Safe Speed Forums

Orginally from the AOL home page.
http://www.walletpop.co.uk/2011/08/24/s ... -spinners/

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Anyone who tells you that nothing is impossible has never bathed in a saucer of water.

Read this in the paper earlier. Mike Penning seems like a reasonable sort of chap. How rare his like is in politics. I admire his common sense approach.

Sad that so few appreciate speed limit settings and rttm ! I hope that this will all help to nail the coffin for all speed cameras!

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Safe Speed for Intelligent Road Safety through proper research, experience & guidance.

So do I.

Mobile cameras are even worse, they've targeted our small village over recent months, many have been fined and accrued penalty points for driving just a few miles over the limit, myself included!
Been driving (with a clean license) for almost 40 years but I'm more concerned about my driving now than ever before, my mind is solely on my speedometer which I'm checking so often, it's taking my attention away from where it should be - reading the road ahead and concentrating on obstacles, pedesatrians etc. The fines are bad enough but living in a rural area, the thought of losing my license is frightening, arghhh Paranoia!!!

cchap

I am sorry to hear of your experiences. Mobile speed camera units are of no benefit to road safety and we can see they do offer many negative effects however to road safety. One of these as you have already observed in yourself : paranoia and concentration on the preservation of your license and lifestyle than to damage to people & property.
Happily there are things that you can do to help yourself. I hope that you will enjoy your time here and that was might be able to provide some help toward you as you improve your skills, abilities and knowledge when travelling (in another thread).

A few areas do have genuine Police (than police 'staff') operate the camera vans and stop people and 'have a chat' which is better than the tickets 2 wks later, but I'd rather see them stop people for all sorts of reasons than a 'numeric value'!

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Safe Speed for Intelligent Road Safety through proper research, experience & guidance.

Thank you for your kind welcome and reply, nice to correspond with people who understand my concerns, thought I was all alone in the belief that the excessive use of cameras was a hindrance to responsible driving.
I am attending a 4 hour safe driving course courtesy of TTC next week at a cost of £85! (but at least I'll avoid another 3 points) I was intending to raise my concerns with them but the appointment letter states that you have to show a positive attitude to the course, or you will be considered not to have completed it successfully.
Don't want to come across as a grumpy old woman but I'm going to find it hard to keep my mouth shut and say nothing (anyone got a roll of duct tape?)

Welcome cchap!

So the speed awareness is basically give us £85, keep your mouth shut and let us indoctrinate you? Great. So much for education.

Oh yes the courses can be (as I hear) a definite don't argue! But a few interesting questions thrown in would be 'fun', but it might annoy everyone as it would delay their early exit !
It may make some people think about how they drive, which can be good of course, and depending who runs it (AA Drivetec, IAM or ??) will vary on how much 'speed' is brandished about.
Certainly telling them that it is people who pay attention, recognise a hazard at the soonest opportunity and take appropriate action, are the one's who are going to avoid the incident, than their utterly wrong statement that if you drive more slowly then you will be (magically) able to always slow or stop in time. When travelling slower than is required, one becomes bored and attention drops, and it only takes a moment to lose concentration and miss a vital clue !
Take notes of all that annoys you, and then you can chat about it here. I think I'd have to take a netbook/laptop and take notes just to ensure I allowed them to talk at all ! I do wonder if they really would fail anyone ? After all you and they have a contract that you have paid a price for a course or is it a bribe for silence (assimilation) ! You take a choice between one or the other ... I wonder if anyone has failed ?
Happily Safe Speed has been around officially since 02 as a voice of reason based on fact and truth.

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Safe Speed for Intelligent Road Safety through proper research, experience & guidance.

Good idea to take a notebook, and I will certainly let you all know the reaction (and consequences) if I do speak out (No, hold your tongue woman ) (Oh what the hell, better out than in )
Thanks again for your welcome messages, much appreciated.

Before you go read this :
http://www.safespeed.org.uk/killspeed.html
and
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/roa ... s-now.html

It shows how bad their 'if you drive slowly, you will be safer' false message, (their basic reason for speed cameras), because it is how a motorists travels that is most crucial ! Early recognition of a hazard enables all appropriate action (or otherwise) to be taken.
So what makes a good motorist: Well, one that : Concentrates, is Considerate, give good Courtesy, excellent Observation, is very Aware, Anticipates the road environment, has a good Attitude, leaves good Space all about them (for their own safety and all those around them), and allow good Time to Travel and leave a minimum Two second gap between their car and the one in front. These COAST principals will keep you safe and prevent damage to people and property. Look where you are going ensures that you concentrate on what you are doing, which helps to keep attention and so on ...
Driving slowly does not mean that you are ensuring that you are travelling safely, or properly. When going slower than necessary this often sees motorists concentration drop and inattention increase.
Frustration and inattention are the two prime causes of an accident.
Going 'too fast for conditions', can be very dangerous and can happen below the posted legal speed limit.
'Travelling above the posted speed limit' makes it illegal and does not necessarily mean that someone is not travelling safely.

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Safe Speed for Intelligent Road Safety through proper research, experience & guidance.