Speed camera campaign launched
Discussion
Speed camera campaign launched
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/dorset/3373885.stm
Seven people were killed on the road last year
Residents living near one of Oxfordshire's most dangerous roads have called for speed cameras to be introduced.
Nine people have been killed in seven separate accidents over the last year on the A4130 at Nettlebed, in the south of the county.
Villagers met on Monday night to launch their appeal for a new 40mph limit, and speed cameras, to police the most dangerous part of the road, Gangsdown Hill.
The council agreed to work with residents on the problem in April.
If these speed cameras are put up, hopefully myself and others won't have to see the same sorts of accidents again
Simon Till
Leader of the campaign, pub landlord Simon Till, said the meeting went extremely well, with a higher than expected turn-out.
"The mood was extremely supportive, I think people had thought there was a problem for a while but felt there wasn't much they could do about it," he told BBC News Online.
Mr Till was one of the first people on the scene in September when a couple and their eight-year-old son were killed in a head-on smash.
"If these speed cameras are put up, hopefully myself and others won't have to see the same sorts of accidents again," he said.
Councillors have promised to walk the road with residents in April to see the problem for themselves, provided they receive the required 40 letters from villagers asking them to act.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/dorset/3373885.stm
Seven people were killed on the road last year
Residents living near one of Oxfordshire's most dangerous roads have called for speed cameras to be introduced.
Nine people have been killed in seven separate accidents over the last year on the A4130 at Nettlebed, in the south of the county.
Villagers met on Monday night to launch their appeal for a new 40mph limit, and speed cameras, to police the most dangerous part of the road, Gangsdown Hill.
The council agreed to work with residents on the problem in April.
If these speed cameras are put up, hopefully myself and others won't have to see the same sorts of accidents again
Simon Till
Leader of the campaign, pub landlord Simon Till, said the meeting went extremely well, with a higher than expected turn-out.
"The mood was extremely supportive, I think people had thought there was a problem for a while but felt there wasn't much they could do about it," he told BBC News Online.
Mr Till was one of the first people on the scene in September when a couple and their eight-year-old son were killed in a head-on smash.
"If these speed cameras are put up, hopefully myself and others won't have to see the same sorts of accidents again," he said.
Councillors have promised to walk the road with residents in April to see the problem for themselves, provided they receive the required 40 letters from villagers asking them to act.
motorbiker said:
Councillors have promised to walk the road with residents in April to see the problem for themselves, provided they receive the required 40 letters from villagers asking them to act.
Wouldn't they be better off DRIVING the road?? After all, thats what roads are for, driving on - you wanna walk, use fhe f@cking PAVEMENT!!!
Another example of shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted. How on earth is fining someone AFTER they have broken a speed limit going to help? Is it beyond the wit of anyone to realise this road is causing deaths because it is dangerous? Re-engineer it, redesign a chicane or introduce some kind of traffic calming. But that's not terribly cost effective I imagine, far better to make a bit of cash out some poor bastards misfortune
TRL research last year (TRL548 available from the TRL web site) discovered that vehicle activated warning signs were three times more effective at slowing vehicles in areas of danger at one third of the cost.
>> Edited by apache on Thursday 15th January 15:36
TRL research last year (TRL548 available from the TRL web site) discovered that vehicle activated warning signs were three times more effective at slowing vehicles in areas of danger at one third of the cost.
>> Edited by apache on Thursday 15th January 15:36
PGM said:
plotloss - watch out for the scamera van that regularly parks in the layby at the top of the hill.
You're right - cracking bit of road that I use regularly - seems dangerous from the stats, but I can't really understand why!
Cheers
Paul
An ex girlfriend of mine died following a long illness last year. We used to go out on regular blasts on the bike together when we were together (before she got ill) and she always used to moan like hell because I refused to ever go very quickly with her on the back. A few weeks before she died she asked to go for a bike ride. We didn't discuss it, but we both knew it would be the last time she would ever ride on the bike with me. Before we left she implored me to finally open it up with her, pointing out that if anything did happen to her it wasn't going to make a lot difference.
