Are speed cameras a good thing, or just an annoying pain in the rear?

Question

I drove on a route using back roads in the north and midlands yesterday and the number of Gatsos and Average Speed Cameras was just ridiculous. When there were no speed cameras, there was a message painted on the road urging you to slow down. I drove for just over 100 miles without being able to hit 60 mph once. I had chosen my route to relax a bit, and drive through some nice scenery away from the motorways. In the end I used motorways as it proved to be far less stressful than constantly checking my speedometer. I could have driven that first 100 miles almost as quickly on a tractor!

Answer 1

A computer is no substitute for a human.



No matter what environmentalists say, there are situations where a bit of speed is a good thing. I once overtook a car doing 50 in a 60 zone on a good quality road and, given that I'm fairly confident in my driving and I wanted to get back on my side ASAP, I sped up to about 80. Only, as I did that, I noticed there was a police speed radar stood behind a tree. He never gave me a ticket.



I can't believe that people want cameras to be hidden. They were originally supposed to be used at accident blackspots to slow people down, why would people slow down if they are hidden? Instead, they would just dish out fines and those people would carry on speeding through the blackspot.



At the end of the day, they lead to panic breaking, they only slow people down over a very short section of road, they only catch a small minority of law breakers and they never understand the whole situation. Scrap speed cameras, get traffic police back out there.



Only in a dictatorship will you find spies hidden in bushes catching you breaking the law, even if you haven't actually done any harm.



And whilst we're at it - remove the national speed limit!

Answer 2

As a police officer, i individually do in comparison to site visitors cameras. some states, alongside with Arkansas, demands that an offense take place in a law enforcement officials presence, different than in particular particular incidents (injuries as an occasion), which then enables a individual receiving a citation to confront his accuser or undertaking the fee ticket. that's in all probability why they do no longer look to be in use in this state (that i know of) and different states. I see large cities employing those as a revenues source in easy terms yet employing the excuse of site visitors secure practices and help of injuries as a reason to place in cameras. I even have seen cases whilst it replace into extra prudent to bypass by way of a mild to stay away from an twist of destiny (like getting hit interior the rear) and if I see it, as an officer i'm able to take that for the period of attention.

Answer 3

They are great! The only problem is that the summonses issuued from them are fines only, no points against your driver license. They penalize the reckless drivers and don't bother the good ones.



They aren't legal in my state but all the honest cops wish they were. The only people who are against them are the dishonest cops who think they are above the law (and speed all the time because they know a brother officer won't write them a summons) and the corrupt politicians who think they can bully us into letting them go (that's why our crooked legislature banned them).



I love them! They treat everybody the same! If your vehicle exceeds the speed limit, you get a summons! The camera doesn't know who you are and doesn't care! Citizen, cop, or politician, everybody gets the same treatment! The American way!

Answer 4

I hate speed cameras and speed humps, but love or hate them, they do slow the traffic down on the stretch of road where they are.



What happens when you are driving down a road, and people coming the other way are flashing thier headlights at you frantically.



The first thing you do is check your speed and slow down if necessary. Whilst that speed van is there, no accidents will occour on that particular stretch of road for that particular length of time.



Even if he prevents an accident for the 2hrs he's sitting there, that has to be a good thing.



I think they are a money making scam 70% of the time, they are often placed in areas of lower risk but higher revenue gain which is unfortunate and should be regulated, sooner the better.



But while he is present you will keep a regular eye on your speed which can only be a good thing in the long run.

Answer 5

Speed cameras are the prostate exam of the road, nobody likes them but we're made to believe they're necessary.



The only people who like speed camera's are police and politicians because they bring in over 250 million dollars a year in revenue.



Nobody knows how many lives they save, because nobody cares.



The only good thing about them is once you know where they are, you can slow down as you come up to them and then speed off merrily as they go out of range.

