Driving licences at risk from state offensive
Stay mobile during a penalty-points ban, says insurer
UK motorists look set to lose control of their cars and lives as the growing army of road safety boffins and enforcers tightens its grip on all aspects of driving, says an insurance company selling a partial remedy.
According to research undertaken by Isle of Man Assurance Ltd (IOMA), the fast-spreading rash of speed and traffic light cameras is only the start of an all-out onslaught on careless, anti-social and dangerous driving that could eventually put the State behind the wheel of Britain’s cars.
The research - carried out for IOMA's new St Christopher Flashguard policy - reveals more and more motorists face the prospect of losing their licences in the short term as the number of camera sites and the sophistication of the cameras increases.
But the long term prospects for hard-pressed drivers look bleak.
St Christopher says just under 300,000 drivers are currently serving out bans but that figure is set to increase significantly over the next five years as the boffins and enforcers clamp down on those who speed, jump traffic lights and commit other less serious road traffic offences.
Its study reveals:
- The number of drivers caught on camera rose by one third between 2002 and 2003 from 1.5 million to 2 million and looks set to top 3 million this year
- The UK has around 5,000 ‘approved’ camera sites, a tally which is set to grow (the backlog of requests for additional sites from local communities blighted by speeding traffic currently tops 10,000)
- The older GATSO cameras, which require film and are not always switched on, are set to be replaced with far more sophisticated digital cameras that will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week
- The new style digital cameras can operate in pairs, emasculating in-car camera detecting devices by computing average speeds between two distant locations and automatically issuing speeding tickets
- The new type cameras can scan up to six lanes of traffic at a time, capture identifiable images of speeding motorcyclists and catch motorists who drive the wrong way down one-way streets
- Road safety campaigners are pushing for a switch from high visibility cameras to more covert speed checks with ‘harder-to-spot’ cameras
- Courts in other EU countries may soon be able to add penalty points to the licences of UK citizens who are caught speeding abroad
- Police are to be allowed to access mobile phone records to check whether they were in use at the time a road traffic offence was committed
Aware of the all-out road safety offensive, IOMA has developed its St Christopher Flashguard policy to protect the livelihoods and mobility of drivers who have their licences taken away.
The policy is aimed at higher mileage drivers who, by the law of averages, are more likely to rack up penalty points as a result of the distances they cover. It is also available to other drivers who are worried about the consequences of losing their licences.
The £1-a-week policy, which is limited to drivers with six or less points on their licence, provides £6,000 worth of cover a year to pay for alternative forms of transport while drivers serve out their bans.
It will not cover drivers who receive bans for drink, drugs or dangerous driving related offences
More intrusive checks lurking
“Nobody has the right to break the law with impunity and drivers who speed or commit other road traffic offences deserve to be penalised,” said a St Christopher spokesman.
“However, in today’s high pressure world where so much competes for our attention, many drivers will from time to time unwittingly stray over the speed limits or commit other less serious offences.
"As many drivers know to their cost, this can result in a driving ban. What we aim to do is make sure that Flashguard customers don’t lose their jobs and incomes as well their licences. The policy ensures dependents and employers are not hit by the bans too.”
The St Christopher research reveals that those most at risk of picking up speeding penalties -- and ultimately a ban -- are middle class, middle-aged male and female drivers who, more often than not, use their cars for work.
Just under three-quarters of those caught are in the 25 to 35 years age bracket with high mileage businessmen and women - and mums on the school run - being particularly at risk.
“But the threat to driving licences posed by the growing number and sophistication of safety cameras is only the tip of the iceberg,” said the St Christopher spokesman. “Our research reveals motorists face far more intrusive means of controlling the way they drive in the future.”
For those who drive as part of their work, there is the worrying prospect that ultimately they may either place their existing jobs in jeopardy or influence their prospects of finding a new job, says the insurer.
Already moves are underway to allow employers to link into the DVLA to check if an existing or prospective employee has any points on his or her licence.
Also under consideration, says IOMA, are in-car ‘black boxes’ that will monitor when and where a driver is and the speed at which he or she is travelling -- as reported here on PH. The devices -- which can be linked to the engine management systems of cars -- use GPS (global positioning by satellite) to track a car’s whereabouts and either alert the driver to a speed limit or automatically restrict the car to the limit that is in force.
The devices may also be used to record driver behaviour behind the wheel, set car insurance premiums and charge drivers for when and where they have travelled.
"So it's no longer a question of being watched by Big Brother but being watched by a Black Box," St Christopher says. "With congested roads and the inexorable stress of day-to-day living and work, driving consistently within the limits is not easy,” it adds.
Drivers who want to find out more about the Flashguard policies should log onto www.flashguard.com or call 08081 624046.
Why can't anyone just realise that road safety is not a single-issue, single-solution problem? Why can't anyone just come clean and admit that perhaps there are some situations they need to be doing something about but can't make any money on 
However, look at the poll tax riots. That is where all this is leading, until someone gets in power that doesn't pander to the easilly upset minorities of this world.
