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PeterE
PostPosted: Sat Feb 05, 2005 17:11 
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http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/hampshire/so ... NEWS0.html

(link will only work today)

Police to probe use of bogus speed trap
by Chris Yandell

A HAMPSHIRE couple could be forced to remove a fake speed camera following a fatal accident just yards from their front door.

Police have confirmed that officers are investigating whether the bogus safety device had any link to the crash.

Policeman's daughter Nicola Chapman, 20, of Totton, was a front seat passenger in a Ford Fiesta driven by a 19-year-old woman from Southampton.

Miss Chapman died instantly when the vehicle, pictured left, veered off Winsor Road, Winsor in the New Forest last Sunday

The fake camera, pictured above, was installed by bed and breakfast proprietors Simon Wright and his wife Elaine, in a bid to stop motorists from flouting the 40mph limit on Winsor Road.

Residents say drivers often hurtle along the narrow country road at speeds of up to 70mph.

Mr Wright said: "I decided to do something about it and put the `camera' on a telegraph pole outside my house a year ago.

"Initially it had quite an impact.

"Two young lads knocked on the door and asked if it was a real camera. I asked them if they'd been speeding but they didn't answer.

"When I walk up the road I often look back and watch car brake lights go on as drivers see the camera.

"I want real speed cameras to be installed, and one of the policemen I spoke to after the accident said we might get them after what happened."

Police are still attempting to establish the cause of the collision.

Asked if the artificial camera could have distracted the 19-year-old driver, Mr Wright said: "I can't see how - there were no skid marks."

Other residents said the badly- injured driver told people at the scene that she crashed after swerving to avoid a rabbit in the road.

But a Hampshire Police spokesman said: "Officers will be looking at the presence of the fake speed camera as part of their inquiry."

A source close to the investigation said Mr and Mrs Wright might be asked to remove the dummy device, depending on what the driver said when she was interviewed about the accident.

Roger Vincent of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents said: "We must await the outcome of the police investigation.

"But as a general rule we would not advise people to put up fake speed cameras as they may have the potential to distract drivers."

The Hampshire Safety Camera Partnership aims to cut the number of people killed or injured on the county's roads.

A spokesman said: "Generally we wouldn't recommend people to put up signs or artificial cameras, but if people can't drive without being distracted by roadside objects they shouldn't be behind the wheel.

"There are all sorts of potential distractions and part of safe driving is being able to cope with them."

This is a view echoed by the Hampshire-based motoring organisation, the AA. A spokesman said: "Fake speed cameras are a distraction, but how do you compare them with eye-catching adverts or photographs of pretty girls promoting films? Drivers have got to learn not to be distracted.

"They should also be aware of the speed limit. That way they won't be troubled by the presence of speed cameras, real or otherwise."

Geraint James, chairman of Copythorne Parish Council, said: "People are concerned about the speed and volume of traffic using Winsor Road. It's an antiquated road that is being used more and more, mostly as a rat-run."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In my view all these things should be removed as they fall into the same category as "impersonating a police officer" and the locations haven't been properly assessed in the way ones for real cameras should be.

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Gatsobait
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 05, 2005 18:04 
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peterE wrote:
In my view all these things should be removed as they fall into the same category as "impersonating a police officer" and the locations haven't been properly assessed in the way ones for real cameras should be.
If residents can put up fake cameras then it only seems fair that drivers start putting up signs saying "Fake camera 100 yds ahead". Seriously, I can't believe the attitude of the man. If I'd done that and I'd been told it was even a possibility that my fake camera was involved I'd take the thing down right away until and unless the investigation okayed it.

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PeterE
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 05, 2005 18:07 
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I think it would be a public service if Captain Gatso and his chums went around and pulled down all the f*****g things :twisted:

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SafeSpeed
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 05, 2005 18:18 
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The Police are between a rock and a hard place aren't they?

If they agree that the camera may have contributed to the crash then they are admitting to a risk at all camera sites.

If they deny that the camera contributed to the crash then their inaction might contribute to another crash.

Hahahahaha!

