patently Posted March 27, 2008 Report Share Posted March 27, 2008 The parent's association at our school has received this email, for forwarding to all parents: [ QUOTE ] Dear **** Community Speedwatch I wondered if any parents would be interested in this: The Parish Council, with equal funding from County Councillor [name]'s Community Leader's (sic) Fund, have committed to joining a new initiative to try and combat speeding motorists in the Parish. Community Speedwatch is a traffic monitoring scheme that is co-ordinated by the Police and the County Council but is managed and run by the Parish Council and local volunteers. The Parish Council will buy a piece of equipment called a Speed Detection Radar which volunteers can then borrow to use to monitor the speed of traffic on roads where the limit is 40mph or lower. The great thing about this machine is, that as well as indicating to the motorist what speed he/she is doing, it will also record the registration number of the car. This information can then be down loaded (sic) by the Police who will also send out warning letters. In order to use the machine, volunteers will need to be trained and this is really the purpose of my letter to ask if you would "spread the word" and encourage any one (sic) interested in becoming a trained Community Speedwatch volunteer to contact me at the Parish Office [telephone number]. Thank you very much [/ QUOTE ] Now, I'm all in favour of limiting speeds past primary schools. It is, in fact, one of the examples I often offer as to the potential for the responsible use of speed cameras. However, speeding is not the issue outside this school; the issues are that the road surface is disintegrating, sightlines are very poor indeed, a number of nearby junctions are poorly designed, there is inadequate local parking and what parking there is is under threat, and so on. To hit or even exceed the 30 limit past the school would be quite a feat of driving and simply does not happen. So the local council is, once again, thinking entirely inside the box and (a) focussing on speed to the exclusion of all other factors and (b) conflating speed, excessive speed, and speeding. It also seems that we are to be used as unpaid volunteers in order to gather the data to use in support of a new tax raising yellow box on our roads. Needless to say, I shall be responding to the email and will try to work on the draft during today. Usable suggestions would be appreciated, thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drpellypo Posted March 27, 2008 Report Share Posted March 27, 2008 Volunteer - get a hold of the speed gun, and record every car you can doing 29mph. Then report back your findings and state it was a complete waste of money. ANd then state your case for the other things you've mentioned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patently Posted March 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2008 [ QUOTE ] We are using the device to show drivers that it is not sensible to speed past the school at excess speed along a country lane [/ QUOTE ] Good for you Excessive speed is wrong ... but so is regarding speed enforcement as the cure to all ills Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patently Posted March 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2008 Now there's an idea .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shark_90 Posted March 28, 2008 Report Share Posted March 28, 2008 DHA does something to these idiots which I've since stolen - do 29mph in 2nd (or 1st if you can) so you sound like you're driving like a bat out of hell and watch the look of disappointment when it reads 29mph. Tossers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theduisbergkid Posted March 28, 2008 Report Share Posted March 28, 2008 I'm probably going to be in a minority here, but anything to ensure traffic sticks to the speed limit past the school where I live (and my kids attend) would be welcome, although this Community Speedwatch thing is not the answer due to the flawed legalities of it. I'm also tempted to volunteer, then clock everything that passes (hearses, milk floats, old biddies on pushbikes) at 90 mph to show how flawed the idea is.... Now a ban on tw*ts driving their kids to school in Landcruiser Amazons and Hummers, thats a good idea... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patently Posted March 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2008 [ QUOTE ] anything to ensure traffic sticks to the speed limit past the school where I live (and my kids attend) would be welcome [/ QUOTE ] You're not in a minority there - I'd agree with you 100%. It's just ... that's not a problem on this road. What is a problem is that the road is in a fecking awful state and that the Council is neglecting its duties in that regard. If there have been accidents, I'd say that the blame lies with the Council .. they are clearly trying to shift the blame onto "speeding drivers". Because we all know, speeding is the number one evil in our society today and is the cause of every single road traffic accident.