The world is full of criminals
As some of you are probably aware, there was some controversy recently about some new speed cameras on the M4. At the height of the debate, Roger from Newbury left a comment on the BBC News page explaining that we should have nothing to worry about because "only criminals break the speed limit".
By that logic then the world is indeed full of criminals. Sam and I were driving back from Castle Combe this afternoon, beetling along at 50mph - the "temporary" speed limit on that section of the M4, seemingly due to the presence of some pointless cones on the Hard Shoulder in recent months. Everyone else on the road however was taking advantage of the wide, three lane expanse and even an HGV cruised past us in the terrible dry conditions with poor visibility of at least a couple of miles.
Doubtless the cops will penalise some of these criminals for their unsafe driving, putting more money in the coffers in the process.
Well really. The idea that speed cameras are more about raising extra tax than saving lives is reinforced by a government idea of charging more and reducing the number of points on the license per speeding offence.
There are too many people who've been fined for 35mph where even 60 would have been safe, and far too many muppets on the roads who tailgate, swerve and slow erratically on B-Roads and know nothing about motorway lane discipline.
I propose two things:
1) Let's have some sense about speed limits. There are some blanket limits which actually ought to be lowered in places, and there are some which should be raised. If the Germans can manage to cope with high Motorway limits in dry conditions and lower ones in the wet why can't we? And is 42 mph over the Hammersmith flyover really dangerous at times when there's little traffic on the road?
2) Let's have more cops monitoring the standard of driving. Human judgement is more sensible than that of a computer, and they'd be able to rid us of those who drive badly and dangerously.
By that logic then the world is indeed full of criminals. Sam and I were driving back from Castle Combe this afternoon, beetling along at 50mph - the "temporary" speed limit on that section of the M4, seemingly due to the presence of some pointless cones on the Hard Shoulder in recent months. Everyone else on the road however was taking advantage of the wide, three lane expanse and even an HGV cruised past us in the terrible dry conditions with poor visibility of at least a couple of miles.
Doubtless the cops will penalise some of these criminals for their unsafe driving, putting more money in the coffers in the process.
Well really. The idea that speed cameras are more about raising extra tax than saving lives is reinforced by a government idea of charging more and reducing the number of points on the license per speeding offence.
There are too many people who've been fined for 35mph where even 60 would have been safe, and far too many muppets on the roads who tailgate, swerve and slow erratically on B-Roads and know nothing about motorway lane discipline.
I propose two things:
1) Let's have some sense about speed limits. There are some blanket limits which actually ought to be lowered in places, and there are some which should be raised. If the Germans can manage to cope with high Motorway limits in dry conditions and lower ones in the wet why can't we? And is 42 mph over the Hammersmith flyover really dangerous at times when there's little traffic on the road?
2) Let's have more cops monitoring the standard of driving. Human judgement is more sensible than that of a computer, and they'd be able to rid us of those who drive badly and dangerously.
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