Spped cameras - saving lives or blatant revenue raising?

[CV]

What do you think about speed cameras?
I myself am becoming frustrated with the increasing amount of hand-held radars being used on the roads. At first, it was an occasional thing, now I see hand-helds almost every day.
I feel that the increased police prescence that the government promised at the election is just going towards further revenue raising in the form of speed cameras instead of trying to get to roots of more important problems in society today like violence and drug abuse.
And have speed cameras helped to save lives? I think the roads are becoming more dangerous with the increased amount of speed cameras on the road as people are constantly looking for cameras and not concentrating on driving.
I am all for responsible driving, but are more speed cameras the answer?

 

[GrandLeo]

I think the roads are becoming more dangerous with the increased amount of speed cameras on the road as people are constantly looking for cameras and not concentrating on driving.
I am all for responsible driving, but are more speed cameras the answer?

Why is there a need to look for speed cameras if you are "all for" responsible driving??

But yes I do believe it is a major money grabbing tactic employed by many councils nowadays (fast becoming a nuisance and a blatant misdirection of valuable resources – that almost sounded knowledgeable )

What annoys me is the blatant abuse of the “privilege to drive” by the general driving public! Especially here in Brisbane (must be the southerners coming up, hey - Jokes).
Yes you did read that correctly the ability to drive IS a privilege NOT a right!! The more people to realise this the better! If you do not believe me; don’t re-register your car, don’t renew your licence, do irresponsible acts and see your licence taken away from you then get caught. You will soon realise that driving without a licence (your privilege passport) is not a clever idea!


P.S. Maybe you should slow down!

 

[Ted the Ambo]

I haven't been fined for speeding but what I find annoying is when you notice several speed camera units or units with hand held radars patrolling areas where they catch people going downhill! I've heard plenty of stories where people have been caught going downhill about or just over 5km/hr over the limit

Got to make you wonder eh?!

MrT

 

[RaYmOnStInG69]

Usually the cameras stand out like dogs balls.........wats all the fuss

 

[Murderdoll]

in WA, on the news on channel 7 they have the radar locations for the next day. honestly i think it is revenue raising, and i do know people that have been pinned for going down hill, which is utter bullshit

 

[MiSs HoT pAnTs]

Speed cameras are there for a reason...if you arent speeding and you are driving responsibly then you wont have to worry about them...simple...besides driving responsibly saves lives...speed cameras are a way to scare people into driving responsibly...it makes sense if ya think about it

 

[Tiger]

honestly i think it is revenue raising, and i do know people that have been pinned for going down hill, which is utter bullshit

When I worked for the Council over ten years ago, one of my bosses got pinged by a speed camera in a HCC car at the bottom of a hill that went like this / - literally. (Mellifont St, West Hobart for those in Hobart)
You can't drive slowly down it or approach it slowly because you won't make it even halfway without sliding backwards.
I have no problems with them on speed blackspots though, they need one down this street at times, a small side street between two busy arterial roads, nearly been skittled by speeders a few times.

 

[Street Racer]

Speed cameras are there for a reason...if you arent speeding and you are driving responsibly then you wont have to worry about them...simple...besides driving responsibly saves lives...speed cameras are a way to scare people into driving responsibly...it makes sense if ya think about it

yeh it does cassy

i am a car modifing freak, bowling is my 1st life, cars is my 2nd and ppl r just saying they anit there to save lives they r there to make the government richer, and also the cops r u busy trying to find useless defects on modded cars, yeh my friends have been caught, my friend just last monday got his licence taken off him 4 3 months 4 speeding, and we planned to go cruisn after i got back off eccc , but yeh, i am againet speeding on public roads, but the camera dont do shit to make them stop speeding

 

[da_cowman]

The only way the Government can make money out of speed cameras is if you speed. Don't speed and they can't make money out of it. It's not rocket science. Cars, when used irresponsibly, are stupidly dangerous. They weigh over a tonne and can travel at incredible speeds. Speeding in populated areas is just so stupid that you have every right to lose your license for doing so. The speed cameras are put in for yours and others safety, not to be a pain in the arse. When no lives are lost from Speeding or Drink Driving then we might have a case to put against the use of speed cameras. But until that day, people should continue to be punished for breaking the law... SPEEDING!

Later Da Cowman!

 

[tonx]

Ohhhh a chance to vent against the government, im gunna take this opportunity.

The topic is a hot one down in Victoria, with many fixed speed cameras being faulty. They are registering cars at speeds well off what they were actually travelling. In one incident a datsun was clocked at 180 (or something like that) and it was proven by a professional driver that the car was only capable of going 120.

Fixed speed cameras should be destroyed. The only possible excuse for them being on the roads is revenue raising. They do not deter speeding, as the majority of people know where they are located, and just slow down on that particular stretch of road. As soon as they are out of the cameras range, they speed off, knowing that there wont be another one for a while.

There are also quite a few speed limits down this way that are rediculously low. I know of main roads around this area where there are no schools around, yet the speed limit is 40kph. The signs are not clearly in view, and often placed near trees that block the drivers sight of these signs. This is pointless, and there are always police around those roads to nab the unsuspecting driver. Who wants to be looking for signs when driving, when they should be concentrating on the road.

