If only they put as much effort into detecting real crime
 

BBC NEWS | England | Manchester | CCTV cars snap distracted drivers

I just wish our beloved police would find it in their hearts to make the same sort of effort regarding vandalism, burglary, anti-social behaviour and more serious crimes.

How about a series of these cars set up at vandalism hotspots? Ah no that wouldn't generate any real revenue would it. :Whatever_ :mad:

A couple of weeks ago I had a driver behind me in traffic who wasn't just singing along to the radio - she was dancing to it, both hands off the wheel, waving around and paying absolutely no attention to the road whatsoever.

If she'd driven into the back of my car I couldn't have been held responsible for my actions - though I doubt any jury in the land would have found me guilty under the circumstances, it would have been absolutely justified 100%. But she wasn't speeding or running a red light, so no camera would have picked it up. CCTV evidence would have been exactly what was needed to prove a 'driving without due care and attention' charge.

I agree that there's a danger these cameras will be used to nick drivers enjoying a chocolate peanut or two - but you can't deny there are cases where CCTV wouldn't be such a bad thing...

And if a driver was distracted and ran someone over it'd be the polices fault for not doing anything about it

We need more traffic police as we always used to have. The bad and dangerous offenders used to get caught then.

Les

To be honest, I kind of like the idea, I don't use my mobile whilst driving or do anything else other than drive my car, the stereo can be operated from wheel mounted buttons so personally I don't have anything to fear from such technology and on balance I would rather have a bored copper eyeball me (they can do that without a camera) than take my chances with people phoning and texting whilst driving. The Police can't win on the mobile phone use thing, legislation was brought in which is being widely ignored, I myself nearly hit a young woman in a Mini who was too busy gabbing to concentrate on her driving, she pulled out on me whilst I was doing 20 mph on a push bike.

I see this as GMP using the available technology to tackle an important issue, I suspect they have other methods for tackling vandalism, we tend to blame the Police for thins when in fact most of the issue are the feckless, selfish and badly behaved population.

Because they will see the cameras a go elsewhere

We had a number of derelict houses set up to 'attract' burglars and catch them in the act by sneaking up on them. But in light of the incident of the Bobbie killing the young girl - we can't use these houses now.

At the end of the day - you know it’s wrong to use a mobile phone when driving - so don't do it.

I recently caught a drink driver who was 3 times over the limit. His argument was that he was driving normally (which he was) and a night so he was no risk to anyone and that I should go out and catch real criminals

Distractions to driving do put people’s lives at risk.

Look I am not digging at the police on the ground, I am not even really complaining about this latest idea - I just think that the effort given over to detecting motoring crimes is disproportionate to that given to other crimes.

Look at the thread on here from CDF Racing, they could have caught a credit card fraudster red handed, but it doesn't happen.

Just feel that targets and revenue are taking far too important a role in the way policing is done in the UK.

You have what is known as "volume crime" such as TWOC, criminal damage which the response cops deal with day in, day out, normally understaffed, hence we rush from job to job. If you have specialist squads etc who are dedicated to specific tasks, they have longer to deal with things and are often proactive in their methods of tacking crime. Maybe what we need is more response cops available to answer the volume crimes.

agree 100%.

so whats classed as a distraction then, surely this is so subjective or at the discression of the video reviewer or person who issues fines.

We know we shouldnt use our phones, thats a given, but what about smoking a cigarette? picking your nose? changing a CD? scratching your b0ll0cks? Changing gear (after all you have to take your hand off the steering wheel), watching your speedo to check your not speeding, etc.. The list is endless!

All this camera system does is re-affirm my belief that scamera partnerships, the police and government see the motorist as a cash generator and are just looking for new ways to generate extra revenue by imposing extra rules and regulations.

I also amazes me that driver crime is given such a high priority when car crime such as breakins is given such a low priority.

They are given a high priority. You might have one or two camera vans in the force, but you will have about 10 car crime squads each with its own dedicated staff. Only they are not publisised as much as the vans. The only problem is that the punishment given by the courts does not put any off doing it again.

The police should have to STOP drivers suspected of an offence at the time. A letter/fine a week later, supported by video or not, has no effect on driving habits, just festers more resentment, warranted or not, aimed at the police.

Dave

And how would you go about doing that then - especially when most offences are seen as cars pass by going the other way

it must just be Cheshire force then who issue crime numbers over the phone when your car gets broken into :wonder:

Must just be you. Cheshire Police sent me a nice, fit SOCO bird.

To keep? Wow :D

Umm. Let's see. How about turning the police car around and go in the opposite direction? Like, put some effort into it!

Dave

no fine no crime :mad:

Is eating behind the wheel now illegal? Aren't I allowed to put a fresh cd in my cd player?

If there wasn't a fine attached to all of these "offences" then I would be a little less sceptical about the whole thing. However as there is and the whole thing is run by a commercial "Partnership" then it just stinks.

This scheme is run by a roads PCSO not a police officer. It isnt taking police off the street. Ultimately if you dont want a fine for eating whilst driving, Dont eat whilst driving. There are plenty of laybys, car parks and petrol stations.

Do I detect some one here who may be or has been a Police man?

there are some really good coppers about, I feel that HM Government has a huge part to play in the type of targets they set and the way in which the Police are driven to meet those targets.

But it really is about time that those in power got rid of their hatred for all things motorised and applied themselves to matters more serious.

Thats exactly what I feel is wrong with these schemes. How many times have you Tim seen a member of the public stick on his/her seatbelt or suddenly drop the mobile phone when they spot a Police officer or Police car approaching?

A smart car with a camera on it won't command the same respect and will in fact just generate revenue for the partneship as most drivers will be oblivious until the fine drops through the letterbox.

As for saying "Dont eat whilst driving" - can you please explain why not. I'm not talking about a full roast with trimmings here, i'm talking a bite of an apple or a chunk of Yorkie maybe washed down with a sip of coffee.

I think you have just converted me to no eating while driving there, as there can't be a list off food you can and can't eat/drink whilst driving. I mean how many people once bitten into an apple will then put it down? so i reckon that most would be then driving with one hand, as for coffee if you dropped a coffee on your lap (lets say service station coffee which is bloody hot), i know i for one would struggle to drive safely with hot coffee melting my gonads:lol1:.

I am one of those that think average speed cameras are quite dangerous as your forever checking the speedo instead of the road.

And how about start pulling people over that are driving dangerously slow, like the cars that force trucks doin 56mph into the middle lane because of how slow their going:cuckoo: or cars that drive 35-40 in 60 limits then continue that same speed in a 30 zone. To me their more dangerous than someone 5 mph over.

Bloody hell that turned into a bit of a rant:lol1:

Yet more gimmicks and no more real cops, experienced trafffic coops who can spot drunk drivers, bad driving, irratic driving, etc.

I would rather see more traffic cops in marked cars out there on out streets than more toy town cops with silly gimmicks just to generate money!

Pi$$ poor idea IMHO

by the time you turned around, the car's gone

Every time I see a girl crossing the road, I want to run her over.

Every time I see a man walking home from work, I want to push him to the ground.

Every time I see a foreigner on the tube, I want to shoot them in the face.

And that’s why I joined the police force

Did you manage that all on your own?

Bit touchy that!

Na - just a reaction to an idiotic post.

Chill, it was in jest:thumb: