Tuesday 8th September 2009

Flaming Volvo Torches Speed Camera

Volvo 740 'martyred' in Plymouth scamera attack

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Arsonists in Plymouth are being hunted by the local fuzz after they ended the career of a speed camera with a flaming Volvo 740.

Another torched camera

We can't make up our minds whether the untimely demise of a 740 or the scamera itself is the most, er..., heinous part of this crime against property and all our best principles here at PH.

In fact the news from the West Country suggests this might have been an incident with far more serious consequences. According to the Plymouth Herald, the arsonists pinched the Volvo, parked it up and then torched it beneath the Outland Road speed camera - which is situated opposite an Esso petrol station.

It couldn't happen to a nicer... er, hang on!

Devon and Cornwall Police are trying to track down the 'perps' with house-to-house enquiries, while the local fire brigade apparently had to use hydraulic cutting equipment to make sure the camera's innards weren't still smouldering once the Volvo had been extinguished.

[CampDavid]

I really quite like the Volvo 740, good, honest speed barge.

[mike oxard]

what a terrible waste


of a fire crews evening

[patmahe]

I'm anti speed camera's and believe proper traffic policing is the way to actually make roads safer, but I do not condone destruction of public property. Or for that matter the theft of private property.

I think its a terrible shame that people (like the majority that frequent this site) who have proper valid views on road policing will now be tarnished by the actions of these people. It doesn't do our cause any favours.

And yes it is a pity about the Volvo, nice cars.

Edited by patmahe on Tuesday 8th September 11:54

[stifler]

It's alot easier to knock them a bit with a tractor, making them send tickets to passing 747s.

[al3x.kay]

Sad to see the Volvo go, not so sad to see the Scamera go, not saying I condone the actions mind.

[B Oeuf]

And, as a bonus, the damn thing is unlikely to be replaced thanks to the end of hypothication

[crugbun]

B Oeuf said:

And, as a bonus, the damn thing is unlikely to be replaced thanks to the end of hypothication

Don't you believe it. They love them in Plymouth, masses of them in town. I reckon it'll be taking our money again within a week.

I say 'our' money, I mean other people's.

[bluetone]

B Oeuf said:

And, as a bonus, the damn thing is unlikely to be replaced thanks to the end of hypothication

Eh?

Maybe I'm being dense but I have no idea what that means.

[BlueMR2]

Hmmmm , so there is a good use for the scrappage scheme.

[andye30m3]

good to see joy riders doing something for the fellow motorists.

[B Oeuf]

bluetone said:

B Oeuf said:

And, as a bonus, the damn thing is unlikely to be replaced thanks to the end of hypothication

Eh?

Maybe I'm being dense but I have no idea what that means.

SCPs were allowed to keep the fines raked in by scameras so long as they painted them yellow, didn't matter that they were hidden by a sign or tree, this was called hypothication and it has since ended. Now the money goes straight into winkys pocket, therefor not financially beneficial to the partnership to replace a felled camera

[10 Pence Short]

bluetone said:

B Oeuf said:

And, as a bonus, the damn thing is unlikely to be replaced thanks to the end of hypothication

Eh?

Maybe I'm being dense but I have no idea what that means.

The partnerships used to get revenue based on the number of tickets they produced. The more tickets, the more money for more cameras and propaganda. Now they're fed centrally from government, so don't have the same incentives to put up more cameras.

Factor that in the with the fact that static cameras become less effective over time; that is why they've all gone mobile to keep themselves seen as useful.

[bluetone]

B Oeuf said:

bluetone said:

B Oeuf said:

And, as a bonus, the damn thing is unlikely to be replaced thanks to the end of hypothication

Eh?

Maybe I'm being dense but I have no idea what that means.

SCPs were allowed to keep the fines raked in by scameras so long as they painted them yellow, didn't matter that they were hidden by a sign or tree, this was called hypothication and it has since ended. Now the money goes straight into winkys pocket, therefor not financially beneficial to the partnership to replace a felled camera

Gotcha. AKA half the reason they stopped using them in the borough of Swinedon.

[Somnophore]

Round here people just stick stuff over the lens. Or just splatter loads of mud on their numberplate and let it dry. I don't condone it it's just a fact.

[viciousjello]

wow... round here they just use a tyre... or like... spray pain

[rockystarr]

2 birds one stone

[MiniMan64]

http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/news/Speed-camera-...

Here's the original story in the local news here.

[Oily Nails]

viciousjello said:

..spray pain..

As used by sadistic Sports Physios on injured players

[CRAPLOGINNAME]

"while the local fire brigade apparently had to use hydraulic cutting equipment to make sure the camera's innards weren't still smouldering once the Volvo had been extinguished"

My guess is that the fire brigade were only too happy to think of the slightest excuse to chop up a speed camera. "Can't be too careful after all, lets open it up and make sure it's out"

[TVRWannabee]

Oh dear, what a disaster.