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PostPosted: Wed May 03, 2006 16:20 
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Another problem I just realised - this will link the currently-successful SIDs with speed enforcement itself. This could lead to increased vandalism of many existing signs if people think there is an ulterior motive.

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PostPosted: Wed May 03, 2006 16:27 
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g_attrill wrote:
Another problem I just realised - this will link the currently-successful SIDs with speed enforcement itself. This could lead to increased vandalism of many existing signs if people think there is an ulterior motive.

Gareth

I think the "currently successful" status of SIDs is on the wane anyway.

From what I see they are springing up like mushrooms all over the place, usually set so low that they'd flash at you when walking past with a wheelbarrow.

I think in all honesty their benefit was only really a transient novelty value, and once we get to the stage where you see one on every journey they will cease to have any value at all, other than as yet another distracting sign littering the roadside.

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PostPosted: Wed May 03, 2006 18:21 
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i do feel for the people in these communities. regular speeding must upset them but enough to waste their own time by voluntarily standing by the side of the road??? what an exciting life they must lead if this is what they want to do with their spare time :P :lol:

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PostPosted: Thu May 04, 2006 01:22 
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JT wrote:
Equally good sport would be for you to "note down" the registrations of the people manning the scheme and "report" them to the police for exceeding the speed limit too, insisting that they then get a snotty letter as the evidence against them is of equal weight to that used to justify letters to others...


That's not as daft as it sounds given the conviction and appeal of Nick Fieldhouse for speeding on the Lake (Windermere).
The appeal judge said she agreed with the original judge, that it was possible for a warden or two, to judge speeding from two miles away WITH NO CORROBORATING EVIDENCE - even though they had a Laser Speed gun in their boat, and a video camera, but did not employ either of these facilities!

I am informed that the original trial judge, and the Ex-chairman of the LDNPA who introduced the limit, are in the same Freemason Lodge! I do hope that one or the other is able to scotch that rumour! :roll:

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PostPosted: Thu May 04, 2006 01:53 
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Don't get me started about Windermere.... :roll:

Yes, I too read with growing incredulity the account in the paper last week of how the Appeal Judge upheld that it was possible to judge a boat to be travelling at an alleged 25Kts (as opposed to the legal 10Kts as claimed) from 2 miles away.

But what was even more amazing was that they were able to clearly identify the driver in court, despite never having interviewed nor questioned either of the two occupants of the boat, once they had covered the intervening two miles to apprehend the "partners in crime".

In any speeding case there are two pieces of evidence required: proof of speed + identity of driver. It seems very doubtful that in this case they were able to establish either, let alone both!

Next week we'll talk about boat registration fees... :x

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PostPosted: Thu May 04, 2006 07:42 
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Now this topic does make me chuckle! I'd love to see them implement this scheme in West Bromwich. They'd be run down! Don't forget, this is the area where motorists knock over lollipop ladies!

(but they were doing less than 30mph)...

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PostPosted: Fri May 05, 2006 10:03 
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Trying to understand the problem....
Quote:
do feel for the people in these communities. regular speeding must upset them but enough to waste their own time by voluntarily standing by the side of the road??? what an exciting life they must lead if this is what they want to do with their spare time
how may hours do we put in? :!: many villages are trapped/ruined/governed by thier road which has become over used.

There is an issue with noise and quantity of traffic rather than speed at a lot of these locations. Something I find out side my own home! a 30 limit where most travel at 40-45.

A car passing at a quiet 45mph can go un-noticed but a noisy car accelerating can be threatening. Also at peak commuter times it is difficult getting out of the drive.

Many of these vigilanty sites have the same problem but they are transfering thier complaint to just speed.
Accidents still occur at these sites but are cars crashing into garden walls and fences with or without excessive speed. (Often at night with drink drive a major factor)

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“It has never been the rule in this country – I hope it never will be - that suspected criminal offences must automatically be the subject of prosecution” He added that there should be a prosecution: “wherever it appears that the offence or the circumstances of its commission is or are of such a character that a prosecution in respect thereof is required in the public interest”
This approach has been endorsed by Attorney General ever since 1951. CPS Code


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PostPosted: Fri May 05, 2006 11:00 
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In the Echo last night was a photograph of all the smiling volunteers for this scheme (so you can easily identify them?) with an article saying that the police WILL pursue "speeders" who have more than one warning letter.

I just wonder what the police will do if you just flatly deny everything? Do they go round to the houses of other alleged criminals now and warn them off?

Most of the feeling stirred up by alleged speeding are actually related to the volume of traffic - not its speed. It's the fact that cars are there at all that is the real issue for these busybodies. As far as I know, there have not been any deaths on this road which would mark it out as especially hazardous.

