Spew Vitriol at the Pro-Camera Liars NOW !!!

[CarZee]

People... I've started a new thread from an old one here, but I hope you'll see why.

This site came up and I thought you should all have a look at it:

www.essexsafetycameras.co.uk

It's pro-cameras and it's full of meaningless propaganda dressed up as statistics.

They claim that the vast majority are in favour of cameras and that the use of cameras in Essex yielded:
- a 44% reduction in speed related accidents
- a 21% reduction in all accidents
- an 8% reduction in KSIs

yet they don't say compared to what period this 'improvement' has come...

Happily, there is a feedback form on which you can spew vitriol.

Do your duty all !!!

Here's what I wrote:

quote:The data listed in the "First Year Review" on your site seems to be at odds with that published in the Evening Standard recently, where it was claimed that KSIs were up by nearly 30% in the year 2000-1 from the previous year.

My information can be seen here:

www.thisislondon.co.uk/dynamic/news/top_story.html?in_review_id=486333&in_review_text_id=442945

In fact, the 'statistics' show in your "First Year Review" are utterly meaningless. The 'before and after' - when is the before ? The 5 years 1995-2000 ?

This kind of pathetic propaganda is testament to the fact that you underestimate how hostile the motoring public are to the whole concept of speed cameras - especially when their deployment goes hand in hand with a reduction of Traffic Policemen, who are the exact people who do actually help reduce accidents and poor driving.

This smokescreen will not persist forever and when it clears, you people are in for a shock.

One last thing, this uses your email client to post the vitriol to [e-mail] so it will use your default sending address.

[Nick M (nmilton)]

I kept getting e-mails bounced when I tried to send them earlier in the week.

Wonder if it was a deliberate ploy on their part. Noooo, surely not...

[CarZee]

quote:I kept getting e-mails bounced when I tried to send them earlier in the week.

Yeah - me too but they only just came back after I posted.. give me an hour & I'll come back with some email addresses to use.

[CarZee]

right - I phoned the woman who's name and number are helpfully on the bottom of the feedback page - send your comments to Rosemary Welch of the Essex County Council Traffic Safety Office at:

[e-mail]

quality.. having spoke to her, she was most helpful & I almost feel guilty about the deluge of abuse she's in for.. nah.. not really

[Nick M (nmilton)]

Care to offer some odds on getting a sensible reply ?? Anyone ???

[hertsbiker]

I don't see the harm in using your own email address for this. If anyone has doubts, then I'm sure a hotmail visit won't take too long.

I live next door to essex, and can see the nasty goings on. When I took a look at that website earlier, it was quite shocking with its blatent lies.

Therefore it is important that as many people as possible mail them. I'll be writing a letter as well, and will copy it here. Just need to get my facts right, before launching into major wobbly.

[nonegreen]

I went for the nasty aproach. I called em murderers, liars and thieves, belittled their competance to make road safety judgements and suggested they were more of a menace to society than child molesters. I don't live any where near Essex. I gave em my email address and they can have my home address if they like because these bastards are scum and dissembowelling is too good for them I hope they all get cancer and die in pain.

[Jason F]

Can anyone provide a source of proof that accidents have increased in the last year please ?

I looked at the website - 70% of people in Essex want more Cameras and Lower speeds do they ?? Strange, cause whenever I am obeying a 30/40 there is a huuge queue of traffic built up behind me in seconds.

I will compose an e-mail this weekend I think.

[macca]

quote: From the website:

At Fixed Camera Locations:
A 44% reduction in speed-related accidents
A 21% reduction in 'all' accidents
An 8% reduction in fatal and serious accident
Average vehicle speeds reduced by 4.7mph
Vehicles exceeding speed limit reduced by 81%
Vehicles massively exceeding speed limit reduced by 97%

At Mobile Camera Locations:
A 16% reduction in all accidents
A 50% reduction in fatal and serious accidents
Average speeds reduced by 1.2mph
Vehicles exceeding speed limit reduced by 23%
Vehicles massively exceeding speed limit reduced by 46%

This would suggest that the loaction of fixed position camera sites are not effective, since the reduction in fatal and serious accidents were only reduced by 8% rather than 50% for mobile positions. Considering that most cameras are on safe A roads, away from pedestrians, it would suggest that their purpose is to raise revenue not save lives.

Edited by macca on Saturday 19th January 09:45

[esselte]

Before the stats on the essexcamera site make any sense we need to know which year(s) were being used for the "before" .Maybe the stats for that year were abnormally high and the stats for the year with the cameras were just the same as previous years,if you get my drift.The figures prove nothing in my opinion.

[macca]

quote:
Rosemary, the above is from your site. The webpage goes on to say that people perceive cameras to be revenue raising devices. Well I have to say that your data suggests that that is exactly what they are.

Fixed position cameras are located on A roads. These are much safer roads because there are less obstructions, visibility is better and pedestrians are in limited numbers. Your data would concur with this since serious accidents have only been reduced by 8%. So, why are A roads targeted so heavily? Answer, to raise revenue because the chances of catching somebody speeding are so much greater.

Mobile cameras tend to be erected in built up areas. These roads are more cluttered, vision is poor and there are lots of pedestrians. No wonder there was a 50% reduction in serious accidents for these devices. Lets have more of this type of speed enforcement but NOT sneaky mobile cameras designed to catch people out - move the cameras from the A roads to schools, shopping areas and the like for a permanent visible and effective solution.

Just sent this to them ("above" refers to the data posted in my earlier post), I'll let you know if I get a reply

[Jason F]

The average speed reduced by 4.7% or so could have something to do with the fact that there are Few NSL roads anymore, they are all 50 and 40 limits (incl dual carriageways)