Individuals Fight Back Against UK Speed Camera Use

Posted by Christina Parker Jones in August 4th, 2009
Published in Cars
by Jon Dean

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 & Deployment

If we compare the objective of using speeding cameras, and the results, then it is easy to consider that their is a big difference in the actual results. The stated aim was to reduce traffic accidents and improve safety, the results are revenue generation for the authorities. is it time for a referendum? Whilst the intention is admirable, a review of the system and the implementation of speed cameras would be useful for everyone concerned.

Speed Cameras sole intention is to capture the car details, i.e. the registration details, and the speed of the vehicle. With these two bits of information, you can be charged for speeding. The deployment of mobile speed cameras is precarious. Specifically cameras aren’t deployed for your benefit, they are deployed so that they can catch you speeding. The choice of location is generally used so that the police can argue that they were in plain site – however, you and I both probably know different.

Following the media you will soon realise that the general consensus is that speed cameras o not do what they are supposed to do, which was improve safety and reduce accidents. The result is that the public are incensed with the belief that speed cameras primary function is to raise revenue, argued and portrayed as indirect taxation.

Motorists – Stand Up And Fight

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.

Why are so many people upset and angered by the use of the UK speed camera? There are many reasons for this but in particular, they do not like the fact that such harsh actions are taken on them for just driving a few miles over the posted speed limit. As many would say, just driving a few miles over the limit will cost them a huge fine and three points on their license. They are treated no better than a criminal in these cases.

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.

The bottom line of why many do not believe the use of UK speed cameras is effective is their inability to reduce accidents and to improve the safety of roadways in the country. There is no evidence, in most areas, that the number of casualties and deaths on the roads in the UK have dropped since the use of the UK speed camera was first needed. They do believe that the cameras are used mainly to increase revenue rather than to improve safety. Some are setting out to make a statement in a way that could be legally worrisome for themselves in the hopes of making that statement loud enough to be heard by those who can improve the situation.

About the Author:
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Related posts

| RSS feed for comments on this post


Leave a reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.