Welsh Scamera Partnership on BBC Breakfast
Discussion
Did anyone else see it? They were discussing the fact that they are sending out about 10 Talivans to "tax" motorists attending the rally. The reporter said over 2000 people were fleeced last year and yet there were no accidents. And do you know what the Policeman said "well thats because of us of course". I'm sure you can spot the flaw in the logic. 
This is proof positive that speeding in itself does not cause accidents, unfortunately the reporter wasnt bright enough to pick this up.
This is proof positive that speeding in itself does not cause accidents, unfortunately the reporter wasnt bright enough to pick this up.XM5ER said:
Did anyone else see it? They were discussing the fact that they are sending out about 10 Talivans to "tax" motorists attending the rally. The reporter said over 2000 people were fleeced last year and yet there were no accidents. And do you know what the Policeman said "well thats because of us of course". I'm sure you can spot the flaw in the logic.
I saw it!
I though the interviewer was good. He wasn't going to get anywhere with that evasive moron!
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=65889&f=10&h=0
I didn't think the interviewer was good at all. He just asked the usual question "Isn't it just about revenue?"
But what an obnoxious conceited prat in the overcoat he was interviewing! "The ABD always criticise everything we do" - well could it be conceivable to him that they have good reason??
But what an obnoxious conceited prat in the overcoat he was interviewing! "The ABD always criticise everything we do" - well could it be conceivable to him that they have good reason??
I wonder how long before this event is no longer held in the U.K. indeed before all motorsport is banned. 
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/3257523.stm
Rally stars given driving bans
Four of the world's top rally drivers have been banned from driving after being caught in speed traps in south Wales during the British leg of the world championships last year.
German Armin Schwarz, Belgian Freddy Loix, Swede Daniel Carlsson and Briton Kris Meeke were all handed suspensions by magistrates in Neath on Monday.
Britain's Colin McRae and Richard Burns were also among a total of 17 drivers caught by roadside cameras.
They escaped bans but were given fines.
Those banned will still be able to drive in rallies but not on public roads.
The court heard most of the drivers were caught by one trap set up between rally headquarters and a testing area known as the "shakedown section".
Paul Trotman, defending, said: "The shakedown section is a six-mile long stretch used to calibrate the cars.
"Their brakes, steering and suspension need to be adjusted.
"The shakedown section has two miles along a public road and then four miles inside a forest not subject to speed limits.
"But the two miles between there and the base camp is open to the public."
Loix, 32, was fined £1,750 and given a six-month ban after being caught seven times in the same stretch on the same morning.
He was clocked at speeds of up to 54mph in the 30mph zone.
McRae was caught doing 51mph and fined £150 and given three penalty points.
Mr Trotman said: "People are prosecuted for speeding because of the risk to other road-users, but the degree of danger from these men is likely to be far less than with other drivers."
He said the cars were very sophisticated with and the drivers "are used to doing far in excess of these speeds".
"The danger to the general public is extremely minimal," he added.
Former European champion Schwarz, 40, based in Monte Carlo, admitted five counts of speeding. He was fined £1,000 and banned for six months.
Carlsson, 28, from Safle, Sweden, was fined £800 and banned for six months for four offences.
Meeke, 24, of Cockermouth, Cumbria, was fined £300 and given a 12-month ban for one offence - but he had previous points on his licence.
Richard Burns, who was reigning world champion when the 2002 rally was staged, was caught doing 83mph on a 70mph dual carriageway.
Burns, 32, now based in Andorra, was fined £150 and given three points.
Other drivers who were fined and given penalty points included were twice-world champion Carlos Sainz from Spain, Estonian Markko Martin, Briton Martin Rowe, from the Isle of Mann, and Finnish duo Mikko Hirvonen and Tommi Makinen.
Magistrates chairman Cliff Jones said: "The area were these offences happened is particularly dangerous for people to exceed the speed limit under any circumstances."
The roadside cameras picked up a total of 2,312 speeding offences, with a number of fans driving between different stages of the rally among the offenders.
