Motorists' groups back the speed cams?!
Discussion
One of this shower is allegedly actually the Gas Board.
The other allegedly makes loadsamoney supplying the government with most of its vehicle fleets.
Dear Sirs
Can you please confirm whether your spokespersons accurately reflected your policy, or that you have issued a clarification?
Thanking you in anticipation.
Mr BJ Mann
Motorists' groups back the speed cams
MOTORING organisations today backed police claims that speed cameras are cutting road accidents in Gwent.
The Argus revealed yesterday that there were 127 fewer accidents in the county at camera sites last year compared with the previous 12 months. The figures came from the Safety Camera Partnership for Gwent, South Wales, and Dyfed Powys.
And motoring groups the AA and the RAC say they believe cameras are helping keep people safer on the roads.
RAC spokeswoman Char-lotte Latham said: "The cameras are there for specific safety reasons and they can only be a good thing as speed does kill."
South Wales AA spokeswoman Alison Birkett said: "Eighty per cent of our members support the cameras and we carry that through.
"The cameras have the same principle as chevrons placed at sharp bends.
"Just because the accidents stop happening doesn't mean you take them down."
www.thisisgwent.co.uk/gwent/news/NEWS3.html
The other allegedly makes loadsamoney supplying the government with most of its vehicle fleets.
Dear Sirs
Can you please confirm whether your spokespersons accurately reflected your policy, or that you have issued a clarification?
Thanking you in anticipation.
Mr BJ Mann
Motorists' groups back the speed cams
MOTORING organisations today backed police claims that speed cameras are cutting road accidents in Gwent.
The Argus revealed yesterday that there were 127 fewer accidents in the county at camera sites last year compared with the previous 12 months. The figures came from the Safety Camera Partnership for Gwent, South Wales, and Dyfed Powys.
And motoring groups the AA and the RAC say they believe cameras are helping keep people safer on the roads.
RAC spokeswoman Char-lotte Latham said: "The cameras are there for specific safety reasons and they can only be a good thing as speed does kill."
South Wales AA spokeswoman Alison Birkett said: "Eighty per cent of our members support the cameras and we carry that through.
"The cameras have the same principle as chevrons placed at sharp bends.
"Just because the accidents stop happening doesn't mean you take them down."
www.thisisgwent.co.uk/gwent/news/NEWS3.html
The Argus said:
revealed yesterday that there were 127 fewer accidents in the county at camera sites last year compared with the previous 12 months. The figures came from the Safety Camera Partnership for Gwent, South Wales, and Dyfed Powys.
So how come the figures that came from the Safety Camera Partnership are not for the county, just for camera sites?
Not gone up have they?
Oh, and I just realised: even I was thinking 127 fewer deaths!
But it's just "accidents".
So there are probably more deaths at camera sites too, when there should in all probability have been none!
Anyone got the figures to hand?
Don't forget to pop in for a chat:
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Or if you need info:
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bogush said:
One of this shower is allegedly actually the Gas Board.
No such thing as the gas board anymore. The closest thing is Transco which is part of National Grid Transco who own the gas pipes.
The AA is owned by the Centrica groups who were formed by the demerger of British Gas (the other half being Transco) the former Gas Board. Centrica also own British Gas Trading who are a Gas/Elec supplier and producer.
bogush said:
RAC spokeswoman Char-lotte Latham said: "The cameras are there for specific safety reasons and they can only be a good thing as speed does kill."
NO !!! Speed does NOT kill.
When will they get the message.
I have been speeding for 25 years, and am still alive, and NOT killed anyone, including myself.
Well, here's the RAC's reply:
Dear Mr Mann,
Many thanks for your email. Please accept my apologies for the delay in response.
3,400 people are killed on our roads every year and speed is a major contributing factor to those casualties. If speed cameras can help reduce this figure (as just one part of a road safety scheme) without simply becoming a means of raising additional revenues then RAC supports their use. It is also important to note that a motorist who speeds is breaking the law and may be prosecuted accordingly.
However, we fully sympathise with motorists who are concerned speed cameras are used simply as revenue generators when they are not positioned at sites of accident blackspots and call upon local authorities to consider the locations of speed cameras carefully.
I hope this answers your enquiry, though if you'd like any further clarification, please call me on 0208 917 2503.
Kind regards,
Charlotte Latham.
And from the AA:
Down the years my experience is that our spokesmsn usually get it right, although Alison may have got the percentage 5 per cent too high in this case.
This document - our evidence to the House of Commons Transport Committee may interest you .
Andrew Howard
Head of Road Safety
The Automobile Association
01252 700967
Dear Mr Mann,
Many thanks for your email. Please accept my apologies for the delay in response.
