Change in UK Law to Render Mobile Database Useless?

[MaFt]

As hard as it is to keep the mobile camera database as accurate and up to date as possible, the UK Government seem destined to make it even more difficult. From June 2007 a change in regulations means that police and camera partnerships can site mobile cameras on any road they wish - there no longer needs to have been at least three crashes resulting in death or serious injury in the previous three years.

Cumbria Safety Cameras, as discussed in our forums, are the first to announce their plans to take advantage of the change in regulation. They aim "to create uncertainty in the driver's mind about where cameras will be" by placing mobile sites shortly after static cameras to catch motorist that speed up after passing a known site. No doubt they will also be siting another mobile camera shortly after that one, you know, just in case they speed up again...

Recently the insurance company, Swinton, announced that penalty points gained from speeding would no longer increase premiums as points do not necessarily equate to a high-risk driver. No doubt this change in law will further increase the number of drivers with penalty points.

What does this mean for us? Clearly the mobile camera database will continue to grow but hopefully local safety camera partnerships will make it easy for us by sticking to regular haunts - we can only hope!

[MaFt]

West Yorkshire Safety Camera Partnership's official response when asked if they would be taking advantag of the new law allowing them to put cameras anywhere:

[mostdom]

This isn't productive as this means there is nothing to stop them from putting a camera on a fast road where there has been no accidents just to to increase the statistics£. There need to be some guide lines at least?

As for points I heard from a IAM member, that some drivers now drive with notices on the back saying "XX points on my licence please pass".

I hope local police see sence and apply these changes responcably.
_________________
Dom

HERE LIES PND May it rest in peace.
Navigon 7310/iPhone Navigon&Copilot

[GPS_fan]

I would have thought, also, that the camera partnerships already know where their goldmines are and they're conceivably less likely to have some guy sitting on a country lane clocking tractors all day.

It sounds to me as though it's just giving the camera partnerships more flexibility to stick cameras in the usual spots.

Some existing accident blackspots aren't visited by camera vans all that often.

If safety is no longer a pre-requisite, they must be able to justify having a camera at a particular place somehow because there are wages and other expenses to pay.

What's the decision-making process behind reversing the direction of Truvelo cameras because there doesn't seem to be any logic to this. One that I pass regularly is usually covered up for several days before changing - but, this time, no covers.


This is just my thinking and I could well be wrong
_________________
Andy
PocketGPSWorld.com supports Help for Heroes - Read here

[Privateer]

[worthingsaxovtr]

so it seems that now more than ever we need laser sites in the camera database, including verified and non verified

[MaFt]

A couple more responses:

Hertfordshire:

[GPS_fan]

My camera partnership won't respond to correspondence, so it's impossible to find out what they're planning.

They won't advise me on the recommended procedure for allowing an emergency vehicle through a junction with a redlight camera, so I very uch doubt that they'll divulge their darkest secrets regarding mobile camera locations.

This is where the government should clamp down and make things universal nationwide, so we all know exactly where we stand - but each police force and camera partnership seems to have a free reign to 'interpret' the rules in any way they see fit
_________________
Andy
PocketGPSWorld.com supports Help for Heroes - Read here

[fordfocus]

There's just no fun in driving anymore

[butt]

Maybe a FOI request could get the info out of the local bill

[mostdom]

[GPS_fan]

Static cameras are usually well marked and clearly visible, whereas mobile cameras are often hidden around a bend behind a signpost...

...which opens up that old debate about whether they're "safety" cameras or a tax on motorists
_________________
Andy
PocketGPSWorld.com supports Help for Heroes - Read here

[Greenglide]

What we could do, of course, is always obey the law!

At the end of the day speed cameras catch people who are breaking the law. We may not like it, it might be deemed as a money making scam, but it is only making money out of people who are breaking the law.

Do we expect burglar alarms only to be fitted to houses that have been broken twice before and has a sign on the gate stating "Burglar Alarm Fitted" - don't think so.

I am not saying that I never break the speed limit but expecting speed cameras to be limited as to where they can be sited is ridiculous. The best solution is to fit a dummy camera in every road sign, lamp post etc so that no-one can tell where they really are.

If everyone was "forced" to stick to the speed limit (even where it is not "necessary") think how many lives would be saved.

Speed limits save lives when obeyed. Cameras can save lives if they get drivers to obey the speed limits. If people have to slow down or get penalty points for speeding anywhere on what grounds are they really complaining?

Can we get real about the two items. Can anybody complain about speed enforcement - I think not. Complaining about enforcement cameras at "safe" places means "I want to excede to speed limit here because it is safe".

[GPS_fan]

Agreed...

...but if you're so busy watching your dashboard to make sure you don't speed - what about the fact that you'll be paying less attention to what's going on around you

...will watching your speedo help you see that child that runs out in front of you??

...will watching your speedo help avoid the deer that jumps out in front of you??


Also, why do motorists get punished so much, when burglars and other people who break the law get away?? EASY - it's targets

It's a hell of a lot easier to catch a motorist with a camera than have to do some real police work to catch a burglar or mugger.

...and how many burglars get a £60 fine for their first offence?? They just get a slap on the wrist!!

...and that's on the rare occasion when they get caught - but for motorists, a camera does all the work
_________________
Andy
PocketGPSWorld.com supports Help for Heroes - Read here

[SimonCatlin]

We see you’re using an ad-blocker. We’re fine with that and won’t stop you visiting the site.
Have you considered making a donation towards website running costs?.
Or you could disable your ad-blocker for this site. We think you’ll find our adverts are not overbearing!