Brunstrom Censorship Story Censored!
Brunstrom Censorship Story Censored!
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Discussion

FastShow

Original Poster:

388 posts

273 months

Wednesday 3rd December 2003
quotequote all
It seems to be catching!

Paul Smith recently posted about the Brunstrom memo over on the Cumbria Safety Camera Partnership forums (www.cumbriasafetycameras.org/forum/) in order to get CSCP's views on it.

Amazingly, rather than allow discussion regarding it, they simply removed the 'offending' thread, stating that it was "removed in compliance with an ACPO request".

Stunning stuff - just how low will these guys stoop?

The thread discussing the censorship of the Brunstrom thread can be found here:

www.cumbriasafetycameras.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=238

puggit

49,343 posts

269 months

Wednesday 3rd December 2003
quotequote all
Duly emailed to Littlejohn

Apache

39,731 posts

305 months

Wednesday 3rd December 2003
quotequote all
Freedom of speech has become another victim of Bully Brunstrom, this is the act of an unbalanced mind

puggit

49,343 posts

269 months

Wednesday 3rd December 2003
quotequote all
Reading through the Cumbria noticeboards I found some familiar names and familiar posts

FastShow

Original Poster:

388 posts

273 months

Wednesday 3rd December 2003
quotequote all
puggit said:
Reading through the Cumbria noticeboards I found some familiar names and familiar posts

It's a shame; a lot of very, very good posts were lost when their database recently became corrupted.

Particularly interesting is the way they are, for the most part, very helpful and co-operative, until they are asked about their targets, at which point they suddenly go completely silent. In fact, they completely blanked the thread that used to exist for a good couple of months, despite answering every thread around it.

The jist of the thread was that the targets they'd set themselves, if achieved, would be worse than the downward trend that already existed prior to their inception. In short, they expected to make things worse. They never would comment on that.

>> Edited by FastShow on Wednesday 3rd December 16:31

Mr E

22,645 posts

280 months

Wednesday 3rd December 2003
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That's pretty brash, if I may say so myself.

Transparent government. Only between the ears.....

Cooperman

4,428 posts

271 months

Wednesday 3rd December 2003
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Has anyone got an email address for the undemocratic Baron Brunstrom or his Police Authority?
We need to tell him and his Gestapo what we think of them all, in the best possible taste, of course!

puggit

49,343 posts

269 months

Wednesday 3rd December 2003
quotequote all
Cooperman said:
Has anyone got an email address for the undemocratic Baron Brunstrom or his Police Authority?
We need to tell him and his Gestapo what we think of them all, in the best possible taste, of course!
richard.brunstrom@heddlu-gogledd-cymru.police.uk as per www.cais.co.uk/pdf/Richard%20Brunstom%20Presentation.pdf

It goes directly to him (in my experience)

james_j

3,996 posts

276 months

Thursday 4th December 2003
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Clear proof of the weakness of their argument.

RichB

55,012 posts

305 months

Thursday 4th December 2003
quotequote all
puggit said:
richard.brunstrom@heddlu-gogledd-cymru.police.uk
This is anothe rthing that anoys me, and without wishing to offend Welsh people, the internet is a modern invention so why the hell has he got an e-mail address using a histric language? Either he's an idiot (no don't answer that) or he's doing it as some kind of political statement! Or... he figures he's less likely to get e-mail with that address as it's not exactly memeorable to the great majority of Brit's Rich...

p.s. Should I assume Heddu-Goigglud means North Wales Police?

puggit

49,343 posts

269 months

Thursday 4th December 2003
quotequote all
Actually the website posts it in both languages - being half Welsh I posted it to annoy people

p290 kvp

728 posts

269 months

Thursday 4th December 2003
quotequote all
To be fair the argument falls over when you simply trade insults.

The whole speeding debate is a political one and ultimately Brunstrom will simply echo whatever the political mood is of the day.

If that was to drive flat out everywhere then he'd reflect that attitude.

I've read the memo and to be honest the guy clearly doesn't want to get involved with endless correspondence. Lets face it - it does seem that unless he turns around and says "No you are right" you will always write another letter.


RichB

55,012 posts

305 months

Thursday 4th December 2003
quotequote all
puggit said:
Actually the website posts it in both languages - being half Welsh I posted it to annoy people
Thanks Puggit, someone always bites eh? So what does @huigged-giouglid mean?

puggit

49,343 posts

269 months

Thursday 4th December 2003
quotequote all
No idea - never lived there, never learnt the language

safespeed

2,983 posts

295 months

Thursday 4th December 2003
quotequote all
p290 kvp said:

I've read the memo and to be honest the guy clearly doesn't want to get involved with endless correspondence. Lets face it - it does seem that unless he turns around and says "No you are right" you will always write another letter.


You couldn't be more wrong.

Examine the letters on:

www.safespeed.org.uk/brunstrom.html

I ask: "What evidence do you have that these speed cameras (and the policies which support them) even might save lives? Any real evidence at all would be welcome." And he has no answer to offer. Do you think it is acceptable to promote speed camera policy if you can't answer such a basic question?

The truth is that there is no evidence that speed cameras saves lives, and I knew that when I wrote the letter. Thus the basis for the policy is exposed as "faith".

If I had been mistaken then he had the opportunity to reference the evidence and prove me wrong.

I have only ever asked simple, straightforward questions capable of a clear and straightforward answer. The sneeky part - if there is a sneeky part - is that I know in advance that they have no answers to offer.

I was genuinely amazed when the TRL failed to disown the travesty of science that is TRL421. I corresponded in private and only published the letters when it became clear that the TRL were determined to reject science in favour of political spin. I am very ashamed of them.

www.safespeed.org.uk/trl.html

Best regards,
Paul Smith
Safe Speed
www.safespeed.org.uk

FastShow

Original Poster:

388 posts

273 months

Thursday 4th December 2003
quotequote all
CSCP have posted a 'justification' of the removal of the docs now here:

www.cumbriasafetycameras.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=241

Apparantly, "the cull" begins after lunch.

Apache

39,731 posts

305 months

Thursday 4th December 2003
quotequote all
p290 kvp said:
Lets face it - it does seem that unless he turns around and says "No you are right" you will always write another letter.


Always

Cooperman

4,428 posts

271 months

Thursday 4th December 2003
quotequote all
I just tried to email Brainstorm, but the message undeliverable appears. Could someone confirm his email address please.

Plotloss

67,280 posts

291 months

Thursday 4th December 2003
quotequote all
FastShow said:
CSCP have posted a 'justification' of the removal of the docs now here:

www.cumbriasafetycameras.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=241

Apparantly, "the cull" begins after lunch.


Pram down, toys everywhere!

p290 kvp

728 posts

269 months

Thursday 4th December 2003
quotequote all
Hi Paul,

Thanks for the links, and information. But I guess it kind of proves my point.

It is only my personal opinion but look at it from their shoes. They really couldn't give a fig about the validity of their data because ultimately you can prove pretty much anything you like with it.

Just look at the on going saga about the MMR vaccine.

These guys are just like you and me and everyone else. Keeping their heads down and earning a living. Isn't it easier to fob you off with "already published reports, etc, blah, blah" than get involved with a debate that ultimately they couldn't care about.

The problem for these people is that they get dragged into a political matter because it is easier for politicians to use them than speak for themselves.

Rather than bang your head against the wall - why not talk to the only people who will change policy and that is your elected PM.