Brunstrom must now resign

[safespeed]

See this:

www.sundaymirror.co.uk/news/tm_objectid=15288834&method=full&siteid=106694&headline=no-more-speed-cameras-says-top-cop-name_page.html

Safe Speed issued the following PR at 13:52 today:


PR178: Brunstrom must now resign says Safe Speed

News: for immediate release

The Sunday Mirror reports that Chief Constable Brunstrom - the man
most responsible for speed camera policy - has declared that:
"Enough's enough, speed cameras aren't cutting road deaths". Safe
Speed has been pointing this out since 2002 - Brunstrom's statement is
years late.

Paul Smith, founder of the Safe Speed road safety campaign
(www.safespeed.org.uk) said: "Halting the expansion of speed cameras
isn't enough. If the scheme worked expansion would work. The fact is
that the negative side effects of speed cameras are GREATER than the
potential benefits. We now have to scrap the lot to get road safety
back on track. They are a dangerous distraction from good driving and
good policy. If speed cameras had never been introduced, UK road
deaths would be down to about 2,200 per year by now - just by
following the previous long term trend."

Paul continues: "I'd like to hear Mr Brunstrom say: 'I was wrong, I'm
sorry, I resign.' No man of any conscience could do less."

Paul joked: "I guess he's been reading our website."

Safe Speed calls for all speed cameras to be scrapped because they are
directly and indirectly responsible for increasing road deaths. All
speed camera operations must be suspended immediately. Only then can
we get back to the policies that gave us the safest roads in the world
in the first place. Drivers need to hear messages about skills,
attitudes and responsibilities. Obeying the speed limit is absolutely
no guarantee of safety, And cameras haven't even increased speed limit
compliance to any significant degree.



Mr Brunstrom is head of the Association of Chief Police Officers
(ACPO) road policing committee.
=============================================

Safe Speed words coming out of Brunstrom's mouth. Amazing.

[nonegreen]

Not sure I agree there Paul. Once an idiot has seen the light he will not go back. I have always thought people who can admit when they are wrong should be given a second chance. After all we all want to see a reduction in deaths. It may not be long before he is decaring speed to be irrelavent and calling for tougher driving tests and better road design. Lets wait and see.

[Flat in Fifth]

I'm with nonners on this, wait and see. Although on first reading the word "gobsmacked" comes to mind.

Being cynical......

Couldn't be anything to do with general election or could it?

[LongQ]

Hmm.

I have to say that if the enlightenment and conversion are genuine I would rather have a convert in place and enacting new policy than some sort of clone of the man's former persona pursuing the same old ways.

Perhaps he should be welcomed with open arms and supported through his latest crisis relating to something he apparently said off-the-cuff at an internal meeting ...

[safespeed]

Guys,

The Safe Speed PR is a twist of the knife, not a prediction or even an opinion.

[parrot of doom]

If this article is correct, and if he hasn't been misquoted, then I say 'suck it and see'.

[Deltafox]

Im truly amazed, i truly am.
All i want to hear him say now is that he wants them removed and ill be happier.......

[lanciachris]

I agree with the first statement. A person who has tried the speed camera approach and seen it fail will be less likely to consider variations on it than someone who hasnt had that experience.

[autismuk]

nonegreen said:

Not sure I agree there Paul. Once an idiot has seen the light he will not go back. I have always thought people who can admit when they are wrong should be given a second chance. After all we all want to see a reduction in deaths. It may not be long before he is decaring speed to be irrelavent and calling for tougher driving tests and better road design. Lets wait and see.

Paul's release appears to have Brunstrom and Conscience in the same paragraph. This is not good english.

No chance of this. This sort of moron never takes responsibility for anything.

Seriously. If he stole a portable nuke and blew up Chester it wouldn't be his fault.

[greg2k]

safespeed said:

Guys, The Safe Speed PR is a twist of the knife, not a prediction or even an opinion.

