RE: Strong Words from Begg
Friday 18th June 2004
The Government figures releaseed this week on impact of speed cameras show that it is time for speed camera critics to get real says, Professor David Begg, Chair of the Commission for Integrated Transport said today.
Strong Words from Begg
We have blood on our hands says Chairman of Integrated Transport Commission
The Government figures releaseed this week on impact of speed cameras show that it is time for speed camera critics to get real says, Professor David Begg, Chair of the Commission for Integrated Transport said today.
According to Begg, "Those motoring groups and elements of the media that have been critical of speed cameras have been proved totally and conclusively wrong. "
Begg sticks to his guns in his latest statement: "Stirring up doubt and making mischief about speed cameras is not a game. Speeding is a contributory factor in nearly 30% of the 36,000 serious injuries and 3,400 deaths that occur on Britain's roads each year. To claim otherwise, is to be in denial. "
"If critics continue to make dishonest claims about the impact of speed and speed cameras, they will end up with blood on their hands. "
Despite the number of deaths on our roads remaining stagnent in the last few years, Begg is adamant that the latest raft of stats from the Government bear out his view on cameras. "Excessive speed at camera sites has been reduced by 43% and the number of vehicles breaking the speed limit down by 32%. As a result, deaths and serious injuries are down by 40%. That's 870 people escaping serious injury or death every year thanks to speed cameras. The argument is over, the critics have lost the debate. "
Obviously angered by the increasing backlash against speed cameras, Begg continued, "On the roads, we have a dangerous minority prepared to physically destroy speed cameras introduced with the sole intention of saving lives. On the railways, tampering with a safety system would lead to attempted manslaughter charges and ostracism by society. Destroying speed cameras is like ripping smoke alarms out from a school."
Link : www.cfit.gov.uk
Discussion
begg said:
Destroying speed cameras is like ripping smoke alarms out from a school
FFS where does this guy get off! Does he really believe what he's saying? This guy's up in the same league as Comical Ali. I cannot think of the words to express my utter contempt.
>>> Edited by t1grm on Friday 18th June 10:56
begg said:
Blah, blah, babble, soundbite, blah, badly thought out comparason etc
I know this kind of blinkered arrogance annoys us chaps and chapesses of a pistonheads pursuation but does it really make any difference to the rest of society? Obviously there is a small percentage of those with a high propensity to numptyism who will blindly believe anything that is said by gentlemen such as Mr Begg just as there are a small percentage (us) who get really ticked off. The vast majority of people who hear or read this will probably not take any notice at all and probably regard the author with the same level or suspicion otherwise reserved for politicians.
Point is, although it gets us miffed
is it really that damaging? Do the general populace just see this as another of the governments 'specialists' babbling on and simply ignore it? Water off a duck's back - we've heard it all before. I've made up my mind who I believe when it comes to the speed issue and it's not the Government, Brake or the SCP's. No amount of twisted statistics and associated lies are going to make me back their twaddle or believe that in the vast majority of cases I cannot judge an appropriate speed for a given moment.
According to Begg, "Those motoring groups and elements of the media that have been critical of speed cameras have been proved totally and conclusively wrong. "
Where? When? How? I must have been asleep....
Begg sticks to his guns in his latest statement: "Stirring up doubt and making mischief about speed cameras is not a game."
Then stop playing it!
Speeding is a contributory factor in nearly 30% of the 36,000 serious injuries and 3,400 deaths that occur on Britain's roads each year. To claim otherwise, is to be in denial. "
Erm, official figures produced earlier this year said it was more like 7%, and even then we're still in this "contributory factor" grey area. But anyway, lets say we agree on the 30% - there seems to be nothing being done about the other 70%. Fairly ineffective policy you have there....
"If critics continue to make dishonest claims about the impact of speed and speed cameras, they will end up with blood on their hands. "
Same can be said about the advocators.
Despite the number of deaths on our roads remaining stagnent in the last few years, Begg is adamant that the latest raft of stats from the Government bear out his view on cameras. "Excessive speed at camera sites has been reduced by 43% and the number of vehicles breaking the speed limit down by 32%."
