Monday 27th January 2003

Car Crashes into Speed Camera

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[tripps]

"Safety Camera"...

Not for any thing that hits the damn things its not.

Maybe that's why they used to hide them behinds trees, so they woulnd't get hit and inflict injuries on drivers...

I just hope the driver decides to sue the idiots who installed the camera in such as stupid location

[Podie]

need something a bit more substantial... anyone got a Volvo?

[SGirl]

Podie said: need something a bit more substantial... anyone got a Volvo?

Yes, but you're not having it to write off cameras!! Far too much fun to be had driving up the inside lane of motorways at 69 mph.

[dazren]

Is that a parking ticket on the rear side window?

DAZ

In Bristol, it would've been ticketed and towed by now (at owners expense naturally).

[hertsbiker]

so if some poor unfortunate skids off the road, and hits *that* on a bike, they die... wasn't road furniture supposed to be collapsable? is there a case here for the removal of Gatso's because they are dangerous?

C

[rich 36]

Who is that driver? I like the cut of his jib!!

[DanH]

I'm horrified at how solid those posts are. Definitely a further hazard in what is surely already an accident black spot.

[tvradict]

I agree, these are supposed to be safety camera's, fcuk all safe about that!

[mybrainhurts]

Looks like a "Police Aware" sticker on the back window.

Nothing gets past them, does it..............?

[FunkyNige]

How quick must he have been driving to make a dent that big in his car?

[P*Ting]

He was probably going at ludicrous speed and attempting one of those dangerous emergency braking sessions (the ones the government reckon don't actually happen) to try and dodge the ticket when he lost control and hit it.

Probably in control of his car (if not especially observent) before this.

Gatsos. Safe.

[plotloss]

Podie said: need something a bit more substantial... anyone got a Volvo?

Something like a Unimog would probably be more appropriate.

Matt.

[deltaf]

Try a flatbed with a Hiab.
Pull up alongside the little gray beastie, and pull it out the ground, drop it onto the flatbed and away we go!!!!!!!!
Wonder if a scrap yard would pay good money for these things???
I have a cunning get rich quick plan forming in my fertile brain.........

[swilly]

I remember in the summer down in the southwest, seeing a pair of HGV tyres tracks having obviously skidded heavily and dug deeply into the grass verge then veered back on to the road. No other damage evident to hedges etc
Sitting in the middle of the tracks was the remaining stump of a speed camera.
Oh how i laughed.

[rich 36]

I wonder if its possible to get flashed going sideways ala 'Blues brothers'?

[hertsbiker]

no, seriously I am concerned about this. Traffic "bollards" are plastic & deform, most other road signs are collapsable.. these are not. Obviously they don't care about the safety angle. Funny that. There was an article where someone wrote "there is no need to impose a death sentance on the unfortunate" - eg, the poor fool who leaves the road via a skid. But that's exactly what this Gatso will do.
C

[joust]

HB - I'm with you on this one, but I'm not so sure they aren't "safe".

It looks like a pretty low speed impact to me - and so I wouldn't expect it to move very much (I've seen Astra's wrapped around a lamp post that are more crumpled than that without any noticable damage to the lamp post itself - the idiot that lost it up Sanderstead hill springs to mind)

I would have imagined they were installed with shear bolts - but I don't actually know. swilly's post would suggest they do shear off.

I'm intrigued enough to have a look next time.

J

[thub]

This is one of Oxfordshire's cameras that's actually installed in a sensible place (village, three road entrances, bendy road etc)

Notwithstanding that, any installations that close to a road should be designed to collapse when impacted.

[victormeldrew]

I've said before that often the biggest hazard in the vicinity of a camera is the camera itself. Its not quite in the way I was envisaging, but nevertheless proof positive. This is a serious concern. We all know what would happen if the posts were less substantial, but this does seem to be OTT. How anyone could argue that such a substantial hazard in a known accident blackspot should not be high visibility is beyond me. Not only should they be bright yellow, they should have armco barriers and be clearly signposted.

Unable to trace the driver? Unregistered, probably unlicenced and uninsured then. Not to mention unroadworthy as probably not MoT'd for years. More Gatsos, less traffic cops - improves road safety?. Not.

[ultimasimon]

I'm in agreeance with HertsBiker. As a biker myself this is LETHAL. Most bike fatalities are caused when you slide into something solid such as a curb, lamp-post, volvo, or large Mercedes Benz with a gold tissue box holder on the back seat... (with a very small small female that cannot see over the steering wheel, wearing government health glasses, and screaming, "I am very sorry but I am not seeing you please"...and dressed like they have just stolen the contents of a silk factory)

Why can't they built these behind curved armco to deflect the vehicle rather than stop it DEAD in it's tracks?

This as mad as the tensioned steel catenery "guillotine" wires used as armco barriers on some of the motorways up north. If a biker hits those he or she has no chance.

So much for road safety in a predominently health and safety age...