March 2004 Police magazine now on line.
Discussion
See here for some pdf's on road policing and stuff from David Begg and Brunstrom.
www.polfed.org/magazine_67CD967CD5724ADD8E4E6458BB4574D4.asp
See the Editorial and the section on 'Road policing'
www.polfed.org/magazine_67CD967CD5724ADD8E4E6458BB4574D4.asp
See the Editorial and the section on 'Road policing'
Police Editorial said:
The insurmountable obstacle
to all hopes of resolving the
chaos on our roads is the selfinterest
and selfishness of every
one of us who drives a car. While
the service itself has done the
most to reduce the status of
roads policing, political and
media pressure has accelerated
the process. There are well over
thirty million motorists in Britain,
and they form a powerful political
lobby. It is this irresistible
force that reduces the brave aspirations
of Professor David Begg of
the Commission for Integrated
Transport (who writes in POLICE
this month) to a forlorn hope.
Governments will always bow to
the motoring lobby, and every
tentative proposal to restrict their
“right” to drive where they want,
when they want and how they
want, encounters an instant hostile
reaction.
So we know how even-handed and unbiased this publication is, then? "Chaos" on the roads, "selfish" motorists, "brave" Begg.
If you take the "Road Policing" link from the site and pass swiftly by Begg and Brunstrom, there are 2 pages of quotes from road traffic police. There's some interesting reading there:
"[reduction in traffic police] has led to accidents going through the roof, a huge increase in unfit vehicles on the roads..."
"We are told that speed cameras cut accidents. They are not about safety; they are all about revenue. We are required to cut road deaths by 50% by 2010. With traffic officer numbers down by 2,500 this year we have more chance of having tea with the Pope..."
"If we arrest a drunken or disqualified driver it doesn't count towards an SPP, but shoplifting and minor domestic assaults do..."
"The speed cameras only affect honest drivers who register their vehicles..."
"There is only one 'traffic' KPI: reducing fatal and serious injury accidents..."
"Speed cameras have made the police the enemy of the motorist..."
"Speed cameras target lawabiding citizens who tax and insure their cars. The public knows we do very little about the uninsured and unlicensed drivers because they are so difficult to trace. Sixty per cent of the drivers we stop have no insurance..."
So much for Brunstrom's assertion that support for speed cameras is "rock solid".
"[reduction in traffic police] has led to accidents going through the roof, a huge increase in unfit vehicles on the roads..."
"We are told that speed cameras cut accidents. They are not about safety; they are all about revenue. We are required to cut road deaths by 50% by 2010. With traffic officer numbers down by 2,500 this year we have more chance of having tea with the Pope..."
"If we arrest a drunken or disqualified driver it doesn't count towards an SPP, but shoplifting and minor domestic assaults do..."
"The speed cameras only affect honest drivers who register their vehicles..."
"There is only one 'traffic' KPI: reducing fatal and serious injury accidents..."
"Speed cameras have made the police the enemy of the motorist..."
"Speed cameras target lawabiding citizens who tax and insure their cars. The public knows we do very little about the uninsured and unlicensed drivers because they are so difficult to trace. Sixty per cent of the drivers we stop have no insurance..."
So much for Brunstrom's assertion that support for speed cameras is "rock solid".
Chaos on the roads????????? Hmmmm
I have driven perhaps 500,000 miles and recall seeing about three serious crashes, one of which I was included in. Black eye, sore ribs, two write-offs.
Do others here see smashes every day, week, month or whatever or are they in reality quite rare, given the amount of metal moving around?
I have driven perhaps 500,000 miles and recall seeing about three serious crashes, one of which I was included in. Black eye, sore ribs, two write-offs.
Do others here see smashes every day, week, month or whatever or are they in reality quite rare, given the amount of metal moving around?
Be interesting to see how that number has varied in the last 10 years.
MajorClanger said:
What's an SPP?
Special Priority Payments i.e. bonus based on meeting (government set) targets, if I understand correctly.
MC
Naw dude SPP is what we get for doing 24/7 frontline instead of working for the "Best Value" team or in the "Community Safety" departments.
Community beat bobbies get it too, and firearms officers - conversely some traffic bods do NOT get the extra dosh cause they don't do enough nights, the lightweights
Police Editorial said:Has been demanding thousands of speed cameras and wholesale arbitrary speed limit cuts on safe roads?!
There are well over
thirty million motorists in Britain,
and they form a powerful political
lobby. It is this irresistible
force that......
Police Editorial said:So that's why we've got thousands of speed cameras and wholesale arbitrary speed limit cuts on safe roads.
Governments will always bow to
the motoring lobby
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