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‘Spy’ Lollipop Ladies to Expose Bad Drivers
September 12, 2010
Posted in Number Plate News — Written by matthew.smith

Lollipop ladies and men are taking part in a scheme to expose reckless drivers with the aid of hidden cameras.

Such schemes have already been tested in England and Scotland with success, and are now being introduced outside of schools in Wales.

Officials have already had to defend the scheme as an important way to protect both schoolchildren and traffic wardens, following criticisms that it’s “sad and disappointing.”

The plans set out for Flintshire will see several lollipop sticks modified to include a hidden camera with the wardens given specialised training.

Should any careless or dangerous take place in the presence of these lollipop sticks, the footage could be used as evidence in a prosecution.

The cameras are specially designed to start recording when the lollipop stick touches the ground. The traffic attendant should then point the camera (fixed and hidden within the lollipop) towards the offending vehicle’s number plate.

The scheme has been granted approval for Wales after a string motorists refusing to stop and assaults on school crossing assistants; some being hospitalised after being run over.

Law stipulates that the lollipop sign should be treated in the same way as a red traffic light, and failure to stop could result in a 3 points on a driving license and up to £1000 fine.

Councillor Tony Sharps believes that the scheme is “a damn good idea” that such bad drivers are to be held accountable.

He continued: “any disgruntled, impatient or bad-tempered drivers will be caught on film.

“I would have thought (the wardens) are acting in the interests of the safety of our children, which is a very good thing.

“If people were a little bit more well mannered and a bit more courteous to one another these sorts of things wouldn’t be need.

“So whilst you’ve got this anti-social behaviour by these irresponsible motorists, unfortunately these new systems have to be put into place.”

“It is bye bye Mr Speed Camera and hello to the lollicam to look after our children.”

However, Edmund King, president of the AA isn’t so sure.

“It’s pretty sad and disappointing in this day and age that it’s even considered necessary that a lollipop person helping children cross the road should need to offer extra protection,” he revealed.

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When drivers behave badly filming them doesn't make them behave better the next time.

You MUST stop when a school crossing patrol shows a ‘Stop for children’ sign (see 'Signals by authorised persons' and 'Signs giving orders')
[Law RTRA sect 28]

It does if you put three points on their license!

All to often when I have come across them the stratagy seems to be "No child must actually have to wait more than a naosecond!" Whilst this might imbue a fleeeting sense of power in the minds of the (Typically but not exclusivly middle aged female) crossing attendent. it perhaps also gives the unfortunate impression to young children that they may cross roads at will.

I would be interested to know what the "Rules of Engagement" are for crossing patrols.

Yes but if kids see crossing wardens jump in front of cars and cause cars to brake suddenly, in order to stop them, instead of waiting for a much more suitable gap, in which to step into the road, what sort of "bad habits" does that teach them?

Not only do I feel that this is an abuse of power, it also sets a very poor example to the children by suggesting that they can cross the road at will without waiting or even looking for a suitable gap in the traffic because the gap will always "magically" appear.

DCB I think you are missing my point.

Whilst perhaps the whole point of a crossing patrol is to force a break in otherwise busy traffic and ensure that children should cross safely I do feel that they frequently do so inappropriatly.

How "I" would do it would be to wait until a group of children accumulated (Meaning that some children might have to wait a while) before stopping the traffic and once they had crossed I would allow the treafic to resume flow while waiting for another group to form. Instead I see crossing patrolls leaping into the road the instant a single child appears so that they can cross the road without breaking step. Again they will often hold the traffic for ages while a strung out gaggle of children croses the road one or two at a time (And no doubt these days while playing their nintndoes and/or yattering on their mobiles IE Not looking around while crossing to check for developing hazards).

Not only do I feel that this is an abuse of power, it also sets a very poor example to the children by suggesting that they can cross the road at will without waiting or even looking for a suitable gap in the traffic because the gap will always "magically" appear.

Unfortunatly back in the real world , slightly older children no longer under the protection of a crossing dictator all too often find that wandering into a road without looking first and while textig/yattering on a mobile can have unfortunate consequences! (Especially for any unfortunate driver who will inevitably get blamed for their carelesness and neglegence)

The added problem with this subject especially is that any issue surrounding children is an inherently emotive one. Whenever children are brought into a debate, certain people suddenly lose the ability to say rational things and insist that anybody who disagrees with them actively supports the harming of children.

Back on topic, does anyone have an opinion on the necessity of employing crossing attendants at zebra crossings, which anecdotally I believe happens?