Letter in Sunday Times Driving section:

[puggit]

Speed Camera Anger:
I served as a police officer for 30 years and from 1997-2000 supervised all road death investigations in Shropshire - more than 100 of them.

I agree with the general tone of the views expressed in your article (There's gold in them there speed cameras, last week). In my experience the main causes of deaths and serious injury on the road do not include slight infringements of the speed limit. The causes I would most readily identify are: the careless right turn, aggressive high-speed driving, the born-again biker, poor vehicle maintenance, drink-driving and the very elderly driver.

I have to admit that I have recently had the misfortune to incur points on my licence for the first time in 40 years' driving as the result of a speed camera. I would not object if I believed the cameras made a substantial contribution to road safety. However, having first-hand knowledge of where the serious collisions are likely to occur, I know that many of the selected camera sites are anything but black spots.

I conclude that revenue, rather than safety, is the prime motivation.

John Trott
Shropshire

[volvod5_dude]

Well, mister Brunstrom won't like you! totally agree with you however.

>> Edited by volvod5_dude on Sunday 30th November 13:04

[andygo]

Well, you should have known better than to speed. Why did you sign your NIP?

Seriously though, it just shows what a farce the whole thing is. Mr Trott is probably paranoid about road safety and speeding, yet still gets nicked.

What chance have ordinary folk got?

[MoJocvh]

puggit said:

Speed Camera Anger: I served as a police officer for 30 years and from 1997-2000 supervised all road death investigations in Shropshire - more than 100 of them. I agree with the general tone of the views expressed in your article (There's gold in them there speed cameras, last week). In my experience the main causes of deaths and serious injury on the road do not include slight infringements of the speed limit. The causes I would most readily identify are: the careless right turn, aggressive high-speed driving, the born-again biker, poor vehicle maintenance, drink-driving and the very elderly driver. I have to admit that I have recently had the misfortune to incur points on my licence for the first time in 40 years' driving as the result of a speed camera. I would not object if I believed the cameras made a substantial contribution to road safety. However, having first-hand knowledge of where the serious collisions are likely to occur, I know that many of the selected camera sites are anything but black spots. I conclude that revenue, rather than safety, is the prime motivation. John Trott Shropshire

Emm thats 3 years......

mojo

[Wacky Racer]

MoJocvh said:

puggit said: Speed Camera Anger: I served as a police officer for 30 years and from 1997-2000 supervised all road death investigations in Shropshire - more than 100 of them. I agree with the general tone of the views expressed in your article (There's gold in them there speed cameras, last week). In my experience the main causes of deaths and serious injury on the road do not include slight infringements of the speed limit. The causes I would most readily identify are: the careless right turn, aggressive high-speed driving, the born-again biker, poor vehicle maintenance, drink-driving and the very elderly driver. I have to admit that I have recently had the misfortune to incur points on my licence for the first time in 40 years' driving as the result of a speed camera. I would not object if I believed the cameras made a substantial contribution to road safety. However, having first-hand knowledge of where the serious collisions are likely to occur, I know that many of the selected camera sites are anything but black spots. I conclude that revenue, rather than safety, is the prime motivation. John Trott Shropshire Emm thats 3 years...... mojo

No, read it carefully