3,400 people are killed on our roads every year and speed is a major contributing factor to those casualties. If speed cameras can help reduce this figure (as just one part of a road safety scheme) without simply becoming a means of raising additional revenues then RAC supports their use. It is also important to note that a motorist who speeds is breaking the law and may be prosecuted accordingly.
However, we fully sympathise with motorists who are concerned speed cameras are used simply as revenue generators when they are not positioned at sites of accident blackspots and call upon local authorities to consider the locations of speed cameras carefully.
I hope this answers your enquiry, though if you'd like any further clarification, please call me on 0208 917 2503.
Kind regards,
Charlotte Latham.
And from the AA:
Down the years my experience is that our spokesmsn usually get it right, although Alison may have got the percentage 5 per cent too high in this case.
This document - our evidence to the House of Commons Transport Committee may interest you .
Andrew Howard
Head of Road Safety
The Automobile Association
01252 700967
cked any chance the AA and RAC have of ever getting any money out of me. 
Just a thought, but when did the AA or RAC become "motorist groups"? Surely at the end of the day they are both just glorified recovery services? I don't pay the AA to get involved in road safety policy discussions, I pay them to come and get me if my car gives up the ghost. I don't recall EVER receiving anything from the AA asking for my views on a motoring related subject, so I struggle to see who they think they are speaking for.
Time to join the ABD methinks.
Time to join the ABD methinks.
And another one sent to RAC (to whom I am a member - possibly not to be soon)
FAO Charlotte Latham
Dear Charlotte,
I read an article from a short while ago out of "This is Gwent" about the RAC backing speed cameras.
While I agree in some cases that speed cameras can aid in the reducing of speed in certain rare circumstances, it has been proved time and time again that they do not work overall and ARE simply a tool to raise revenue.
However this is not my main problem. My main problem is that a company with all the years of experience and knowledge that I just joined up with recently would state the factually incorrect and totally blinkered response "speed kills" leaves me speechless.
Speed does not kill, inattentive and bad driving does. Speed can make the effects of an accident worse but if the accident were to never happen in the first place due to good driving then there would not be a concern!
I hope that your company realises that you are not accurately representing the views of your customers and that it could cause a lot of customers to switch to an alternative motoring organisation.
Regards,
Gh0st
New Member
FAO Charlotte Latham
Dear Charlotte,
I read an article from a short while ago out of "This is Gwent" about the RAC backing speed cameras.
While I agree in some cases that speed cameras can aid in the reducing of speed in certain rare circumstances, it has been proved time and time again that they do not work overall and ARE simply a tool to raise revenue.
However this is not my main problem. My main problem is that a company with all the years of experience and knowledge that I just joined up with recently would state the factually incorrect and totally blinkered response "speed kills" leaves me speechless.
Speed does not kill, inattentive and bad driving does. Speed can make the effects of an accident worse but if the accident were to never happen in the first place due to good driving then there would not be a concern!
I hope that your company realises that you are not accurately representing the views of your customers and that it could cause a lot of customers to switch to an alternative motoring organisation.
Regards,
Gh0st
New Member
hornet said:
Just a thought, but when did the AA or RAC become "motorist groups"? Surely at the end of the day they are both just glorified recovery services? I don't pay the AA to get involved in road safety policy discussions, I pay them to come and get me if my car gives up the ghost. I don't recall EVER receiving anything from the AA asking for my views on a motoring related subject, so I struggle to see who they think they are speaking for.
Time to join the ABD methinks.
I have just fired off a query to the AA asking when they asked my opinion.
Also why are they not concentrating on Recovery Services which is what we pay them for.
I have asked to see a copy of their market research showing how they came to that conclusion.
Eli
hornet said:
Just a thought, but when did the AA or RAC become "motorist groups"?
The AA was actually originally set up about 100 years ago specifically as a means of warning early motorists of early speed traps.
It was set up by a group of motorists fed up with plod hiding by the road side and using a stop watch to time cars passing between two points and signalling to another plod up the road to stop any cars that did so in less than the legal time.
Said motorists (all rich buggers in the early days) hit back by hiring men to ride round on pushbikes looking out for these speed traps and then hang round signalling warnings to approaching motorists (or at least AA members).
Of course now the AA are far more concerned with selling you insurance or loans.
grahambell said:
The AA was actually originally set up about 100 years ago specifically as a means of warning early motorists of early speed traps.
It was set up by a group of motorists fed up with plod hiding by the road side and using a stop watch to time cars passing between two points and signalling to another plod up the road to stop any cars that did so in less than the legal time.
Said motorists (all rich buggers in the early days) hit back by hiring men to ride round on pushbikes looking out for these speed traps and then hang round signalling warnings to approaching motorists (or at least AA members).
Of course now the AA are far more concerned with selling you insurance or loans.
Too true. Points I made in another thread a couple of days ago, though less eloquently than yourself. Perhaps the ABD would get a lot more members if it hired boys on bikes to warn its members of speed traps? I guess unskilled labour is a lot more expensive now, though, with minimum wages and NICs.
Just to chip in with our experience of AA!
Last year - some yobbo tried to pinch my Mother-in-Law's Vx Vectra. They damaged the ignition lock, and the cops advised her not to even attempt to drive it to the local dealer!
She called the AA. They sent patrol man to look at the car. She stipulated that it needed towing to garage. (She pays for the whole range of breakdown/recovery services they are supposed to offer)
AA man fiddled with the ignition and hotwired it to start the car! Then beggared off, telling Ma-in Law to drive it carefully to the Vx dealer one mile away through busy traffic! He did not even offer to follow her in case of trouble! (Ma-in-Law is past mid 60s, and was not amused!) She called the AA again. They said that their patrolman had fixed the car, and that in his opinion - which they backed 100% - the car was driveable.
Ma-in-Law contacts Vauxhall - who say "Car is too dangerous to drive in those circumstances". She rings AA again - who, despite police advice and the dealer's advice) refuse to come and tow the car to the garage "because their patrolman says it is safe!"
Ma-in-Law calls Vauxhall dealer to get them to tow it up. She is
and 
by this time!
Vauxhall dealer (bless 'em) tow the car at no charge to Ma-in-Law, but sent the bill to the AA instead!
. As far as I know - they settled it!
But it makes you wonder what you are paying them for!
Ma-in-Law has now joined RAC in hope they will be more helpful.
Also the firm's rep who got the 32mph speed ticket in Lancs tells me he contacted the AA's £1 per minute so-called help-line. All he got was: "Speed Kills!" and no further advice! He called the RAC's version and got "tea and sympathy" on the phone - and some options, though the general consensus was: "Take the course in this instance".
Last year - some yobbo tried to pinch my Mother-in-Law's Vx Vectra. They damaged the ignition lock, and the cops advised her not to even attempt to drive it to the local dealer!
She called the AA. They sent patrol man to look at the car. She stipulated that it needed towing to garage. (She pays for the whole range of breakdown/recovery services they are supposed to offer)
AA man fiddled with the ignition and hotwired it to start the car! Then beggared off, telling Ma-in Law to drive it carefully to the Vx dealer one mile away through busy traffic! He did not even offer to follow her in case of trouble! (Ma-in-Law is past mid 60s, and was not amused!) She called the AA again. They said that their patrolman had fixed the car, and that in his opinion - which they backed 100% - the car was driveable.
Ma-in-Law contacts Vauxhall - who say "Car is too dangerous to drive in those circumstances". She rings AA again - who, despite police advice and the dealer's advice) refuse to come and tow the car to the garage "because their patrolman says it is safe!"
Ma-in-Law calls Vauxhall dealer to get them to tow it up. She is
and by this time! Vauxhall dealer (bless 'em) tow the car at no charge to Ma-in-Law, but sent the bill to the AA instead!
. As far as I know - they settled it! But it makes you wonder what you are paying them for!
Ma-in-Law has now joined RAC in hope they will be more helpful.
Also the firm's rep who got the 32mph speed ticket in Lancs tells me he contacted the AA's £1 per minute so-called help-line. All he got was: "Speed Kills!" and no further advice! He called the RAC's version and got "tea and sympathy" on the phone - and some options, though the general consensus was: "Take the course in this instance".
bogush said:
Well, here's the RAC's reply:
Dear Mr Mann,
Many thanks for your email. Please accept my apologies for the delay in response.
3,400 people are killed on our roads every year and speed is a major contributing factor to those casualties. If speed cameras can help reduce this figure (as just one part of a road safety scheme) without simply becoming a means of raising additional revenues then RAC supports their use. It is also important to note that a motorist who speeds is breaking the law and may be prosecuted accordingly.
However, we fully sympathise with motorists who are concerned speed cameras are used simply as revenue generators when they are not positioned at sites of accident blackspots and call upon local authorities to consider the locations of speed cameras carefully.
I hope this answers your enquiry, though if you'd like any further clarification, please call me on 0208 917 2503.
Kind regards,
Charlotte Latham.
And from the AA:
Down the years my experience is that our spokesmsn usually get it right, although Alison may have got the percentage 5 per cent too high in this case.
This document - our evidence to the House of Commons Transport Committee may interest you .
Andrew Howard
Head of Road Safety
The Automobile Association
01252 700967
Note the use of the word "if" ...."If speed cameras can reduce this figure"..... er what "IF" they dam well dont?
The use of the word "IF" suggests they dont bloody have any clue as to the "bastard" machines' effectiveness!
I suggest a retort based upon this point.
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