Huxley

Thames Valley Police Want 70% of Drivers to Stop Driving

The Association of British Drivers has condemned a statement made by Thames Valley Police that

"If drivers cannot stay within the speed limits then they should give up their licence."
TVP state on their website that around 70% of drivers regularly exceed the speed limit in 30mph zones.

ABD Spokesman Nigel Humphries said

"This pretentious statement smacks of the zero tolerance policy that was totally discredited a few years ago when the senior police officer advocating it was caught exceeding a speed limit himself by a national newspaper."

TVP's statement was made in response to the actions of Mr Paul Newman of Aylesbury, who has taken to standing beside a road with a sign warning other drivers of a speed trap ahead. Mr Newman was caught doing 40 on the 30mph road earlier this year, but states he was merely keeping up with the rest of the traffic on the road.

He has been greeted with hoots of support from passing drivers."gets my Vote

The road in question is a long straight dual carriageway and the 30mph speed limit is unreasonably low, which is exactly why the police target it with speed traps. Nearby there is a school on a narrow road - no speed cameras are ever seen here.

Thames Valley Police have threatened to prosecute Mr Newman for obstruction, despite the fact that 'Thames Valley Safer Roads Partnership' of which TVP are a member, publicise the locations of their fixed and mobile speed cameras on their own website.

Nigel Humphries commented:

"Presumably we can expect TVP to issue this same threat to the partnership."

ABD Road Safety spokesman Mark McArthur-Christie said:

"The police repeatedly claim that speed enforcement is intended to slow people down, not prosecute them. This is exactly what Mr Newman is doing, so the police ought to be praising him for his actions. Instead, worried about less money in the bank at the end of the day, they see fit to threaten him."

ABD Chairman Brian Gregory said:

"People driving slightly over the speed limit but in a nonetheless safe manner are being harassed by the police. It is clear that TVP totally fail to perceive the effect that this unreasonable action is having on public support for the police"

Danbo

Its not my fault!!

(Before all police officers get the blame again!!)

mart360

pi**es you off !!

they dont like it when there not in control!!!

its ok for them to slow you down, for them to take your money,

but dare you do there job for them and they whinge like kids..

and as for safty camera partnerships??

who are they in partnership with??

not me!! i was never asked or agreed...

they are basically a non responsible arm of plod....

you know the statement, "we have no control / authority over what actions the partnership takes"



the day will rapidly draw close when plod looses all credibility with the motorist...

given that each scame£a cost £60,000 why dont they use this money to employ actual coppers to patrol the beat???

and where exactly are all these coppers given that scame£a,s are going up at an alarming rate??

I dont condone speeding, but i accept that it happens and i have had my incidents for which i have been suitably advised..

but it really angers me that this invasion of our life is imposed on us and we let it happen

Mart

Danbo

Somehow I knew it wouldnt be long before Police were blamed.....rather than the beaurocrats who implement the policy......

Its like Soham all over again.....

medders

BuRR

I say stop em all from driving.

Except me, so there's no more bloody congestion when I decide to go out and "enjoy" my car

DISCLAIMER: This isn't a serious post, before anyone slags me off!

Huxley

What the Police BuRR

BuRR

EVERYONE

(except me )

IanW

And they say the police dont have a sense of humour!!!

Huxley

You don't Ian

ChrisB

He ain't the Police

Yet

Adrian F

If you think the Police shouldn't carry responsibility for this current devotion to speed limit enforcement whilst ignoring the crimes that the Tax payer wants targeting then read Chief constable Brunstrom statements and he is in charge of ACPO committee on traffic law I think?

[Edited by Adrian F - 12/29/2003 1:10:00 AM]

pslewis

I have an interesting conundrum here:-

If I stand before a speed trap or mobile safety unit with a BIG sign saying that there is a speed trap ahead, slow down .... can I be done? I thought it was illegal to warn motorists?

Now, there MUST be warning signs up that cameras are in use ... and if the police state its a safety camera I am just ADDING to the safety campaign as ALL the cars will slow down!?

So? is it illegal to warn or not???

Pete

BuRR

Interesting one. Might be argued that your sign is only the same as a neighbourhood watch sign, or a "shoplifters will be prosecuted sign"???

Personally, I hate them as much as the next person.