Police use anti-speeding horsebox

[kennythecelt]

BBC NEWS | Wales | Police use anti-speeding horsebox

 

 

"The horsebox with two officers inside was parked near Llanrwst in the Conwy Valley on Sunday.

The force, renowned for its campaign against speeding would not comment on its use but said enforcement activity would increase as the days lengthen. The Department of Transport said it recommended speed cameras were made "highly visible" to motorists. "

[Bookworm]

If they had to go in hot pursuit, that would be worth filming.

[dave]

They really do not do themselves any favours do they?

 

They wonder why there is no respect for law and order in the UK any more and they continue to act like spoilt children.

 

If the speed camera was big and visible, only a fool would speed past it - and thus, job done - people slowing down (which has actually INCREASED accidents on our roads, but that is for another thread and another time).

 

Hiding it shows one thing: it's there as an extension of the inland revenue. You'd think with coppers being stuffed over by this govt. when it lied about the pay rises they were going to get, that they would be on our side as well.

 

Of course, they are not - and any respect that they might have earned goes straight out of the window with stunts like this.

[Rob S]

You really do spout some rubbish at times Dave:rolleyes:

[nogard23]

Dave, the reason the police like catching speeders is that they have to clear up the mess when speeders kill themselves and other people. Once you have told a child that daddy wont be coming home anymore you just dont want to repeat the experience.

[green_and_mean]

Why is it ok to use covert tactics to catch criminals but not to catch speeders? How many people get killed each year by pick pockets compared to speeding cars for example but covert officers are always used to catch them. Obviously they would slow down for a camera only to speed up half a mile down the road! You break the law you get a fine and hopefully points its not as if the speed limit sign was hidden in the horse box is it?

[nigel_bytes]

The video.

 

Police hide in a horsebox to catch speeding motorists - Daily Post North Wales

[pin1onu]

The initial justification for speed cameras was for deterence. In the days before mobile cameras they were intended to be used to near accident blackspots and were supposed to be visible. The DFT guidelines reflect this.

 

How can covert cameras be seen as anything more than a attempt to raise revenue. Its like the days of speed traps when the cops would sit behind a billboard with their radar. The deterence effect was minimal.

 

Contrary to Government claims the statistics indicate that speed cameras are not effective at reducing road deaths or preventing speeding. Take a look at Welcome to Safe Speed and see how misleading the govt. stats and claims are.

 

Just for the record the number of accidents where speed is the primary cause is negligible.

 

I'm not advocating speeding but would point out that sometimes the posted limit is not always the appropriate speed for the road or the conditions.

[Guest wino]

If they caught you speeding and you asked how fast you were going? Would they stamp their feet to count out the speed like a horse?

[Zamzara]

I'm not advocating speeding but would point out that sometimes the posted limit is not always the appropriate speed for the road or the conditions.

 

Exactly there's speeding and speeding. Language has power, but English lacks sufficiently subtle words.

 

The nutters that tear round residential areas cutting corners with their engines revving and foot hard to the floor are speeding as they are not remotely in control of their vehicles.

 

Most automated enforcement is on fast roads and dual carriageways where the limit has been set too low to create a "speeding problem".

 

It's like comparing theft of £1000 with going 5p overdrawn and dismissing them both as "stealing".

[dave]

Honestly, some people should think before spouting typical Daily Mail reader's answers to everything.

 

I was caught on a covert camera once - I didn't even know about it. Did I slow down? No, of course not, I didn't even know I was speeding.

 

Now imagine if I saw a copper in a hi-vis jacket with a radar in his hand. I would most likely have checked my speed straight away and slowed accordingly.

 

So instead of stopping me from breaking the law, I was photographed doing so and then taxed to the tune of 60 quid, and carried on speeding obliviously. Well done, problem solved....errr...hang on, no it's not. If I'd turned the corner and hit a child (it's always a child of course, as that's the most emotive) then, yes, I would have been guilty, but then so would the speed trap to a certain degree. They could have prevented that from happening by doing their job - i.e. upholding the laws of the country, rather than allowing it to continue and just photographing the incident for revenue.

