AA atlas shows scamera sites
Generates storm of protest from predictable people
The AA has updated its atlases for 2006 -- and has for the first time included the location of speed cameras. The result has been a storm of controversy.
So-called safety experts predictably intoned that giving people information would encourage them to break the law.
"The only people interested in the location of speed cameras are those who like breaking speed limits but want to know when they need to put their foot on the brake to escape being caught.
"The AA is helping those motorists who want to break the law escape detection. This is like publishing the position of all police stations in a special atlas for car thieves." said a Transport 2000 spokesman, ignoring evidence from Government research which shows that adhering to speed limits does not equal automatically make a driver safe.
The AA responded that it would help save lives, and that its decision had the police's backing and was about road safety. That's because, said the AA, most speed cameras are situated in accident black-spots. Therefore telling drivers where they are will alert them and reduce danger.
"We are not really doing anything new, as people can obtain information about camera sites from both the police and the Department for Transport," said an AA spokeswoman.
The Association of Chief Police Officers and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents were more in favour, saying that it would encourage motorists to slow down at accident black spots.
The AA sells about two million atlases annually.
[quote=Transport 2000]Press release embargoed until 00.01 hours Wednesday 29 June 2005
ROAD safety campaigners strongly criticised the AA for including the location of speed cameras in its new atlas of the road published today. Transport 2000 said the move would help motorists who wanted to break the law to escape detection.
Steve Hounsham, spokesperson for the group, said: “This is irresponsible in the extreme. The only people interested in the location of speed cameras are those who like breaking speed limits but want to know when they need to put their foot on the brake to escape being caught.
“The AA is helping those motorists who want to break the law escape detection. This is like publishing the position of all police stations in a special atlas for car thieves.”
Transport 2000 said responsible motorists had no need to know where speed cameras were located because they were within the speed limit at all times. Certain types of in-car speed camera detector equipment are due to be outlawed by the forthcoming Road Safety Bill.
Figures show that speed is a major contributory factor in around one-third of all road crashes, and that excessive speed (over the speed limit) or inappropriate speed (too fast for the conditions) is recorded as a factor in 40 per cent of fatal car crashes. Studies prove that speed cameras reduce speeding and road casualties, and polls repeatedly show that more than 70 per cent of the public support the use of cameras to make the roads safer.[/quote]
They appear to have forgotten to mention about the police and RoSPA supporting it
Surely if this is the case then it is the AA who should be applauded for trying to reduce road accidents
The comment regarding the location of police stations for car thieves is surely slanderous as he is essentially insinuating (sp?) that ALL motorists are criminals
Must be a case for all motorists to sue this wr!
If I have a co pilot who is map reading they will then say to me "oh, there are speed cameras on this road" thus I will be watching what I'm doing more (not watching the road, just looking for the cameras).
I'm gunna get me one of those Atlas (unless it's £300), oh aye, well done AA.
JonRB said:
Obviously employing the same excellent logic as the GPS detctor brigade, to whit:
"Ah, but surely your Safety Cameras are all located at accident blackspots, so we are surely helping your quest to lower accidents and fatalities by identifying these locations to motorists so that they can drive slower and safer there."
You can't argue with that.
T2000, Driving fast is dangerous, slow down at camera's, cut road deaths, be more aware.
OK, I'll read my Atlas, oooo, there is a camera there, I'll note to go slow and be extra observant there.
T2000, Noooooo, your not allowed to know about them, we don't "really" want you to go slower, we want you to not notice, drive faster and more "dangerously" and get fined!
What the feck?
Telling us to go slower and safer, but then impede our ability to do that at the most important time, near accident blackspots!
Wish they'd take a long bike ride off a short pier!
Dave
article said:
"The AA is helping those motorists who want to break the law escape detection. This is like publishing the position of all police stations in a special atlas for car thieves.
Is it just me or is that an incredibly poor analogy? Police stations usually are on maps along with hospitals and any other places of public interest. Is a lobotomy required for joinging or what?
Mr Whippy said:I don't believe that is actually the case. I think what they want is to spread fear and paranoia amongst motorists to the point that they beleive there is a camera around every corner so that they drive at a snail's pace everywhere.
T2000, Noooooo, your not allowed to know about them, we don't "really" want you to go slower, we want you to not notice, drive faster and more "dangerously" and get fined!
Obviously, drivers knowing where the cameras are defeats this.
JonRB said:
As I wrote in this thread on the same subject:
JonRB said:
Obviously employing the same excellent logic as the GPS detctor brigade, to whit:
"Ah, but surely your Safety Cameras are all located at accident blackspots, so we are surely helping your quest to lower accidents and fatalities by identifying these locations to motorists so that they can drive slower and safer there."
You can't argue with that.
JonRB said:
As I wrote in this thread on the same subject:
JonRB said:
Obviously employing the same excellent logic as the GPS detctor brigade, to whit:
"Ah, but surely your Safety Cameras are all located at accident blackspots, so we are surely helping your quest to lower accidents and fatalities by identifying these locations to motorists so that they can drive slower and safer there."
You can't argue with that.
(The AA)
Surely I am being a little over cynical here, or have I stumbled onto something
A good idea, but maybe they should have identified accident blackspots as the primary and then identified the speed(sorry, safety) scameras so the numpties didn't protest against it so much.
Paul
Transport 2000 said:
Press release embargoed until 00.01 hours Wednesday 29 June 2005
"and polls repeatedly show that more than 70 per cent of the public support the use of cameras to make the roads safer".
THAT IS AN OUTRIGHT LIE!! Do they have no shame?
Although, lies like this do serve a very good purpose in discrediting any other statistics that come from the same stable.
thrush said:
Transport 2000 said:
Press release embargoed until 00.01 hours Wednesday 29 June 2005
ROAD safety campaigners strongly criticised the AA for including the location of speed cameras in its new atlas of the road published today. Transport 2000 said the move would help motorists who wanted to break the law to escape detection.
Steve Hounsham, spokesperson for the group, said: “This is irresponsible in the extreme. The only people interested in the location of speed cameras are those who like breaking speed limits but want to know when they need to put their foot on the brake to escape being caught.
“The AA is helping those motorists who want to break the law escape detection. This is like publishing the position of all police stations in a special atlas for car thieves.”
Transport 2000 said responsible motorists had no need to know where speed cameras were located because they were within the speed limit at all times. Certain types of in-car speed camera detector equipment are due to be outlawed by the forthcoming Road Safety Bill.
Figures show that speed is a major contributory factor in around one-third of all road crashes, and that excessive speed (over the speed limit) or inappropriate speed (too fast for the conditions) is recorded as a factor in 40 per cent of fatal car crashes. Studies prove that speed cameras reduce speeding and road casualties, and polls repeatedly show that more than 70 per cent of the public support the use of cameras to make the roads safer.
They appear to have forgotten to mention about the police and RoSPA supporting it
They forget lots of things such as the down trend in road deaths prior to speed cameras, the problew is is that they are anti-car bust-period end of story
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