Brunstrom again......
Discussion
www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,2779-1118085,00.html
Police: The speed cop's next target
The ‘mad mullah’ of speeding is turning his attention to boy racers and OAPs, he tells Jane Mulkerrins
Richard Brunstrom does not do things by halves. Britain’s most senior traffic officer and the man lambasted by the tabloids as the “mad mullah of the
traffic taliban” for his strict anti-speeding views, has a new policy — confiscating and crushing the cars of those who misbehave. This is just one of the
innovations Brunstrom enthuses about when we meet at his headquarters in Colwyn Bay. The chief constable of North Wales and head of road policing policy for the
Association of Chief Police Officers is also spearheading the development of a new “impairment-ometer” to be used at the roadside to test whether motorists are too drunk, too stoned, too tired or, most controversially, too old to drive properly. This, he says, “is coming down the pipeline to us very soon”.
But let’s return to the crushing. His strangely named Operation Lifeboat is a crackdown on “boy racers” centring on the small Welsh town of Pwllheli. If
the young tearaways misbehave once, they receive a warning; twice and the “mad mullah” will seize and crush their precious cars.
“We are using the new antisocial-behaviour legislation against these yobs who lovingly polish and customise their vehicles,” he says. “Then they go and make a nuisance of themselves by speeding, being noisy and pulling handbrake turns in the road. All of this is antisocial behaviour.”
Under the new initiative, anyone caught misbehaving like this receives a written notice from the police. “It simply tells them to stop behaving like a prat,” says 49-year-old Brunstrom.
If they ignore the notice and are caught again, their car is immediately seized. “And they are left sobbing by the side of the road as their pride and joy
is towed away on a lorry,” he says. The offender must pay a release charge of at least £110 within seven days or the car will be crushed. In the six months
since the pilot scheme started, 150 people have received notices and 30 cars have been seized, although none as yet has been destroyed.
The scheme uses powers brought in at the start of 2003 under the Police Reform Act. Following the success in Pwllheli the scheme is being rolled out across
the force area, and other forces around the country are expected to follow.
The scheme is typical of Brunstrom’s hardline approach. His “mad” tag comes from infamous quotes such as “There is no excuse for drifting over the limit any more than there is for drifting a knife into someone” (although he now says this was taken out of context).
But in fact there is little about him that seems crazy in the flesh. He is warm, friendly and obviously intelligent, and with that comes outspokenness, his
willingness to push forward with radical ideas, and his lack of concern for the traditional ways of doing things. He even drinks Earl Grey instead of the
builder’s tea that is police standard — he claims that he cannot stomach a strong brew.
He is best known for his views on speeding, for saying that he “drives like an undertaker” himself and having what some see as an unhealthy obsession with speed cameras. However, he now admits that the rash of yellow boxes his opponents see as a plague targeting otherwise law-abiding motorists has reached saturation point.
There are around 5,000 fixed-speed cameras across England and Wales at present and he doesn’t believe that figure should rise above 6,000. “There will be
an increase in the next 12 months as remaining counties join the speed camera partnership scheme, but after that it will level out,” he says.
This is a far cry from his previous claims that “there are going to be speed cameras everywhere”.
Jan Berry, chairwoman of the Police Federation, claimed at the union’s annual conference last week that speed cameras don’t work. Even the government
appears to be going soft on speeding, announcing that fines and points will be more flexible in future.
Is Brunstrom backing down on the issue of speeding and speed cameras too?
“Absolutely not,” he says, revealing that the politically sensitive government-funded study into the effectiveness of cameras, due to report next month,
will give them a ringing endorsement.
“The government has employed some very sophisticated scientists to research the effects of speed cameras. The results will show with absolute clarity that speed cameras do work,” he says.
However, he admits the Police Federation is right to voice its fears about too many cameras replacing actual police officers. “The public wants to see real
cops on roads — they don’t want to have cameras instead,” he says. “But the federation are clearly ill-informed about speed cameras and should be careful
about what they comment on.”
While he might not be exactly backing down, Brunstrom does admit: “There is more to life than speeding.” He explains that since excessive speed is responsible for just one-third of road deaths, installing more cameras will go no further in reducing the other two-thirds.
