Safe Speed Forums

Well, this is some admission - but after an excellent phone conversation with Paul, I think we're finally on the same track.

It's been extremely difficult over the last few months to come to some "agreement" within my mind about the whole ideas behind SafeSpeed and how they correspond to road safety policy.

On one hand I believed that driving within the speed limit appropriately was the key driver behind improving road safety, and on the other my more "common sense" side was saying the limits are absolutely irrelevant. It's been a fight between those sides, and my driving has suffered because of the two sides clashing.

I think Paul has finally caused the "common sense" side of me to prevail.
While I still disagree with certain aspects, and believe that safety cameras DO have a place I think I'm more affirmed to the idea of common sense policies which place the behaviour of the responsible motorist above that of a blanket enforcement strategy which has failed to produce any significant results, particularly with the extremely worrying number of fatalities being reported from 2006.

So, from now on I'll be less confontational and more analytical of the wider system with an open mind, as common sense nearly always prevails over microanalysis of minor inputs coupled with a massive investment in effort (as proven with the recent UK trend) and refusal to admit failure which compounds the misery for everyone.

Sorry to anyone I've pissed off, and I hope to entertain more constructive debate in future amongst these fora.

Let's hope so. I've certainly got my fingers well and truly crossed. Thanks for phoning.


But you'll have to watch your language!

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

Welcome aboard mate!

I'm sure very few of us DO agree on absolutely everything here! If we did, the C+ accusations about the "lord high toady and his sycophants" (or whatever it is they say) might actually begin to look credible!

- and for what it's worth, I think speed cameras have a place too! (probably just not the place you were thinking )!

Bravo fella!!

"Joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons which need no repentance."

Holy Bible Luke 15:7


'Fraid I'm still a sinner, but congrats on having the guts to change your opinion.

Hmmm. I wouldn't count your chickens.

A quick scan through some of his old posts reveals that it isn't such a massive turnaround after all.

But then, some of you already knew that.

From what I remember, he started off as a supporter, then began to have doubts. Sounds to me like he's satisfied the doubts... (please correct me if I'm wrong mpaton)

Edit to add. I'm sure mpaton remembers the brief conversation we had when I started to have doubts too - in my case it went along the lines of 'if I'm going to be an advanced motorist and make sure I'm fully aware of all the rules and regulations, is it right to pick and choose which ones I stick to?'. The answer in my case came down to the fact that you can't actually drive strictly to the rules all the time - you have to be flexible since the road changes, layouts vary etc. Which is exactly why in my mind, strict enforcement is bad news.

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Science won over religion when they started installing lightning rods on churches.

I just think we (as a country) have become absolutely entirely obsessed with microanalysis of all aspects of speed in terms of the value on the speed limit sign and absolutely no, or little analysis of speed in terms of safety.

I think one of the very worst things about speed cameras is the unwavering level of punishment they deliver. In some cases it is like locking someone up for 20 years for stealing an apple. If we had a more balanced education/punishment system it would much fairer. The problem is, you can't automate that judgement. Only human beings can deliver it.

A good example would be the 5mph limits in supermarket car parks which are one of the highest risk environments a driver is faced with. How much difference in behaviour would there honestly be if "60" was painted on the signs? You can apply that logic to any speed limit.

Likewise!

It takes more guts to admit one's wrong than to caryy the argument sometimes, I too can learn a lesson from that

I agree entirely.

Unfortunately a lot of people take "Speed Kills" to mean "Driving faster than the speed limit kills". Unfortunately, people who disagree with the latter tend to drift towards disagreeing with the former because they are used in the same circumstances.

I certainly still have doubts, particularly when I go out onto the roads and am faced with some pretty shoddy driving . A good talking to myself usually resolves the tension between the simple act of exceeding the posted limit and the full gamut of behaviours that stupidity/lack of awareness/selfishness manifests itself in.

Rules and regulations are made up by people.
People get things wrong.
People do thing for the wrong reasons.
Therefore rules can be wrong or set for the wrong reasons.

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Andrew.