Spped cameras

[Sippo]

SPEED CAMERA CASH ROW
 
Speed cameras are netting more than £20m a year profits for the Treasury, it has been reported.

The number of fixed penalty fines issued in England and Wales has risen seven-fold from around 260,000 in 2000-2001 to 1.8 million in 2003-2004, according to figures obtained by The Daily Telegraph.


Motorists caught by the cameras have three points added to their licence and pay a £60 fixed penalty.

Councils can keep revenue from fines to cover costs. But they cannot profit from them and any surpluses go to the Treasury.

The number of speed cameras has now reached about 6,000 across the country, 2,500 of them mobile.

The Government has defended speed cameras, saying they improve road safety.

But the Conservatives have now renewed their call for a review of what they call a "stealth tax" on motorists.


Bloody government!! Speed camera = money maker.

[janaage]

Don't speed - government get nowt.

[Piemonte]

speed but dont get caught - government get nowt

[Amir]

I got done years back on a main road, 50 in a 30.  Fair enough on the surface, but it's only a 30 because of the schools and this was 10.30pm on a sunday.  By a copper hid behind a bush I should add.

[janaage]

Sorry dude but I don't have much sympathy.  You just gotta take that one the chin, whether he was hidden behind a bush or not, you shouldn't have been going 50 in a 30.

[Titch]

Sorry dude but I don't have much sympathy.  You just gotta take that one the chin, whether he was hidden behind a bush or not, you shouldn't have been going 50 in a 30.

Exactly!!!  I can't see the point at all in speeding!

[Amir]

Don't care about sympathy.  My point is that they were only on that road, at that time, because they knew everyone apart from maybe an old man in a morris would be speeding.  Cynical money making ploy, even the copper seemed quite apologetic.  Probably knew he should have been out doing something worth while, at least catching people speeding somewhere dangerous.

[oxford_fan]

Sorry dude but I don't have much sympathy.  You just gotta take that one the chin, whether he was hidden behind a bush or not, you shouldn't have been going 50 in a 30.

Exactly!!!  I can't see the point at all in speeding!

time to engage brain then.

1. it gets you wherever you're going faster
2. its more fun to drive faster

i've never been done, but my mate has. IMO speed limits need reviewing - they're so stupid in some cases that nobody ever travels anywhere near the speed limit. motorways and dc's should be increased to 90, 50's to 70's, and there are thousands of inappropriate 30's that should also be increased.

obviously i appreciate that there needs to be 30's in residential areas & near schools, etc.

[oxford_fan]

another point is that speed cameras and speed traps are put where people speed the most, not where most accidents occur. they're revenue generators, pure and simple.

[Piemonte]

I believe that the current speed limits stem for the braking distances in the highway code that we all had to learn.

The average braking distances have not been changed since the 70's to the best of my knowledge. Modern cars with modern brakes stop considerably quicker than those from the & 70's 80's

The only time i've been caught was in a built up area in the morning rush hour. I cant really have any complaints about that