Stop me if I'm wrong, but that's probably because they don't want to loose their license, not because they're actually driving more safely.
"As a result, deaths and serious injuries are down by 40%. That's 870 people escaping serious injury or death every year thanks to speed cameras. The argument is over, the critics have lost the debate. "
Obviously angered by the increasing backlash against speed cameras, Begg continued, "On the roads, we have a dangerous minority prepared to physically destroy speed cameras introduced with the sole intention of saving lives. On the railways, tampering with a safety system would lead to attempted manslaughter charges and ostracism by society. Destroying speed cameras is like ripping smoke alarms out from a school."
Except that cameras DO NOT PREVENT ACCIDENTS - they just generate a ticket AFTER THE FACT! HELLLOOO! ANYONE LISTENING!
Putting speed cameras on the road and claiming they are there for safety reasons is, taking your eloquent example, like claiming smoke detectors can prevent fires.
FFS
>> Edited by neil.b on Friday 18th June 11:37
Where? When? How? I must have been asleep....
Begg sticks to his guns in his latest statement: "Stirring up doubt and making mischief about speed cameras is not a game."
Then stop playing it!
Speeding is a contributory factor in nearly 30% of the 36,000 serious injuries and 3,400 deaths that occur on Britain's roads each year. To claim otherwise, is to be in denial. "
Erm, official figures produced earlier this year said it was more like 7%, and even then we're still in this "contributory factor" grey area. But anyway, lets say we agree on the 30% - there seems to be nothing being done about the other 70%. Fairly ineffective policy you have there....
"If critics continue to make dishonest claims about the impact of speed and speed cameras, they will end up with blood on their hands. "
Same can be said about the advocators.
Despite the number of deaths on our roads remaining stagnent in the last few years, Begg is adamant that the latest raft of stats from the Government bear out his view on cameras. "Excessive speed at camera sites has been reduced by 43% and the number of vehicles breaking the speed limit down by 32%."
Stop me if I'm wrong, but that's probably because they don't want to loose their license, not because they're actually driving more safely.
"As a result, deaths and serious injuries are down by 40%. That's 870 people escaping serious injury or death every year thanks to speed cameras. The argument is over, the critics have lost the debate. "
Obviously angered by the increasing backlash against speed cameras, Begg continued, "On the roads, we have a dangerous minority prepared to physically destroy speed cameras introduced with the sole intention of saving lives. On the railways, tampering with a safety system would lead to attempted manslaughter charges and ostracism by society. Destroying speed cameras is like ripping smoke alarms out from a school."
Except that cameras DO NOT PREVENT ACCIDENTS - they just generate a ticket AFTER THE FACT! HELLLOOO! ANYONE LISTENING!
Putting speed cameras on the road and claiming they are there for safety reasons is, taking your eloquent example, like claiming smoke detectors can prevent fires.
FFS
>> Edited by neil.b on Friday 18th June 11:37
If the current government is so concerned with saving motorists lives, why do they spend so much money on devices (i.e. speed cameras) that try to prevent the 7% of accidents that are caused by speeding when they could spend that money on devices (i.e. more police) that can try to prevent 100% of accidents?
Ah yes, it's because they need the money - the current government is so badly run that if they were a business there isn't a bank in the world that would even give them an overdraft...
>> Edited by branflakes on Friday 18th June 11:29
Ah yes, it's because they need the money - the current government is so badly run that if they were a business there isn't a bank in the world that would even give them an overdraft...
>> Edited by branflakes on Friday 18th June 11:29
dougc said:
Point is, although it gets us miffed
Sadly I think that as he is not a politician and is a so-called Professor, a lot of people out there may well believe this drivel if it gets reported.