The companies developing this equipment must be doing a bomb though. Picture the Lastec executives on their private yachts, wintering in the sun, and laughing all the way to the bank. All paid for from 'speeding' motorists, fueled by a minority led government
you have to admire them!
Ultimate answer is, the formerly law-abiding become twoccers and chavs.
Nice one Tony. Civil insurrection and a controversial war. You will go down in the annals of history.
In terms of driving that is enjoyable to the enthusiast the future is looking increasingly bleak unless some pretty fierce action is taken to sweep away this nonsense.
Being realistic there's probably not much left of my driving career in the form I enjoy, but for some of you younger folk it's a very different matter, and I do urge you to keep that in mind.
In my view this is not just a matter of minor rule changes for drivers. The trend is always in the same direction - more restrictions and more monitoring and control of us. It amounts to an ever more serious assault on an important aspect of our freedom, and it should be thrown aside, and the sooner the better.
Unfortunately I appear to have no talent for inspiring and motivating people to get together and fight this in any meaningful way, and I very much regret that, but I wish someone could do it.
There is a fundamental principle involved here, and don't let the politicians, miscellaneous busybodies and do-gooders tell you otherwise. It is a principle that should be fought for, by whatever means.
Best wishes all,
Dave
I'm not at all fond of where this is going. They'll soon have the black-boxes installed by law too saving them a fortune on speed cameras.
Its all wrong, I'm disliking this country more and more everyday and cant wait to leave. There's nothing wrong with a little squirt of power down an emptyish motorway, it doesnt hurt anyone. The future is looking less and less like the place I wanted it to be.
I think I'll invest in some James Bond style flip plates and a mask, see how smart those "dual digital cameras capable of scanning six lanes" are then! hah!
www.homeoffice.gov.uk/docs3/Driving_crime_down.pdf
I'm just reading it for the first time.
safespeed said:
The report on which the news item is based is here:
www.homeoffice.gov.uk/docs3/Driving_crime_down.pdf
I'm just reading it for the first time.
Sorry! Totally wrong news report. I'll post the right one properly!
safespeed said:
The report on which the news item is based is here:
www.homeoffice.gov.uk/docs3/Driving_crime_down.pdf
I'm just reading it for the first time.
Above report said:
Tracking a sample of these arrests through the criminal justice system, it was found that an average ANPR full time equivalent will contribute around 31
offences per annum towards to the Government’s Offences Brought to Justice (OBTJ) target – this is over three times the rate for conventional policing. If an ANPR intercept team was deployed by each Basic Command Unit this would contribute 26,400 additional OBTJs per annum towards the target – around 15% of the Government’s target. Since Laser involves redeploying existing resources more effectively, this represents little incremental costs and hence good value for money.
This shows what it's really all about - more spin. ANPR will detect offences which were previously undetected so the claimed improvement will be against a correspondingly higher baseline of total 'offences' - but they won't make that clear will they? Not saying that ANPR is wrong but how typical that it's used to spin a misleading success story.
Report implies that this only works up to 100mph.
The report does also mention that you can be stopped for driving suspiciously without any "hit" on the ANPR system.
The MOT database is due to go live soon.
Nobody is really using the in car ANPR as it is deemed inefficient. Everyone is using the gantry/bridge based system.
Police are delveloping a roadside fingerprinting device for identifying drivers.
The national data intelligence warehouse :
They basically propose to gather all the hits and reads into one database, and then mine this database for information. So you dont need to do anything wrong, and your car usage will still be tracked and recorded. Some real civil rights issues here I think.
Bernie got his way for a million quid. I'm sure we could raise that sort of cash but I guess they would want it in non-sequential used Euro notes. Probably delivered by the way of a fixed roulette wheel...
Bernie got his way for a million quid. I'm sure we could raise that sort of cash but I guess they would want it in non-sequential used Euro notes. Probably delivered by the way of a fixed roulette wheel...
This has happened elsewhere in the world and the knock on effect on obtaining witnesses to real crimes reveals just how many people are using false addresses, false plates, non driver owners etc,etc.
The Canadian authorities say the the use of false plates is so widespread that it has had a major effect on their ability to track down witnesses to major crimes and therefore effects their ability to prosecute the real crims.
Take note people, if "they" keep pushing then the same thing will happen here, some people that I know have never had a speeding ticket, and never will,not via a camera, mind you ,if they are stopped by a police patrol, they could have a problem or two, still these days ,with the small amount of traffic officers on the road, the chances of being stopped are very small indeed. enough said.
>> Edited by Rod Barrett on Monday 8th November 13:38
>> Edited by Rod Barrett on Monday 8th November 13:40
[quote name=new regs]
With effect from 1st January 2005, Part P (Electrical safety) of the Building Regulations will come into force, these mean that only very limited work can be carried out by non-certified people without notification to the local Building Control authority.
Work which can be carried out by a non-certified individual without notification consists of:
- Replacement of fittings such as sockets, switches and light fittings.
- Replacement of the cable for a single circuit where it has been damaged.
- Work that is not in the bathroom or kitchen and consists of:
- Adding additional lighting, light fittings and switches, to an existing circuit.
- Adding additional sockets and fused spurs to an existing ring or radial main.