Freeways and Highways are another load of crap. Give it a few more years, and the speed limit there will be dropped to 90, then 80, and finally we will all be doing 60 on the way home from work. 120 is not an unsafe speed on a 4 lane freeway/highway, especially in todays cars, yet the governments think that it is.

We should introduce an express lane where the minimum speed is for example 110, up to 120, as this would free up traffic flow, stop illegal speeders from darting in and out of traffic, and give the slower drivers their own few lanes to potter down.

Hand held speed cameras are not revenue raising. They are for the majority of the time accurate, never in the same place, and also create awareness of speeding in communities, therefore effectively cutting down speeders in total areas, not just along 1 street. The only thing that I do not agree with is these mobile detection units being placed on severe downhill slopes. This is just plain and out stupid.

The main problem though, is that because it is free money to governments, nothing will ever change. We, as the people, have NO say in how anything runs in this country. We only have the right to bitch about it and not get shot.

JMHO.

 

[Murderdoll]

From what I said before, its crap, you can be 2 or 3kms over the speed limit and still get pinned, i mean cameras should give or take 5 kms... but the real problem is the fact that the camera's arent supposed to be hidden, but in the last couple of days I've noticed that the camera's in WA have been really hard to see.

And putting one at the bottom of a hill thats quite steep just proves a point, you cant coast up a hill, you need to accelerate.

 

[ya_mum_loves_it]

I haven't been fined for speeding but what I find annoying is when you notice several speed camera units or units with hand held radars patrolling areas where they catch people going downhill! I've heard plenty of stories where people have been caught going downhill about or just over 5km/hr over the limit

Got to make you wonder eh?!

MrT

well leagually there not allowed 2 sit at the bottom of a hill n book u yet they always do its a load of shit really but wat can u do about it

 

[Wafe]

Hill or no hill, its still speeding, thats why they invented brakes. im not all for it but if you dont want to get booked then dont speed.

 

[Hemiway]

The legal tolerance for speeding in vic is 3%. ie. 100kph = 103 tolerance. But the tolerance for car manufatures is 10%. ie. 100kph = 110. go figure.
P.S. Speed doesn't kill, it's the sudden stop that'll kill ya.

 

[boybrowny]

FYI...

Money collected by speed camera units does not go back to the police. It goes into the Governments general revenue and is often used for things like grants etc...

Speed cameras are effective in reducing the incidents of speeding vehicles - and while you may bitch about being caught doing between 10 and 20 km/h over the limit - what about the cars they get doing 40 or 50 or 60 km or more over the limit? (yes, it does happen).

Speeding down hills is expecially dangerous, because stopping distances at normal speeds can be almost twice as far when you add in a slope - add in some extra speed and you will be amazed how long it would actually take you to come to a stop if you had to...

car manufactures are not allowed a 10% variance in odometre/ speedo readings. The maximum variance (at any speed) is 7km/h (obviously this means in an area with 70km/h or less it would work out at over 10% - but to be accurate at 110, 120 or 140 km/h you are talking at most a 5% variance).

Having worked in a fatal crash investigation unit and been to may fatal accidents as well as having been the one to tell family members about their sons, daughters, baby's, husbands, wifes, boyfriends and girlfriends having been killed in crashes - I can tell you that very, very, very rarely are all the vehicles involved doing the speed limit.


I hate getting tickets as much as the next person (and yes, I've had a few too) - but anything that slows even one car down on our roads is a good thing and anyone who sticks to the speed limit increases their chances of surviving until their next stop...

Once I went and did the advanced physics courses to reconstruct car crashes - my entire family noticed how much I slowed down on the roads... Because you will be amazed at how exponantially dangerous it gets when you start to speed - even by what you consider a little bit.


HAVING STUCK UP FOR SPEED CAMERA's IN PRINCIPLE - I would also like to add that I think they should set them up more often at night (when the hoons are out in force) as sometimes the places and times you see them you have to wonder exactly who they are targeting???


My two pence for what it is worth...


PB

 

[FoXy_RoXy]

U know what I hate the most?!?!?! When u're on a highway ... & then it's a 110kms zone ... then it "apparently" turns in2 a 100kms zone ... then they have a camera ... then it turns back in2 a 110kms zone!!! That's really sneaky ... coz I just got done on the w'end. Just keep it in a zone that has one speed ... not where it's constantly changing every couple of metres!

 

[bitchy lil brunette]

why is it that when you are in another state driving, you get fined for speeding but you dont lose points? nsw is covered in speed cameras!

 

[paul gifford]

well my friends where involved in a high speed accident 2 weeks ago and i can only say that if there where speed cameras on that stretch of road the accident would never have happened, im all for the government trying to stop young and old drivers speeding. think to your self is it worth speeding to save 5 minutes of your trip. 1 year ago i would have said the goverment just wants money but know i think its the only way to stop people from killing themselves on the road. that is my opinion you can agree or disagree, but really whats more important life or speeding?