IFG

Guys,
how come that when something as important as the ridiculous new proposed speeding laws are brought to our attention on this forum (http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/Forum1/HTML/009171.html) the number of (non **** take) replies is 4, whereas when yet another purile thread like "Who's got the fastest scoob in the UK then ?" appears it gets 93 replies ?

If these proposals go through without opposition I recon that 30% of us will be without licences in 2 years time. It'll be a waste of time having a Scooby, if you put it into 4th gear it'll mean an instant ban. (85 in a 70 = ban)

How many of you have/will be bothered to send a letter of objection ? (and before you ask, yes I have)

Its always the same with us Brits, total apathy while we've got the chance to do something about an injustice because it gives us an excuse to whine about it after its too late

Still, I suppose we could still post threads like "Who's got the fastest push bike in the UK ?"

Cheers, Ian (flame suite on).

Leigh

As I understood it, the new points system will be 20 points instead of the existing 12, and that 85 in a 70 zone resulted in 12 points, hence do it twice and it's a six month ban?
You can send in all the complaints you like, IMHO it won't make any difference, the only way is to vote this sorry shower of 5hite out! This government are turning the police into little more than uniformed tax collectors!

Leigh

mattski

Ian,

I have just sent my letter and e-mail...we're on your side ya know!

And yes, I completely agree with your comments about apathy...we just sit and moan after something has happened

regards,
Matt

Paul_P

I agree the police/government are after our money. More GATSO's, heavier fines etc.

However, why don't we for one month only, stick to the speed limits. That's right the whole bloody country slows down, takes it easy for one whole month. No rushing to work, just get in your car and chill out. Take it easy, relax, after all we know our cars are capable of fast speeds but we don't need to prove it, do we? Well not on the public roads.

Results:
Well the GATSO cameras do not flash, there are no summons in the post, there is no money collected in. Not a single GATSO camera brings in a single amount of revenue to the police/government. Wouldn't that pi55 of the people responsible for placing the cameras with the sole intention of collecting in money rather than putting the cameras in dangerous spots where many accidents have happened!

The traffic cops who have invested heavily in the latest speed trap devices suddenly find themselves playing with their toys at their own expense! Not a single motorist needs to be pulled over. It suddenly becomes unfeasible to have traffic police sitting in unmarked police cars trying to bring in speeding fine revenue. Total waste of time, those traffic cops sitting on top of the motorway bridges aiming their speed guns at passing motorists! Just think, all they get on their radar guns/latest gadgets is that Mr Joe Public is travelling at or under the legal limit. What a shame when they return to the station after their shift to report that no speeding tickets were handed out!! Wouldn't that pi55 of the people who have calculated that Mr Plod must bring in x amount each month in order for them to justify their latest budget for extra gadgetry to trap us motorists.

You may answer, not everyone will stick to the speed limits for a month. You are probably right, but think about it, one whole month the whole country takes it on themselves to show the government what they think of the their aims to make the motorist pay, pay and pay again.

Interested, then why don't we drum up national support, get it in the papers, just like the fuel protestors, surely the government/police would **** themselves if they knew for one month, no revenue would be collected in for speeding!!!

As they say, the rest is down to you.............

mutant_matt

Mattski/IFG,

I'm writing my letter, I'm refering to some of the studies that Ben Lovejoy mentioned on his Web page plus some of the stuff that is reported on the Speedtrap Website.

How would you guys like to email me a copy of what you've sent and/or post to the board to give others ideas for their own letters or, failing that, provide a nice easy template for the slightly less inclined amoungst us to use?!?....

And Paul_P, nice idea but one I don't think would really be taken up on - the trouble with a lot of people in this country is that they are not prepared to stand up for what they beleive in - the Fuel protest you mentioned was a case in point. Considering how many people in this country think the fuel tax is discraceful, not that many people actually did anything about it when the time came to be counted.

If we *could* all get together then the powerful voice we would have would beat the Government into doing whatever we liked - it's the fact that they know this will never happen that lets them get away with it!!!

Cheers,

Matt.

ca

Motorists need representation at the 'top table'. Therefore we need a large (and powerful) Pro-Car lobby.