However, my original point remains unanswered - will they shop their neighbours or is this selective "justice"?

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PostPosted: Fri May 05, 2006 11:38 
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I expressed a view a little while ago (regarding LA's deliberately congesting our roads) saying that I felt that drivers now take 'rabbit runs' to avoid the congestion. So now we have vigilante schemes to try and tackle the rabbit run traffic? LA's need to think 'outside the box' and see what they're doing, and the knock-on impacts of what they do. It's not rocket science and I struggle to comprehend why they can't understand this :loco:

But then, thinking about it myself, this is why they work for LA's and not the private sector...

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PostPosted: Fri May 05, 2006 12:04 
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The poor LA's are only following instructions from central government that demands that they take actions to reduce the number of vehicles on the road, they must set targets for themselves, and they must take actions to hit those targets. This all came in at the same time that all new road building projects were axed by new labour - there was even an act introduced in 1997 called the "Road Traffic Reduction Act".

Look at the documents on this site to see what constraints they are under and why they have done what they have done....

http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_roads/documents/divisionhomepage/032069.hcsp

Feel free to point out to anybody who thinks that their isn't a war against motorists that the RTRA and associated legistlation is exactly that.


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PostPosted: Fri May 05, 2006 12:15 
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Thanks for the link...

This bit caught my eye though...

Quote:
46.Local authorities may have a variety of motives for wishing to reduce traffic levels or their rate of growth in a particular area, including making roads safer, improving the local environment, reducing congestion, benefiting the local economy (slap down double yellows everywhere and charge shoppers to park) or improving air quality.
My italics... I don't see how creating artificial congestion will improve air quality? Am I being thick?

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PostPosted: Fri May 05, 2006 12:30 
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And

Quote:
"But a successful strategy is likely to entail a combination of measures. For instance:

channelling traffic along the routes best able to cope with it. This may mean encouraging through traffic not to enter town centre or residential areas by improving the alternatives;
restricting access, by all vehicles or particular types of vehicle, to particular areas or roads, to protect sensitive areas;
encouraging the public to be more discriminating in their choice of transport mode by making car use more expensive or less convenient;
encouraging the use of other modes - walking, cycling, public transport - by taking steps to make them more attractive;
campaigning to increase public awareness of the implications of their transport choices"
Yeah, like my wife would really walk, cycle or take the bus on her own!

Grrrrrr.

I'm calm now.

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PostPosted: Fri May 05, 2006 12:56 
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the other day I had to travel to town and back, my jeorney there was by motorway and duel cariageway.
Average speed 16mph :(
i came back via country lanes and villages :shhh:
average speed 36 hardly flying... but it shows the incentive to use inappropriate roads :legorally:

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Speed limit sign radio interview. TV Snap Unhappy
“It has never been the rule in this country – I hope it never will be - that suspected criminal offences must automatically be the subject of prosecution” He added that there should be a prosecution: “wherever it appears that the offence or the circumstances of its commission is or are of such a character that a prosecution in respect thereof is required in the public interest”
This approach has been endorsed by Attorney General ever since 1951. CPS Code


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PostPosted: Fri May 05, 2006 13:02 
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It is one of the reasons that I bought my current car - Imprezas like the country lanes...


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PostPosted: Fri May 05, 2006 13:17 
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malcolmw wrote:
In the Echo last night was a photograph of all the smiling volunteers for this scheme (so you can easily identify them?) with an article saying that the police WILL pursue "speeders" who have more than one warning letter.

I just wonder what the police will do if you just flatly deny everything? Do they go round to the houses of other alleged criminals now and warn them off?


http://www.safespeed.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6025&highlight=#6025

May be of interest, was the reason why I started posting on SS

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PostPosted: Fri May 05, 2006 16:45 
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malcolmw wrote:
Most of the feeling stirred up by alleged speeding are actually related to the volume of traffic - not its speed.


Exactly. But this may be borne out of ignorance.
A few years ago a drunk pedestrian was knocked down and killed on a rainy night outside a pub, on a road with a 40 limit not far from where I live. A few months later it was in the paper that they were to reduce the limit on that road to 30. Having read the article I started complaining about it, only to receive a retort from my wife (who's no dumb blonde, BTW) of, "Have you ever tried to cross that road in the morning - it's a nightmare". After me explaining to her that it's the volume of traffic that's the problem, she said, "Oh, of course - I never thought of it that way".
As it happened, they reduced the limit to 30 and, at the same time, put in a pelican crossing. There have been no accidents since. Of course, that's because of the lower limit :roll:

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PostPosted: Fri May 05, 2006 16:47 
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Very interesting Sam. The police are also reported in the Echo to have said that they will retain all reports of speeding "on file" just as you query in your historic post.

Nice, huh?

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