Safe Speed Forums

We all know that 'the school run' has grown very significantly in the speed camera era. But it's interesting to ask why.

Clearly society in general is becoming richer, lazier and more risk averse, and there's been an irrational growth in fear about children being abducted.

But do speed cameras have a part to play in the growth of the school run? I believe they have.

To less skilled drivers and non-drivers speed cameras and their supporting propaganda give out the following messages:

* Drivers all speed
* Speed is dangerous therefore drivers are dangerous
* Drivers won't respond to government pleas to slow down. They must be irresponsible
* The roads are more dangerous than they really are.

So I'm not surprised that speed cameras have caused the school run to grow. If you're a parent it's pretty logical to protect your little ones from hyped up road dangers yourself.

Obviously it remains to be determined just how big this effect is.

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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

This is very plausible - and likely quite large. however, the links to joe public would be so tenuous I'm not sure what can be made of it.

Certainly the current era's hysterical, exaggerated and unrealistic attitude to risk has much to do with it. And driving your kids to school in a Land Cruiser because of fear of traffic danger is surely a classic self-fulfilling prophecy.

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"Show me someone who says that they have never exceeded a speed limit, and I'll show you a liar, or a menace." (Austin Williams - Director, Transport Research Group)

Any views expressed in this post are personal opinions and may not represent the views of Safe Speed

I think this has more to do with it ( also why they're not letting kids out to play any more). Of course no point trying to tell parents that their children have more chance of being killed or injured being driven to school in the family car than getting abducted while walking.

I think it's more accurate to say that poorly thought out policies that give misleading messages have fuelled both the growth in cameras and a growth in the school run. They're related in that they have a common cause, but I think it's hard to blame the cameras themselves for increasing school run traffic.

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Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler - Einstein

Of course, by driving them to school yourself, you are in a better state of mind about their wellbeing. Should an accident occur, it'll be something you were involved in, and you'll be on hand to see what happens. The fear of the unknown (a shady character attacking your children on their walk to school) is a much more powerful influence than some probabilities and statistics.

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-mike[F]
Caught in the rush of the crowd, lost in a wall of sound..

Is it just me, or as the traffic outside schools is camera'd and 'calmed', don't children (effectively encouraged by their parents) give ever less regard for traffic?

Round my area I often experience teenage kids leering at me as they walk nonchalantly into my path, forcing me to slow (from a crawl), invariably within 50 metres of a controlled crossing point.

Reduce the risk and humans will adjust their behaviour to achieve the original amount of risk/stimulation.

30mph minimum would probably be safer!!!

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Carrot not stick, train don't fine.

I think the reasons behind the growth in the school run are varied, but with cameras only playing a minor or even negligible role. For primary school children I think it's a fear for their personal safety and for secondary school children it's as a result if sub-standard and expensive transport links. If a family has more then 1 child of secondary school age, the cost of bus passes is starting to get prohibative. This is especially true when considering the buses are frequently late and sometimes not turning up at all.

There is also the threat of fines if their child doesn't turn up to school. If they take them themselves it's more reassuring that they actually got there, rather then hoping they got on the bus, or that they didn't get off when it stops in the town centre or whatever.

I used to go visit my eldest daughter + HUBBY(BOTH IN FORCES)on an army estate a few years ago -
On entry we saw the sign "CHILDREN DANGER" - both swore this was to warn the IRA of potential hazards(more deadly than army cooking)-the products of an army life