I drive. I've had enough. Help.
Discussion
As a driver, I have been astonished and shocked by some of the threads and news on here recently. Three examples from today alone:
Cameras are to be installed on the M4 in Wiltshire. The police will not tell drivers what the prosecution limit is set at so they "cannot set their cruise control". This smacks of revenue generation. It seems it will be lower than 79mph though.
Police in the Thames Valley to get "points" for catching people driving whilst on the phone or for not wearing a seatbelt. Their target is set at 200 points a month. Catching two drivers on the phone is the same, points-wise, as catching a burglar or rapist. Which is easier for the police? Doesn't fill me with confidence that serious crime will be reduced, that's for sure.
Top Gear is under attack from Transport 2000, a minority group. But this group "works with MPs, shadows regional government and advises local authorities". Their voice is heard. Why isn't ours?
Maybe I'm being naive, but surely there is something that could be done? A set of sensible, realistic proposals for example. An online petition? I'd be happy to set one up. I can imagine it now - "free-the-driver.com"
The dream would be to force the government to listen in the same way that Jamie Oliver has done with school dinners. 28 million people drive in this country.
I read about these blinkered, revenue generating and "crime reducing" schemes and they fill me with horror. I cannot do 80 mph on a clear, dry motorway without being persecuted - but my car can be stolen, I can sit in the middle lane, I can ignore my indicators, I can not tax or insure my car and the police don't seem interested.
So, what could the proposals be? 80 mph limit? More police on the roads to deal with things such as middle lane morons and people who don't indicate? Better education for drivers? Compulsory retesting after 5 years?
Thanks for reading. Your thoughts?
Cameras are to be installed on the M4 in Wiltshire. The police will not tell drivers what the prosecution limit is set at so they "cannot set their cruise control". This smacks of revenue generation. It seems it will be lower than 79mph though.
Police in the Thames Valley to get "points" for catching people driving whilst on the phone or for not wearing a seatbelt. Their target is set at 200 points a month. Catching two drivers on the phone is the same, points-wise, as catching a burglar or rapist. Which is easier for the police? Doesn't fill me with confidence that serious crime will be reduced, that's for sure.
Top Gear is under attack from Transport 2000, a minority group. But this group "works with MPs, shadows regional government and advises local authorities". Their voice is heard. Why isn't ours?
Maybe I'm being naive, but surely there is something that could be done? A set of sensible, realistic proposals for example. An online petition? I'd be happy to set one up. I can imagine it now - "free-the-driver.com"
The dream would be to force the government to listen in the same way that Jamie Oliver has done with school dinners. 28 million people drive in this country.
I read about these blinkered, revenue generating and "crime reducing" schemes and they fill me with horror. I cannot do 80 mph on a clear, dry motorway without being persecuted - but my car can be stolen, I can sit in the middle lane, I can ignore my indicators, I can not tax or insure my car and the police don't seem interested.
So, what could the proposals be? 80 mph limit? More police on the roads to deal with things such as middle lane morons and people who don't indicate? Better education for drivers? Compulsory retesting after 5 years?
Thanks for reading. Your thoughts?
Better education for drivers and compulsory retesting will go a long way to solving most of the problems we have on our roads (except overcrowding).
One thing we need to address is the lack of general responsibility people have these days, the "I just don't care" generation we seem to have bred. This is trickier to crack. People should see good driving as something they do out of basic self respect, but even that phrase seems politically incorrect these days. When I mention to a female friend perhaps she shouldn't be tailgating at 50 in a 30 limit whilst applying her makeup in the mirror I just get "oh, you're such a MAN about stuff, lighten up".
And the "I can smoke 3 spliffs and be a better driver" attitude.
People should take driving a lot more seriously than they do. Some people seem to treat driving and their cars with contempt. We've commoditised the whole product and experiance and now we are paying for it.
One thing we need to address is the lack of general responsibility people have these days, the "I just don't care" generation we seem to have bred. This is trickier to crack. People should see good driving as something they do out of basic self respect, but even that phrase seems politically incorrect these days. When I mention to a female friend perhaps she shouldn't be tailgating at 50 in a 30 limit whilst applying her makeup in the mirror I just get "oh, you're such a MAN about stuff, lighten up".