Has anyone noticed what he is a Professor of?
from his website:-
"He has been a Research Fellow of the Centre for Economic Policy Research since its inception in 1984. He has also been an adviser to the Bank of England and the Treasury"
Now tell me cameras are not about revenue
>> Edited by Apache on Friday 18th June 11:33
from his website:-
"He has been a Research Fellow of the Centre for Economic Policy Research since its inception in 1984. He has also been an adviser to the Bank of England and the Treasury"
Now tell me cameras are not about revenue
>> Edited by Apache on Friday 18th June 11:33
neil.b said:
According to Begg, "Those motoring groups and elements of the media that have been critical of speed cameras have been proved totally and conclusively wrong. "
Where? When? How? I must have been asleep....
Begg sticks to his guns in his latest statement: "Stirring up doubt and making mischief about speed cameras is not a game."
Then stop playing it!
Speeding is a contributory factor in nearly 30% of the 36,000 serious injuries and 3,400 deaths that occur on Britain's roads each year. To claim otherwise, is to be in denial. "
Erm, official figures produced earlier this year said it was more like 7%, and even then we're still in this "contributory factor" grey area. But anyway, lets say we agree on the 30% - there seems to be nothing being done about the other 70%. Fairly ineffective policy you have there....
"If critics continue to make dishonest claims about the impact of speed and speed cameras, they will end up with blood on their hands. "
Same can be said about the advocators.
Despite the number of deaths on our roads remaining stagnent in the last few years, Begg is adamant that the latest raft of stats from the Government bear out his view on cameras. "Excessive speed at camera sites has been reduced by 43% and the number of vehicles breaking the speed limit down by 32%."
Stop me if I'm wrong, but that's probably because they don't want to loose their license, not because they're actually driving more safely.
"As a result, deaths and serious injuries are down by 40%. That's 870 people escaping serious injury or death every year thanks to speed cameras. The argument is over, the critics have lost the debate. "
Obviously angered by the increasing backlash against speed cameras, Begg continued, "On the roads, we have a dangerous minority prepared to physically destroy speed cameras introduced with the sole intention of saving lives. On the railways, tampering with a safety system would lead to attempted manslaughter charges and ostracism by society. Destroying speed cameras is like ripping smoke alarms out from a school."
Except that cameras DO NOT PREVENT ACCIDENTS - they just generate a ticket AFTER THE FACT! HELLLOOO! ANYONE LISTENING!
Putting speed cameras on the road and claiming they are there for safety reasons is, taking your eloquent example, like claiming smoke detectors can prevent fires.
FFS
>> Edited by neil.b on Friday 18th June 11:37
Couldn't agree more Neil. If I get zapped on my blade, I am only slowing down to keep my licence.I also on exceed posted limits when conditions dictate ( open road, no traffic etc, and tend to travel at less than 30 in urban.But......tut tut I am dangerous/don't know what I am doing blah blah. I have been driving for 25 years/biking for 3 and have had one 5mph collision in all that time. But........I am still dangerous and need reigning in. P.S. Nice motor Neil
thub said:
Oy! Annoying man! 3600 or so road deaths a year - static despite 5000+ cameras. Please explain that in straightforward english.
Come on then annoying man, expalin it. Explain it now or do something real about it like BETTER DRIVER EDUCATION.
ARE YOU DEAF?
(or possibly blind!)
>> Edited by DustyC on Friday 18th June 12:01
I think we should understand where the funding for Begg's work comes from.
This is the same bloke who has said: "We cannot price people off the trains" and "We must price people out of their cars". Why should air travel, for example, have no tax on its fuel and cars have several hundred percent?
I disagree with Herr Professor on pretty much every point he makes. And the reason? I do not believe he is an unbiased academic. He knows damn well which side his bread is buttered on.
Specifically: I am not accusing him of being corrupt. I do, however, feel he has more conviction in his arguments than a dispassionate scientist should have...
This is the same bloke who has said: "We cannot price people off the trains" and "We must price people out of their cars". Why should air travel, for example, have no tax on its fuel and cars have several hundred percent?
I disagree with Herr Professor on pretty much every point he makes. And the reason? I do not believe he is an unbiased academic. He knows damn well which side his bread is buttered on.
Specifically: I am not accusing him of being corrupt. I do, however, feel he has more conviction in his arguments than a dispassionate scientist should have...
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