There is a time and a place where cameras are necessary; I think we all agree. I am not a saint as I have over the years racked up a healthy appetite for points on my licence. What I do object to is the way in which the driver is criminalised and the inconsistencies within the system for dealing with those who speed. Over 15 years of motoring on four and two wheels I have gathered points and fines for; 64mph in a 60mph zone on a deserted dual carriage way with Armco barriers. 84mph in a 70mph zone on a deserted motorway with Armco barriers. 89mph in a 60mph zone on a deserted dual carriage way with Armco barriers. Plus two more similar offences.
That as a salesman travelling 40,000 miles per year is, as I told the prosecuting officer, “An occupational hazard”. The majority of the time I was caught on a mobile camera by police who were sat up a slip road, out of sight, targeting drivers in the outside lane of carriageways designed to move cars along at speed in relative safety. I was speeding, I was wrong, I took the punishment and moved on. Has it stopped me speeding? No.
I still do 40,000 miles a year, but my car is now equipped with devices which warn me of hotspots where cameras may be and I make sure that I slow down for every slip road on motorways and carriage ways where police can hide.
The outcome of this has seen my speed rise to make up for the amount of time I spend slowing down, “just in case” there is a camera or police speed trap at one of these points. So in todays society of modern cars, with modern brakes and tyres (I drive a top of the range Audi) the police have achieved nothing in my view. If I could spend more time looking forward and less time on the look out for hedge hopping policemen with speed guns the world on the motorways would be a safer place!
I will mention that I have not had a single accident in my 15 years of motoring which has been my fault. I have had my car driven into on two occasions though. 1) Stationary at lights : lorry driver took the side of my car off and did not stop. 2) Car parked outside my house : Uninsured driver crashed into my car and drove off. Where were the police with their cameras then? The first one took place outside a police station!
a speed trap on the speed limit, it doesn’t matter that I may be, drunk, high on drugs, registered blind or banned from driving. Or all of those things. Hey at least I wasn’t speeding. That’s what kills people. (Not drunks, joy-riders, poorly maintained vehicles, drivers falling asleep or granddad navigating the M25 the wrong way round). So in conclusion I hold my hands up. I am a speeder. But, in my defence your honour, I will speed on a motorway or dual carriage way when the conditions allow it. I do not speed in built up areas or past schools where round my way there are NO CAMERAS for miles around!
Incidentally, before I get lynched for admitting Im a speeder, can you all first attend to the idiot who in a hiss of turbo and tyre smoke from his loud blue Subaru impreza navigates our residential streets in excess of 60mph. I guarantee you, so long as he does not venture onto the motorways, he will be “points” free on his licence. (What an angel)! So why not go back to basics and make sure people know how to drive properly and courteously?
Q: Why do people undertake on the motorway? A: Because people oblivious to any other road user are sat in the overtaking lane at 60 mph with two lanes empty to the left of them. Q: Why does no one let you out at the junction? A: Because, earlier this morning no one let them out at the junction. Lets look at those two examples:
1) Middle lane / outside lane hogs on motorways are contributing to the overall congestion of Britain’s motorways. Move over and get out the way and stop holding everyone up. That also goes for the rolling road block lorries. You know who you are. Overtaking at 0.01mph faster than the other lorry and then riding tandem for 6 miles making the entire contents of the motorway filter past in a single lane.
2) One in, one out. Why don’t we do as proved by other European states and filter our traffic in turn? Two points there which would make a difference. So why don’t we do this? Why?
Because that does not generate any revenue. |