Join the Association of British Drivers. (www.abd.org.uk)

C

Dream Weaver

Letter on it's way!!!!

Richard F

Sorry, I think the idea of a month's go-slow would play right into the government's hands. They'd turn round at the end of it and say "look, our speeding policy must be working cos thousands fewer offended last month" so they'd up the spending on speed detection. You don't seriously believe they'd go "blimey, no income from fines - we'd better drop the taxes on motoring" do you?

Personally, I think the only way to do it is to be sensible about your driving. Most people drive the same roads all the time. You soon get to know where police sit so avoid those areas, or at least tone down the speed.

Sorry if this doesn't sit with the politically correct view held by some that speeding is abhorrent (sp?) but the fact is people WON'T stop stop speeding so they'll have to be cleverer about when/ where they do it if they don't want to get caught.

PS. This is not support for the government, it's just acceptance of reality.

Yex

I have noticed an increase in the amount of Gatso's near where i live, Grays in Essex to be precise but they don't work The camers have been installed for a couple of months now, as have a couple on the A13 in Thundersley and Leigh on Sea, but no road marking have been set. I know they don't work as I went past one of them a bit quick before seeing it and it didn't flash me. Since then I have witnessed many cars "blast" past them without a care in the world. Does anyone know how long it takes to get one of these up and running legally by the council ??? I wouldn't have though it was very long at all as they appear like flies to sh1te whenever major roadworks congest the M25 near me. Surely this is a complete waste of money as 95% of the cost of getting these cameras working is the installation cost and only by snapping speeders can they recoupe the cost and generate revenue

Yex

Darren Thompson

Paul P one problem with the 1 month go slow, they would just put petrol up and income tax the only way to get round this one is to vote the W4NKERS out and force the opposition party who get in to promise to lower the fuel taxes, remove the traffic offence revenue from the police and leave the current points system well alone.


It ain't going to happen in our lives.

Darren.

HunterB

Ian: Thanks for bringing this back to the top. Every little helps.

Leigh: I can understand your despair with the current system, but you CAN make a difference by writing a letter to your MP. One thing's for sure, though - if no-one does anything about it, it will happen. That's how Government works.

Brian

Darren Thompson

You need to follow the link read what is there and then write to your MP as I have just done other wise the Scooby net site will become Trainer net site because we will all be on foot.

Darren.

Paul P

Darren,

The other lot may promise but they won't do anything about it. They are both as bad as each other.

Mind you it is still up to the individual whether we increase the revenue the government/police get regarding speeding. Simple, ensure that you don't speed or ensure that you don't get caught speeding.
If we don't get stopped for speeding, then they can't take our money off us. The power is still with the general public. We do have a choice, speed and we may get fined, don't speed and we keep our money.

I agree that petrol, road tax, insurance is outside our control, we have limited powers to stop any government from increasing them. I doubt that if the other party gets in, they are suddenly going to decrease petrol duty, lower the road tax and cut the insurance tax!!! DREAM ON!!!!

You are right about the one month of go slow, yes it is possible, but the government know that a certain % of people are going to speed each month and hence they can calculate the revenue they will be getting in. It is a bit like asking anyone would they go to the Metro Centre on a Saturday, everyone I ask, says no way it is too busy, yet the place is packed out each Saturday. Yes ask everyone will they keep to the speed limits for one month, but you will still get the same % of people getting fined.

We are all just numbers and the government know this, x thousands of people will visit the Metro Centre this Saturday, x thousands will buy x amount of pints on a Friday night, x amount will be spent each day on petrol, x amount of drivers will get fined each day for speeding. The same % day afer day, month after month, year after year. That is why the government can increase taxes and know people are still going to pay them!!!! Look at the fuel protest, have the government cut the fuel tax, No, have they done anything for the motorist, No!!!

But as far as this thread is concerned, the only person who is responsible for losing their driver's licence are themselves, no one else!!

mutant_matt

Oopps - posted to the wrong thread - what a muppett!!! How did that happen then?

Matt.

[This message has been edited by mutant_matt (edited 11 January 2001).]