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theduisbergkid Posted March 28, 2008 Report Share Posted March 28, 2008 [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] anything to ensure traffic sticks to the speed limit past the school where I live (and my kids attend) would be welcome [/ QUOTE ] You're not in a minority there - I'd agree with you 100%. It's just ... that's not a problem on this road. What is a problem is that the road is in a fecking awful state and that the Council is neglecting its duties in that regard. If there have been accidents, I'd say that the blame lies with the Council .. they are clearly trying to shift the blame onto "speeding drivers". Because we all know, speeding is the number one evil in our society today and is the cause of every single road traffic accident.... [/ QUOTE ] I know, meanwhile they're putting up specs cameras everywhere in case you average 71 mph in a 70mph dual carriageway through some fields because its easy money. Its only going to get worse... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Se5aScott Posted March 28, 2008 Report Share Posted March 28, 2008 The 2 schools in my town have had their limits cut to 20mph, only at start/end of day. Most people stick to it but a few ignore it, funnily enough I have noticed that out of the ones that I see ignoring it, the majority are parents on the school run We recently had one of those temporary speed warning things stuck to a lamppost near the end of our road, I don't think it made any difference as it was about a metre away from a speed bump Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve2 Posted March 28, 2008 Report Share Posted March 28, 2008 i am in a minority here as i am a volounteer on speedwatch through our village(runs and hides) we use a SID machine which shows the actual speed of the vehicle approaching it BUT it does not take registration numbers. The limits we have for writing down numbers are 38+ mph in a 30 limit and 50+ mph in a 40, only if these are surpassed do we log registrations and car details which will only be passed to the police if the same vehicle is noted three times. We are using the device to show drivers that it is not sensible to speed past the school at excess speed along a country lane, far better thing we do than have the police do a speed check where quite a few drivers would end up with 3 points and a £60 fine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidicks Posted March 28, 2008 Report Share Posted March 28, 2008 I'm sure that those signs that flash your speed are much more effective....... Sidicks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Posted March 28, 2008 Report Share Posted March 28, 2008 There is a speed camera van that parks outside a school near where i live on a regular basis. Now while speeds near schools need to drop, IMHO this camera van outside the school, is dangerous. The first thing people do when they spot a cameravan is take their eyes off the road to check their speedo, and hit their brakes. Taking your eyes off the road right ouside a school is not the thing to be encouraging! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jettadeluxe Posted March 28, 2008 Report Share Posted March 28, 2008 [ QUOTE ] The 2 schools in my town have had their limits cut to 20mph, only at start/end of day. Most people stick to it but a few ignore it, funnily enough I have noticed that out of the ones that I see ignoring it, the majority are parents on the school run [/ QUOTE ] I've said this before, but why does anyone feel the need to have a 20mph around schools? Pedestrians should be on the pavement, not on the road, so the speed limit is irrelevant. I know folks have to cross the road, so install a bloody crossing! That advert with the little girl who 'repairs' herself after an accident really gets my goat too. "Hit me at 40MPH, and there's an 80% chance I'll die, hit me at 30, and there's an 80% chance I'll live.." They should add another line on the end... "If I wasn't in the road in the first feckin place, there's a 100% chance I'll live" Do they still teach road safety in school? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlot Posted March 29, 2008 Report Share Posted March 29, 2008 The problem in the sticks where I live is that there are no pavements so the 20 outside the kids school (only in place with flashing lights at going in/coming out time) is a good thing - slows me down as the limit is 40 normally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mook Posted March 29, 2008 Report Share Posted March 29, 2008 [ QUOTE ] I'm sure that those signs that flash your speed are much more effective....... [/ QUOTE ] Definitely agree with that. There's three in the local town I drive through every day - two are fixed and one is placed randomly on lamp-posts in either direction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelwind101 Posted March 29, 2008 Report Share Posted March 29, 2008 [ QUOTE ] Do they still teach road safety in school? [/ QUOTE ] Yes. But its not the same as it used to be: - You cant scare the children with scary stories of being run over. You must move the element on to the parents. - You cant deny someone the right to walk in the road. - Also, the more people they get in the road the less space there is for cars, this is in keeping with Britians green policy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ari Posted March 30, 2008 Report Share Posted March 30, 2008 [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] The 2 schools in my town have had their limits cut to 20mph, only at start/end of day. Most people stick to it but a few ignore it, funnily enough I have noticed that out of the ones that I see ignoring it, the majority are parents on the school run [/ QUOTE ] I've said this before, but why does anyone feel the need to have a 20mph around