National Speeding Week

[Tabs]

Let''s encourage every driver to get sensibly banned[according to the B.B.C. poll 70% disagree to more cameras].Resulting in them winning and total collapse of the economy!

[dan]

I think I may have spotted the flaw in your cunning plan....

[cjn]

Or ---- lets get everyone to drive below the speed limit eliminating revenue from ticketing, revenue that can't be invested in speed cameras reducing fuel sales & taxes through better economy. Oh yeah, they'll have won again or will they?? Or get Bill Gates to buy everyone in the UK a Geodesy so that no-one is caught on Gatsos & to ensure that the database is kept well up to date - now let me buy those shares CJ

[Jason F]

I prefer the idea that we don`t use the cars at all for a week or so, thus reducing Petrol Tax and Speeding Ticket revenues Edited by Jason F on Wednesday 15th August 18:53 Edited by Jason F on Wednesday 15th August 18:55

[campbell]

This sounds like a tricky one to me! I like your idea Tabs but I think Dan could of told us what your flaw was ? Well if we did it we could all go on the dole and the government would have to look after all of use, now the would be good, with all of use on the dole their would be no money for cameras and the price of petrol would drop to next to nothing cause no one could afford it. Sounds ok to me, what do you think?

[mrtony]

If everyone removed their plates it would stop camera revenue dead. ( Of course this would be illegal so I am not advocating it )

[Tabs]

It was meant tongue in cheek,but yes,what is your flaw Dan? Just a thought,can SPECS 'read' square plates?

[peas_star]

To be honest guys we're screwed whatever we do, because if we all drive under the limit for say a couple of weeks they'd get no revenue but the bar-stewards would only lower the Gatso triggers to make up for it afterwards. However if we all get banned then most of us couldn't get to work and the country would fall into economic collapse and we'd probably be taken over by the Germans. Just a thought. 007

[jamesc]

So Freedom Fighter you won't have your freedom for long then. If you don't speed you won't get your mugshots!

[john robson]

Just to put a bit of a dampner on things, I had sight of a doccument today regarding speed enforcement. I basic terms (I didn't have time to read it properly) it refered to some stats 3,700 killed in RTA's 715 murdered and 64 killed in train accidents. speed was aparantly a major factor in 1/3 of the deaths. Just for your info folks, don't shoot the mesenger!!!!!

[Marv]

In your honest (and professional) opinion John do you believe that speed WAS a major factor in 1/3 of these incidents? or that it is too easy to blame and prove and convict speed and get a 'result'.... Any views on this would be appreciated.. Stella Artois and a new ADSL line is gettin the better of me now! Edited by Marv on Saturday 25th August 00:31 Edited by Marv on Saturday 25th August 00:33

[smeagol]

Yes John, and most of those deaths occured in 30mph limits. So why do we not have cameras outside schools and highly populated/danger areas? We have cameras on motorways (safest roads in the UK) and A roads with good visibility and stupid limits. The latest report showing the 46% increase in saved lives had samples ONLY from 30mph limits. Full report is at: www.uk-roadsafety.co.uk/Publications Reports/effects_of_speed_cameras.htm

[Dave_H]

Why can't we have a "Stupidity KILLS" movement? We all know speed does not kill, it's just an adding factor, it's just another thing the berk who's drunk/on drugs/on phone/talking to passenger, and generally not paying attention to, or aware of the 1.5 tonne missle he/she isnt in control of, or also aware of the changing weather, road conditions/environment as thay make their journey. The standard of driving in the UK is SH*T, and I'm for one, sick of having to put up with Gatsos and high premiums because of all the people who so clearly were "born to be on the bus"

[john robson]

If I go off the last 5 fatal accidents I have attended and the last 5 serious injury accidents yes speed was a major factor in 8. Motorcycle into side of car at 65 mph, motorccle into wall at 60mph, car into rear of cyclist at 45/50 mph, TVR into path of oncomming car at 60+ mph car into garden wall at 75 mph etc OK there were other factors but without the speed it would have possibly not been fatal of seroius injury, or even not occured. But as they say s*!t happens. Stats like most things can be twisted to read what you want, most of the above involved people driving beyond their capabilities limiting speed is I suppose a way of keeping people within their limits and the cars limits.