“We should be worrying more about drink-driving again,” he says. “After getting the figures going down for years, the number of people drink-driving is
creeping up again.
“There is also a growing number of young people drug-driving, and we have no test and no limits for that yet.”
Enter the “impairment-ometer”, which rather like a hand-held computer game will give drivers a series of reaction tests.
Several months ago Brunstrom hinted that such tests could be administered at the roadside at some unspecified point in the future, and was subsequently
accused of victimising older drivers. Now, he reveals, researchers at the Police Scientific Development Branch in St Albans have made and are already testing
such a machine.
“This device is coming down the pipeline to us very soon and it will test whether you are capable of driving or not, for whatever reason,” he says.
Aware of the possible dangers of another outcry over the gadget, Brunstrom’s press officer chips in. “You’re not saying it’s about being too old to drive though, are you?” she asks.
“Yes, I am,” replies Brunstrom, perfectly clear on the matter.
“To drive properly, you need to have quick reactions, and to be able to multitask,” he continues. “When you get older, your brain cells die and your body
is slowly shutting down. Your reaction times are simply not going to be as good.
“We know tiredness is a problem, but we don’t yet know the impact of age. We need to find out.”
Police: The speed cop's next target
The ‘mad mullah’ of speeding is turning his attention to boy racers and OAPs, he tells Jane Mulkerrins
Richard Brunstrom does not do things by halves. Britain’s most senior traffic officer and the man lambasted by the tabloids as the “mad mullah of the
traffic taliban” for his strict anti-speeding views, has a new policy — confiscating and crushing the cars of those who misbehave. This is just one of the
innovations Brunstrom enthuses about when we meet at his headquarters in Colwyn Bay. The chief constable of North Wales and head of road policing policy for the
Association of Chief Police Officers is also spearheading the development of a new “impairment-ometer” to be used at the roadside to test whether motorists are too drunk, too stoned, too tired or, most controversially, too old to drive properly. This, he says, “is coming down the pipeline to us very soon”.
But let’s return to the crushing. His strangely named Operation Lifeboat is a crackdown on “boy racers” centring on the small Welsh town of Pwllheli. If
the young tearaways misbehave once, they receive a warning; twice and the “mad mullah” will seize and crush their precious cars.
“We are using the new antisocial-behaviour legislation against these yobs who lovingly polish and customise their vehicles,” he says. “Then they go and make a nuisance of themselves by speeding, being noisy and pulling handbrake turns in the road. All of this is antisocial behaviour.”
Under the new initiative, anyone caught misbehaving like this receives a written notice from the police. “It simply tells them to stop behaving like a prat,” says 49-year-old Brunstrom.
If they ignore the notice and are caught again, their car is immediately seized. “And they are left sobbing by the side of the road as their pride and joy
is towed away on a lorry,” he says. The offender must pay a release charge of at least £110 within seven days or the car will be crushed. In the six months
since the pilot scheme started, 150 people have received notices and 30 cars have been seized, although none as yet has been destroyed.
The scheme uses powers brought in at the start of 2003 under the Police Reform Act. Following the success in Pwllheli the scheme is being rolled out across
the force area, and other forces around the country are expected to follow.
The scheme is typical of Brunstrom’s hardline approach. His “mad” tag comes from infamous quotes such as “There is no excuse for drifting over the limit any more than there is for drifting a knife into someone” (although he now says this was taken out of context).
But in fact there is little about him that seems crazy in the flesh. He is warm, friendly and obviously intelligent, and with that comes outspokenness, his
willingness to push forward with radical ideas, and his lack of concern for the traditional ways of doing things. He even drinks Earl Grey instead of the
builder’s tea that is police standard — he claims that he cannot stomach a strong brew.
He is best known for his views on speeding, for saying that he “drives like an undertaker” himself and having what some see as an unhealthy obsession with speed cameras. However, he now admits that the rash of yellow boxes his opponents see as a plague targeting otherwise law-abiding motorists has reached saturation point.
There are around 5,000 fixed-speed cameras across England and Wales at present and he doesn’t believe that figure should rise above 6,000. “There will be
an increase in the next 12 months as remaining counties join the speed camera partnership scheme, but after that it will level out,” he says.
This is a far cry from his previous claims that “there are going to be speed cameras everywhere”.
