Police to snap speed camera attacks
Discussion
Police to snap speed camera attacks (yes, with cameras)
Mark Ludlow
THE police have come up with a new way to catch irate motorists who vandalise speed cameras: set up other cameras to film them in the act.
A closed-circuit television system would be installed beside the speed traps under plans being considered to curb a spate of attacks in which 700 cameras have been burnt, pulled down or had their lenses spray painted.
Safety camera partnerships, which manage the 4,500 speed traps in Britain, believe the extra expense could be justified because each camera costs £35,000, when loaded with film, rising to £60,000 for new digital versions. Other options to protect the cameras include fitting them with sabotage alarms.
In Avon, Somerset and Gloucestershire — one of the first areas to see the potential benefits of CCTV — 11 of its cameras have been attacked in the past 18 months.
“We have only had one prosecution in the past two years. . . CCTV may be a way to catch the criminals,” said Dick Bowen, project manager for the partnership which groups together police, councils and courts. “For some reason, this vandalism has recently gained momentum.” The number of cameras on Britain’s roads has multiplied since 1998, when the government decided to let police and councils keep the money from speeding fines.
While police say cameras help reduce road deaths, the devices have angered many motorists who see them as an easy way of raising money from drivers for minor transgressions. Police chiefs expect annual fines to top 3m by next year, almost three times the 1.1m handed out in 2001.
Protesters say 700 cameras have been destroyed by “direct action”. One tactic is to “necklace” the devices by throwing tyres over them and setting them alight. Another is to pull the cameras down by attaching tow ropes to the poles holding them up.
The CCTV cameras would be mounted on high poles or on the sides of buildings to ensure they, too, did not fall victim to saboteurs.
Susan Beck of National Safety Camera Liaison said: “These speed cameras save lives. The people who damage them can only be described as mindless criminals and idiots.”
News item taken from The Times Online <a href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-850870,00.html">www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-850870,00.html</a>
Will they also need cameras to protect the camera to protect the cameras that are protecting the speed cameras i wonder
. Atb Derek.
>>> Edited by Winnebago Nut on Sunday 12th October 10:17
Mark Ludlow
THE police have come up with a new way to catch irate motorists who vandalise speed cameras: set up other cameras to film them in the act.
A closed-circuit television system would be installed beside the speed traps under plans being considered to curb a spate of attacks in which 700 cameras have been burnt, pulled down or had their lenses spray painted.
Safety camera partnerships, which manage the 4,500 speed traps in Britain, believe the extra expense could be justified because each camera costs £35,000, when loaded with film, rising to £60,000 for new digital versions. Other options to protect the cameras include fitting them with sabotage alarms.
In Avon, Somerset and Gloucestershire — one of the first areas to see the potential benefits of CCTV — 11 of its cameras have been attacked in the past 18 months.
“We have only had one prosecution in the past two years. . . CCTV may be a way to catch the criminals,” said Dick Bowen, project manager for the partnership which groups together police, councils and courts. “For some reason, this vandalism has recently gained momentum.” The number of cameras on Britain’s roads has multiplied since 1998, when the government decided to let police and councils keep the money from speeding fines.
While police say cameras help reduce road deaths, the devices have angered many motorists who see them as an easy way of raising money from drivers for minor transgressions. Police chiefs expect annual fines to top 3m by next year, almost three times the 1.1m handed out in 2001.
Protesters say 700 cameras have been destroyed by “direct action”. One tactic is to “necklace” the devices by throwing tyres over them and setting them alight. Another is to pull the cameras down by attaching tow ropes to the poles holding them up.
The CCTV cameras would be mounted on high poles or on the sides of buildings to ensure they, too, did not fall victim to saboteurs.
Susan Beck of National Safety Camera Liaison said: “These speed cameras save lives. The people who damage them can only be described as mindless criminals and idiots.”
