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Posted By RA
Hi,
I am looking for confirmation on the safety of police officers who are using the "hair dryer" type of speed cameras.
As last night on my way home from work around 9 o'clock, I noticed a police car lying at the edge of the road, in an entrance to a field. It looked like they may have been using a camera from the rear seats of the vehicle .
At the time, it was pouring down and visibility was poor. I was being overtaken by a speeding motorist- who then decided when he spotted the police car, to slam on the anchors and swerve in front of me, thankfully, I managed to swerve my car in the wet & slippery road conditions to narrowly avoid a collision, and in turn the motorist behind me had to do similar manoeuvres.
Now don't get me wrong, I see the Police as doing a tough job trying to get motorists to abide by the speed limits. BUT, it must also be considered the impact their presence may have not only on the would-be boy racer but on the safety implications for those who are obeying the speed limits in treacherous conditions.
Can anyone from the Police background clarify for me, if it would be normal practice to send officers out to carry out speed checks during heavy downpour situations.
And just to clarify, no I wasn't speeding!!
Thanks,
RA
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Posted By Alan Hoskins
Maybe it was just the sighting of the police car that made the overtaker slow down, RA.
Alan
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Posted By Vernon Kay
Oh dear not another police post! The police and entitled to set up camp wherever they like if it is for traffic monitoring purposes. As long as they are clear of the road and do not cause an obstruction. One suspects an air of guilt about the poster of the message! Or am I being cynical!
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Posted By RA
No guilt mate, thankfully, I was on the right side of the law, but methinks the Police must take the safety risks to other motorists into account when setting up camp in such conditions- just my view, and after last night fiasco, something I feel strongly about.
We all know speed is a problem on all of our roads, but, where these officers on sunny afternoons.
I have a young son, and it made me think, what if he was in the car and I didn't take the car out of the skid.
RA
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Posted By holmezy
Vernon,
thought they had to be in "accident balckspots" and be used for "safety rason".......perhaps I'm being cynical now.
Nice wife by the way...
Holmezy
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Posted By holmezy
sorry....should be "safety reasons"..
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Posted By Vernon Kay
Yes good old Tess!
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Posted By andymak
Our local police, like to set up speed traps when it's going to be misty or foggy, I think they feel it helps them be more inconspicious, although I wouldn't like the job of stepping out in front of a speeding vehicle in the fog, hi-vis or no hi-vis clothing!
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Posted By MetalMan
I think it's a fair question to be honest. I myself have sometimes questioned the locations chosen by the Police to locate their camera operation. Vernon, seeing as the initial post stated he supported the Police and was not speeding I find your comment about guilt a little unfair and uncalled for, or am I being cynical?
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Posted By Descarte
Hint - Not all "speed" cameras are speed cameras
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Posted By mark limon
Are you a police officer Vernon,do I detect a bit of touchiness there or am I being cynical.:-)
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Posted By Paul
'Speeding' is not just driving within the speed limit posted by the side of the road, it is also driving within safe parameters according to the road, traffic and weather conditions.
The boy racer swerved because he was driving recklessly, by swerving to avoid him and indeed the driver behind you doing the same to avoid you could be construed as a lack of awareness of the surrounding traffic and conditions by all concerned and therefore a possible tug for careless driving for everyone concerned. There could have been a naked Ballerina posing on an elephant by the side of the road and the effect would have been the same. Nothing illegal about parking your car safely off of the road and sitting in it taking pictures. You should see St Ives in Cornwall on a bank holiday weekend.. It generally rains on Bank holidays.
(My competence on this subject is limited to that of an ex 'hobby-bobby' and I wait to be shot down in flames.)
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Posted By Merv Newman
This may be a side issue, but I remember a court case in the UK which was won by the motorist
Apparently the radar guns were originally introduced and can still only be used to "confirm" a suspicion of speeding.
I think the police had set up a good distance away from a blind bend and were taking readings of every car as it came around the bend.
Judgement was that at that distance and with that set up the police could have no prior "suspicion" before applying the radar.
