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"Drivers, Speed Cameras and Ignorant Stupidity."

Read something in the news the other day about some people in North Wales tearing down speed cameras, apparently a reaction to the North Wales Police's current policy of targetting speeding drivers in a noble effort to make the roads safer. These people claim to feel 'victimised' and shout about how speed cameras are simply trying to milk yet more money out of the 'driving community'.

They're not the only people to feel that way. A few weeks ago, a hoax e-mail was distributed detailing plans to install a series of digital cameras on the M4 which would automatically read people's licence plates and auto-issue fines to speeding drivers. There was outrage. Not just from random people I know, but from supposed professionals in my office and many others, as a huge e-mail debate raged, citing invasions of civil liberty and other such nonsense.

Can I just ask a question of all the people who feel so infringed by the governments efforts to stop people from speeding: What is your problem?

Now, I don't drive, as I recognise that, for me, it's not an economically or financially viable option for me to do so. I could afford to drive, sure, but why bother given the cost incurred by doing so far outweighs the benefits gained? But anyway, I don't drive, but from my perspective, speed cameras are there for a purpose, and that purpose is to punish drivers who are BREAKING THE LAW. I've put that in big letters for you so it sinks in a little. The drivers punished by speed cameras are punished with good reason, they are driving at excessive speed, and possibly endangering the lives of themselves, and more selfishly (also more importantly), the lives of others. Now, are drivers of the opinion that they should be allowed to break the law and endanger lives with impunity? That's certainly the way their attitude comes across.

The idea that drivers are being 'victimised' for breaking the law is ludicrous. If I had my way, speeding would carry an automatic driving ban and a far more hefty fine than is currenlty in practice. If I had my way, there would cameras on every street of every city and town in the whole country. No, satellite tracking of every vehicle, so that every single infringement is captured, and drivers can gleefully dig their own graves.

Arguing that you should be free to speed at will without cameras to record your indescretion is no different to thugs and rapists demanding the removal of CCTV cameras from street corners so that they can be allowed to hurt, damage and destroy people without having their privacy invaded by police intent on victimising them when they should be cracking down on more serious crimes like... terrorism and such.

Let's be clear here. Speeding is dangerous, it costs lives, which is to say it can kill people, or just take their life away from them. The speed laws are - contrary to popular belief - there for the safety of everyone involved, and not a measure to curb your enjoyment, preventing you from racing down country lanes at 100mph.

And let's be clearer still: Any driver who believes that they are being victimised simply because the police wish to monitor the roads FOR YOUR OWN SAFETY is a complete and irredeemable idiot. I moronic and useless blight on humanity. You people should be hung at dawn with transparent balloon pants so that when the contents of your bowels exit your body,you canbe photographed for the morning papers with all the grace and dignity you deserve. Don't try to tell me "I speed, but safely", because, after all, don't all of you? I doubt many people drive around with the intent of being purposefully dangerous to other motorists/pedestrians. Most accidents due to speeding are exactly that.

Scum. I could write more. I could easily sit here all day venting my rage at you stupid people. But I'm getting too angry to formulate proper sentences.

"average person on the street has proven that they cannot manage themselves"

I typed that properly, I know I did.

I can't agree with that, simply because the average person on the street that they cannot manage themselves without being forced to live within a specific ruleset. If you educated the world to regulate themselves on the road and be better drivers, and with confidence in their skills upped the speed limits, what do you think would happen?

More accidents is what.

Reminds me of the silly fox/scorpion proverb quoted in Star Trek a while back, whereby the scorpion dooms itself and the fox, simply because it can;t help itself.

Insane Bartender wrote:
> While people complain about low speed limits, it should be noted that
> higher speed limits contribute to increased congestion, as too many
> speedy cars arrive at traffic lights too quickly.

If you get a sudden burst of quicker traffic after a continuing period of slower, but that's not what would happen. Increased speed causing congestion has far more to do with tail gaiting as you then have to break harder to stop in time, the car behind has to break a little harder than you, the car behind him a little harder etc etc until people have to stop.

There's a proper name for this phenomenon, but it causes the vast majority of traffic jams. Again, its bad driving that causes the problem, not the speed. If the distance was kept there'd be no problem.

See, I'm always right. Hurry up and make this GAD, I think KOTR is out on PC this week.

I think if I was caught by a sneakily placed speed camera I'd be a bit miffed, but I'd have no cause to complain. Any reason I'd have to be annoyed would be secondary to the fact that I was a spacker for breaking the law in the first place.

that should of course read erratic driving, not just driving.

By the same token though, while there are other problems (there always are) the sheer degree of driving that can be witnessed in North Wales is rivalled only by Parisian roundabouts.

Insane Bartender wrote:
> Read something in the news the other day about some people in North
> Wales tearing down speed cameras, apparently a reaction to the North
> Wales Police's current policy of targetting speeding drivers in a
> noble effort to make the roads safer. These people claim to feel
> 'victimised' and shout about how speed cameras are simply trying to
> milk yet more money out of the 'driving community'.

Not for a second would I want to defend people who commit such acts and neither do disagree with the sentiments with the rest of your post but since you mentioned North Wales I thought I'd at least try to put their side of it.
North Wales Police has quite a reputation for its road traffic concerns. I think the average resident of the area would describe it as obsessive though. Theres a general feeling that its a really bad use of resources when theres quite clearly other areas that need attention which in turn creates local resentment. Theres a fair amount of local media coverage about it, so its not surprising people gain a certain paranoia about being watched on the roads which leads to the screaming about infringing on civil liberties etc.
Obviously thats not the case for every area but at least for North Wales it explains why people react in such a manner sometimes.

Those people who destroy camera's, they say they only destroy ones in quiet areas. Well, more than once, i've nearly been killed by 'boy racers' in the country side. I agree with IB, speed, then be ready to pay the fine.

Speed limits are their for the safety, and protection of all. I've no objection to people speeding, as long as it is on a race track or other designated spots. If they want to risk their lives, so be it, as long as they don't risk anybody else's at the same time.

I agree, although in a less angry/give-a-stuff kind of way. I guess I don't have to suffer so many people moaning about civil liberties.