I don't blog here as often as I should because everything I said was wrong about speed cameras has been proved to be true.
And today there's proof that speed cameras do not cut accidents - they cause them instead (Daily Mail story below).
It's only a small victory for us since we've been saying this since NuLieBore introduced them to raise cash (and not every speed camera partnership has supplied information for this survey which underlines just how hopeless they are).
Speed cameras have nothing to do with safety but instead just raise cash from motorists. We've been saying that most accidents occur within a mile of your home at a junction - and that's from the Dept for Transport's own figures (though they are also shy about revealing that speed is a factor in less than 5% of accidents).
Most of the police officers we know all say that education is the key to bringing down the accident figures. That and putting more police patrols on the street. Labour cut down on the number of patrolling officers and this is the price you pay. Speed cameras do not recognise drunk drivers for instance. It also explains why the accident rate was in decline before speed cameras were introduced and then rose afterwards.
Anyway, here's hoping that a lesson will be learned - but don't hold your breath!
Speed cameras 'do not cut accidents'... they create them, study finds
Many speed cameras have not cut accident rates and may even have increased them, figures reveal for the first time today.
Statistics published by the Department for Transport show many cameras have done little or nothing to improve accident rates, but have proved highly effective in clocking up speeding fines.
Only a small number of councils have agreed to publish the full data on each speed camera in their area.
But ministers will today urge all councils to follow suit – saying motorists have a right to know whether local speed cameras are justified.
Road safety minister Mike Penning said: ‘We are shining the light of transparency on the performance of speed cameras.
‘People want to know that if their tax money is being spent on speed cameras that they are actually making their roads safer, not just raising money.
‘They will now have the information to be able to hold their councils to account if they think that some cameras have actually made the situation worse, rather than better.’
Read more:
Showing posts with label captain gatso. Show all posts
Showing posts with label captain gatso. Show all posts
Wednesday, 24 August 2011
Wednesday, 2 March 2011
Home Office concedes Britain likely to become a surveillance state
We keep on warning people about what is happening; this sleepwalking into a police state and that the authorities won't let go of their powers too easily.
Here is a piece from an online news site which underlines what we here at MAD have been saying.
Captain Gatso
Faced with the quickening pace of technological development Ministers have claim that their election pledge to roll back the surveillance state will make it increasingly difficult to prevent such measures from becoming commonplace.
The warnings coincides with publication of consultation on plans for a code of practice to govern the introduction of such technologies, which includes giving the public the right to take councils to court if they believe CCTV surveillance is becoming too intrusive.
The Protection of Freedoms Bill will see a new Security Camera Commissioner established to vet a new breed of HD, 360 degree vision, zoom lens cameras equipped with facial recognition software didn’t overstep the mark.
Unmanned aerial drones were also looked at with the report stating “ there is scope for their unchecked proliferation and attendant risks if they are not considered within any overarching strategy”.
There are presently four million CCTV cameras in operation in the UK – one for every 14 citizens.
You need to read that last line again. We have more cameras than anywhere else on earth - why? And most of those cameras are sited in cities so the figure per person is sure to be horrific.
They aren't there to detect or prevent crime.
Here is a piece from an online news site which underlines what we here at MAD have been saying.
Captain Gatso
Faced with the quickening pace of technological development Ministers have claim that their election pledge to roll back the surveillance state will make it increasingly difficult to prevent such measures from becoming commonplace.
The warnings coincides with publication of consultation on plans for a code of practice to govern the introduction of such technologies, which includes giving the public the right to take councils to court if they believe CCTV surveillance is becoming too intrusive.
The Protection of Freedoms Bill will see a new Security Camera Commissioner established to vet a new breed of HD, 360 degree vision, zoom lens cameras equipped with facial recognition software didn’t overstep the mark.
Unmanned aerial drones were also looked at with the report stating “ there is scope for their unchecked proliferation and attendant risks if they are not considered within any overarching strategy”.
There are presently four million CCTV cameras in operation in the UK – one for every 14 citizens.
You need to read that last line again. We have more cameras than anywhere else on earth - why? And most of those cameras are sited in cities so the figure per person is sure to be horrific.
They aren't there to detect or prevent crime.
