Friday, August 24, 2012
Speeding on the decrease
There are often reports on the news about car accidents, and some of those collisions have occurred because of speeding. It always makes me sad to think that if the individual had just stuck to the limit, the incident probably wouldn’t have taken place. However, I have some good news. The number of people breaking the speed limit has decreased!
According to a report by the RAC Foundation and the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety, only 46% of people were breaking 30mph limits in 2010 compared to 69% in 1998.
Moreover, only 49% of drivers in 2010 were going over 70mph on the motorways, while this figure stood at 57% in 2003. Perhaps we don’t need the limit to go up to 80mph after all?
Want some more good news? Generally, throughout England and Wales, the number of fixed penalty notices, convictions, and written warnings being handed to road users for speeding offences has lowered significantly since a big increase in the 1990s.
When I read about these statistics I was really pleased, and I hope you are as well, reader. After all, fewer speeding motorists on the roads make them safer for all those drivers who stick to the rules and navigate the highways in a considerate manner.
Photo © amandabhslater via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: 30mph, 70mph, car accident, driver, motorway, Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety, RAC Foundation, speed limit, speeding
Monday, February 27, 2012
Ompton man’s dummy camera
Whether you’re in your car or walking along the pavement, it’s easy to get angry at speeding motorists who put other people’s lives at risk with their dangerous driving.
One 50-year-old man living in Ompton, Nottinghamshire, has got so frustrated by road users travelling through the village at high speeds that he has installed his own dummy speed camera. The speed limit through the village used to be 60mph, which was then reduced to 40mph. However, the locals have been campaigning for it to be reduced once again to 30mph.
The maker of the dummy speed camera states that he built it after the council failed to put up a camera itself or further lower the speed limit.
It cost him £250 to make using scrap metal, and he believes it’s just the thing to cut down on the number of people driving too fast, however, he states, “I’ve been told if someone causes an accident by obeying the legal speed limit through the village, then it’s my fault.”
The highways district manager has told the man that if anyone claimed that they had crashed due to the presence of the dummy camera, he would be liable for civil action.
Well, we applaud this man for trying to make his village a safer place, however dubious the methods may be, his intentions are good, and we hope that all the villagers see a reduction in the number of speeding motorists as a result.
Photo © Pug50 via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: car, dangerous driving, dummy speed camera, motorist, Nottinghamshire, Ompton, road users, speeding, village
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Surprised speed camera
Getting caught speeding is nothing to be proud of – but one 28-year-old man was very pleased when he made a Hastings speed camera flash in East Sussex.
The reason for his jubilation was probably that one, he won’t be issued with a fine, and two his 40mph speed was something of an achievement – the man was on rollerblades.The speeder, a professional in-line skater, cannot be issued with a fine because the speeding law only applies to motorists. It seems that the government hasn’t taken into account that some other modes of transport could also go over the speed limit in some 20 or 30mph areas and might be a danger to road users around them.
However, although this stunt might seem like a good laugh, it was, according to road safety organisations, a very irresponsible thing to do on a public highway.
“Having reviewed the footage, it is obvious that this stunt is nothing short of extremely foolish,” a Sussex Safer Roads Partnership (SSRP) member stated.
"It is almost inconceivable anyone would attempt such a dangerous stunt at night, dressed mostly in black, on a road that's in use, just to prove a point.
"This sort of activity should always take place off the road under supervised conditions, ideally with protective clothing being used.
"Motorists also won't be expecting to see someone on roller skates in the road, and other road users would find it incredibly difficult to accurately judge speed."
It’s nice to read some amusing news every now and then, but, as the SSRP stated, had circumstances been different there could have been a serious accident.
View a video of the stunt here. However, be warned though, there is swearing in the last few moments of the footage.
Image by Kenny Hindgren via Flickr, under Creative Commons Licence
Labels: motorists, mph, speed camera, speeding