West Mercia "Safety" Camera Partnership Clowns
Discussion
I drove down the A49 Shrewsbury to Hereford a week ago and noticed some new parking pads being installed for scamera vans.
Do you know what? They've placed them immediately after fast left hand bends and they become visible while you're still unwinding the lock.
Now they must surely be aware that many drivers, irrespective of whether they're exceeding the speed limit or not, will lift and brake upon spotting a scamera van with varying degrees of urgency. This can cause the driver behind (still deep in the bend)to brake even harder than the first braker........can you imagine the carnage that could result on a damp road?
Their greed is now exceeding their common sense - and I feel a letter to the local press coming on!
"Reg"
Do you know what? They've placed them immediately after fast left hand bends and they become visible while you're still unwinding the lock.
Now they must surely be aware that many drivers, irrespective of whether they're exceeding the speed limit or not, will lift and brake upon spotting a scamera van with varying degrees of urgency. This can cause the driver behind (still deep in the bend)to brake even harder than the first braker........can you imagine the carnage that could result on a damp road?
Their greed is now exceeding their common sense - and I feel a letter to the local press coming on!
"Reg"
regmolehusband said:
I drove down the A49 Shrewsbury to Hereford a week ago and noticed some new parking pads being installed for scamera vans.
Do you know what? They've placed them immediately after fast left hand bends and they become visible while you're still unwinding the lock.
Now they must surely be aware that many drivers, irrespective of whether they're exceeding the speed limit or not, will lift and brake upon spotting a scamera van with varying degrees of urgency. This can cause the driver behind (still deep in the bend)to brake even harder than the first braker........can you imagine the carnage that could result on a damp road?
Their greed is now exceeding their common sense - and I feel a letter to the local press coming on!
"Reg"
I shouldn't think they'll be aware of any such considerations. The stupidity of those sort of people knows no bounds.
Best wishes all,
Dave.
regmolehusband said:
Their greed is now exceeding their common sense - and I feel a letter to the local press coming on!
Totally agree with your comment there, its the same around here, they only park so as to become visible after/during bends or over crests of hills etc. BUT... whats the betting the response to any, no doubt perfectly reasonably worded, letter will be "if you don't speed you've got nothing to worry about"...
regmolehusband said:
I drove down the A49 Shrewsbury to Hereford a week ago and noticed some new parking pads being installed for scamera vans.
Do you know what? They've placed them immediately after fast left hand bends and they become visible while you're still unwinding the lock.
Now they must surely be aware that many drivers, irrespective of whether they're exceeding the speed limit or not, will lift and brake upon spotting a scamera van with varying degrees of urgency. This can cause the driver behind (still deep in the bend)to brake even harder than the first braker........can you imagine the carnage that could result on a damp road?
Their greed is now exceeding their common sense - and I feel a letter to the local press coming on!
"Reg"
I'll let you all into a wee secret.
This very thing is something I have been researching for a while with a view to the legality of it; not the legality from the point of view of the contravention of a specific regulation, but the clear and present danger in how these so-called partnerships conduct themselves on a public road.
I reckon there is now very substantial evidence for a criminal prosecution against them.
Think about it!
If an HGV driver parked his vehicle in the manner in which some of these camera vans are parked he would be instantly prosecuted.
If an ordinary motorist placed his vehicle in such a position that it created a visual diversion of sufficient acuity that it cause drivers to instinctively react in a manner that endangered others, he would be prosecuted.
If a builder or waste disposal company left a skip on or nearby a public road in such a manner that it caused vehicle disruption to the point of endangerment, e.g. just around a blind corner with NO ADVANCED WARNING, he would be prosecuted.
Are you starting to get the idea?
The problem might be that the CPS or the Fiscal would be reluctant to bring the prosecution, but there is nothing whatever to prevent the rest of us bringing a private action.
That would stop them dead in their tracks!!
Iolaire,
That is worth working on, if everyone here makes accurate and unbiased records of any such activity then surely a group action situation would be possible.
Interestingly as I am typing this a local Police car has passed my window. It has had missing backlight for at least 7 weeks now! would love it if they pulled me over!
That is worth working on, if everyone here makes accurate and unbiased records of any such activity then surely a group action situation would be possible.
Interestingly as I am typing this a local Police car has passed my window. It has had missing backlight for at least 7 weeks now! would love it if they pulled me over!
