Tuesday 29th August 2006

159mph cop hurts speed debate

Case focuses on speed not safety, warns Safe Speed

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Safety's the issue not speed

A road safety campaign reckons that the case of the 159mph cop, Mark Milton, decided on Friday by Ludlow Magistrates Court should please no-one.

PC Mark Milton was convicted of dangerous driving, but handed an absolute discharge. The defence is appealing against conviction and the case will rumble on.

This will, warned campaigner Safe Speed, do damage every time it makes news. That's because the public is deeply divided about the issues. On the one hand people are demanding PC Milton's head 'because 159mph must surely be very dangerous', while others react following their own experiences of speed enforcement: 'How come he's got away with 159mph when I was convicted of 35mph in a 30?'

Campaign founder Paul Smith said: "The public is now deeply and dangerously divided about the issues of speed, speed cameras and 'speeding drivers'. Countless millions of pounds worth of 'speed kills' publicity has convinced many that speed in miles per hour is the measure of safety. 'If only drivers would slow down' they cry. But experienced drivers and police drivers understand that vehicle speed in miles per hour tells you little about safety.

"Twenty years ago the public was not sharply divided and the Mark Milton case wouldn't even have happened, let alone made news. These days with road safety policy focused on vehicle speeds, everyone seems to be calling for someone else's head. Meanwhile driver quality and roads policing are in freefall.

"The greatest tragedy of all is that we have a massive focus on vehicle speeds, when what we need is a massive focus on safe driving. Everyone wants safer roads, but vehicle speed is the wrong target; speed cameras are the wrong policy; and dividing the public with propaganda was a deadly mistake.

"You can't measure safe driving in miles per hour."

[Ace sportscars]

No speed is safe and I can't believe they believe that 159mph is acceptable in their eyes. He may have all the driving qualifications in the world but imagine if he'd had a blow out or a similar incident, the consequences could and would have been horrendous to himself and others on the road. Disgusting verdict

[smeggy]

Ace sportscars said:

No speed is safe and I can't believe they believe that 159mph is acceptable in their eyes. He may have all the driving qualifications in the world but imagine if he'd had a blow out or a similar incident, the consequences could and would have been horrendous to himself and others on the road. Disgusting verdict

Imagine if he'd had a blow out when doing 29 approaching a bus stop full of children

[jasandjules]

A bus stop full of blind and amputee children. From an orphanage.

[anonymous-user]

Ace sportscars said:

imagine...

imagine. thats the point; you have to imagine consequenses because there were none. just as you would have to for the thousands who travel at these speeds every day around the world.

[Nic Jones]

jasandjules said:

A bus stop full of gay blind and amputee imigrant children. From an orphanage.

That's more like it.