Jan Berry, chairwoman of the Police Federation, claimed at the union’s annual conference last week that speed cameras don’t work. Even the government
appears to be going soft on speeding, announcing that fines and points will be more flexible in future.
Is Brunstrom backing down on the issue of speeding and speed cameras too?
“Absolutely not,” he says, revealing that the politically sensitive government-funded study into the effectiveness of cameras, due to report next month,
will give them a ringing endorsement.
“The government has employed some very sophisticated scientists to research the effects of speed cameras. The results will show with absolute clarity that speed cameras do work,” he says.
However, he admits the Police Federation is right to voice its fears about too many cameras replacing actual police officers. “The public wants to see real
cops on roads — they don’t want to have cameras instead,” he says. “But the federation are clearly ill-informed about speed cameras and should be careful
about what they comment on.”
While he might not be exactly backing down, Brunstrom does admit: “There is more to life than speeding.” He explains that since excessive speed is responsible for just one-third of road deaths, installing more cameras will go no further in reducing the other two-thirds.
“We should be worrying more about drink-driving again,” he says. “After getting the figures going down for years, the number of people drink-driving is
creeping up again.
“There is also a growing number of young people drug-driving, and we have no test and no limits for that yet.”
Enter the “impairment-ometer”, which rather like a hand-held computer game will give drivers a series of reaction tests.
Several months ago Brunstrom hinted that such tests could be administered at the roadside at some unspecified point in the future, and was subsequently
accused of victimising older drivers. Now, he reveals, researchers at the Police Scientific Development Branch in St Albans have made and are already testing
such a machine.
“This device is coming down the pipeline to us very soon and it will test whether you are capable of driving or not, for whatever reason,” he says.
Aware of the possible dangers of another outcry over the gadget, Brunstrom’s press officer chips in. “You’re not saying it’s about being too old to drive though, are you?” she asks.
“Yes, I am,” replies Brunstrom, perfectly clear on the matter.
“To drive properly, you need to have quick reactions, and to be able to multitask,” he continues. “When you get older, your brain cells die and your body
is slowly shutting down. Your reaction times are simply not going to be as good.
“We know tiredness is a problem, but we don’t yet know the impact of age. We need to find out.”
Brunstrom appears confused. He tells us that one third of all road accidents are caused by excessive speed for the conditions,(which could be within the limit) yet figures given to the Transport Research Lab by North Wales police reveal the figure here to be 8.3%
He tells us speed cameras are proven to save lives.
He tells us they are only placed where most deaths are occurring.
He tells us each speed trap - placed where most deaths are occurring - is reducing deaths and serious injuries by 35%.
When asked to explain how this can all be true when deaths are increasing, we receive no reply.
Both he and the North Wales Police Authority have been asked via a newspaper letter to produce the figures to suppport their claims and there was no response from either of them.
He tells us speed cameras are proven to save lives.
He tells us they are only placed where most deaths are occurring.
He tells us each speed trap - placed where most deaths are occurring - is reducing deaths and serious injuries by 35%.
When asked to explain how this can all be true when deaths are increasing, we receive no reply.
Both he and the North Wales Police Authority have been asked via a newspaper letter to produce the figures to suppport their claims and there was no response from either of them.
Richard Brunstrom said:
However, he admits the Police Federation is right to voice its fears about too many cameras replacing actual police officers. “The public wants to see real
cops on roads —
OK Mr Brunstrom, please explain how you square the above comment away with the fact that you yourself have been reported by the Federation as saying that out of the 30 odd something traffic vehicles in your own force only a maximum of around 5 are ever out on duty at one time.
(I forget the exact figures, no access to the relevant docs at the moment, but 5 or 6 on duty out of fleet of 32 IIRC)
Someone speaks with forked tongue, then wonders why an element of the population speaks back with forked fingers!
FiF
Just like to add something else re the impair-ometer computer game testing of older drivers.
I consistently get my ass wupped by the stage times of a fourteen year old on Colin McRae 2. Yet I know that in real life he can't handle to any half-decent degree a kart, yet me, almost forty years older and (too) many kilos heavier can just leave him in the dust.
And as for flinging a real life rally car down a real life forest stage it is not even worth starting to try and make a comparison.
