Rants - The anti Speed/Safety Camera brigade
Before I rant I should mention that I am a motorist.
I have been driving for almost 13 years and in that time I’ve
received two parking tickets and that is it.
I’ve been in two road accidents, one where as a much younger
driver I panicked when something appeared in the road in front
of me and I ended up in a ditch and one where I wasn’t really
concentrating and did end up running into the back of somebody
else.
This rant however is not the typical one about speed cameras and
how they are nothing more than a way for the government to make
even more money off of the motorist.
I guess actually this article is in defence of the camera and is
an angry rant at the people who go out of their way to complain
about cameras and getting caught by one.
Lets start with a statement that appears to go over the head of
nearly everyone who complains about speed cameras.
A speed camera alone makes absolutely £0 in speeding fines.
The only way it can make any kind of money is if it catches you,
the motorist exceeding the posted speed limit as you drive
through.
So I’m sorry if this hurts, but it is you that is causing the
fine to be generated, it is not the cameras fault in the same
way as it isn’t the cars fault – you were driving.
Now for some other facts.
The speed cameras themselves are not actually allowed to be
hidden away, so you should always be able to spot them sat at
the side of the road, they won’t be hidden behind road signs
etc.
They are painted bright yellow – so once again they are not
painted gunmetal grey or green so as to blend in with their
surroundings, they do stand out.
Now lets add in the fact that painted on the road will be a
series of white markings, so even if you are stupid enough to
miss all of the warnings we’ve mentioned so far you will be able
to see from the road you are in a cameras zone.
Finally there has to be warning signs posted along the roadside
before you get to a camera.
So lets go over all of those facts again – just read through all
of the things which have to be in place to warn you as a driver
that you are approaching a camera.
If you manage to drive past all of these and still get caught
travelling over the speed limit then I’m afraid I have to
question you actually owning a driving licence.
If you still manage to get snapped with all those warnings, what
chance would a child have in the road because a child in the
road doesn’t come with all the warning signs listed above that a
speed/safety camera does.
There are a hardcore group of people who feel that it isn’t
actually speeding that causes the problems and that breaking the
speed limit is not actually the danger.
This can be considered true to a point.
On a clear motorway at 5:00am are you really driving dangerously
if you are doing 100mph?
The camera being a dumb unit cannot really tell this and if it
flashes you at that speed then expect a court appearance, you
won’t get away with a fixed penalty at that kind of speed.
Are safety/speed cameras placed specifically to make money as a
lot of anti-camera people will lead you to believe?
In most cases no – there have either been a series of accidents
there before the camera was installed or it is a generally
dangerous area.
Many of the motorway cameras are simply places where people are
known to speed and it is those camera that will generate an
income and will annoy motorists.
However I refer you to what I said at the beginning of this
article – the camera makes no money on it’s own and if you’re
going to be stupid enough to speed through it what do you expect
to happen?
Some people will tell you that speed/safety cameras are actually
a danger because people tend to drive keeping an eye on the
speedometer what with all the cameras around.
Also all those people forced to brake suddenly when they see a
camera will only cause an accident in the end as a car in front
brakes and the car behind isn’t quite fast enough.
I’m afraid I have to call bollocks to both of those rather
feeble arguments.
Even if you are a novice driver of only a year you should be
able to tell how fast you are driving, certainly within 5mph or
so.
If you look down at your speedo and you are travelling a lot
faster than you thought then again I have to question your
ability to own a license.
As for being forced to brake suddenly when you get to the camera
– don’t speed and you won’t have to!!
Everyone speeds at some point, usually on a motorway and
arguably this is the safest place to speed.
Hit the majority of cameras on the motorway at 80mph and they
won’t flash you.
If you’re in a 20mph – 50mph zone then there is a speed
restriction there for a reason, maybe children playing, a
school, road works and you’ve got no excuse for travelling above
this limit.
Your driving skills are no better than anyone else’s despite how
good you think you are. Stick to the limit and don’t receive a
fine and points on your license, all nice and simple.
If you do get caught by a camera don’t come and tell me all
about it as I have no fucking sympathy for you at all I’m
afraid.
If I can drive for 13 years without getting a single speeding
ticket then you can too.
I don’t “drive like a granny” and I certainly do drive a car
that is capable of breaking the various speed limits around us.
You want to break the law then prepare to “do the time” – pay
your fine, take your points like a man and stop it with those
fucking “Speed cameras are only there to make money” comments.
It maybe true, but the only people they make money out of are
fuckwits like you who speed past them like a twat.
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