Safe Speed Forums

I see from the news that vehicle based radar/laser detectors are targeted for a new law to come in next year. However, I also understand that the GPS variety will be legal!? Is this correct?

I really would love to know the reasoning behind that.

Speed camera detectors targeted

Radar detectors that warn motorists they are approaching speed cameras could be banned under proposals going before Parliament.
A ban, if passed in the Road Safety Bill, could come into force next year.

The devices, used by thousands of motorists, emit a warning sound when approaching a camera which is working.

The detectors distinguish between working cameras and decoys

They cost around £200 and fix on to car dashboards. Manufacturers say they improve safety by warning drivers of speed limits.

The detectors also alert motorists to mobile speed traps run by police.

Cutting deaths

The Road Safety Bill is aimed at meeting targets to reduce road deaths.

It also proposes flexible speeding fines which would distinguish between those travelling a couple of miles over the speed limit in a non-residential area away from schools and other dangers, and those travelling at high speeds or in sensitive areas.

The penalty for using a mobile phone could increase from £30 to £60 and three licence endorsement points under the bill.

It would also allow courts to force the worst drink-drivers to retake their driving tests.

Other measures include clear guidance on how fast emergency vehicles can travel, more retraining courses for bad drivers and allowing police better use of motor insurance information.

Ministers want to cut the number of people killed or seriously injured in road accidents by 40%, and by half for children, by 2010.

The government says it is half way towards meeting the targets, which are based on the average for the years 1994 to 1998.

But it says more progress is needed; in 2003, 3,508 people were killed and 33,707 seriously injured on Britain's roads.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4327737.stm

Also see this thread:

http://www.safespeed.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1585

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"CAMERAS "DO NOT" SAVE LIVES" !!
(Richard Brunstrom Says so !!)

This to me just proves the main point about speed cameras being a way to raise revenue

I heard on the radio today that it will be law within the next year.

The governments argument for cameras has always gone like this "speed cameras are there to improve road safety and not to raise money, all cameras are in known accident blackspots...blah blah blah"

Ok given that these are thier claims then surely the idea of cameras would be to slow folk down and hence a speed camera that is doing its job properly should never issue a speeding ticket as folk would be slowing down for it.

Camera detection systems then, it can be argued, are simply an extra precaution. by having one in your car you get an in flight warning system telling you that you are entering a dangerous strech of road and therefore should be extra cautious.

Its just a bit unfortunate for the motorist that these warning systems also have the added side effect of helping them to avoid costly fines!!!

So putting all of that together what we have is a govenment that say in one hand, that they are trying to improve road safety by placing cameras everywhere they deem to be dangersous, yet in the other hand they are telling folk that its illegal for them to take extra precautions to warn them selves of these dangerous streches of road????

I think not! It strikes me that somebody realised that they will make far more money from the scameras if they make it illegal for people to have systems that warn you of thier presence!!!!

And still they would have us belive that they are a road safety measure rather than a revenue raising con trick...