[Dave_H]

quote:people driving beyond their capabilities.

I think that is the problem John, that and people understanding the safe limits of the environment they are travelling through (school/built up area/wet road/fog etc) It's been said many times before, but the problem is driver education. Trouble is the govenment arent listening.

[smeagol]

I have always felt that speed limits should have been classed as guides. You are so right John on the fact that so many different circumstances can cause accidents. I personally feel that speed limits and the campaigns associated with them (ie "speed kills" make people believe they are driving sensibly and safely if they are below the speed limit. Whereas nothing could be further from the truth. We have all been on the motorway in thick fog and the "suicide squad" go racing past at 70mph with 50 feet visibility. Your point about statistics is so true (I did stats as part of my maths degree) and with figures you can practically say anything. At the moment the politics seems to say that you are fine doing 30mph past a school at 9.00am in your 4x4 with bull bars, but not doing 85mph on a clear motorway in a high performance car. A sign will not tell you the road conditions, the condition of your car, your alertness, what kind of vehicle you are driving, visibility, weather conditions etc BUT with cameras speed is the ONLY deciding factor on safety.

[mel]

quote:Just to put a bit of a dampner on things, I had sight of a doccument today regarding speed enforcement. I basic terms (I didn't have time to read it properly) it refered to some stats 3,700 killed in RTA's 715 murdered and 64 killed in train accidents. speed was aparantly a major factor in 1/3 of the deaths. Just for your info folks, don't shoot the mesenger!!!!!

Not sure if I get this right but 238 people commited murder while on speed, and 21 people run over by speeding trains !!!!!!!! well its about as relevent as any government produced propaganda oooops sorry statistics

[tvr_nut]

I think JR's comment catches it spot on - "most of the above involved people driving beyond their capabilities limiting speed is I suppose a way of keeping people within their limits and the cars limits." Unfortunately, for many those limits are LESS than the legal speed limit. Many of the drivers who irritate me in Lancs drive at 45 regardless of the conditions/limit - this shows a total lack of comprehension of risks and the speed appropriate to a given situation. More emphasis is needed on DRIVER SKILL not absolute speed. What doing an IAM Defensive Driving course did for me was improve hazard identification and judgement of an appropriate speed. I now drive slower in the right places (and sometimes less than the 30mph limit, as required). Unfortunately, the same process tells you that it would be safe to go faster than the speed limit on other roads, but because some drivers are incompetent, we get artificially lowered limits & cameras on the bits where you can see to overtake. At the end of the day, it is a political issue, and we are seen by the majority as antisocial, because we drive fast cars! Nut Edited (for incompetent spelling) by tvr_nut on Tuesday 28th August 13:12 Edited by tvr_nut on Tuesday 28th August 13:12

[jimbo]

I honestly think that the standard of driving in the UK is pretty good. I have worked in most European countries on and off over the past 10 years or so, and I can assure you that the UK is definately the safest place to drive, and has a higher standard of driving. Just to add to the statistics, I heard on the radio yesterday that 50% of pedestrians killed on the road have been drinking, and over 35% are over the drink drive limit. Jim

[adee]

I agree with smeagol that speed limits are useful guides because they make very dubious laws. To all those sandal wearing do-gooders who think we are 'breaking the law' by doing 73 on a motorway i ask - who set 'the law' & how come it's different law in different countries? Good laws set themselves (like murder) and are observed by the majority of the population (often taken as 85%). Speed limits generally fail this test. Let's not forget that 70 limit was introduced when you average family saloon driver would feel ecstatic if he was caught exceeding it as most cars didn't go that fast! And most importantly if they did, they took forever to stop (and as for cross-ply tyres & roadholding...). So how applicable are they today? Clearly many us think not very. So if you really care that as motorists we are being unfairly persecuted why not join the one organisation trying to lobby in our favour - www.abd.org.