Monday, 4 October 2010
20mph limit has not made roads safer
Why does no-one listen to Motorists Against Detection? We told people years ago - even when Auto Express reported on the expansion of these schemes that making the roads 20mph doesn't work.
Because our views are unpalatable doesn't make us wrong.
There has to be an open and honest debate about bringing down the accident figures.
I say this is an easy process - and you only need to do things.
1. Put more police on the roads.
2. Improve driver education.
This is what today's Telegraph is saying:
Controversial 20mph speed limits in residential streets may not bring any significant improvement in road safety, a report published by the Department for Transport has found.
The number of people killed or seriously injured on affected roads actually went up, not down, after the limit was lowered claiming that they will cut the toll of deaths on the road.
However, an analysis of the UK's first city-wide scheme - in which the limit was lowered from 30mph to 20mph on all residential streets in Portsmouth, at a cost of £500,000 - found that it has not brought any significant reduction in the number of accidents.
Paul Watters, head of public affairs at the AA, said: "By just whacking up signs everywhere you are not going to change things dramatically.
"We support targeted and tailored 20mph zones where they are really needed, not a blanket implementation across a whole city.
"Sometimes the limits can be problematic because bus journey times are affected, and also there is an impact for delivery firms and everyone else driving in the city."
Read more
We despair! Stop taxing and harrassing motorists if you want road safety to improve. Focus on what made the UK's road the safest in the world - before the introduction of speed cameras and 20mph zones.
Captain Gatso
The Motorists Friend
Because our views are unpalatable doesn't make us wrong.
There has to be an open and honest debate about bringing down the accident figures.
I say this is an easy process - and you only need to do things.
1. Put more police on the roads.
2. Improve driver education.
This is what today's Telegraph is saying:
Controversial 20mph speed limits in residential streets may not bring any significant improvement in road safety, a report published by the Department for Transport has found.
The number of people killed or seriously injured on affected roads actually went up, not down, after the limit was lowered claiming that they will cut the toll of deaths on the road.
However, an analysis of the UK's first city-wide scheme - in which the limit was lowered from 30mph to 20mph on all residential streets in Portsmouth, at a cost of £500,000 - found that it has not brought any significant reduction in the number of accidents.
Paul Watters, head of public affairs at the AA, said: "By just whacking up signs everywhere you are not going to change things dramatically.
"We support targeted and tailored 20mph zones where they are really needed, not a blanket implementation across a whole city.
"Sometimes the limits can be problematic because bus journey times are affected, and also there is an impact for delivery firms and everyone else driving in the city."
Read more
We despair! Stop taxing and harrassing motorists if you want road safety to improve. Focus on what made the UK's road the safest in the world - before the introduction of speed cameras and 20mph zones.
Captain Gatso
The Motorists Friend
Thursday, 19 August 2010
Speed cameras to slow you down?
I was quoted in the Evening Standard yesterday for my view on speed cameras to govern 20mph zones.
This is a long-running issue and my thoughts are two-fold.
Firstly, 20mph zones bring a variety of issues for road safety (and not all good). The roads should be self-governing anyway since various traffic calming measures are introduced.
Secondly, I'm really worried about TFL's 'mission creep'. It starts out with security cameras and then become an ANPR network. These 20mph cameras will come in and then they are monitoring who was where, doing what and for how long. In addition, it's a cinch to bring in road tolling with this kind of network.
We don't want tolls but Boris and the TFL might have different ideas.
Here's what I said:
The campaigner known as “Captain Gatso”, from Motorists Against Detection, said: “Twenty and 30mph zones should already be self-policing because of traffic-calming measures. Average speed cameras are just another idea to keep the gravy train running for TfL.”
Read the Evening Standard story.
Captain Gatso
The Motorists Friend
speedaholics.com
This is a long-running issue and my thoughts are two-fold.
Firstly, 20mph zones bring a variety of issues for road safety (and not all good). The roads should be self-governing anyway since various traffic calming measures are introduced.
Secondly, I'm really worried about TFL's 'mission creep'. It starts out with security cameras and then become an ANPR network. These 20mph cameras will come in and then they are monitoring who was where, doing what and for how long. In addition, it's a cinch to bring in road tolling with this kind of network.
