Community Speed Watch

[Satch]

Is coming to you. As with many other schemes springing up across the country, where speeding is taking place or "perceived to be taking place" by the concerned locals.You can guess who and what horrible types they will be, togged up in Hi Vis jackets, kitted with radar guns and sent off in groups to monitor evil motorists. Yes, the ultimate kick for power crazed anti-car NIMBY's and lentil eaters.

It is a bad joke, an institutional form of the dummy speed camera in the front garden or false camera signs. Funded by Speed Camera partnerships to distract attention from their antics and put mugs into the firing line. Only a matter of time before one of then gets filled in.

OK plant them outside a school like a glorified crossing helper and it just might do some good. (Inspired thought for a reality TV show: Stick 'em on a sink estate and see how long they last).

However, suppose this might help to bring the Government speed control freakery thing into even greater disrepute.

VOLUNTEERS in Surrey Heath will become the eyes and ears of the police this year as a new road safety scheme is introduced.


From January 23, teams of residents concerned about the threat of speeding motorists will be manning speed guns to log the details of those travelling above the limit. The scheme, dubbed Community Speed Watch, is aimed at reducing collisions on the borough’s roads and is to be adopted by Woking and Runnymede boroughs later in the year if it is successful.

The scheme has been piloted in Spelthorne, Elmbridge and Epsom and Ewell.
Surrey Police needs at least six volunteers, who will receive training and equipment, to man speedwatches for a minimum of one hour a week.

Superintendent Nick Dove said: “We have identified through police and partners that speeding is a major concern in many areas and we are working to reduce the incidence of road traffic collisions and the severity of casualties. This scheme is an effort to re-educate drivers about the dangers of speeding and to help stamp it out.

“The project will only work with the help of the public so we need many volunteers in the community to come forward to help. The volunteers will work in pairs at specific locations and use the specialist equipment to record the details of offending vehicles and the speeds at which they were travelling.

Offenders will be identified from data provided by the volunteers and will be sent a “yellow letter” highlighting the event and asking for co-operation in the future. Repeat offenders will receive two letters before enforcement proceedings begin.

 

[Flyer]

Wrong, so very wrong. Satch, in complete agreement with you mate.

Repeat offenders will receive two letters before enforcement proceedings begin.

And what possible enforcement proceedings could they be?

"Mrs Miggins saw you speeding three times last week and we believe her 'cos she's had 5 minutes training with this speed gun that produces irrefutable evidence and she's a very honest church-goer who would never tell a lie and Mr Miggins (no relation), who leads the Cubs, corroborates the evidence, and you're a very naughty boy, so that will be £60 please."

Somehow, I don't think so...

 

[machasm]

CHEESE AND RICE
How are they going to enforce the ensuing 'prosecutions'.
B*****Y busybodies with nothing better to do than make other peoples lives as miserable as their own.

When this becomes widespread is the time that I will emmigrate.
Mac.

 

[Swiss Toni]

I disagree.

I don't see why communities should have to put up with motorists speeding through their neighbourhood any more than they should have to put up with any other sort of antisocial behaviour.

The standard way of conducting a "speed survey" is to lay two wires on the road and a data recorder, this is a way that the community get involved.

I'd agree that those most likely to step forward are retired, but where is the problem with that?

And if they slow a few down, good on them.

I don't see why I should put up with folks speeding through my village, and neither should anyone else. Regardless of where you sit on the "speed camera" debate, and whether or not you agree with the "speed kills" agenda, this is the kind of action communities should be taking.

Warning letters are fine too.

You just don't want to get caught by "The wrinklies"

 

[Swiss Toni]

"Mrs Miggins saw you speeding three times last week and we believe her 'cos she's had 5 minutes training with this speed gun that produces irrefutable evidence and she's a very honest church-goer who would never tell a lie and Mr Miggins (no relation), who leads the Cubs, corroborates the evidence, and you're a very naughty boy, so that will be £60 please."

Somehow, I don't think so...

Now, I bet the magistrate goes with Mrs Miggins ( ) evidence agaist yours.....