A spokesman for the Rally GB Ltd said it could not comment on individual cases but said it was very disappointed by the incidents of speeding.
Edited to say, Ooops didn't realise there was a new topic
>> Edited by cazzo on Monday 10th November 14:41
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/3257523.stm
Rally stars given driving bans
Four of the world's top rally drivers have been banned from driving after being caught in speed traps in south Wales during the British leg of the world championships last year.
German Armin Schwarz, Belgian Freddy Loix, Swede Daniel Carlsson and Briton Kris Meeke were all handed suspensions by magistrates in Neath on Monday.
Britain's Colin McRae and Richard Burns were also among a total of 17 drivers caught by roadside cameras.
They escaped bans but were given fines.
Those banned will still be able to drive in rallies but not on public roads.
The court heard most of the drivers were caught by one trap set up between rally headquarters and a testing area known as the "shakedown section".
Paul Trotman, defending, said: "The shakedown section is a six-mile long stretch used to calibrate the cars.
"Their brakes, steering and suspension need to be adjusted.
"The shakedown section has two miles along a public road and then four miles inside a forest not subject to speed limits.
"But the two miles between there and the base camp is open to the public."
Loix, 32, was fined £1,750 and given a six-month ban after being caught seven times in the same stretch on the same morning.
He was clocked at speeds of up to 54mph in the 30mph zone.
McRae was caught doing 51mph and fined £150 and given three penalty points.
Mr Trotman said: "People are prosecuted for speeding because of the risk to other road-users, but the degree of danger from these men is likely to be far less than with other drivers."
He said the cars were very sophisticated with and the drivers "are used to doing far in excess of these speeds".
"The danger to the general public is extremely minimal," he added.
Former European champion Schwarz, 40, based in Monte Carlo, admitted five counts of speeding. He was fined £1,000 and banned for six months.
Carlsson, 28, from Safle, Sweden, was fined £800 and banned for six months for four offences.
Meeke, 24, of Cockermouth, Cumbria, was fined £300 and given a 12-month ban for one offence - but he had previous points on his licence.
Richard Burns, who was reigning world champion when the 2002 rally was staged, was caught doing 83mph on a 70mph dual carriageway.
Burns, 32, now based in Andorra, was fined £150 and given three points.
Other drivers who were fined and given penalty points included were twice-world champion Carlos Sainz from Spain, Estonian Markko Martin, Briton Martin Rowe, from the Isle of Mann, and Finnish duo Mikko Hirvonen and Tommi Makinen.
Magistrates chairman Cliff Jones said: "The area were these offences happened is particularly dangerous for people to exceed the speed limit under any circumstances."
The roadside cameras picked up a total of 2,312 speeding offences, with a number of fans driving between different stages of the rally among the offenders.
A spokesman for the Rally GB Ltd said it could not comment on individual cases but said it was very disappointed by the incidents of speeding.
Edited to say, Ooops didn't realise there was a new topic
>> Edited by cazzo on Monday 10th November 14:41
As a former international rally co-driver I have to say that a lot of the so-called 'fans' do bring the problem on themselves. They drive like 'loonies' in a few cases which bring out the plods and their silly cameras. Then there is no discretion applied by the plods and everyone just a little bit over a limit get done, including those who caused the problem.
Of course, the fines won't matter to the works drivers, nor will the bans, so long as the next UK event is held more than 52 weeks after the ban. If not, it still won't be a problem as the co-drivers can drive the public road sections. However, in order to hold a full FIA International Competition Licence it is necessary that a full licence to drive on the road is also held. This road licence does not have to be a UK licence, even for UK citizens, and I suspect that all those banned for 12 months in the UK will already hold foreign licences, so no problem. The only person who might possibly have a problem is Kris Meeke. He is clearly a rising star and he may have to go and take a test abroad - my guess would be Dublin, then he can drive on all the events outside the UK.