- Installing additional earth bonding.
All this is conditional upon the use of suitable cable and fittings for the application, that the circuit protective measures are unaffected and suitable for protecting the new circuit, and that all work complies with all other appropriate regulations.
All other work must either be carried out by certified individuals/companies or notified to the local Building Control before work begins, this includes:
- All new or modifications to the electrical wiring within bathrooms or shower rooms.
- Installation or modification of electric underfloor or ceiling heating.
- Garden lighting or power installation.
- Other specialist electrical installation, examples being, Photovoltaic Solar and micro CHP power systems.
If in doubt, check with the local Building Control.
These rules do apply to DIY activities, anyone carrying out DIY changes which are notifiable will have to submit a building notice to the local authority before starting work and pay the fee to have the work inspected and tested.
In future, problems may be encountered when trying to sell a property which has had notifiable electrical work carried out but for which the appropriate certificate cannot be produced.[/quote]
Why bring this up? Because it's another example of the government imposing nanny state legislation which will have the opposite of the desired effect. Just as with cloned plates, people will circumvent the restrictions by, for example:
- wiring up garden lighting from internal sockets, but without the appropriate safety features
- running under-floor heating from sockets
- running extension leads from room to room, overloading existing sockets.
The net result could well be an increase in deaths from electrical problems, not a reduction. An alternative approach could have been to have offered free/cheap short courses at night school to anyone who wanted to learn to do electical work safely. Just as with driving, the actual action, to prosecute people, is easier.
Building regs said:
With effect from 1st January 2005, Part P (Electrical safety) of the Building Regulations will come into force, these mean that only very limited work can be carried out by non-certified people without notification to the local Building Control authority.
Work which can be carried out by a non-certified individual without notification consists of:
- Replacement of fittings such as sockets, switches and light fittings.
- Replacement of the cable for a single circuit where it has been damaged.
- Work that is not in the bathroom or kitchen and consists of:
- Adding additional lighting, light fittings and switches, to an existing circuit.
- Adding additional sockets and fused spurs to an existing ring or radial main.
- Installing additional earth bonding.
All this is conditional upon the use of suitable cable and fittings for the application, that the circuit protective measures are unaffected and suitable for protecting the new circuit, and that all work complies with all other appropriate regulations.
All other work must either be carried out by certified individuals/companies or notified to the local Building Control before work begins, this includes:
- All new or modifications to the electrical wiring within bathrooms or shower rooms.
- Installation or modification of electric underfloor or ceiling heating.
- Garden lighting or power installation.
- Other specialist electrical installation, examples being, Photovoltaic Solar and micro CHP power systems.
If in doubt, check with the local Building Control.
These rules do apply to DIY activities, anyone carrying out DIY changes which are notifiable will have to submit a building notice to the local authority before starting work and pay the fee to have the work inspected and tested.
In future, problems may be encountered when trying to sell a property which has had notifiable electrical work carried out but for which the appropriate certificate cannot be produced.
What's the relevance here? Well simply that it's the same government imposing similar punitive/restrictive policies that will result in similar avoidance measures that will have a drastically larger negative impact than the positive one intended.
If there's too much focus on reg plates then people will increasingly clone or fake them. If there's too much focus on restricting who can do wiring then people will implement dangerous workarounds. The net result of each is that more people will die, not less.
Building regs said:
With effect from 1st January 2005, Part P (Electrical safety) of the Building Regulations will come into force, these mean that only very limited work can be carried out by non-certified people without notification to the local Building Control authority.
Work which can be carried out by a non-certified individual without notification consists of:
- Replacement of fittings such as sockets, switches and light fittings.
- Replacement of the cable for a single circuit where it has been damaged.
- Work that is not in the bathroom or kitchen and consists of:
- Adding additional lighting, light fittings and switches, to an existing circuit.
- Adding additional sockets and fused spurs to an existing ring or radial main.
- Installing additional earth bonding.
All this is conditional upon the use of suitable cable and fittings for the application, that the circuit protective measures are unaffected and suitable for protecting the new circuit, and that all work complies with all other appropriate regulations.
All other work must either be carried out by certified individuals/companies or notified to the local Building Control before work begins, this includes:
- All new or modifications to the electrical wiring within bathrooms or shower rooms.
- Installation or modification of electric underfloor or ceiling heating.
- Garden lighting or power installation.
- Other specialist electrical installation, examples being, Photovoltaic Solar and micro CHP power systems.
If in doubt, check with the local Building Control.
These rules do apply to DIY activities, anyone carrying out DIY changes which are notifiable will have to submit a building notice to the local authority before starting work and pay the fee to have the work inspected and tested.
In future, problems may be encountered when trying to sell a property which has had notifiable electrical work carried out but for which the appropriate certificate cannot be produced.
What's the relevance here? Well simply that it's the same government imposing similar punitive/restrictive policies that will result in similar avoidance measures that will have a drastically larger negative impact than the positive one intended.
If there's too much focus on reg plates then people will increasingly clone or fake them. If there's too much focus on restricting who can do wiring then people will implement dangerous workarounds. The net result of each is that more people will die, not less.
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