DrEvil

I'll be sending a letter and email shortly too... Plus so will some others who work with me after I brought it to there attention based on the thread you mentioned IFG.

Rgds Alex

sgould

Why not drive at 30 in a 30, 40 in a 40 blablabla. Do you jump red lights???

Just imagine if everything worked like this.
BT = Yeah I know your bills £55, but were charging you £70 because we want to.

If someone in your family was hit by someone speeding, Im sure you'll be the first to complain

330sapp

How many people will there be driving about with no licenses (and hence no insurance)if/when these new laws come into force? How many people are going to accept being caught doing 85mph and then catch buses for x number of months? And then when they get their license back they have to declare the ban for twice as long, hence insurance premiums will be substancially higher for a corresponding length of time (as they will for people with points for speeding etc). How many peole are, as a result, going to be driving with no insurance?

I heard that you would get banned for 10 years if your caught speeding at 100+mph. Is this true? I know for a fact that if i got banned for 10 years then theres no way id be without a car for that length of time.

Insanity.

bren

Hunk

Strange. We Dutch live inbetween two carcrazy nations, Nowhere are so many car enthousiasts as in the UK or Germany. But at 100 miles to my right i can drive 150 mph without looking in the mirror while 100 miles to the left i will spend the better rest of my life in jail for driving speeds at anything above 100 mph. One Europe. Equal rights. Yeah, right. Why don't you Brits complain at the European Commission?

Wurzel

iTrader: (1)

Hunk - I am one of the ones on your right, however the whole German driving thing is a misconseption, yes there are certain autobahns were you can drive as fast as you like but not that many, most of them have a 130kmh limit, then there is the other side of the coin were if you exceed the speed limit at all or jump a red light they throw the book at you and ban you, a ban can be anything from 1 week to what ever they want, also insurance companies nail you aswell, ifyou are speeding then you are negligent therefore not insured. So living in Germany is not all fun and Porsches.

Jerome

I've been thinking about moving to Canada for a while now (my girlfriend is Canadian). If this new heap of ****e becomes law, I'll be on the next Air Canada flight to Toronto.

This Government gets more ****e by the minute.

Jerome.

bigodino2

Hi all,

What if I speed in the UK? Being Dutch, your ban doesn't effect me. Is this fair? Sure, I'll be paying a hefty fine on the spot when the police stop me I guess, but that's always better than having your license revoked and having to walk all the way back through the Channel tunnel.

It's the same everywhere. Speeding is used as an excuse to get money. We have a political party for cardrivers, but they aren't succesful because we are all cardrivers but we are also pedestriants, bikers etc. It won't work. Cardrivers are anonymous. That's too weak to build a party on.

Our Gatsos are positioned on the easy spots i.e. motorways. You don't see them in crowded building areas where children play and there are no traffic lights. Speeding in these places is much, much more dangerous.

This ban idea is a sad thing. You have my moral support.

Cheers, Peter

Rob B

While the comments on here regarding "if you had one of your relatives hurt by a speeding motorist" are true, I think in this context they are missing the point. We all know that speed can kill and I would like to think that most of us here are sensible and careful drivers. These proposals however miss this point completely - their motives are simply revenue generating and have nothing whatsoever to do with increasing road safety. As others have said here and on other threads on this board, if they were for reasons of road safety the biggest penalties would be for speeding in built up areas. Bright yellow speed cameras with warning signs on the approaching roads would be set up outside schools and at accident blackspots. Money would be invested in driver training and improving road design. We all know that this is not the current policy which is why we need to make noise about where the government should be going in terms of road safety.

These proposals will be heralded by Phoney Tony spinning the impact on "evil and nasty" drivers such as thieves and drink drivers while they will desparately try to hide the impact to Joe Public. The new points proposal is, quite frankly, ludicrous. They are proposing treating going 10mph and 25mph over the speedlimit across the board as the same. How can going 40mph in a 30 limit possibly be the same as going 80 in a 70 limit. Same for 55 in a 30 and 95 in a 70. Aren't motorways the safest roads - why put the emphasis here instead of on the dangerous roads.

Blood boiling - rant over - time to go home!