The scamera partnerships did rake in a nice bit of cash, though, assuming the foreigners pay up. If they don't pay up there is not a lot that can be done unless they come to the UK again, at which point they may be arrested.
A better reason for removing the WRC status from the UK event would be hard to find. No other country in the world behaves in this manner, except, perhaps, the Swedes, who are also speed-limit obsessed, or at least they used to be the last time I rallied there.
Of course, the fines won't matter to the works drivers, nor will the bans, so long as the next UK event is held more than 52 weeks after the ban. If not, it still won't be a problem as the co-drivers can drive the public road sections. However, in order to hold a full FIA International Competition Licence it is necessary that a full licence to drive on the road is also held. This road licence does not have to be a UK licence, even for UK citizens, and I suspect that all those banned for 12 months in the UK will already hold foreign licences, so no problem. The only person who might possibly have a problem is Kris Meeke. He is clearly a rising star and he may have to go and take a test abroad - my guess would be Dublin, then he can drive on all the events outside the UK.
The scamera partnerships did rake in a nice bit of cash, though, assuming the foreigners pay up. If they don't pay up there is not a lot that can be done unless they come to the UK again, at which point they may be arrested.
A better reason for removing the WRC status from the UK event would be hard to find. No other country in the world behaves in this manner, except, perhaps, the Swedes, who are also speed-limit obsessed, or at least they used to be the last time I rallied there.
A most informative post Cooperman, I didnt realise about using a foreign license for your ticket, and excellent idea indeed.
I wonder would this work if Joe Public got a ban, fly to dublin - pass your test over there and fly home with your new license
this needs some more looking into
I wonder would this work if Joe Public got a ban, fly to dublin - pass your test over there and fly home with your new license
this needs some more looking intoNo, it wouldn't work. What you need to do is to act when you get, say, 6 points. You can get an accommodation address in Dublin, or anywhere else in Eire, and take an Irish test. You then send your UK licence back to the DVLA and it can be re-claimed when you again live in this country. A friend of mine who actually lives in Brecon, S.Wales, has done this already. He got photod at 104 on the M4 and the NIP went to his company. The company named him and gave his Irish accommodation address. No further proceedings!
You could go the whole hog and register a limited company in Eire for about £150, then buy your car in Dublin, tax and insure it there, transferring your UK no-claims bonus there (no problem, my broker tells me).
Then you can drive in the UK in an S. Irish registered car on a S. Irish licence. I have checked this with the DVLA. No more problems with any speed cameras! So long as you take the car out of the UK at least once every 6 months - a good excuse for a 'booze-cruise' to France. It may cost a few bob to do this, but it's better than losing the ability to drive in the UK.
You could go the whole hog and register a limited company in Eire for about £150, then buy your car in Dublin, tax and insure it there, transferring your UK no-claims bonus there (no problem, my broker tells me).
Then you can drive in the UK in an S. Irish registered car on a S. Irish licence. I have checked this with the DVLA. No more problems with any speed cameras! So long as you take the car out of the UK at least once every 6 months - a good excuse for a 'booze-cruise' to France. It may cost a few bob to do this, but it's better than losing the ability to drive in the UK.
Cooperman said:
A better reason for removing the WRC status from the UK event would be hard to find. No other country in the world behaves in this manner, except, perhaps, the Swedes, who are also speed-limit obsessed, or at least they used to be the last time I rallied there.
nope after a brief foray with scameras it's all different now though I fear we may be getting a return to similar idealogy.
ie on the run up to midsummer weekend we came across a laser check in the middle of a forest with (unusually for Sweden) dead straight in each direction for about 2 k's no junctions. Thanks to all who were flashing and waving.
re losing the GB round of the WRC I don't think they would kill a golden goose. Which other country has such control and charging of the spectators as we do here.
No I say take it away from Wales, plenty of excellent forests within striking distance of the Noth East, Kielder and all the surrounding forest, eg Wauchope, Otterburn ranges. Plus one day in the the North Yorks forests and Hamsterley for a bit of a change.
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