I live in a cul-de-sac that joins on to a busy B-road heading into a village centre. Yesterday I noticed that the GATSO on this road had been vandalised, both lenses sprayed with red paint.

I wonder if the idiots who did this realise that there has been at least two fatalities at the blind bend, by a school, about 100 yards past the camera.

Same thing happened in Northampton recently, well sort of.

Apparently the camera was actually stolen - uprooted and STOLEN!! Although I hate the damn things, (doesn't everyone?), but a guy had died at the junction it was placed at within the last few days before the theft.

Northampton has a reputation of having a stealth tax on the motorist and feelings are very strong here about them. We get little leaflets through our door telling us how wonderful they are, which goes down well - NOT!

But, I wouldn't want my child being killed or seriously injured coming out of school, so I agree they have their place in some instances.

Clare

Don't worry about it, they can afford another one in the next day or so.

What idiot built a school on a blind bend? :rolleyes:

speed humps would make more sense before a blind bend but they don't collect revenue do they.

Anyone want to buy a Gatso?

There must be some for sale up here in Scotland, some got nicked outside Fraserbrough.


Si

Yep Johnny Gav has hit it on the head. Speed bumps would be far more efficient at slowing speed in this situation - especially those small but high plastic ones that are 1st gear jobs. People still speed past cameras so the camera could catch them a few seconds before they mow down a helpless child. The sooner we all stand together and dont take this crap from the govt the better.

Indeed :)

Like a lot of people on here, it seems :(

More or less, yes.

But why dont they improve it even further by placing a police officer in front of the school at the times the children get in and out of school to regulate the traffic, like they do in France? Are all the police officers too busy recording people's speeds on motorways? :rolleyes:

IAN K - The paint was on the lenses, the camera is already marked with reflective yellow patches like all the GATSOs around here.

I'm dead against having GATSOs where they are obviously just there to make money but in some instances they are useful in slowing down the traffic to a safe speed.

Oh and I have done advanced driving but found the techniques too restrictive. They were designed for when cars didn't have ABS, power steering and synchomesh gearboxs and so they are now out of date and cumbersome. I also found IAM member to be elitist and egocentic to I didn't take the training all the way to the test.

Wow! A GATSO in a decent location, nah, gotta be an urban myth that :D

I hate the cams as much as the next man, but in some places they are a good idea, however, as stated, they are more of a mental obstruction than a physical one, which would be better, eg; speed humps. Plus there is the other factor to consider, which is, is the cam live? because if not then as soon as people know this they will just razz past it, so again, not much of a deterrant.

Bit outspoken I know, but tis just my 2 pence worth.

Gary,

With my safety hat on, surely the paint will make the camera more visible to motorists and hence slow them down ?

Camera's don't save lives, you've obviously been brainwashed by the Government.

Driver education saves lives. Unfortunately there are no incentives after passing the L-test to further check / improve ones driving skills.
See

www.iam.org.uk ,if you want to do something about improving your own driving skills.
One key advanced motoring skill is driving at a speed which allows you to stop in the distance you can see at all times and would deal with the blind corner you describe above. Accidents don't suddenly happen the clues are there to be seen if you look for them.

Ian


[Edited by IAN K UK300 - 8/11/2002 10:16:59 AM]