If you live in the UK, you’re probably one of the people caught up in the issue of speed cameras. I hate to generalise on this, but its probably the truth. These cameras are alleged to protect people, although they are most commonly known as a revenue generator for local authorities and government. The measurable results of their benefits are less than desirable, and in fact, aren’t known. The police allege that as they are producing more tickets for offenders, then they have increased safety. However, this is not necessarily the case as the correlation between speeding and accidents is not fully known. Its understandable that individuals take hidden speeding cameras as invasion of their privacy.
UK Speed Camera Promises
The original objective of deploying speed cameras in the UK was to reduce accidents and improve the safety of individuals. The requirement was to slow the speed of vehicles down overall, and thus provide a safer environment. In theory this would be beneficial to everyone, although the implementation is far different. Although many speed cameras are in view, a lot are hidden – or mobile cameras are used in dubious places, where the legitimacy of their use is questionable
The UK speed camera works by capturing an image of the speeding motorist. Some are set up alongside the roadside. Others are mobile units or even units within Police vehicles. They work to capture images of any vehicle that passes them, noting the speed at which the vehicle is traveling. Many of them make it very difficult to slow down in time to avoid being detected and most often, they are difficult to spot, although law clearly states that the vehicles and UK speed camera must be clearly located to give motorists a warning.
The problem with the use of these cameras is that they have done very little to reduce the actual number of accidents on the motorway. Rather, some individuals monitoring the situation claim that the cameras actually have led to an increase in the number of accidents for one reason or another. Some believe the cameras are doing nothing more than monitoring the residents and they should be stopped. An even larger claim is that the cameras are used more for their revenue producing abilities rather than the ability of the camera to actually improve road safety. There is no doubt that these cameras have helped governments to raise huge amounts of fines, since they send thousands of tickets each day.
Motorists – Stand Up And Fight
A number of groups and individuals have set out to change the rules of the land and are legally fighting the use of the UK speed camera. While they do so, there are others who are working to stop the use of the cameras by simply taking them apart, blowing them up or otherwise stopping them from working. While illegal to do, these individuals are determined to find a way to stop people from falling victim to the cameras and they plan to continue to damage the cameras until they are finally removed in total from the streets of the UK.
Why are so many people upset and angered by the use of the UK speed camera? There are many reasons for this but in particular, they do not like the fact that such harsh actions are taken on them for just driving a few miles over the posted speed limit. As many would say, just driving a few miles over the limit will cost them a huge fine and three points on their license. They are treated no better than a criminal in these cases.
There is a case for stringent use of speed cameras, and the general view seems to be that they are acceptable, and appropriate, in very pubic places – specifically schools, where there are children and other pedestrians. On the same note, the argument is that are they really needed in places where there are no public. This would cover places such as motorways, and major junctions where the public shouldn’t be anyway.
The bottom line of why many do not believe the use of UK speed cameras is effective is their inability to reduce accidents and to improve the safety of roadways in the country. There is no evidence, in most areas, that the number of casualties and deaths on the roads in the UK have dropped since the use of the UK speed camera was first needed. They do believe that the cameras are used mainly to increase revenue rather than to improve safety. Some are setting out to make a statement in a way that could be legally worrisome for themselves in the hopes of making that statement loud enough to be heard by those who can improve the situation.
