| The Role of Speed Cameras |
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Whilst nobody would deny that speeding can be dangerous, and that lives are worth saving, it would still seem that a propaganda war is raging against the beleaguered motorist. |
SPEED KILLS
That's one slogan,
KILL YOUR SPEED NOT A CHILD
is another
On the back of these slogans run a campaign to foist speed cameras on us, all over the country.
Now when the first few went in, we were assured they would be used as traffic calming measures in accident black spots. Now we hear the police can use them as a revenue earner. We the motorist have no say in their deployment, and any voice raised against them, is solemnly shown the slogans Speed kills, kill your ....., and so on and so on.
The latest figures don't quite match up with what the Ninny Nannies of the Orwellian state keep telling us though.
Quote
"Speed is a factor in 6% of road traffic accidents"
"Motorways are the safest roads"
"Britain has the Safest roads in Europe"
Stats can be bent in any direction, we all know that, so do we believe the Road safety lobby. The Government claims it does but lets be honest, it will agree with anything that potentially can raise it money.
If speed contributes to only 6% of road accidents, Cameras can only reduce the stats on Europe's safest roads by a maximum 6%.
Whilst a 6% reduction is not to be sniffed at, are there not obviously some much larger fish to fry, should we not try to crack them first.
More insidious than the camera's themselves in my mind, is their placement and usage. We know the Police are the masters of disguising a camera and hiding it in the undergrowth, how can this be a traffic calming measure if you don't know its there.
The Dutch use speed cameras, after all they invented it, But they paint them Day-Glo and everyone slows down.
The Spanish use a system, which turns the lights ahead of you red if your seen speeding, slowing you down. We brits looked at it long ago, but decided there was no benefit in it. ( Cost benefit I suspect, as it raises no revenue).
What's your opinion, are our Cameras really designed to calm traffic and save lives.
Or
Are they traps set up to catch the unwary motorist and lump them with a hefty bill,