Legislation may have been changed since.
Can anyone confirm ?
Merv
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Posted By Tabs
Having been overtaken by stupid people in poor road conditions, nearly causing head-ons, I have often wished for a copper to be there waiting to take the harshest action they could.
Please send said copper to my neck of the woods and I will be grateful.
I like speed and use it in the right place and conditions. I also hover over the brake pedal whenever I see someone begin an overtake on me - especially when i know the conditions are poor.
I understand your post - but you really should make the culprit out to be the bad driver, not the enforcer.
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Posted By peter gotch
Hi RA.
Seems to me that since the risks arising from speeding are multiplied in such weather conditions that it is entirely appropriate for the police to target such conditions rather than nice sunny day.
My BSM instructor taught me to assume that every other user of the road was an idiot and to adjust my driving behaviour accordingly.
Have sympathy for your experience, but also have to assume from your description that the car behind you was much too close to your tail.
Regards, Peter
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Posted By Vernon Kay
No I'm not old bill! Totally insulted! Ha ha. I could imtimate one!
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Posted By RA
Paul,
I take on board your assumption but I have not given you a clear picture here- this was a dual carriageway.
PS A naked ballerina- may I ask how would you know that they were a ballerina??LOL
Everyone,
Firstly and foremostly, I know the Police cannot be held accountable for any action of a motorist. But they must be sensible in their approach to speed- my case is that a seriously wet and dark night is not the conditions for this type of monitoring. It must be taken into account last night it was torrential.
Also, I am seeking clarification from the Police H&S guys/gals out there to their assessment of the risks of speed detection in these types of conditions.
I feel last night's approach was not sensible and needs careful consideration before something serious happens.
RA
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Posted By Vernon Kay
Why did the Police not stop the driver for dangerous and irratic driving.
Ps. Apologise for the error in typing, intimating with a police officer is not my cup of tea.
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Posted By Karen C
I understand the points made re police officers acting safely and responsibly...
A few weeks ago I was driving in the outside lane of a motorway, within the speed limit! Traffic slow due to volume.
Everyone started to break as they saw a man in a white shirt, standing on a bridge which crossed the motorway, with what was thought to be a small box in his hands. It looked as if he was going to drop something off the bridge.
On closer inspection it was a police officer (no high vis, hat, etc) standing on the bridge next to his unmarked car. He was holding a speed gun. Quite concerning for all on motorway.
Almost caused a serious accident.
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Posted By Tony Brunskill
If there were a naked ballerina would you notice the elephant?
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Posted By Vernon Kay
How do you know when an elephant has been in the fridge? There would be footprints in the butter.
I don't think the police would catch a speeding ballerina riding an elephant, even without the fog. I expect you have HERD that one before!
Oh what a circus!
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Posted By Karen C
Bballerinas and elephants!!! I would be certainly concerned if they were going to drop themselves or something else off a bridge in front of me!!!
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Posted By Vernon Kay
We would have to cross that bridge if we come to it!
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Posted By Descarte
I can see the headlines in the Sun now:
H+S causing dozens of deaths a week
After its announcement that due to elf and safety reasons speed cameras will not be used when it is dark or raining incidence of dangerous driving, speeding and accidents have sky rocketed this past week with an extra 12 deaths on rainy roads caused by elf and safety.
Boy racers took up on this pledge by the police not to penalise speeding in dangerous conditions as a free ticket to drive how they liked.
One 18yr old Dave from Swindon was caught speeding at 55mph in a 30 limit by a static speed camera, however this was revoked upon appeal, he died 2 days later taking a nun pushing a pram out at a zebra crossing during a thunderstorm (50 points)
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Posted By Vernon Kay
We really need to question whether speed cameras actually do reduce speeding, or just pocket it into the areas where people know they are not likely to get caught. If you are like me you speed up after you see the camera disappear from your rear view mirror.
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Posted By RA
Vernon,
You have hit the nail on the head- static cameras reduce the speed in the locations they are positioned.