schools? Pedestrians should be on the pavement, not on the road, so the speed limit is irrelevant. I know folks have to cross the road, so install a bloody crossing! That advert with the little girl who 'repairs' herself after an accident really gets my goat too. "Hit me at 40MPH, and there's an 80% chance I'll die, hit me at 30, and there's an 80% chance I'll live.." They should add another line on the end... "If I wasn't in the road in the first feckin place, there's a 100% chance I'll live" Do they still teach road safety in school? [/ QUOTE ] Speaking as a parent, you're absolutely spot on and I'm with you all the way. In theory. In practice however children are, in the main, stupid (I include my own in this) cos their brains haven't fully developed yet. (At least I'm hoping that's the reason! ) So no matter how much you try and drum safety into them (be it road or otherwise) they're still prone to occasionally do really dumb things. And of course at a school entrance where there are very many kids, all stupid, if 1% of them on average do something really dumb like wander into the road without looking, then at a typical school that's probably four kids a day. And wiping out four kids a day just cos they're stupid and you're in the right at 40mph isn't really on I'm afraid, however much it's their fault really... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drpellypo Posted March 30, 2008 Report Share Posted March 30, 2008 You know what they should do, they should get a speed camera, a video type, and wire it up to a display board by the side of the road. When someone goes past it, it should start the video, show the driver, and everyone else around his or her face with the speed attached. No fines, no penalties, just a friendly reminder. I reckon that would slow people down. Of course they won't do this because it's a dead investment and not an evil money making scheme. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve2 Posted March 30, 2008 Report Share Posted March 30, 2008 [ QUOTE ] You know what they should do, they should get a speed camera, a video type, and wire it up to a display board by the side of the road. When someone goes past it, it should start the video, show the driver, and everyone else around his or her face with the speed attached. No fines, no penalties, just a friendly reminder. I reckon that would slow people down. Of course they won't do this because it's a dead investment and not an evil money making scheme. [/ QUOTE ] PROBABLY BREAK THE DATA PROTECTION ACT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwo Posted March 30, 2008 Report Share Posted March 30, 2008 plus you can infiltrate the people that really after daft with regards to speed and accidently report them for speeding too.. good way to check out your speedo.... i am all for speed cameras where there is a specific hazard, schools etc. but not for village numpties to use willy nilly etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teacake Posted March 30, 2008 Report Share Posted March 30, 2008 [ QUOTE ] PROBABLY BREAK THE DATA PROTECTION ACT [/ QUOTE ] How exactly? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve2 Posted March 30, 2008 Report Share Posted March 30, 2008 i was being sarcastic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnny11 Posted March 30, 2008 Report Share Posted March 30, 2008 if you do get hold of one, i`m sure there`s alot of people on here who would like to check there jammers opps garage door openers out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarmac_Terrorist Posted March 30, 2008 Report Share Posted March 30, 2008 In my opinion the biggest problem is the parking outside schools. Children trying to cross the road are too small to see over the top of cars to see if vehicles are coming down the road. As for 4x4's and those other MPV looser cruiser things, not even I can see to cross the road for those. Kids therefore often have to peek between cars ready to dash across the road. They are not only dealing with cars coming both ways but other vehicles trying to park and those looking to pull out of parking spaces. It really can be a nightmare. 30mph is way too fast outside my local primary / infant school - given these difficult circumstances. Bring back better school bus systems. I should also add that the school don't help as they will not let children inside until 8.50am. When I was little I could get into the school at 8am which meant that there wasn't such a 'mad 15 minutes' outside the school on the road, especialy on a rainy morning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jettadeluxe Posted March 30, 2008 Report Share Posted March 30, 2008 [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] I'm sure that those signs that flash your speed are much more effective....... [/ QUOTE ] Definitely agree with that. There's three in the local town I drive through every day - two are fixed and one is placed randomly on lamp-posts in either direction. [/ QUOTE ] I went past one of those on the A419 through Richmond today, flashed your speed and also displayed your reg number, guessing its an ANPR camera system. It told me my speed was 55mph (I was doing 40 and my speedo over-reads, checked against satnav). It also flashed up my numberplate as ASX 5V (my number plate is A8 XSV, on a perfectly legal UK plate). Obviously foolproof technology then! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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