We hit the roundabout at the bottom of Gangsdown Hill at about 6.30am on a clear, sunny morning, just in time to see a Ferrari 550 going up the hill at a rate of knots. I'm not sure how fast we were going when we went past it, but it was bloody quick.
She reminded me of this whenever I saw her, right up until she died. The road is wide open and very fast, with few side turnings and only a couple of corners (one of which is quite technical and does have a lane emerging halfway through. There is no reason why anybody with a modicum of ability and common sense should have any problem along there at ANY speed.
Sadly, it seems that there are an awful lot of people out there without any ability or common sense whatsoever and, once again, the approach is lower everybody to the lowest common denominator, rather than to raise the standards of the ignorant and the inept.
At least I was able to put a smile on Sarah's face before they got their hands on Gangsdown Hill...
Speeding is presumably just one factor in the accidents. Indeed if any of them occurred on an icy morning it is possible the cars were not exceeding the speed limits, although excessive speed would have still been a reason for an accident.
Surely speed cameras should only be installed were speeding is the sole cause of the accident. If one of these accidents was a head on that means someone was on the wrong side of the road. Even if both cars had been doing 30mph the collision speed would have been 60mph and could still be fatal!
What about double white lines, speed warning signs etc?
Surely speed cameras should only be installed were speeding is the sole cause of the accident. If one of these accidents was a head on that means someone was on the wrong side of the road. Even if both cars had been doing 30mph the collision speed would have been 60mph and could still be fatal!
What about double white lines, speed warning signs etc?
chrisgr31 said:
Speeding is presumably just one factor in the accidents. Indeed if any of them occurred on an icy morning it is possible the cars were not exceeding the speed limits, although excessive speed would have still been a reason for an accident.
Surely speed cameras should only be installed were speeding is the sole cause of the accident. If one of these accidents was a head on that means someone was on the wrong side of the road. Even if both cars had been doing 30mph the collision speed would have been 60mph and could still be fatal!
What about double white lines, speed warning signs etc?
Just so you can develop a mental image of what it looks like, here's a map reference for Gangsdown Hill:
www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=467500&y=187500&z=3&sv=Gangsdown&st=3&tl=Gangsdown+Hill,+Oxfordshire+&searchp=newsearch.srf&mapp=newmap.srf
See some people's previous comments here: www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=10&t=74563
PetrolTed said:
Too many drivers on autopilot - that's the biggest problem with our roads.
Absolutely, because the job of driving is being removed from us (because we aren't clever enough to do it ourselves due to poor training and inadequate tests)
There is less for us to look out for thanks to an overabundance of signage, over zealous speed limits and an 'I'm not speeding therefor I'm ok' mentality'
- StreakyPGM said:
plotloss - watch out for the scamera van that regularly parks in the layby at the top of the hill.
You're right - cracking bit of road that I use regularly - seems dangerous from the stats, but I can't really understand why!
Cheers
Paul
Watch out Scamera van operator. FRom today I will carry a camera, and I will photograph you, give you a roadside interview, and complain to your superiors & write to the papers. Tread carefully, I control your next payrise. I am the tax paying motorist and I am pretty narked with your illegal tactics. Car crime - don't let them get away with it. Cameras are an infringment of your civil liberties, an afront to all the decent motorists and nothing more than a sham. Let's give them hell. If you're parked badly, I will call the police to move you on. If you are parked outside of an accident zone, I will ask you to prove why you are there. I will be patient. I will park my highsided vehicle infront of your shi* box gatso all day if neccessary. YOu have got me so mad, mr scamera operator. For my name is the English Motorist, and you had better be frightened.
I feel strangely better for that.
PetrolTed said:
Too many drivers on autopilot - that's the biggest problem with our roads.
Yes, quite true.
The trouble is, is that there will be more and more drivers on autopilot and thus more dangerous, if speed limits keep getting lower.
...and if ever there are speed control devices on cars, you will see even more accidents as everyone will be fast asleep.
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