And the "I can smoke 3 spliffs and be a better driver" attitude.
People should take driving a lot more seriously than they do. Some people seem to treat driving and their cars with contempt. We've commoditised the whole product and experiance and now we are paying for it.
I agree completely, saw an article in the Times about Traffic Wardens getting Argos points as a bonus for giving tickets 
Perhaps one of the established 'motorist' sites like safespeed or suchlike would be a good place for a petition?
Not sure what good it will do though, sorry to be pessemistic, but I even think that Scameras would remain under the Tories. Despite what the say now, they wouldn't turn their noses up at £20m p.a. revenue.
Perhaps one of the established 'motorist' sites like safespeed or suchlike would be a good place for a petition?
Not sure what good it will do though, sorry to be pessemistic, but I even think that Scameras would remain under the Tories. Despite what the say now, they wouldn't turn their noses up at £20m p.a. revenue.
M@H said:
Not sure what good it will do though, sorry to be pessemistic, but I even think that Scameras would remain under the Tories. Despite what the say now, they wouldn't turn their noses up at £20m p.a. revenue.
..you could have £20m per day if we were out of Europe
Considering they introduced them, chances are they'll stay.
M@H said:
Not sure what good it will do though, sorry to be pessemistic, but I even think that Scameras would remain under the Tories. Despite what the say now, they wouldn't turn their noses up at £20m p.a. revenue.
..you could have £20m per day if we were out of Europe
I don't understand this....
Are you saying that it was an EU directive that made the government set up 'Safety' Camera partnerships and plaster the UK with GATSO's? 
vescovo said:
Cameras are to be installed on the M4 in Wiltshire. The police will not tell drivers what the prosecution limit is set at so they "cannot set their cruise control". This smacks of revenue generation. It seems it will be lower than 79mph though.
I read about this in the paper today, the police did egnore people speeding up to 85 mph, but now because of so many accidents they now are going to stop anyone doing over 71 mph.
Totally totally totally agree. Recent edition of Top Gear magazine had Clarkson explaining why he wouldn't head up such an inititative (concerned that they'd rip him apart cos by supporting cars doing sensible speeds he'd clearly be supporting the deaths of thousands of innocent kiddies. What we MUST do is seize the moral high ground and prove that they're wrong)
What REALLY REALLY makes me mad is that their simplistic horsesh1t ideology is COSTING lives; especially on the motorways where people will bunch up massively if they're forced to drive at 70.
You know whats coming next; a ban on cars over x bhp. "Unnecessary. Waste of precious earth energy units etc etc" <yawn>
Bizarre as their knackered 1970s yellow Volvo estates pump out far more emissions than a modern supercar.
Seems to me that its envy politics, pure and simple.
Vote Tory; 80 limit on the m'way and banning Scamera partnerships (well, we can hope)
More importantly, can you imagine the Tories having much time for the likes of the lentil eating T2000 fools? No! They'd probably chase them off their land with a shotgun.
if Labour get in with a reduced minority then they'll have to listen to these pressure groups even more (all part of Parliamentary horsetrading; you back me on this and I'll back you on that)(remember how hamstrung Majors govt was?)
My wifes an Ozzie, may have to leave soon!
Oh no, I forgot; its actually pretty bad over there as well!
What REALLY REALLY makes me mad is that their simplistic horsesh1t ideology is COSTING lives; especially on the motorways where people will bunch up massively if they're forced to drive at 70.
You know whats coming next; a ban on cars over x bhp. "Unnecessary. Waste of precious earth energy units etc etc" <yawn>
Bizarre as their knackered 1970s yellow Volvo estates pump out far more emissions than a modern supercar.
Seems to me that its envy politics, pure and simple.
Vote Tory; 80 limit on the m'way and banning Scamera partnerships (well, we can hope)
More importantly, can you imagine the Tories having much time for the likes of the lentil eating T2000 fools? No! They'd probably chase them off their land with a shotgun.
if Labour get in with a reduced minority then they'll have to listen to these pressure groups even more (all part of Parliamentary horsetrading; you back me on this and I'll back you on that)(remember how hamstrung Majors govt was?)
My wifes an Ozzie, may have to leave soon!
Oh no, I forgot; its actually pretty bad over there as well!
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