News item taken from The Times Online <a href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-850870,00.html">www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-850870,00.html</a>
Will they also need cameras to protect the camera to protect the cameras that are protecting the speed cameras i wonder
. Atb Derek. >>> Edited by Winnebago Nut on Sunday 12th October 10:17
"Fines are expected to top 3 million this year".....
Not exactly fixated on money raising here are they?
Its ALWAYS the same thing theyre saying! Fines, fines, fines!
Now, scuse moi, but arent these things supposed to be about safety?....Whats that ya say? They are? Get away!
So why is it that all they can yapp on about is how much theyve "made" or "earned" rather than hard figures for lives saved????
Ill tell ya whay, cos theyre full of shit!
Cameras to watch cameras will lead to more damage, then the twats will end up replacing 2 sets of SCAMERAS instead of one! IDIOTS! lmao.....will they ever learn?
Oh btw, the "sabotage" alarms theyre harping on about are nothing more than a cell net conn to a police "scamera abuse hotline"....so setting fire to one wont trigger it....even if it did by the time the fire boys get there to douse it, the damage is done....waaaaaaaaaaaaaa too bad scammers...you lose again!
>> Edited by deltaf on Sunday 12th October 10:54
Not exactly fixated on money raising here are they?
Its ALWAYS the same thing theyre saying! Fines, fines, fines!
Now, scuse moi, but arent these things supposed to be about safety?....Whats that ya say? They are? Get away!
So why is it that all they can yapp on about is how much theyve "made" or "earned" rather than hard figures for lives saved????
Ill tell ya whay, cos theyre full of shit!
Cameras to watch cameras will lead to more damage, then the twats will end up replacing 2 sets of SCAMERAS instead of one! IDIOTS! lmao.....will they ever learn?
Oh btw, the "sabotage" alarms theyre harping on about are nothing more than a cell net conn to a police "scamera abuse hotline"....so setting fire to one wont trigger it....even if it did by the time the fire boys get there to douse it, the damage is done....waaaaaaaaaaaaaa too bad scammers...you lose again!
>> Edited by deltaf on Sunday 12th October 10:54
Winnebago Nut said:
Susan Beck of National Safety Camera Liaison said: “These speed cameras save lives. The people who damage them can only be described as mindless criminals and idiots.”
10:17
So, a member of the Safety Camera Liaison is calling them "speed" cameras. Interesting....
Why not just save £60k by not putting the thing up in the first place? As for CCTV cameras...are they going to be out of range to a well aimed air/paint ball gun? Not advocating shooting cameras, obviously, but the stupidity of these people amazes me. It's not "mindless vandals" doing this, it's ordinary people who have quite simply had enough of this Orwellian nightmare. You keep putting them up, they'll keep getting pulled down/torched.
)
oops.Winnebago Nut said:
“For some reason, this vandalism has recently gained momentum.” The number of cameras on Britain’s roads has multiplied since 1998.
Winnebago Nut said:
Susan Beck of National Safety Camera Liaison said: “... The people who damage them can only be described as mindless criminals and idiots.”
FFS! It's not only the 'vandals' who are mindless.
>> Edited by jeffreyarcher on Sunday 12th October 23:13
Hmm, so cameras watching cameras? What if someone breaks the camera watching the camera, do they put in a camera watching a camera watching a camera?
Anyway how long does it take to stick a tyre on a GATSO, light it and run away? 10 seconds? They would never get there in time seems like a waste of money to me - just like most speed cameras I guess 
Anyway how long does it take to stick a tyre on a GATSO, light it and run away? 10 seconds? They would never get there in time
seems like a waste of money to me - just like most speed cameras I guess john_p said:
Hmm, so cameras watching cameras? What if someone breaks the camera watching the camera, do they put in a camera watching a camera watching a camera?
Anyway how long does it take to stick a tyre on a GATSO, light it and run away? 10 seconds? They would never get there in time
You see it, and i see it, but theyre so goddam stoopid, that they dont even comprehend such a simple train of events.
Besides, theyre only interested in protecting their investments.
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