Individuals Fight Back Against UK Speed Camera Use
If you live in the UK, you're probably one of the people caught up in the issue of speed cameras. I hate to generalise on this, but its probably the truth. These cameras are alleged to protect people, although they are most commonly known as a revenue generator for local authorities and government. The measurable results of their benefits are less than desirable, and in fact, aren't known. The police allege that as they are producing more tickets for offenders, then they have increased safety. However, this is not necessarily the case as the correlation between speeding and accidents is not fully known. Its understandable that individuals take hidden speeding cameras as invasion of their privacy.
UK Speed Cameras
The original objective of deploying speed cameras in the UK was to reduce accidents and improve the safety of individuals. The requirement was to slow the speed of vehicles down overall, and thus provide a safer environment. In theory this would be beneficial to everyone, although the implementation is far different. Although many speed cameras are in view, a lot are hidden - or mobile cameras are used in dubious places, where the legitimacy of their use is questionable
The UK speed camera works by capturing an image of the speeding motorist. Some are set up alongside the roadside. Others are mobile units or even units within Police vehicles. They work to capture images of any vehicle that passes them, noting the speed at which the vehicle is traveling. Many of them make it very difficult to slow down in time to avoid being detected and most often, they are difficult to spot, although law clearly states that the vehicles and UK speed camera must be clearly located to give motorists a warning.
The problem with the use of these cameras is that they have done very little to reduce the actual number of accidents on the motorway. Rather, some individuals monitoring the situation claim that the cameras actually have led to an increase in the number of accidents for one reason or another. Some believe the cameras are doing nothing more than monitoring the residents and they should be stopped. An even larger claim is that the cameras are used more for their revenue producing abilities rather than the ability of the camera to actually improve road safety. There is no doubt that these cameras have helped governments to raise huge amounts of fines, since they send thousands of tickets each day.
Motorists Take Charge
A number of groups and individuals have set out to change the rules of the land and are legally fighting the use of the UK speed camera. While they do so, there are others who are working to stop the use of the cameras by simply taking them apart, blowing them up or otherwise stopping them from working. While illegal to do, these individuals are determined to find a way to stop people from falling victim to the cameras and they plan to continue to damage the cameras until they are finally removed in total from the streets of the UK.
if you follow the news in the UK, and listen to the arguments that people make about the use of speed cameras, its easy to see why people are so emotional about them. Many people feel that for breaking the posted speed limits by just a few miles, they are treated in the same broad classification as a criminal, charged a fine and incur penalty points. The question seems to be, is this black and white approach too draconian for this day and age?
These individuals do not want to break the law. They also do believe in the importance of using existing road traffic laws. Many of these groups even believe that the use of the UK speed camera in areas where there are children and more pedestrians is acceptable but they believe the use of these cameras in locations where there are no pedestrians is uncalled for and is against the goal of uses for these cameras. In areas such as on the motorway or on major trunk roads where there is no risk of injuring a pedestrian or child, they believe the cameras should be removed. Some even believe that some areas there is a need for more cameras such as in built up and urban areas.
If the number of accidents and road traffic incidents has not reduced in line with the use of speed cameras, or at least in any significant proportion, then can the public be expected to really buy into their use? - 21392
UK Speed Cameras
The original objective of deploying speed cameras in the UK was to reduce accidents and improve the safety of individuals. The requirement was to slow the speed of vehicles down overall, and thus provide a safer environment. In theory this would be beneficial to everyone, although the implementation is far different. Although many speed cameras are in view, a lot are hidden - or mobile cameras are used in dubious places, where the legitimacy of their use is questionable
The UK speed camera works by capturing an image of the speeding motorist. Some are set up alongside the roadside. Others are mobile units or even units within Police vehicles. They work to capture images of any vehicle that passes them, noting the speed at which the vehicle is traveling. Many of them make it very difficult to slow down in time to avoid being detected and most often, they are difficult to spot, although law clearly states that the vehicles and UK speed camera must be clearly located to give motorists a warning.
The problem with the use of these cameras is that they have done very little to reduce the actual number of accidents on the motorway. Rather, some individuals monitoring the situation claim that the cameras actually have led to an increase in the number of accidents for one reason or another. Some believe the cameras are doing nothing more than monitoring the residents and they should be stopped. An even larger claim is that the cameras are used more for their revenue producing abilities rather than the ability of the camera to actually improve road safety. There is no doubt that these cameras have helped governments to raise huge amounts of fines, since they send thousands of tickets each day.
Motorists Take Charge
A number of groups and individuals have set out to change the rules of the land and are legally fighting the use of the UK speed camera. While they do so, there are others who are working to stop the use of the cameras by simply taking them apart, blowing them up or otherwise stopping them from working. While illegal to do, these individuals are determined to find a way to stop people from falling victim to the cameras and they plan to continue to damage the cameras until they are finally removed in total from the streets of the UK.
if you follow the news in the UK, and listen to the arguments that people make about the use of speed cameras, its easy to see why people are so emotional about them. Many people feel that for breaking the posted speed limits by just a few miles, they are treated in the same broad classification as a criminal, charged a fine and incur penalty points. The question seems to be, is this black and white approach too draconian for this day and age?
These individuals do not want to break the law. They also do believe in the importance of using existing road traffic laws. Many of these groups even believe that the use of the UK speed camera in areas where there are children and more pedestrians is acceptable but they believe the use of these cameras in locations where there are no pedestrians is uncalled for and is against the goal of uses for these cameras. In areas such as on the motorway or on major trunk roads where there is no risk of injuring a pedestrian or child, they believe the cameras should be removed. Some even believe that some areas there is a need for more cameras such as in built up and urban areas.
If the number of accidents and road traffic incidents has not reduced in line with the use of speed cameras, or at least in any significant proportion, then can the public be expected to really buy into their use? - 21392
posted by X - Men @ 2:55 AM
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