Good, get rid of a high ranking cop who is now opposed to the wretched things and replace him with someone who is probably still in favour of them not a good idea.

>> Edited by greg2k on Sunday 13th March 16:39

[nonegreen]

autismuk said:

nonegreen said: Not sure I agree there Paul. Once an idiot has seen the light he will not go back. I have always thought people who can admit when they are wrong should be given a second chance. After all we all want to see a reduction in deaths. It may not be long before he is decaring speed to be irrelavent and calling for tougher driving tests and better road design. Lets wait and see. Paul's release appears to have Brunstrom and Conscience in the same paragraph. This is not good english. No chance of this. This sort of moron never takes responsibility for anything. Seriously. If he stole a portable nuke and blew up Chester it wouldn't be his fault.

Erm you don't like him much do you?

[Pies]

Now if this is true he must stay.It would mean he has learnt cameras dont aid road safety.Therefore he might look for other means.If he goes the new man in charge might just continue with more cameras

Better the devil you know

[targarama]

Safespeed said:

If speed cameras had never been introduced, UK road deaths would be down to about 2,200 per year by now - just by following the previous long term trend.

Good to see people playing the scamera pratnerships at their own game!

[deeps]

Gob smacked!! I guess we'll know tomorrow whether this is a genuine report or not. Cant quite believe it yet.

I understand what's been said that an idiot doesn't go back and all that, but lets remember it wasn't long ago he wanted zero tolerance and probably still does. Hate to say it but a leopard doesn't change it's spots.

There's nothing I'd like to see more than his resignation, it's too serious a matter for him to be given a second chance, twist the knife and get rid I say. He deserves it.

[targarama]

Pies said:

Now if this is true he must stay.It would mean he has learnt cameras dont aid road safety.Therefore he might look for other means.If he goes the new man in charge might just continue with more cameras Better the devil you know

I do like the signs - they make people think about how fast they are driving without the instilled panic of spotting a speed camera/trap. Best if they show the actual speed too - many people don't realise their speedos are inaccurate. I regularly go past cameras at 34mph/44mph (depending on 30/40 limit) as I know my speedo overreads by this amount. Panics passengers sometimes

Brunstrom doesn't mention mobile traps though, just speed cameras. A leopard doesn't change its spots (not overnight at least).

[catso]

targarama said:

I do like the signs - they make people think about how fast they are driving without the instilled panic of spotting a speed camera/trap. Best if they show the actual speed too - many people don't realise their speedos are inaccurate. I regularly go past cameras at 34mph/44mph (depending on 30/40 limit) as I know my speedo overreads by this amount. Panics passengers sometimes Brunstrom doesn't mention mobile traps though, just speed cameras. A leopard doesn't change its spots (not overnight at least).

Wonder how long before the signs have a scamera fitted in the back of them - 'you were warned now here's your ticket'

Somehow, much as I'd like it, I can't see them dropping the Scamming/Speed kills crap without replacing it with something equally unpalatable.

GPS trackers/limiters anyone?

has Brunstrom joined, or is he already a member, of the Labour party perchance?

[GreenV8S]

I see they are still quoting a 14% reduction in accidents at camera sites. I'm highly skeptical of this figure, and even if accurate it doesn't prove that the cameras we have are actually improving road safety, but I expect that some people will make that assumption.

[WildCat]

Told you I had designed a pill .....

oysters, parsnips, garlic und essence of catnip - eh? He must have tried out my recipe.. It leads to k-k-kittens!

[parrot of doom]

GreenV8S said:

I see they are still quoting a 14% reduction in accidents at camera sites. I'm highly skeptical of this figure, and even if accurate it doesn't prove that the cameras we have are actually improving road safety, but I expect that some people will make that assumption.

Well, its obvious that speeds will be down at camera sites, as they're the prime spots for brake testing......

They'll still be at least the same everywhere else though.

[puggit]

Well it's good new of a sort - but lets not party yet!!