We don't want tolls but Boris and the TFL might have different ideas.
Here's what I said:
The campaigner known as “Captain Gatso”, from Motorists Against Detection, said: “Twenty and 30mph zones should already be self-policing because of traffic-calming measures. Average speed cameras are just another idea to keep the gravy train running for TfL.”
Read the Evening Standard story.
Captain Gatso
The Motorists Friend
speedaholics.com
Tuesday, 10 August 2010
More common sense from Richard Littlejohn on motoring laws
Here at MAD we quite Richard Littlejohn - over the years he has remained true to the cause of exposing the horror on Nu Liebour laws aimed raising cash from motorists.
He at least has always understood that the previous Govt of inepts were only interested in criminalising and fining large sections of the population.
In this column he lambasts the Chief Constable of Cambridgeshire, Julie Spence.
Among her latest targets are middle-class motorists, whom she is accusing of hypocrisy for objecting to speed cameras and parking tickets while demanding vociferously that police enforce the law in other areas.
Mrs Spence completely misses the point. What people object to is the arbitrary nature of the road traffic laws, which take no account of safety or local conditions and appear designed simply to turn otherwise law-abiding taxpayers into criminals, while at the same time maximising revenue through fixed-penalty fines spewed out by computer.
We also resent the constant attempts by police chiefs such as Mrs Spence to equate the ‘crime’ of driving perfectly safely at 78 mph on a deserted M11 with burglary, mugging and anti-social behaviour.
She epitomises the new breed of chief constable who sees policing as a cross between social work and big business and is scathing about the paying public’s longing for a Dixon Of Dock Green utopia.
Read more.
So let us repeat: to make our roads as safe as they were (before Tony Bliar took charge) we need MORE police on our roads not more speed cameras.
Captain Gatso
The Motorists' Friend
He at least has always understood that the previous Govt of inepts were only interested in criminalising and fining large sections of the population.
In this column he lambasts the Chief Constable of Cambridgeshire, Julie Spence.
Among her latest targets are middle-class motorists, whom she is accusing of hypocrisy for objecting to speed cameras and parking tickets while demanding vociferously that police enforce the law in other areas.
Mrs Spence completely misses the point. What people object to is the arbitrary nature of the road traffic laws, which take no account of safety or local conditions and appear designed simply to turn otherwise law-abiding taxpayers into criminals, while at the same time maximising revenue through fixed-penalty fines spewed out by computer.
We also resent the constant attempts by police chiefs such as Mrs Spence to equate the ‘crime’ of driving perfectly safely at 78 mph on a deserted M11 with burglary, mugging and anti-social behaviour.
She epitomises the new breed of chief constable who sees policing as a cross between social work and big business and is scathing about the paying public’s longing for a Dixon Of Dock Green utopia.
Read more.
So let us repeat: to make our roads as safe as they were (before Tony Bliar took charge) we need MORE police on our roads not more speed cameras.
Captain Gatso
The Motorists' Friend
Sunday, 25 July 2010
The Coalition Govt - we salute you!
News over the weekend that Govt spending cuts will see roadside cameras switrched off is good news for ALL motorists.
Let's see the end of speed camera partnerships (forget the word 'safety' in their titles because they aren't interested in road safety) and then return to the days when the UK had the safest roads in the world.
Is that too much to ask for?
Here's how Sky News tell the story:
Thousands of speed cameras could be switched off after the Government slashed cash for road safety by 40%
According to The Sunday Times, the first county likely to abandon the devices is Oxfordshire, which may shut down its 79 cameras as early as next week.
Other counties could do the same, with camera networks in Devon and Cornwall, Somerset and Northamptonshire also under review, the paper said.
About 6,000 speed cameras across the UK cost motorists an estimated £100m in fines a year. Oxfordshire's network raised more than £1m in 2009.
But the money goes to the Treasury despite local authorities complaining they should be able to keep the proceeds for spending on road safety.
The reduction in Government cash for road safety has prompted Oxfordshire officials to recommend a £600,000 cut in Thames Valley Safer Roads Partnership funding.
The body, which operates the county's fixed speed cameras, has reportedly said it will no longer be able to afford them, if funding is slashed.