Answer 6

Speed cameras are completely unfair to society,



Hidden cameras are especially unfair becuase they catch unsuspecting drivers slightly over the limit while

not actually slowing down someone at all becuase.....well its HIDDEN



completely useless, they are to catch drivers when their gaurd has been let down



its also proven that over a 3rd of cameras are faulty!



i would alsso like to add going over the limit slightly is not dangarous, most posted limits are sometimes ''overkill'' to what the safe speed to travel at actually is for that certain road and conditions

Answer 7

The Government tend to use 'Safety Cameras' as a more frequent reference. They are there to raise cash, and also tackle bad, dangerous drivers.



Some are not set correctly.

Gemini_DJ.

Answer 8

Sorry to be a pain but they are designed to keep speed down and in that respect they are very successful. Again my apologies but driving is not meant to be a relaxing sight seeing jaunt for the driver but a deadly life and death undertaking of full concentration. Boring as it is on a medium like this but if you saw the awful mutilated bodies of accident victims (God fore bid) particularly one or more of your loved ones you would recognise the necessity to engage all systems to make motorists reduce speed and stay alert. I didn't answer this to get a few cheap points. God help the wit of those who were incapable of acknowledging the stark truth when it is staring them in the face. Like seat belts,it was not until legislation was passed to make their use compulsory that people started to wear this life saving devise. Despite having the road to hell being clearly sign-posted most stupid "know it all"people will go as fast as they can to get there. This is good as it will get rid of some of life's fools but it is the innocent folk they kill in the process that is lamentable.

Answer 9

Spot on, I live in Mid Wales - we have the best driving roads in the UK, but the local 'safety camera partnership' park their vans where there are no accidents, they are purely located to collect revenue - in my local 15 mile stretch of the A470/A483/A458, they hide behind walls, buildings or hedges on the straightest, safest parts they can find, in every case less than 2 minutes from places there are regularly accidents.

Answer 10

I agree that fixed speed cameras are a joke as a lot of drivers just brake hard for them and speed up again afterwards - I think the average speed cameras are the way forward or more mobile detector vans...

Answer 11

Speed cameras should be kept!!!



Why should idiots risk our lives whilst driving 100mph+ not only on the motorways but through streets too!!!



I have actually been overtaken by an Audi whilst we were doing 65mph, he shot passed us obviously speeding, but not only that, he was actually on his mobile phone too!



If you, or a member of your family was killed or seriously hurt by someone speeding, see how you would feel then. It's neither big or clever to drive recklessly!



Kill your speed, not a child!

Answer 12

There a waste of space, theres loads of them but they are all painted bright yellow so people see them, slow down until they go past then speed up again..... Complete waste of time if they dont work..... Its like calling a drug dealer before you raid his house so he can hide his stash lol

Answer 13

uh both. they are a pain and mostly in completely stupid places but then i wouldn't want someone hurtling down the road at 150 when i'v just pulled out of a juntion as it was clear when i started.....

Answer 14

if the police/council are going to use cameras, then it should be in town centres/outside schools/residential streets - NOT on major 'a' roads where they are just collecting revenue!

plus. they are dangerous (i hate driving behind people who have just got flashed/braking suddenly)

Answer 15

i think they are a bad thing, people just slow down for them and then speed up anyway....

and i sympathise with your spoilt scenic route...so annoying.

Answer 16

they need to be scrapped -

1) they cost loads

2) they gat vandalised (costing more)

3) they are annoying

4) they have a distracting falsh



a better option would be to have a fellt of unmarked vans... You wouldn't know where they were and people would have to drive slowly so they wernt caught



however, due to petrol prices, people don't drive as fast anyway!!



regards,

Mike : )

Answer 17

how many times on this board do you see kids wanting more gadgets to make the safe. this is what is causing this problem............

Answer 18

i just modded the trunk deck lid on my car and now the cameras cannot see my license plate because of a combination of this modification and how low my car is to the ground

Answer 19

They are a BAD thing! They are big brother. They should all be destroyed. If enough people secretly destroy them every chance they get eventually "they" will give up and stop putting them up.

Answer 20

Speed cameras are just a "stealth tax" DON'T BE A VICTIM.