Send this to your MP please
Discussion
Can this be escalated/ kept as a 'sticky' ?
Dear
I wish to comment regarding the recent bad publicity regarding the usage of mobile laser speed cameras, namely the LTI 20/20 lightweight hand held unit - currently used by a number of police forces throughout the Uk.
I believe from the information provided, that these units have been proven , on various occasions , to give out false readings i.e registering vehicles exceeding the speed limit, when in fact, they are not.
This has recently been proved on the National ITV programme, 'Tonight with Trevor McDonald' , which was screened earlier this week, along with other motoring issues which have resulted in wrongly convicted motorists.
Therefore, I respectfully request the Government to carry out an immediate withdrawal of this type of unit until its reliability can be proven, along with a full inquiry as to why such a unit can be allowed to produce evidence leading to the wrongful conviction of motorists, when its reliability is in such doubt.
I await your reply
Mr.
Just fill in the name of your MP and email them, along with your name and address - who knows it might just do something...
Dear
I wish to comment regarding the recent bad publicity regarding the usage of mobile laser speed cameras, namely the LTI 20/20 lightweight hand held unit - currently used by a number of police forces throughout the Uk.
I believe from the information provided, that these units have been proven , on various occasions , to give out false readings i.e registering vehicles exceeding the speed limit, when in fact, they are not.
This has recently been proved on the National ITV programme, 'Tonight with Trevor McDonald' , which was screened earlier this week, along with other motoring issues which have resulted in wrongly convicted motorists.
Therefore, I respectfully request the Government to carry out an immediate withdrawal of this type of unit until its reliability can be proven, along with a full inquiry as to why such a unit can be allowed to produce evidence leading to the wrongful conviction of motorists, when its reliability is in such doubt.
I await your reply
Mr.
Just fill in the name of your MP and email them, along with your name and address - who knows it might just do something...
A couple of notes:
a) Please reword in your own terms - 'copy' letters do not have an impact, and
b) Use www.writetothem.com (used to be www.faxyourmp.com) if you're a lazy bugger like me.
a) Please reword in your own terms - 'copy' letters do not have an impact, and
b) Use www.writetothem.com (used to be www.faxyourmp.com) if you're a lazy bugger like me.
A few points...
* Don't 'comment' (as suggested in the draft). You are concerned and demand answers!
* Ensure your letter is individual with as much personal background as needed to show that you have an interest - even expertise - in the subject.
* Point out how serious the matter is: (confidence in speed enfocement under threat, million of motorists may have been erroneously convicted, confidence in police and law under threat.)
As soon as I get time there will be a Safe Speed page on the subject at: www.safespeed.org.uk/lti2020.html
* Don't 'comment' (as suggested in the draft). You are concerned and demand answers!
* Ensure your letter is individual with as much personal background as needed to show that you have an interest - even expertise - in the subject.
* Point out how serious the matter is: (confidence in speed enfocement under threat, million of motorists may have been erroneously convicted, confidence in police and law under threat.)
As soon as I get time there will be a Safe Speed page on the subject at: www.safespeed.org.uk/lti2020.html
For the common or garden MP, start your letter "Dear <givenname> <familyname>, MP". If your MP is a Minister, a Privy Councillor, etc, be sure to get the form of address correct. Look it up on the Internet. Incorrectly addressed letters will likely be heeded less than those that demonstrate a respect for proper protocol (regardless of how little, or much, respect you might have for your elected representative).
End your letter "Yours truly" - it's a peculiar form used when writing to a Member of Parliament.
And above all, get the sentence construction, spelling, grammar and punctuation correct. I have seen letters to MPs where their secretary has ringed all the solecisms ... possibly to indicate that the writer deserves less consideration than another. Such letters generally receive only a pro forma response and scant attention. And don't swear or indulge in excessive use of adjectives or adjectival clauses. This too may well be considered the mark of an uneducated writer and lead to your letter being filed and forgotten (faster that the rest!).
Of course, if your MP is "Two Jags", he probably won't notice!
Streaky
>> Edited by streaky on Sunday 6th November 17:27
End your letter "Yours truly" - it's a peculiar form used when writing to a Member of Parliament.
And above all, get the sentence construction, spelling, grammar and punctuation correct. I have seen letters to MPs where their secretary has ringed all the solecisms ... possibly to indicate that the writer deserves less consideration than another. Such letters generally receive only a pro forma response and scant attention. And don't swear or indulge in excessive use of adjectives or adjectival clauses. This too may well be considered the mark of an uneducated writer and lead to your letter being filed and forgotten (faster that the rest!).