 

[Satch]

If it stops inappropriate or dangerous driving through a village or around a school that is fine by me. But do it properly, not via this sort of half baked PR crap. An hour a day? When?

These people are no doubt well intentioned but they are being used and bound to cause aggro and some will get into real trouble. All for no net gain other than some cheap photo opportunities for local police and politicians "engaging" the community.

The motives for all this really are wholly cynical and vile, Camera Partnerships trying to improve their image

 

[Swiss Toni]

The motives for all this really are wholly cynical and vile, Camera Partnerships trying to improve their image

And (if it is true) who cares? - The effect is the same.

 

[notts110]

our village already has 6 members of the parish council trained by the police to do this job,supposedly they start monitoring next month,this is because the local police in the town ''some 2 miles away'' cannot afford the manpower to do it themselves?we are some 4 miles from the main police headquarters where upward of 2000 police personnell are stationed,where the speed vans come and go like bees out of a honey pot,and set up locally to catch speeders, so why not my village you may ask,because they say after 3 yrs of monitoring the road they have not caught anyone speeding?so why do the parish council seem to think they can do any better,motorbikes thats why, they hate em,they go thro the village in the summer,the parish council hate this,the reason being they are all in there 60's with there heads up each others rear ends, so how are they going to point and shoot a camera is beyond me, i blame it on the tv companies, if they were to introduce more viewings for elderly people then maybe they wouldnt be so bored,any chance of songs of praise coming back?

 

[Swiss Toni]

our village already has 6 members of the parish council trained by the police to do this job,supposedly they start monitoring next month,this is because the local police in the town ''some 2 miles away'' cannot afford the manpower to do it themselves?we are some 4 miles from the main police headquarters where upward of 2000 police personnell are stationed,where the speed vans come and go like bees out of a honey pot,and set up locally to catch speeders, so why not my village you may ask,because they say after 3 yrs of monitoring the road they have not caught anyone speeding?so why do the parish council seem to think they can do any better,motorbikes thats why, they hate em,they go thro the village in the summer,the parish council hate this,the reason being they are all in there 60's with there heads up each others rear ends, so how are they going to point and shoot a camera is beyond me, i blame it on the tv companies, if they were to introduce more viewings for elderly people then maybe they wouldnt be so bored,any chance of songs of praise coming back?

So the local Cops are spending their time out catching burglars (or if you live in Notts, gun-totting drug dealers) and having done a speed survey with a data recorder (and no accidents?) they say it is not the place to be.

If the Parish council want to do something, hell, let them (wherever their heads may be...!)

I don't blame TV companies (or Thora Hird ).

If folks took more pride in their local communities rather than moaning on t'internet forums, we'd all be better off.

Now, pass me the telly remote, I want to watch a real-life-fly-on-the-wall-celebrity-big-brother-cops-programme.

 

[w124 man]

Just thought I would add my two-penny worth. I live in a small village with quite a few old people in the population. The village has 2 B-roads going through and is a well known start of a nice long strip of national speed limit to let the right foot give in to gravity. Now a lot of the time I find the selfishness of old people really annoying, but you should see how scared they are when people drive through the 30mph zone at 50+ as they approach the 60mph zone. The cars fly past and the noise of the boy racers is horrible with their sports exhausts, not to mention the motorbikes. I have seen dozens of old people frightened and some have actually fallen over when these people "open up" their engines only feet from them. If you are not the sort of person who breaks the speed limits then you have nothing to worry about, but I for one would welcome it.
Don't get me wrong, a couple of miles per hour over does not bother me, but some people are just downright carefree. Have lived where I have for 2 years now, I have first hand experience of this and have actually thought about offering the traffic police use of my front drive to catch them.

 

[stats007]

I lived in a road (30mph limit) where cars would tear past at stupid speeds because it was so quiet. An idiot in a W211 E55 AMG would also see how fast he could go in 200yds on a daily basis. It was made worse by the fact there is a school at the end of the road. I would happily have sat with a speedgun if it had an effect, but as mentioned - how are they going to enforce it?