Computer games might be fun but they ain't all they cracked up to be regarding the making of life changing decisons in my ever so humble opinion.
>> Edited by Flat in Fifth on Tuesday 25th May 12:20
I consistently get my ass wupped by the stage times of a fourteen year old on Colin McRae 2. Yet I know that in real life he can't handle to any half-decent degree a kart, yet me, almost forty years older and (too) many kilos heavier can just leave him in the dust.
And as for flinging a real life rally car down a real life forest stage it is not even worth starting to try and make a comparison.
Computer games might be fun but they ain't all they cracked up to be regarding the making of life changing decisons in my ever so humble opinion.
>> Edited by Flat in Fifth on Tuesday 25th May 12:20
Meanwhile in today's "Daily Mail" our Dick Ed calls for ....
1000 new cameras to trap drivers
Forget the bad press, our Dick wants MORE! (There is a photo of him and his little eyes look more glazed than ever at prospect of all this extra loot and his extended empire of speed prats!)
Motoring organisations (per report) warned that another increase will lead to decrease in trafpols, unmarked and marked cars and serious motoring offences (the ones which cause the accidents - DICK! will just continue to escalate and cause more carnage for which middle class speeder tootling down at 31mph will cop the blame for!
According to Dick (per the report) Jan Berry and the Police Federation are "ill informed"
( Well, they would be 'cos they disagree with - Dick! Same as the medical profession and drugs companies know sh
it all about "not very dangerous" (according to him) heroin and its dangers!
He insists scameras work and reduce accidents at these sites by 35%.
( Ah! That magic figure again! At the test site in Wiltshire - the one testing out lack of road markings - accident reduced by same magic figure!" Why no fluctuation of 30%/ 33%/ 40% /25%? 35% each time? Whatever? Wherever? Want these blokes to pick my lotto numbers!
He wants to see one in eight drivers receive a ticket.
Safety - eh? Pull the other one! And if he is so concerned about speeding ... if his daughter had been mine, and driven 14mph over posted limit twice whilst a probationer - then out of parental concern regardless of who pinged her at that speed she would have given me her car keys! And most especially if I was sounding off at all other drivers for 2mph over a posted limit.
But then I am no hypocrite - and he does appear to be one - BIG TIME!
So perhaps that stat per the Cumbria forum as commented on by Cooperman in another thread here is not so daft then?
1000 new cameras to trap drivers
Forget the bad press, our Dick wants MORE! (There is a photo of him and his little eyes look more glazed than ever at prospect of all this extra loot and his extended empire of speed prats!)
Motoring organisations (per report) warned that another increase will lead to decrease in trafpols, unmarked and marked cars and serious motoring offences (the ones which cause the accidents - DICK! will just continue to escalate and cause more carnage for which middle class speeder tootling down at 31mph will cop the blame for!
According to Dick (per the report) Jan Berry and the Police Federation are "ill informed"
( Well, they would be 'cos they disagree with - Dick! Same as the medical profession and drugs companies know sh
it all about "not very dangerous" (according to him) heroin and its dangers! He insists scameras work and reduce accidents at these sites by 35%.
( Ah! That magic figure again! At the test site in Wiltshire - the one testing out lack of road markings - accident reduced by same magic figure!" Why no fluctuation of 30%/ 33%/ 40% /25%? 35% each time? Whatever? Wherever? Want these blokes to pick my lotto numbers!
He wants to see one in eight drivers receive a ticket.
Safety - eh? Pull the other one! And if he is so concerned about speeding ... if his daughter had been mine, and driven 14mph over posted limit twice whilst a probationer - then out of parental concern regardless of who pinged her at that speed she would have given me her car keys! And most especially if I was sounding off at all other drivers for 2mph over a posted limit.
But then I am no hypocrite - and he does appear to be one - BIG TIME!
So perhaps that stat per the Cumbria forum as commented on by Cooperman in another thread here is not so daft then?
Brunstrom.....that name/word will soon enter the Oford English dictionary and will replace most other derogatory terms.
For instance, "Ive just stood in a big brunstrom", or "Dont be so Brunstrom", or " Brunstroming Hell!"...
The guys a demented muppet who changes opinions depending on wind direction, thats his only consistency.
Bye Dick....
