Gosh! I do like a good rant from time to time!

Getting as bad as our "Almighty Annie Wreck"

Feel much better for getting that off my chest!