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This government is using thier spin on accident and death on the road statistics to justify the increase in the number of fixed location radars.
Naturally other promotoring groups are using the same figures to agrue the fixed location camers are not doing any other than generate revenue.
The truth lies somewhere between the two and statisitcs lie at the heart of it.
What is true is that fixed location cameras in certain places can and does reduce drivers' spedds allowing them more time to avoid a dangerous situation etc. But they are also the cuase of accidents as sppeding drivers slow down rapidly to get below the limit, keeping an eye on the speedo and not on the mirror.
There are also SPECS cameras which derive your speed over a section of road, say a couple of miles. This works very welll because if you enter the zone at a stop light or intersection you are already going lsowly, so no braking risk and you continue within the speed limt unitl you reach the end of the section, beyond the percieved danger. This is used on several very dangerous roads in the UK and has been very successful at reducing the number of incidents. But they demand far more intelligence to use and site correctly than a dumb camera.
Recently Top Gear did an entertaining little game. They drove a car on their test track past a camera. One driver was drunk as a skunk, the other was driving without insurance or license or an MOT and one was driving normally but 5mph above the limit.
Guess who got caught? The speeder when all three were breaking the law....Cameras are a crude system and very very limited in their use, but becuase they are easy and cheap they are favoured. Afterall which cop finance office would not want such a cheap, risk free way of increasing revenue, increasing the crime solution rate etc on his patch.
Sorry to be so cynical but the Police are relying far too much on these and failing to do their job in other respects of traffic.... Apologies to Cops here who feel criticised, its the Head Cops who either agree or advise the politicians who are not acting with enough vigour in this area.
Rant over, flame suit on, and pedal to metal....
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