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Which country do you think has the most speed cameras?
David Jenkins - 14/1/09 at 08:45 PM

The numbers in this link may give you a clue...

PocketGPSWorld

Depressing, isn't it...

A1 - 14/1/09 at 08:51 PM

us??
jeezo...youve got to wander why they feel the need for so many...

ReMan - 14/1/09 at 09:13 PM

So th USA use what?

mr henderson - 14/1/09 at 09:23 PM

USA doesn't seem to have much in the way of cameras, but then maybe the ubiquitous hand held laser devices don;t count as cameras?

Whatever, I suspect those numbers are wildly inaccurate

John

oldtimer - 14/1/09 at 09:38 PM

I don't think it's depressing at all.

We have the lowest road fatality rate of all the top 10 most motorised countries.

Maybe no connection maybe there is.

500 children killed in the world every day in road accidents

1.2 million killed in road accidents per annum worldwide....

Now that's depressing.

David Jenkins - 14/1/09 at 09:43 PM

quote:
Originally posted by mr henderson
Whatever, I suspect those numbers are wildly inaccurate


Any mis-match to official stats will be due to the fact that these are camera locations reported by gps database subscribers - make of that what you will.

As for the ethics of all these cameras? I can't comment on whether it's the result of a grasping government gathering money, or whether it's that we are so much less law-abiding than other countries. All I can say is that France is a huge country, with drivers who are frankly scary, and they have far fewer speed cameras than us (and they blatantly tell you where they are!).

I should add that I try not to speed, and have only had 1 speeding ticket in almost 40 years of motoring, so I'm not running a camera hate campaign!

[Edited on 14/1/09 by David Jenkins]

Canada EH! - 14/1/09 at 10:09 PM

USA and Canada, Police vehicle mounted radar and lazer. Province of Ontario used cameras mounted in unmarked vans some years ago, but were removed after citizen complaints.

mangogrooveworkshop - 15/1/09 at 12:22 AM

quote:
Originally posted by David Jenkins
The numbers in this link may give you a clue...

PocketGPSWorld

Depressing, isn't it...

Single camera said to be making £1m a year


A speed camera in Essex has been named as the biggest money maker in the UK. The notorious Gatso, on the southbound carriageway of the M11 near Woodford Green Athletics Club, is believed to have generated nearly £1 million in revenue over the past year.



Need we say anymore:
mad:

Just another TAX COLLECTION SYSTEM to pay for bombs to drop on Johnny Foreigner so he can grow flowers to make drugs with

antonio - 15/1/09 at 05:44 AM

much more in france!!
i've had a few trouble free miles in uk now,a lot of cam but never received anything.
start with 12 points on driving licence, remain 2 now...cam spread like a plague on french roads.

clairetoo - 15/1/09 at 06:57 AM

quote:
Originally posted by oldtimer
We have the lowest road fatality rate of all the top 10 most motorised countries.

But........didnt we allready have that , before speed cameras were imposed on us ? After all , the death rate hasnt changed significantly since their introduction

Rek - 15/1/09 at 08:07 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Canada EH!
USA and Canada, Police vehicle mounted radar and lazer. Province of Ontario used cameras mounted in unmarked vans some years ago, but were removed after citizen complaints.


You have a govornment that listens to you!!! We can only dream of such a thing

oldtimer - 15/1/09 at 08:38 AM

It is definately true that we have a better-than-most record on our roads statisticly.

The number of pedestrian deaths per annum continues to fall annualy, only a 1% fall these days, but very significant if you are in that 1%.

We still need to be forced to slow down, 21% of road deaths in the UK were still those of pedestrians.

One little known statistic is that at in urban 20 mph zones, of pedestrians hit at 20mph, only 2.5% end in the death of a pedestrian.

I am not saying that it is all due to speed cameras at all. But, the statistics are going in the right direction.

I know very well that the arguement is that trainig is the way to resolve this. But, sadly we can't stop some ignoring their training like we can't stop people ignoring the speed limits.

oldtimer - 15/1/09 at 08:39 AM

It is definately true that we have a better-than-most record on our roads statisticly.

The number of pedestrian deaths per annum continues to fall annualy, only a 1% fall these days, but very significant if you are in that 1%.

We still need to be forced to slow down, 21% of road deaths in the UK were still those of pedestrians.

One little known statistic is that at in urban 20 mph zones, of pedestrians hit at 20mph, only 2.5% end in the death of a pedestrian.

I am not saying that it is all due to speed cameras at all. But, the statistics are going in the right direction.

I know very well that the arguement is that trainig is the way to resolve this. But, sadly we can't stop some ignoring their training like we can't stop people ignoring the speed limits.

GaryM - 15/1/09 at 09:16 AM

Seems OK to me.

If the treasury wasn't generating that income from 'taxing' speeders, they would probably be raising the taxes that I have no control over whether I pay or not.

carpmart - 15/1/09 at 10:25 AM

quote:
Originally posted by oldtimer
It is definately true that we have a better-than-most record on our roads statisticly.

The number of pedestrian deaths per annum continues to fall annualy, only a 1% fall these days, but very significant if you are in that 1%.

We still need to be forced to slow down, 21% of road deaths in the UK were still those of pedestrians.

One little known statistic is that at in urban 20 mph zones, of pedestrians hit at 20mph, only 2.5% end in the death of a pedestrian.

I am not saying that it is all due to speed cameras at all. But, the statistics are going in the right direction.

I know very well that the argument is that trainig is the way to resolve this. But, sadly we can't stop some ignoring their training like we can't stop people ignoring the speed limits.


Warning - I am going to appear argumentative now but I can think of no other way to put my point across - end of warning.

What you have said in your post, whilst factual is looking at a very small percentage of the statistics. Speed camera's have a place and in certain conditions do slow down traffic which has had and can have, a positive effect in certain circumstances. However, they have been completely overused by a massive factor. This diminishes their effectiveness in the areas where they would have had a positive impact. They are now, in many cases only mechanism to create revenue with no real consideration to road safety.

Bad driving, bad driving habits and poor eduction are what causes accidents. We teach new drivers to follow the highway code but we don't teach them how to enter and exit fast moving traffic when joining a motorway. We don't teach them that old people need a wide berth and can be as unpredictable as young drivers. We don't teach them lane discipline. We don't teach them how to multitask and continually look at their speedo and know to within feet what the speed limit is in certain areas and still remain a safe driver observing what is happening around them.

All these factors (this is an example list not exhaustive) are not addressed by speed cameras.

The inappropriate use of cameras is creating more problems than the careful use of them would create benefit.

Road deaths are going down, not because of the use of speed cameras reducing accidents, more that cars are safer for the occupants and pedestrians.

End of my 'rant'!


A1 - 16/1/09 at 01:51 AM

^^ quite agree.

RK - 17/1/09 at 04:42 AM

They had cameras in British Columbia a few years ago, and they took them off the road. Not because of complaints, but because they made so many mistakes (people got tickets in the mail when they weren't even on the road that day!) that they didn't make any money.

Ninehigh - 25/1/09 at 04:51 AM

quote:
Originally posted by carpmart
quote:
Originally posted by oldtimer
We still need to be forced to slow down, 21% of road deaths in the UK were still those of pedestrians.

What you have said in your post, whilst factual is looking at a very small percentage of the statistics. Speed camera's have a place and in certain conditions do slow down traffic which has had and can have, a positive effect in certain circumstances. However, they have been completely overused by a massive factor. This diminishes their effectiveness in the areas where they would have had a positive impact.

Bad driving, bad driving habits and poor eduction are what causes accidents. We teach new drivers to follow the highway code but we don't teach them how to enter and exit fast moving traffic when joining a motorway. We don't teach them that old people need a wide berth and can be as unpredictable as young drivers. We don't teach them lane discipline. We don't teach them how to multitask and continually look at their speedo and know to within feet what the speed limit is in certain areas and still remain a safe driver observing what is happening around them.

Road deaths are going down, not because of the use of speed cameras reducing accidents, more that cars are safer for the occupants and pedestrians.


1. As I've said to many people, my car is a ton and a half of steel, 21% of the deaths are pedestrians because they're more squishy than a mondeo. I look out for cars, some don't bother.

2. Yeah speed cameras slow traffic down, just before and just after it. Might as well have some topless woman holding a speed limit sign.

3. Cure for bad driving, regular re-test. Food hygeine certificate lasts 3 years, so does a taxi badge, yet I learnt to drive 11 years ago and have had no training since.

4. Oh yes, mine's got airbags coming out of it's backside. So much so I can't even have a forward facing child seat in the front of my car. Very safe when I have to turn round cos my kid's in the back seat. That's another one no-one ever points out, the dangers of having 2 sprogs arguing 24 inches behind me.

Jos Fury - 2/2/09 at 10:40 AM

Here in Holland we have around 1700 speed camera's. Excl. mobile camera's etc...