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spankthecrumpet
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 05, 2005 19:23 
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If the driver says she was swerving to avoid a rabbit, then the fake speed camera is irrelevant.

What is more interesting is the police officer saying they might use this accident to put forward the case for a speed camera - despite the fact it is nothing to do with excess speed and everything to do with suicidal rodents. That's quite an admission.
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andys280176
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 05, 2005 21:19 
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Quote:
Asked if the artificial camera could have distracted the 19-year-old driver, Mr Wright said: "I can't see how - there were no skid marks."


In other words something distracted the driver causing them not to take appropriate action i.e. braking


Quote:
"But as a general rule we would not advise people to put up fake speed cameras as they may have the potential to distract drivers."


Just like real ones then? :roll:

Quote:
The Hampshire Safety Camera Partnership aims to cut the number of people killed or injured on the county's roads.


Waiting on someone waving a magic wand are they? :roll:

Quote:
"Fake speed cameras are a distraction, but how do you compare them with eye-catching adverts or photographs of pretty girls promoting films?


Adverts don't fine and ban you, that's the difference me old son :D

Quote:
Geraint James, chairman of Copythorne Parish Council, said: "People are concerned about the speed and volume of traffic using Winsor Road. It's an antiquated road that is being used more and more, mostly as a rat-run."



Who opposed all the village and town bypasses in the last 10-20 years? I rest my case :D


Regards


Andrew


[/quote]

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g_attrill
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 06, 2005 02:19 
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There was a fatal crash just down the road here only last week - a driver swerved to avoid a fox and ran into an oncoming car. The driver (who swerved) was killed. his passenger was serious injured and the oncoming driver was also injured. Interestingly the oncoming driver was found wandering by another driver and she sat him in her car to keep warm. Fire brigade turn up and he complains about his back so they cut the roof off the lady's two week old Micra to remove him!

Gareth
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Dratsabasti
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 06, 2005 13:55 
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I think between Pauls post and that of andys280176, it has all been said.
Whichever way the Police go in this case, they're stuffed.

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Biker-Russ
PostPosted: Sun Feb 06, 2005 16:20 
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PeterE wrote:
Roger Vincent of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents said: "We must await the outcome of the police investigation.

"But as a general rule we would not advise people to put up fake speed cameras as they may have the potential to distract drivers.".......

This is a view echoed by the Hampshire-based motoring organisation, the AA. A spokesman said: "Fake speed cameras are a distraction, but how do you compare them with eye-catching adverts or photographs of pretty girls promoting films? Drivers have got to learn not to be distracted.


So both ROSPA and the AA openly admit that "fake" speed cameras at least have the possibility to distract drivers. So what about the 6000 real ones blighting our roads? Surely this is an admission that these are a distraction to drivers too?

Russ
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SafeSpeed
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 07, 2005 07:16 
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I think a few letters to the Chief Constable urging him to get the fake camera removed "as a precaution" would be an excellent idea.

Chief Constable Paul Kernaghan
Hampshire Constabulary Headquarters,
West Hill,
Winchester,
Hampshire,
SO22 5DB.

I wonder if we could go so far as to scream "manslaughter" at the fake camera erector?

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Mod
PostPosted: Mon Feb 07, 2005 10:08 
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They'll simply argue that the area is not necessarily a suitable location/placement for the speed camera because it could be a distraction.
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Gatsobait
PostPosted: Mon Feb 07, 2005 12:11 
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Mod wrote:
They'll simply argue that the area is not necessarily a suitable location/placement for the speed camera because it could be a distraction.
If that applies to a real gatso it should also apply to a fake.

:idea: Here, do gatsos with no camera unit count as fake ones? :twisted:

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Mod
 Post subject: No
PostPosted: Mon Feb 07, 2005 12:19 
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The police might say that any camera fake or otherwise posted at that location on a telegraph pole is a distraction. Other cameras, they would argue, are placed specifically to limit any distraction that might be caused. For example, there would have been no sign 200 yds previously warning of the 'distraction' that is a camera.

Unless I misunderstood you, I wasn't sure if you were saying what I thought you were saying and you got your terms mixed up, or if you meant that the way you wrote it.
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