 

[Satch]

If this was in any way justified, had a real purpose and contributed to a genuine road safety issue I would not object. There are spots where such an effort, even if a charade, might help.

But in this case:

“It is a cautionary measure in the main"

Translation: "We do not have any real traffic speed problem in the village. But being a bunch of smug, intrusive, self important and self satisfied chattering do-gooders with nothing much else to do (because we have long since exhausted all other local micro non-issues) we really like the idea of our special interest group being granted even some trivial power rather than just being a pointless talking shop. It makes us feel so special."

"......all the major roads leading into village)would be ideal spots for volunteers to monitor traffic" (they are talking about major roads 1 or 2 miles outside the village here!)

Translation: "We do not have any real traffic speed problem in the village. But being a bunch of smug, intrusive, self important and self satisfied chattering do-gooders with nothing much else to do (because we have long since exhausted all other local micro non-issues) we really like the idea of our special interest group being granted even some trival power rather than just being a pointless talking shop. It makes us feel so special."


Grrrrr!

 

[RJIF]

the thought of some joe public type being allowed to judge my speed with the potential power to furnish me at the end of a process with a fine makes my licence quiver with fear! what should happen if said joe public has a personal agenda/hate of traffic in his area, do you think he will think twice about trapping a vehicle travelling at 30.5 in a 30 zone (unless the excess margin of 10% +2 rumor is true) and insisting his claim is fair, i dont think so especially as if this is government endorsed they will back the guy to avoid any loss of face and adverse PR relating to the project. this is just my opinion but to be fair i do believe true accident blackspots should be subject to speed calming measures,schools etc.

 

[Howard]

Just get your defence barrister to ask them to disclose Mrs Miggin's address, (so as you can send a her a big bunch of flowers , with a grenade in them) they won't and the case will be thrown out of court....

 

[BonzoDog]

The impression one gets about speed and cars is that many people seem to believe that there is a right to speed and that this is curbed by speed restrictions and controlling devices. I do not see the problem for the majority of people who drive sensibly, responsibly and keep within the law.
Speed is dangerous, it is a pollutant and serves to intimidate many people in built up and crowded areas. Cars are a valuable privilege and this is put at risk when cars are turned into a threat to the lives of ordinary people. My boring view I am afraid.

 

[splang]

It gets my goat when you get drivers who poodle along at 20mph in a 30mph zone when it is clear (not double parked) and safe to do 30mph (eg not by a school and good clear visiblity ahead)....

Idiots! People like this often cause accidents...although I am safe when I overtake them (at 30mph) and guess what -- they flash me!??!! Twits..

 

[Dieselman]

I lived in a road (30mph limit) where cars would tear past at stupid speeds because it was so quiet. An idiot in a W211 E55 AMG would also see how fast he could go in 200yds on a daily basis. It was made worse by the fact there is a school at the end of the road. I would happily have sat with a speedgun if it had an effect, but as mentioned - how are they going to enforce it?

A stinger might have slowed them down a bit..

 

[Richard W]

....and how many volunteers are going to stick at doing the job when someone who's had a yellow letter comes and has a short but possibly violent discussion by the side of the road......?

See my post on pace drivers on the motorway - it's all just ridiculous - the only sensible way is to enforce the law is with those forces that are put there with sufficient legal rights and training to do so - the Police!!!

Volunteers should not be expected to do the job of a public body who's obligations require them to do it. Any council that does this sort of thing really does need a good dose of reality, unfortunately I think it'll take one of these volunteers to be hospiltalised before they'll actually put uniformed resources behind the initiative.

Yes I break the speed limit on occasions, but not in built up areas or villages, and when someone is speeding through our village I wave at them leaving them in no doubt of my opinion of their spare time activities one day I suppose one of them will actually stop and discuss it with me (Kinky will tell you I'm not a small chap.... ) then I'll be quite honest in my opionion of their actions.

We do need to be realistic about this though - it'll probably be a small but highly noisy and visible minority that are actually causing the problems - hence the low incidence of accidents or convictions.