Sun Letters - Speed Cams Kill

[maxrider]

[quote=The Sun]
Caught out ... speed camera

ROAD deaths have soared in areas where MORE speed cameras have been installed, an investigation by Motorcycle News has revealed.

In North Wales – where 56,247 speeding tickets were issued – deaths rose by 18 per cent, yet in Durham – where there are no Gatso cameras – deaths fell by a quarter.

Readers are appalled.




NOW we know speed cameras claim more lives than they are supposed to save.

Contrary to what some think, practically all motorists are sensible and drive at speeds appropriate to road conditions at the time — often well UNDER the speed limit.

With cameras about, there is a tendency to drive UP to the speed limit regardless of road conditions, particularly if drivers think they might be holding up cars behind



CHRIS SHIPP
Kingsbridge, Devon


NOW it has been shown that speed cameras do little or nothing for road safety, can we expect all the so-called “safety camera partnerships” to stop pretending?

How about having all their vans simply labelled “tax collectors”. At least it would be honest.

We would all support cameras if they were highly visible and slowed the traffic — but if they did that they would not make any money.


GEORGE EDWARDS
Harrogate, North Yorks


MANY drivers have got into the habit of braking sharply just before they reach speed cameras and then putting their foot down once they have passed.

Others are too busy looking at their speedometers to pay attention to the road. Speed kills but so do dangerous practices like these.


MATTHEW MORRISON
Walsall, West Midlands


IF the only reason speed cameras were installed was to cut deaths, this new evidence shows they must be taken down. Motorists are penalised enough as it is.


ANNA MORTON
Gravesend, Kent


I AM not surprised that camera partnerships are refusing to remove speed cams even though they have been proved to cause more road deaths.

In London, the head of the ambulance service revealed speed humps were killing 500 people a year by delaying the emergency services.

Proper evidence from a top professional — but what did the London Assembly do? Attacked him for speaking out.
That’s how these fanatics deal with facts.


MARTIN JONES
Southall, West London


ALTHOUGH road fatalities are terrible but inevitable, I can not wait for the police explanation for the recent findings.

No one could ever be convinced that this plague on our nation was for anything else other than raising revenue.

All drivers convicted of marginally exceeding speed limits, where no danger has been caused to any other road user, should have penalty points removed from their licences and fines refunded from the vast amount of cash generated.


PETER FITZPATRICK
Accrington, Lancs


THE SUN’S editorial sums up the main reason for more speed cam-related accidents — people jamming on their brakes.

It would be cheaper for careless, irresponsible speeders to pay attention to the road instead of spending their time looking for the camera.


MIKE HARVEY
Redditch, Worcs


WHAT is particularly worrying is that deaths of child pedestrians have increased, giving Britain one of the worst records in Europe.

Research shows that 85 per cent of pedestrians hit at 40mph will die, 45 per cent at 30mph but only five per cent at 20mph.

The Government needs to look at other ways to make our roads safer for kids.

Children’s charity NCH and End Child Poverty are campaigning for more 20mph zones around schools and built-up areas.

This is an effective way of reducing child pedestrian accidents and making our roads safer.


GEORGE McNAMARA
NCH Policy Officer, London


WE all know that Gatsos are a form of extra tax on the motorist.

The Government can not really grab any more money from motorists through fuel tax because of the high oil price — so they allow the authorities to put these speed cameras up.


JAMIE LUCAS
Farnborough, Hants


WE are all creatures of habit and soon get to know where the mechanical spies are. Even when driving on unfamiliar roads, the sudden increase in brake lights gives the game away.

The only way that speed cams will cut accidents is to move them around, keeping them inconspicuous.


GRAHAM DIXON
Preston, Lancs
[/quote]

"Some" good responses here, but unfortunately the press still seem to be picking letters from the lentilists and the 'speed kills' brigade as if they formed a significant proportion of the population...
They don't :rolleyes:

Mike Harvey/Graham Dixon - you are f:censored:g numpties.

George McNamara...'The Government needs to look at other ways to make our roads safer for kids.'

Three words... 'Green..Cross..Code' you tw@t