For instance, "Ive just stood in a big brunstrom", or "Dont be so Brunstrom", or " Brunstroming Hell!"...
The guys a demented muppet who changes opinions depending on wind direction, thats his only consistency.
Bye Dick....
lunarscope said:
Brunstrom, measure what is important, don't make important what you can measure !
Prat.
Ah ha, yes absolutely! Too many people succumb to Brunstromitus because it's easy for them to do so and doesn't require much thought. "It sounds right / "logical" so it must be right". It's makes you bl00dy sick.
Mad Mullah said:
www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,2779-1118085,00.html
...“The government has employed some very sophisticated scientists to research the effects of speed cameras. The results will show with absolute clarity that speed cameras do work,” he says...
sophisticate
v.tr..
1. To cause to become less natural, especially to make less naive and more worldly
2. To make impure, adulterate
3. To make things more complex or inclusive, refine.
Somehow, I don't doubt that the "scientific" results of this research will be impure, adulterated, complex, and even "worldly", what does surprise me is that Mr Brunstrom admits it!
LOL, don't think i've laughed so much in a long time... on the note of his "leveling out at 6000 scameras" he fails to mention the fact he's looking at adding VNPR to CCTV cameras so given the fact the place is being littered with them too it won't be long before they are turned into the new "SPECS" system 
Gee does he actually do any other work besides attacking motorists... damn i'd go to the meeting he's got planned in July but i know i'd be wasting my breath trying to reason with him... anyone got a sniper rifle?
Gee does he actually do any other work besides attacking motorists... damn i'd go to the meeting he's got planned in July but i know i'd be wasting my breath trying to reason with him... anyone got a sniper rifle?
This isn't new. He released the story last year.
Probably trying to keep his name in the limelight.
Said they were going to "go large" on impairment.
Tricky Dicky's turning into Trendy Tricky Dicky........
Any minute now, we'll be getting new Arrive Alive slogans, along the lines of.......
Safety Cameras Save Lives....Innit?
Probably trying to keep his name in the limelight.
Said they were going to "go large" on impairment.
Tricky Dicky's turning into Trendy Tricky Dicky........
Any minute now, we'll be getting new Arrive Alive slogans, along the lines of.......
Safety Cameras Save Lives....Innit?
paulcdb said:I DO hope that's NOT a death threat!
LOL, don't think i've laughed so much in a long time... on the note of his "leveling out at 6000 scameras" he fails to mention the fact he's looking at adding VNPR to CCTV cameras so given the fact the place is being littered with them too it won't be long before they are turned into the new "SPECS" system
Gee does he actually do any other work besides attacking motorists... damn i'd go to the meeting he's got planned in July but i know i'd be wasting my breath trying to reason with him... anyone got a sniper rifle?
Dicky Brainstorm said:
...“The government has employed some very sophisticated scientists to research the effects of speed cameras. The results will show with absolute clarity that speed cameras do work,” he says...
I find it interesting that he can say what the results will show before the results are published. IMHO this shows that the report results will probably be political correct rather than the truth or that the research is based on politically correct data, not real data.
the times said:
Even the government
appears to be going soft on speeding, announcing that fines and points will be more flexible in future.
Bo
cks, they are make the penalties more harsh, 32mph equals points now, and 40 in a 30 is more than 3 points. muppet man said:
revealing that the politically sensitive government-funded study into the effectiveness of cameras, due to report next month,
will give them a ringing endorsement.
No Sh
t, government study will show the government was correct and will show money is not the main objective, how about an independent study into location of scameras and a not waste of time publicity stunt. Malc
what decides anti-social behaviour? handbrake turns are a sign of mating rituals in the nova clad clan. not anti-social.
there are lots of "voters" in the mix there, that would all agree.
there opnions on social behaviour differ from others.
my point is anti-social cannot be decided by an individual, or even very large populus.
I decide my screaming neighbours kids are anti-social, can I crush them and send them fines? no, the police wouldn't even get involved.
there are lots of "voters" in the mix there, that would all agree.
there opnions on social behaviour differ from others.
my point is anti-social cannot be decided by an individual, or even very large populus.
I decide my screaming neighbours kids are anti-social, can I crush them and send them fines? no, the police wouldn't even get involved.
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