The hair dryers are mobile and I do feel they are doing the right job, but I still feel the Police must take into account the weather, visibility, etc..
I can see I have unintentionally ruffled a few feathers on this one.
I posted this to ask the question if circumstances such as last nights are taken into account when setting up a mobile speed detection operation.
Lets look at last nights event- rain bouncing of the road- boy racer nearly takes me and the rear vehicle out in the process of carrying out a wreckless manoeuvre. Police remain at the scene to continue to monitor speed- meanwhile boy racer continues speeding.
Police get a few more statistics on speeding- looks nice for the report.
Boy racer continues to race like a half wit- it's up to the motorists to look out for themselves and their passengers/kids.
I love why I pay my taxes!!
RA
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Posted By Vernon Kay
I did suggest the police introduce a scheme where cameras take photos of all drivers and those who manage 100 cameras without speeding receive a discount on the road tax.
The police refused to comment!
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Posted By Les Welling
I blame the motorist not the police!
How do you get an elephant in a Safeway bag?
Take the S out of Safe and the F out of Way!
No F in Way?!!! Exactly! Sorry been H&S auditing in Cyprus and still on a high!
Les
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Posted By garyh
I have a point about safety cameras.
IT REALLY ANNOYS ME that they call them "safety cameras", which is a lie. They cannot measure safety, only speed.
The idea that breaking the speed limit is always unsafe (the basis of speed camera enforcement) is patently untrue - just consider the reverse.
What is unsafe, is SPEED INAPROPRIATE TO THE CONDITIONS. This may in fact be below the speed limit.
By the way - no points on my licence.
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Posted By Paul
*Everyone started to break as they saw a man in a white shirt, standing on a bridge which crossed the motorway, with what was thought to be a small box in his hands. It looked as if he was going to drop something off the bridge. On closer inspection it was a police officer (no high vis, hat, etc) standing on the bridge next to his unmarked car. He was holding a speed gun. Quite concerning for all on motorway.Almost caused a serious accident.*
So there is a man in a white shirt with no Police uniform on whatsoever standing near a car without any visible markings and he was holding a box over a bridge..Would it not be reasonable to slow down just in case he was a jumper or a yobbo with a brick? Was he a Policeman? VOSA? Vehicle excise Tax man? A tourist amazed at the dire state of British Motorways taking a video clip? So was he really a Policeman? Did you spend a while looking at him rather than the road??
The person on the bridge did not 'almost' cause an accident.. It was the myopic drivers who weren't watching their speed who then looked up at a man on a bridge and then looked down at their speedo and then looked at the car in front as its brake lights came on..and who's rear they were approaching at an excessive rate of knots. They began braking hard and the chain reaction begins..
I'm back to my comment "'Speeding' is not just driving within the speed limit posted by the side of the road, it is also driving within safe parameters according to the road, traffic and weather conditions."
I do not wish to preach as I am as good or as bad a driver as the next man or woman but we cannot blame the Police or a camera for poor driving, we can only learn by experience.
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Posted By Paul Devlin
Vernon the correct phrase should having been "aping" a police officer not imitating.
Sorry couldn't resist.
Paul
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Posted By Vernon Kay
I would personally put my foot down if someone was going to hurl a brick through my windscreen! I would not brake to make it easier for them to hit me!
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Posted By Booney
I seem to remember reading somewhere that the police had to set up the mobile speed cameras in daylight hours only and make themselves, the vehicle and equipment etc. fully visible?
Perhaps someone can clarify?
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Posted By holmezy
Paul,
sorry to correct you but after letting the first one go, the second one is un forgivable....
Surely you mean "speeding" is driving outside the limits, not inside?
Perhaps thats why so many people get caught....
nicked for doing 23mph in a 40 limit!!
Mind you. madder things have happened!!
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Posted By Paul
The elephant made me do it m'lord... Thanks for the correction.. I stand admonished. *grins..
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Posted By Vernon Kay
We have had some fun today with elephants! Roll on 5.30!
We can all go home then and count the number of speed cameras.
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