All the cameras will be switched off if county councillors ratify the cutback on Tuesday, the Times continued.
The reviews of camera networks follow a Government decision to claw back £38m from English local authorities' 2010-11 £95m road safety budget.
Road safety minister Mike Penning told the paper: "In the coalition agreement, the Government made clear it would end central funding for fixed speed cameras.
"This is another example of this government delivering on its pledge to end the war on the motorist.
"I would hope that councils will use the funds available to put in place new measures to tackle road safety problems."
Road safety charity Brake's Ellen Booth feared Oxfordshire's decision could prompt other councils to scrap speed cameras.
She was quoted as saying: "We're incredibly concerned in case this is more than an isolated incident. That would be a disaster for road safety and the public."
NO THIS WOULD NOT BE A DISASTER.
Motorists Against Detection wants to see more police on the roads to enforce the laws of the land AND an increase in driver education.
This really is a time for celebration!
Captain Gatso
The Motorists' Friend
Let's see the end of speed camera partnerships (forget the word 'safety' in their titles because they aren't interested in road safety) and then return to the days when the UK had the safest roads in the world.
Is that too much to ask for?
Here's how Sky News tell the story:
Thousands of speed cameras could be switched off after the Government slashed cash for road safety by 40%
According to The Sunday Times, the first county likely to abandon the devices is Oxfordshire, which may shut down its 79 cameras as early as next week.
Other counties could do the same, with camera networks in Devon and Cornwall, Somerset and Northamptonshire also under review, the paper said.
About 6,000 speed cameras across the UK cost motorists an estimated £100m in fines a year. Oxfordshire's network raised more than £1m in 2009.
But the money goes to the Treasury despite local authorities complaining they should be able to keep the proceeds for spending on road safety.
The reduction in Government cash for road safety has prompted Oxfordshire officials to recommend a £600,000 cut in Thames Valley Safer Roads Partnership funding.
The body, which operates the county's fixed speed cameras, has reportedly said it will no longer be able to afford them, if funding is slashed.
All the cameras will be switched off if county councillors ratify the cutback on Tuesday, the Times continued.
The reviews of camera networks follow a Government decision to claw back £38m from English local authorities' 2010-11 £95m road safety budget.
Road safety minister Mike Penning told the paper: "In the coalition agreement, the Government made clear it would end central funding for fixed speed cameras.
"This is another example of this government delivering on its pledge to end the war on the motorist.
"I would hope that councils will use the funds available to put in place new measures to tackle road safety problems."
Road safety charity Brake's Ellen Booth feared Oxfordshire's decision could prompt other councils to scrap speed cameras.
She was quoted as saying: "We're incredibly concerned in case this is more than an isolated incident. That would be a disaster for road safety and the public."
NO THIS WOULD NOT BE A DISASTER.
Motorists Against Detection wants to see more police on the roads to enforce the laws of the land AND an increase in driver education.
This really is a time for celebration!
Captain Gatso
The Motorists' Friend
Friday, 9 July 2010
Speeding fines race to £87m
So here we go AGAIN.
Everything in this report in today's Sun repeats what we have been saying for at least the last five years.
Have people not been listening?
Let me repeat: there is NO EVIDENCE that speed cameras make the roads any safer. In fact, the statistics show that the great improvements this country had been making slowed - or got worse - AFTER the introduction of speed cameras. (The Govt played a statistical quirk game in which they showed the opposite but had to ignore some very basic statistical rules).
IT'S ALL ABOUT THE MONEY!
Anyway, let The Sun spell it out for you.
Captain Gatso
The Motorists Friend
MOTORISTS were clobbered with more than £87million in fines last year after being nabbed by speed cameras.
But a new report today claims the explosion in the number of cameras has NOT made roads safer.
Instead, the steady drop in road casualties over the last 30 years SLOWED after they were introduced in 1991.
Hundreds of thousands of drivers were snapped speeding or jumping red lights last year.
They were fined a total of £87.4million, the report from the TaxPayers' Alliance shows.
London drivers paid nearly £6.3million - the highest in the country.
Read more
Everything in this report in today's Sun repeats what we have been saying for at least the last five years.
Have people not been listening?
