Safe Speed Forums

Speaking as an experienced but now retired Police officer, as far as speed cameras are concerned, I am both disgusted and ashamed with what is happening all over the country. There are far too many speed cameras sited in the wrong places, especially the Motorways where in most instances, they are not even required. At least when I stopped a member of the public for speeding, I was able to apply common sense and discretion, before deciding to either caution or report for summons. This is not the case with speed cameras, everyone suffers! I believe that the public in general are getting increasingly hostile towards the Police, especially when there does not seem to be more visible Police presence on our streets and roads. One would have thought that with the increasing use of speed cameras, thus releasing police officers from certain duties, the public would have seen more of the Police, but that is not so...Where have all the bobbies gone? As usual, the motorist is the easiest target, the criminals are almost always cautioned for the first offence, BUT the motorist suffers EVERY time. Consider the motorists who have already been disqualified from driving due to increasing penalty points, perhaps because they were driving slightly over the speed limit, perhaps in the early hours of the morning on a deserted stretch of road. They may have been using common sense and driving according to road conditions, time of day/night for instance but nevertheless, still penalised. How many I wonder have already lost their transport, livelihoods and are even now claiming from the Benefit Agencies as a result, straight from the tax payer’s pocket! Common sense seems to have gone out of the window. Public confidence in the Police is at an all time low and I'm sure that in the very near future, perhaps it is already happening, detection rates for criminal offences for instance will fall, due to the public refusing to help Police investigations. After all, why should they? Of course, these facts/figures may never come to light and even if they did, in high places, then they would not be revealed as a result of yet another Government 'cover up'.

I found the following comment in an article on the BBC's website at http://www.bbc.co.uk/devon/have_your_say/speed_cameras_01.shtml



I think this fellow just about sums up how I felt on opening my very own NIP for 35MPH in a 30 at the bottom of a hill dual carriageway. Why should I go out of my way to help the police in future?

Anyone else have a view on this?

I know from experience that EVERYTIME we have a fatal or serious crash, the first thing the family will want to campaign for will be speed cameras.

I understand that a demonstration or parade of some kind has been organised in Cumbria, as part of a campaign to introduce a 40 mph speed limit on a road where three youngsters were killed.

We've met this kind of response before, but it is unlikely to do much good in my opinion. I don't know the circumstances of this particular tragedy so I'm not seeking to blame anyone in this case, but in general I doubt if young drivers out for a bit of spirited motoring would take much notice of such a limit anyhow. There are things that could be done to help them to stay safe, and I'd like to see that happening, but simply imposing a speed limit is not the answer.

There was a fatal accident some years ago on the A165 just south of Scarborough where a car left the road and overturned in a field, resulting in two or three deaths. Some local activist made noisy demands for a speed limit in that area but the North Yorkshire County Council local Traffic Department refused to introduce a special limit, and rightly so.

BTW, the system no longer seems willing to log me on automatically each visit. Any ideas?

Best wishes all,
Dave.

It is both frustrating and so wrong that these 'vunerable' people are feeling this way.