Shot by a Sniper? Camouflaged Cameras

[RobBrady]

Shot by a Sniper? Camouflaged Cameras

David Jamieson, the Government Minister responsible for road safety, has challenged anti-camera groups to provide evidence of cameras that did not meet Government deployment guidelines (fixed cameras are installed at accident ‘black-spots’ where four or more serious road accidents have occurred over a three year period) and has promised to have them removed.

Why then has it been announced that there are plans in place to relax those very guidelines? No longer will it be necessary to make fixed cameras obvious; it will even be allowable to hide them. Is this the rebirth of the much hated fixed 'sniper' camera?

Richard Brunstrom, the Chief Constable of North Wales Police, claims that many more lives would be saved if there were more flexibility in where cameras can be sited. He said: "Parents often write to us and ask us to put a camera outside a school because the traffic is so dangerous. It’s very difficult to write back and say, 'Please let us know when your son is killed and then we can consider putting a camera there.'"

The government appear to be aware of a possible backlash if local authorities returned to the bad old days when it seemed that every camera was hidden behind a tree and just out to earn money, not to save lives.

Can local authorities be trusted with this new freedom? Will they be tempted into overuse? Will they risk losing the trust of motorists?

[acmp]

I agree with 'stealth' cameras, IF they are used responsibably and not as simple revenu generators.

In another poll, 'do you speed' everyone who posted agreed that speeds around kids should be redived (schools at 20MPH). IF stealth cameras are used to protect pedestrians and enforce these acceptable limits then they are a good thing.

In some countries (I believe at least NZ, Oz and Germany) they have 'wheelibin cameras' on school runs to get speeding motorists. A good thing?

Of course, I know that the cameras will appear in this DB and I'll have the warnings on my TT so what do I care?

[icsys]

[ZenithUK]

There is a Gatso near Greenfield, North Wales (DB entry 1113, 30mph) what is immediately behind a bridge. It has been painted fluoro yellow but if you are doing a few mph over the limit, it is quite likely that you would miss it (no worry with the SCDB and TT).
I know all about Richard Brunstrom as I work and live in North Wales, and this particular Gatso is used again and again as an example of a badly placed camera.

[acmp]

[Naomi]

[acmp]

I guess I'm in the minority here but...

[this is not a go at anyone, just my thoughts]

Why do you need a yellow camera to tell you that a residential through road has kids playing and you should slow down. Isn't that what your brain is for?

We don't want a nanny state and the way to avoid it is to use some common sense. I'm fed up with red tarmac and excessive signs/paint on the road. There are enough sensible rules to keep things safe. As I drive home from work I pass a cross roads sign. Then you get the paint, red tarmac and chevrons for the morons who didn't see the sign and overtake into the cars that are pulling out (I know they shouldn't pull out, but they do, that's why I don't overtake there). The problem is those who chose to drive badly. Give them tickets and take their licences away.

Here's a question. If the cameras were hidden and you didn't have any warning as to where they were. Would you still speed? how about past a school, playground, residential street, town center? If you say yes then, IMO, you don't deserve a driving license.

acmp

[stuart]

Here is a site which hasn't yet appeared on here. It has some good links for all sorts of Motoring Issues. www.abd.org.uk
Here is their quote about camo cams.
"The government is threatening road safety by proposing to allow speed cameras to be camoflaged so as to make them harder to spot. This will only force drivers to spend more time looking out for them rather than paying attention to real hazards.
Worse still, they are proposing to allow cameras to be placed where there have been no accidents. They are giving the safety camera partnerships a licence to print money.
The proposals represent a serious step backwards and show that government simply cannot be trusted to keep its word."

And The Times newspaper report is here http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2045689,00.html

[rjbsec]

[acmp]

[acmp]

[mike_d]

There are mobile cameras used in the village where I work. The whole length of the road through the village is designated a camera zone. The speed limit drops from 40 to 30 just because you cross the "town line". The cameras sit 100m or so inside the limit and snap cars as they pass the 30 sign, both ends of the road, same tactic. Nothing to do with accident prevention, just raising more cash.

The variation in speed limits is huge and seems to be almost random. Dual carriageways with 40 limits and main roads with house doors literally a pavement width from them posting the same limit.

If the speed limits were logical, consistent and reasonable most would obey them. With the current system I am often looking for (absent) repeater signs to find out what I should be doing.

The whole of the estate I live on has been designated a 20 zone. No accidents, no one travelling at great speed, just seems there were some grants and government targets to meet, so we have road humps at some cost and 20 signs. The road feeding it is a 30 zone and there are lunatics screaming up and down it regularly, the houses are just as close to this as any other road. No enforcement here, no logic either.

Mike

[lupos0_1]

[acmp]

[tomthompson]

I drive and ride about 30,000 miles a year and use the database for extra protection of my licence .

I actually watched a horific accident on a road one day ,2 cars passed me and were travelling at I would estimate about 100 , the lead car was a nice shiney mercedes and the other one a small white van . The merc driver saw the camera and slammed on his brakes the white van man didnt and piled straight into the merc . The rest of the accident I didnt see because I was taking avoiding action to miss all the debris .

So did the camera do its job and slow the merc down or did it cause an accident by its half hidden placement

I agree that cameras at school site and hospitals are a good idea but out of the 8000 cameras on the database how many are sited in those situations

_________________
Asus Zenfone 2 twin sim, Garmin Zumo 550, 660 and pocketgps speed camera database

I keep on learning but they invent new things faster ,How do I keep up ?

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