 

Yet some people advocate this method of 'policing' and justify it by stating that they like to catch 'speeders' as they don't like telling children that their daddy isn't coming home.

 

Look at the statistics of fatal accidents where speeding is a contributing factor. The percentage is tiny (backed up by the goverment funded TRL232 report - which we now have to pay for, unlike the other reports commissioned in the same way - odd? I think so)

 

If I were a criminal and was about to break into someones house, or rape or murder someone, would it be better to take a photo of it so that I can be prosecuted or would it be better to stop me from doing it?

[nogard23]

are you saying that the result of a collision at 40 mph is identical to that of a 30 mph impact?

[green_and_mean]

Now imagine if I saw a copper in a hi-vis jacket with a radar in his hand. I would most likely have checked my speed straight away and slowed accordingly.

 

So instead of stopping me from breaking the law, I was photographed doing so and then taxed to the tune of 60 quid, and carried on speeding obliviously.

 

Why does it a take a PC in a high vis jacket to make you slow down what is wrong with looking at the speed restriction?

 

Two drivers go out for a Sunday drive, one drives at 90 mph everywhere only slowing down when he sees your friendly coppers in their high vis jackets, the second has more fun since he sees no PCs on his travels so drives at 90 mph all day long. In the following week the second driver gets a speeding ticket from a hidden camera thru the post. The next Sunday they both go out for a drive again....which one will be driving slower? I can guarantee it will be the one with the ticket not the one that slowed done for a few coppers he drove passed. Speeding enforcement is not just about slowing people down for half a mile when they see a camera its about changing driving habits.

[green_and_mean]

If I were a criminal and was about to break into someones house, or rape or murder someone, would it be better to take a photo of it so that I can be prosecuted or would it be better to stop me from doing it?

 

If you wanted to catch a rapist would it be better to stand outside a house in a high vis jacket or use covert tactics? The deterent is fine if you have enough Police to stand outside every house etc but that would be ludicrous and the rapist would just go elsewhere. Speeding is the same as any crime no one is going to do it in front of a Police Officer (unless a bit mad) they just wait until they've passed by. So unless the Police budget can stretch to a PC standing in a Hi vis jacket every half a mile on all main roads the only effective deterent is the fear of getting caught.

[dave]

are you saying that the result of a collision at 40 mph is identical to that of a 30 mph impact?

 

Errr...no, but that does sound rather like the response the Daily Mail would give.

[dave]

If you wanted to catch a rapist would it be better to stand outside a house in a high vis jacket or use covert tactics? The deterent is fine if you have enough Police to stand outside every house etc but that would be ludicrous and the rapist would just go elsewhere. Speeding is the same as any crime no one is going to do it in front of a Police Officer (unless a bit mad) they just wait until they've passed by. So unless the Police budget can stretch to a PC standing in a Hi vis jacket every half a mile on all main roads the only effective deterent is the fear of getting caught.

 

So effectively, you're saying it's ok to speed as long as you pay your way. Cough up the 60 quid and carry on speeding.

 

If a negative deterrent doesn't work should we continue to do it?

 

Road deaths involving speeding have been at a constant level for the last 10 years (coincidently, the fact is well known now that since the introduction of speed cameras our roads are no longer the safest in Europe).

 

If something consistently fails to deliver what it is supposed to, would not a cleverer person look at alternative ways of acheiving the results instead?

 

...or perhaps, as I have suggested, it's simply too much of a money spinner for anyone in 'power' to consider changing it.

[green_and_mean]

So effectively, you're saying it's ok to speed as long as you pay your way. Cough up the 60 quid and carry on speeding.

 

Unless of course you advocate prison for serial speeders? Obviously if you are stupid enough to keep paying the fines there is nothing to stop you. But if you didn't worry about the fines why would you bother slowing down for your hi vis friends at the side of the road??

[dave]

Well for one thing, you may not want the inconveinience of having to stop - you might be in a hurry (hence the speeding in the first place), you may also not want to be talked to like a child by some 21 year old with a GCE in woodwork.