Of course, if your MP is "Two Jags", he probably won't notice!
Streaky
>> Edited by streaky on Sunday 6th November 17:27
stubydoo said:
Can this be escalated/ kept as a 'sticky' ?
Dear
I wish to comment regarding the recent bad publicity regarding the usage of mobile laser speed cameras, namely the LTI 20/20 lightweight hand held unit - currently used by a number of police forces throughout the Uk.
I believe from the information provided, that these units have been proven , on various occasions , to give out false readings i.e registering vehicles exceeding the speed limit, when in fact, they are not.
This has recently been proved on the National ITV programme, 'Tonight with Trevor McDonald' , which was screened earlier this week, along with other motoring issues which have resulted in wrongly convicted motorists.
Therefore, I respectfully request the Government to carry out an immediate withdrawal of this type of unit until its reliability can be proven, along with a full inquiry as to why such a unit can be allowed to produce evidence leading to the wrongful conviction of motorists, when its reliability is in such doubt.
I await your reply
Mr.
Just fill in the name of your MP and email them, along with your name and address - who knows it might just do something...
Not much point where I live as the local MP is the Lib Dem member pushing through the new transport bill, especially the bit about camera partnerships being allowed to put cameras and mobile traps anywhere they deem neccessary. Her husband is a local councilllor who preaches the speed kills, 20mph outside schoole 24/7 enforcement strategy.
rewc said:
Not much point where I live as the local MP is the Lib Dem member pushing through the new transport bill, especially the bit about camera partnerships being allowed to put cameras and mobile traps anywhere they deem neccessary. Her husband is a local councilllor who preaches the speed kills, 20mph outside schoole 24/7 enforcement strategy.
He's still obliged to reply to a letter from a constituent. Ask a few hard questions.
Ok, I've used the link above to contact my MP. I'm not going to paste the whole thing here but I basically said
"Express, Daily Mail, Inside Out, Tonight and MCN all say this thing is crap and can give an error reading. If it does, the operator doesn't even know. UK Gov could just provide a UK-spec gun for testing to end the matter but choose not to - very suspect. People being convicted for offences that did not happen. Law not being applied fairly.
Please get the approval for this gun withdrawn pending a full review of its operation and use"
My MP has never failed to toe the party line. He always does exactly what he is told to do by the Labour Party. I don't see my letter getting more than a bucket of fudge in reply. But I did it anyway
"Express, Daily Mail, Inside Out, Tonight and MCN all say this thing is crap and can give an error reading. If it does, the operator doesn't even know. UK Gov could just provide a UK-spec gun for testing to end the matter but choose not to - very suspect. People being convicted for offences that did not happen. Law not being applied fairly.
Please get the approval for this gun withdrawn pending a full review of its operation and use"
My MP has never failed to toe the party line. He always does exactly what he is told to do by the Labour Party. I don't see my letter getting more than a bucket of fudge in reply. But I did it anyway
I wrote to my MP about speed cameras increasing accidents in roadworks on motorways via the weblink. Never got a reply, but I did get an automated email asking if I'd had a reply, ticked 'no' and got no reply.
What's worse is it's a new MP with a 300 seat majority
And yes, I voted for you, Rob Wilson - Conservative MP for Reading East
What's worse is it's a new MP with a 300 seat majority
And yes, I voted for you, Rob Wilson - Conservative MP for Reading East
sent my message to local MP. Added in comments about measurement system variation too and some repeatibility studies they should carry out independantly, as i have some experience in measurement in the automotive industry. I doubt i will hear any response but feel we need to do something!
BliarOut said:
Done... And as mine is a tory, I asked about his views seeing as they are the party who started the whole speed camera fiasco.
Just a small point. The Tories didn't start the "fiasco". However wrong they were (i.e. non-accident-preventing), they were introduced in but a handful of places. It's this current government who turned the whole thing into a business / fiasco.
james_j said:
Done... And as mine is a tory, I asked about his views seeing as they are the party who started the whole speed camera fiasco.
Just a small point. The Tories didn't start the "fiasco". However wrong they were (i.e. non-accident-preventing), they were introduced in but a handful of places. It's this current government who turned the whole thing into a business / fiasco.
Correct, Labour introduced hypothetication..... But I wanted to ensure a reaction
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