Welsh Cameras to be Used at Night!
Discussion
Speed cops to work nights Jan 9 2006
By Derek Bellis, Daily Post
NORTH Wales police plan to use their speed camera vans at night.
Special camera lenses are being tested so the nine "Arrive Alive" vans can operate in the dark.
They will be able to diffuse a car's headlights or rear lights to produce a proper image of the number plate and hopefully the driver.
Anti-speed officials last night denied the move, due to be introduced in the next few weeks, was designed to recoup any cash lost by the government clamp-down on increasing the number of fixed cameras
Arrive Alive "partnership" project manager Inspector Essi Ahari said: "It's not to do with money.
"We've not had an increase in cameras in two years."
Mr Ahari said the night-time cameras were specifically aimed at slashing the number of road tragedies involving youngsters, typically aged between 17 and 24.
"Boy and girl racers are the ones we are going to target," added the inspector.
"I think it's a great move. I'm determined to be there late at night to catch them."
He said Arrive Alive was anxious to reduce further deaths and serious injuries.
On top of the personal tragedies it was estimated that one death cost £1.3m and a serious injury more than £150,000.
In just one year 75,000 drivers were fined and handed points for speeding in North Wales, equivalent to the population of Anglesey.
Fines totalled £4.5m and in some months as many as 8,000 speeding motorists were caught.
But a spokesman for the People for Proper Policing pressure group was last night sceptical about the latest development.
Llandudno businessman Arthur Roberts said: "If boy racers are to be the target we applaud that as highly commendable.
"But we fear that other motorists doing just 35mph will be targeted too. It is dreadful for police relations with the public."
By Derek Bellis, Daily Post
NORTH Wales police plan to use their speed camera vans at night.
Special camera lenses are being tested so the nine "Arrive Alive" vans can operate in the dark.
They will be able to diffuse a car's headlights or rear lights to produce a proper image of the number plate and hopefully the driver.
Anti-speed officials last night denied the move, due to be introduced in the next few weeks, was designed to recoup any cash lost by the government clamp-down on increasing the number of fixed cameras
Arrive Alive "partnership" project manager Inspector Essi Ahari said: "It's not to do with money.
"We've not had an increase in cameras in two years."
Mr Ahari said the night-time cameras were specifically aimed at slashing the number of road tragedies involving youngsters, typically aged between 17 and 24.
"Boy and girl racers are the ones we are going to target," added the inspector.
"I think it's a great move. I'm determined to be there late at night to catch them."
He said Arrive Alive was anxious to reduce further deaths and serious injuries.
On top of the personal tragedies it was estimated that one death cost £1.3m and a serious injury more than £150,000.
In just one year 75,000 drivers were fined and handed points for speeding in North Wales, equivalent to the population of Anglesey.
Fines totalled £4.5m and in some months as many as 8,000 speeding motorists were caught.
But a spokesman for the People for Proper Policing pressure group was last night sceptical about the latest development.
Llandudno businessman Arthur Roberts said: "If boy racers are to be the target we applaud that as highly commendable.
"But we fear that other motorists doing just 35mph will be targeted too. It is dreadful for police relations with the public."
welsh blackbird said:
Mr Ahari said the night-time cameras were specifically aimed at slashing the number of road tragedies involving youngsters, typically aged between 17 and 24.
"Boy and girl racers are the ones we are going to target," added the inspector.
"I think it's a great move. I'm determined to be there late at night to catch them."
He said Arrive Alive was anxious to reduce further deaths and serious injuries.
On top of the personal tragedies it was estimated that one death cost £1.3m and a serious injury more than £150,000.
In just one year 75,000 drivers were fined and handed points for speeding in North Wales, equivalent to the population of Anglesey.
Fines totalled £4.5m and in some months as many as 8,000 speeding motorists were caught.
How are they going to target 17-24 yr olds if it's dark?
I wonder what the age stats are for the people actually caught?
blurb said:
On top of the personal tragedies it was estimated that one death cost £1.3m...
It's that figure again. Actual costs, from the government's own docs, are about £20k for police and NHS costs. All of the rest is notional for distress, loss of earnings, etc. But £20k doesn't grab you like £1.3m so they'll continue to be economical with the truth.
I would like them to stop boy racers, but my guess is they'd be better with some traffic cops going round the local sink estates and supermarket car parks rather than putting a van on a 30mph dual carriageway in a nice area.
Peter Ward said:
blurb said:
On top of the personal tragedies it was estimated that one death cost £1.3m...
It's that figure again. Actual costs, from the government's own docs, are about £20k for police and NHS costs. All of the rest is notional for distress, loss of earnings, etc. But £20k doesn't grab you like £1.3m so they'll continue to be economical with the truth.
So, if the casualty didn't get hurt, they wouldn't pay the police and medics, then....?
Load of bollox...the only cost is rescue vehicle fuel costs and drugs, cleaning materials and associated gubbins.
Less the cost of fuel saved by police vehicles standing at the scene instead of blasting about between the chippie and doughnut shops......
welsh blackbird said:
Speed cops to work nights Jan 9 2006
This, of course follows on from Safe Speed's New Year's Day PR: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SafeSpeedPR/message/12 . See also: www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=232594&f=10&h=0
Nice to see we've got them on the run.
And of course it's mainly BS. So in a couple of months we can issue an FoI and prove that they lied. I'm lovin' it.
It's the last line that worries me the most.
So, whats the difference? If the "boy racers" are speeding at 35mph, and a "other motorists doing *just* 35mph" are too, then surely that is victimisation?
Is "other motorists" saying that their 35mph is appropriate somehow, and the boy racers 35mph is inappropriate?
The limit is the limit... the partnerships and police have shown their is no grey area. Excessive speed for the conditions UNDER the limit still seems to evade the partnerships scope, and this is usually where the boy racers are at their worst, in poorly lit or clear urban housing estates, or car parks, not on clear highways!
Stupid policy brought in cloak and dagger to focus on the "boy racers", when in actual fact it's just there to drain everyone of their hard earned money for driving otherwise entirely safely!
Dave
article said:
"But we fear that other motorists doing just 35mph will be targeted too. It is dreadful for police relations with the public."
So, whats the difference? If the "boy racers" are speeding at 35mph, and a "other motorists doing *just* 35mph" are too, then surely that is victimisation?
Is "other motorists" saying that their 35mph is appropriate somehow, and the boy racers 35mph is inappropriate?
The limit is the limit... the partnerships and police have shown their is no grey area. Excessive speed for the conditions UNDER the limit still seems to evade the partnerships scope, and this is usually where the boy racers are at their worst, in poorly lit or clear urban housing estates, or car parks, not on clear highways!
Stupid policy brought in cloak and dagger to focus on the "boy racers", when in actual fact it's just there to drain everyone of their hard earned money for driving otherwise entirely safely!
Dave
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