There's lots of very nice non-primary A and B roads round there if you fancy a bit of 'spirited' driving. Also check out the A4110/A4113 Leintwardine, Kingsland, Hereford or the B4361 south from Ludlow which parallels the A49. Virtually deserted and superb driving roads!
>> Edited by tim.tonal on Monday 9th May 12:40
>> Edited by tim.tonal on Monday 9th May 12:40
tim.tonal said:
There's lots of very nice non-primary A and B roads round there if you fancy a bit of 'spirited' driving. Also check out the A4110/A4113 Leintwardine, Kingsland, Hereford or the B4361 south from Ludlow which parallels the A49. Virtually deserted and superb driving roads!
Ssssshhhhhhh! Don't tell everyone........
KB_S1 said:
Iolaire,
That is worth working on, if everyone here makes accurate and unbiased records of any such activity then surely a group action situation would be possible.
Interestingly as I am typing this a local Police car has passed my window. It has had missing backlight for at least 7 weeks now! would love it if they pulled me over!
Yes, but what we need is to do this professionally, in the manner that I always claim is the correct one in VASCAR cases.
We need to corroborate the claims with video evidence.
A recording of motorists locking on the anchors or swerving when a camera van comes into view just after a bend would be particularly powerful; especially as I have found a great many of the drivers that do so are actually already under the limit!!
It's an intimidation caused by the very presence of the camera van and what it represents in the mind of the motorist.
What a great many people see is not just a van, but the loss of their licence, and they are so intimidated by this that they react instinctively instead of thoughtfully.
With a fixed camera and a warning sign before it, they know it's coming, check their speedo and sail on.
Flat in Fifth said:
There's lots of very nice non-primary A and B roads round there if you fancy a bit of 'spirited' driving. Also check out the A4110/A4113 Leintwardine, Kingsland, Hereford or the B4361 south from Ludlow which parallels the A49. Virtually deserted and superb driving roads!
Ssssshhhhhhh! Don't tell everyone........
Ok - can be our little secret!
Speaking of West Mercia....
Currently advertising for a General Clerk in the Droitwich Central Ticket Office to adminster NoIP and other penalties / admin for the WM SCP.
Advert makes a big play of "newly refurbished premises, latest IT technology, bla bla"
If you want to be a tax collector with a bit of enforcement thrown in..... Customs and Excise it is then.
According my source quite a few of this set of muppets sites have been thrown out by the new handbook rules & guidelines. For example enforcing at a site just after road "SAFETY" engineering works have been done. Therefore they have to find new sites for revenue.
Currently advertising for a General Clerk in the Droitwich Central Ticket Office to adminster NoIP and other penalties / admin for the WM SCP.
Advert makes a big play of "newly refurbished premises, latest IT technology, bla bla"
If you want to be a tax collector with a bit of enforcement thrown in..... Customs and Excise it is then.
According my source quite a few of this set of muppets sites have been thrown out by the new handbook rules & guidelines. For example enforcing at a site just after road "SAFETY" engineering works have been done. Therefore they have to find new sites for revenue.
IOLAIRE said:
I reckon there is now very substantial evidence for a criminal prosecution against them.
...
The problem might be that the CPS or the Fiscal would be reluctant to bring the prosecution, but there is nothing whatever to prevent the rest of us bringing a private action.
That would stop them dead in their tracks!!
Erm, be VERY careful.
Unless the courts consider this a "Public interest" prosecution, which I doubt they will, then there will be no requirement to cap costs.
In other words, and in the words of Mark Thomas, "[the government will] get the most expensive lawyers they can find and leave the meter running, to scare us out of court, because if we lose we'll be stung for the whole bill."
Unless you can find a patron with a few £million to burn in a potentially futile court case?!?
havoc said:
I reckon there is now very substantial evidence for a criminal prosecution against them.
...
The problem might be that the CPS or the Fiscal would be reluctant to bring the prosecution, but there is nothing whatever to prevent the rest of us bringing a private action.
That would stop them dead in their tracks!!
Erm, be VERY careful.
Unless the courts consider this a "Public interest" prosecution, which I doubt they will, then there will be no requirement to cap costs.
In other words, and in the words of Mark Thomas, "[the government will] get the most expensive lawyers they can find and leave the meter running, to scare us out of court, because if we lose we'll be stung for the whole bill."
Unless you can find a patron with a few £million to burn in a potentially futile court case?!?
I'm aware of this Havoc, that's why I have been doing so much research.
There is clearly a very powerful case for the public interest argument, as it potentially affects every single driver coming anywhere near these vans.
I would be interested to hear any argument to the counter.
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