Sneaky cops in SA...

[aardvark]

Someone sounds like a cop , Aardvark

Someone send a trophy to Captain fucken Obvious.

[Che]

Doughnuts to you.......Captain Obvious

[mfzx6r]

Someone sounds like a cop , Aardvark

Someone send a trophy to Captain fucken Obvious.

[MickLC]

...."That's bullshit. They shouldn't be allowed to put a camera in a lamp post, just to catch us out breaking the law."

Well there are some civil libertarians...

[photomike666]

I think most people’s issue with speed cameras is that they are portrayed to us as "safety devices". If a police officer sits in an unmarked car with a camera in a bin, how is that making the road safer? A ticket turning up three weeks later is not going to make that road safe today. If the officer sat in a fully marked police car everybody would pass exactly on the speed limit and the road would be safe.

We do not need more speed cameras; we definitely do not need hidden speed cameras. We need more police on the streets and around our schools.

Prime example; Bell Street, Preston VIC. It's a long road, generally busy. One end has houses and schools and is a 60 limit. The other end is all businesses and a 70 limit. There is 1 speed camera on the whole road, and it's in the business end. It's at a junction with a red light camera, and I've never passed an accident at this junction in two and a half years of travelling the road. There should be a camera at the other end where there are schools kids and residents are: a place where I have seen accidents.

Just over 4 years ago there were speed cameras growing like forests in England, and many were hidden. Everyone was harping on about revenue raising and the injustice in it all. Peer groups lobbied MPs and national papers ran reports on the usages of the monies raised. Eventually the government saw the issue and made a change. Speed cameras could continue to be hidden and the revenue went to central government, or they could be made Hi Vis with orange and yellow stripes and the local council got the raised capital for their roads funding. Almost all the UK cameras became very visible.

[Gosling1]

I think most people’s issue with speed cameras is that they are portrayed to us as "safety devices". If a police officer sits in an unmarked car with a camera in a bin, how is that making the road safer? A ticket turning up three weeks later is not going to make that road safe today. If the officer sat in a fully marked police car everybody would pass exactly on the speed limit and the road would be safe.....

I know that whenever I see that big ole' sign that says " Speed Camera in Use - 24 Hours", well it always ensures that I do the speed limit......these speed camera's are in notorious 'Black Spots', and do the job of making that black spot safer.

If getting a ticket in the mail 3 weeks later, means that you remember the ticket next time you go through that section, and slow down, then perhaps the hidden camera *has* made that section safer ?? (Of course, it will only affect anyone who has been pinged, the rest of the world will continue to belt through there until they too have been pinged...)

[balanse]

It's also illegal to get around murdering people. Yet, for whatever reason, some people feel the need to do it. Some people feel the need to do a string of them. If the Police put a hidden camera in a murder hot-spot, all the murderers would be crying:
"That's bullshit. They shouldn't be allowed to put a camera in a lamp post, just to catch us out breaking the law."

Problem with this emotional analogy is that the cameras are not there to prevent people from breaking the law but to catch them in the act and get them to pay tax (fines). I wonder just how many people have been photographed by speed cameras on their way to involvement in a fatal accident?

In fact, if a murderer decided to use a speeding car to kill people then he is free to do it without fear of police intervention until someone is dead due to the $$$ based govt. approach of using machines. (Murder cameras in street poles would have this significant limitation also)

Cameras have also repeatedly proven to be inaccurate which tends to upset most of the population.

[aardvark]

Problem with this emotional analogy is that the cameras are not there to prevent people from breaking the law but to catch them in the act and get them to pay tax (fines).

OK, so I probably didn't chose the best analogy on the list. I suppose speed cameras are more akin to store security cameras.

At the end of the day it's a "voluntary tax". Don't speed and you wont have to pay it. It's not that hard, is it? The road isn't a race track, even though we treat it like one. It's not there for us to treat it like a track.

As the javameister said... take it to the track. It's safer and a hell of a lot more fun.

Oh, and Che, if you do happen to have some donuts for me, by all means, send them over.

[aardvark]

Oh, and more on this disgraceful turn of events:

http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/stor ... 01,00.html

There are some semi-valid points raised in the article.

Sure, if there were signs up wherever there are cameras, then people would slow down. So, what happens next? The government put permanent speed cameras up on all major roads every 200 metres?

Hidden cameras do serve a purpose. If you know the government are using them, but you don't know where they are then there is a chance you'll slow down. If you don't, and you get caught, it's your fault.

Speeding fines make up a large portion of the governments revenue. They pay for our roads, schools, hospitals and put more Police on the street. If you aren't paying speeding fines, then maybe you should be thanking those that are.

[Daisy]

OK, so I probably didn't chose the best analogy on the list. I suppose speed cameras are more akin to store security cameras.

No, I think you missed again. Most of the population don't feel the need to shoplift.

[aardvark]

No, I think you missed again. Most of the population don't feel the need to shoplift.

There's a need to speed? (Not quoting a Top Gun line).

I don't think most of the population feel the need to get around the place above the speed limit. It doesn't even save you that much time in the end.

[Daisy]

I find that if I have to go to a particular place that argument holds up. But, if I have to go somewhere, and then somewhere else and back to the beginning by a certain time - I need to do it as quickly as possible. Leaving home 5 minutes earlier doesn't work. Sure I won't save much time in the end if it is only a 30 minute trip, but what about a 10 hour round trip?

There seems to be an attitude that exceeding the posted limit is deadly. If that is the case we shouldn't be around to discuss it.
If people were taught to ride/drive properly in the first place we wouldn't need such ridiculously low limits - or a road full of do gooders driving Corollas 20 kays under the limit because "the speed limit is the maximum, not a target."

[aardvark]

If people were taught to ride/drive properly in the first place we wouldn't need such ridiculously low limits

They actually aren't that low. Some of the European countries have higher limits, but they also have more population per size of country. This allows their governments to build multi lane highways with barriers in between each direction of travel. Trying to do that here in Aus would be just about impossible.

If you want to start introducing "let's teach people how to drive/ride properly schemes" then half of us are suddenly going to be without licences. No one likes to be told that they are a shit driver/rider, but most of us aren't really that flash. If you only want those people on the road that show they can meet a higher level of skill than is already required, then some of us are going to have to go.

Given that, what then happens to the elderly, single parents, people who work on the opposite side of town to wear they work?

As I've already said, the speed limits are set as a way of minimising harm.

[Gosling1]

I love a good 'Speed Camera' v 'Revenue raising' v 'Safety' argument......

There is a time and a place for everything. Speeding in built-up areas is not the place.

Having a fang across the Hay Plain on a Tuesday afternoon maybe just the right time......I ain't never seen a speed camera in a wheelie bin out in the Wastelands !!

Go racing if you have a speed urge........its cheaper, there is an Ambo nearby, and no cars or trucks to worry about.....

[aardvark]

I love a good 'Speed Camera' v 'Revenue raising' v 'Safety' argument......

So do I mate.

And just so you know... I dont think I've ever said that I don't believe that they aren't revenue raising. If people choose to to make contributions towards that revenue, then good on them.