Let me repeat: there is NO EVIDENCE that speed cameras make the roads any safer. In fact, the statistics show that the great improvements this country had been making slowed - or got worse - AFTER the introduction of speed cameras. (The Govt played a statistical quirk game in which they showed the opposite but had to ignore some very basic statistical rules).
IT'S ALL ABOUT THE MONEY!
Anyway, let The Sun spell it out for you.
Captain Gatso
The Motorists Friend
MOTORISTS were clobbered with more than £87million in fines last year after being nabbed by speed cameras.
But a new report today claims the explosion in the number of cameras has NOT made roads safer.
Instead, the steady drop in road casualties over the last 30 years SLOWED after they were introduced in 1991.
Hundreds of thousands of drivers were snapped speeding or jumping red lights last year.
They were fined a total of £87.4million, the report from the TaxPayers' Alliance shows.
London drivers paid nearly £6.3million - the highest in the country.
Read more
Thursday, 1 July 2010
Why the Police in the UK do not respect freedom or democracy
People keep telling me that I'm wrong on the Police State UK.
But the evidence keeps piling up. The problem is that the rozzers either don't understand the law - or keep on making it up as they go along.
Here are two cases from this week alone which illustrate why these clowns can do what they do without EVER being sacked.
Democracy? Bring it - it should make for a nice change in this country.
Case number 1:
Read how the police overstep the mark and then push a 15-year-old down some steps because he - RIGHTLY - tries to tell them what the law is: Journalism and this Hackney news site.
Here's the best bit for me:
Director of Big Brother Watch Alex Deane told Journalism.co.uk it would support Mattsson in any future cases against the police.
"Some officers think that anti-terror legislation gives them blanket powers to hassle people whenever they want," he says. "This case is a very bad example of that. Confronted by bullying policemen, acting entirely outside their powers, this young man admirably stood up for himself and rightly maintained that he was entitled to take pictures in a public place. The police should apologise immediately and admit that they were in the wrong."
Case number 2:
Journalists win payout after police admit failing to respect press freedom - The Guardian
Watch this idiot in action. They really don't care about freedoms do they? Can they really believe it's always 'us and them'. At this rate it soon will be.
Captain Gatso
But the evidence keeps piling up. The problem is that the rozzers either don't understand the law - or keep on making it up as they go along.
Here are two cases from this week alone which illustrate why these clowns can do what they do without EVER being sacked.
Democracy? Bring it - it should make for a nice change in this country.
Case number 1:
Read how the police overstep the mark and then push a 15-year-old down some steps because he - RIGHTLY - tries to tell them what the law is: Journalism and this Hackney news site.
Here's the best bit for me:
Director of Big Brother Watch Alex Deane told Journalism.co.uk it would support Mattsson in any future cases against the police.
"Some officers think that anti-terror legislation gives them blanket powers to hassle people whenever they want," he says. "This case is a very bad example of that. Confronted by bullying policemen, acting entirely outside their powers, this young man admirably stood up for himself and rightly maintained that he was entitled to take pictures in a public place. The police should apologise immediately and admit that they were in the wrong."
Case number 2:
Journalists win payout after police admit failing to respect press freedom - The Guardian
Watch this idiot in action. They really don't care about freedoms do they? Can they really believe it's always 'us and them'. At this rate it soon will be.
Captain Gatso
Wednesday, 30 June 2010
'Most dangerous' roads in Britain named by safety group
So here we go again.
The most dangerous roads in the UK are not highways but junctions. AS WE HAVE TOLD PEOPLE FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS (OR MORE).
And what doesn't appear from the news coverage is that the danger point for motoring accidents is at a junction LESS THAN A MILE FROM YOUR HOME.
Here's part of the story:
Junction danger
It examined accident data relating to roads across Britain. Among the Road Safety Foundation conclusions were:
A third of all fatal and serious crashes happen at junctions
Single roads carry six times the risk of motorways and twice that of dual carriageways
One-in-four fatal or serious crashes on A-roads or motorways involves a motorcyclist
There was a 5% reduction in the number of fatal crashes on such roads in the past three years
Read more
Captain Gatso
The most dangerous roads in the UK are not highways but junctions. AS WE HAVE TOLD PEOPLE FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS (OR MORE).
And what doesn't appear from the news coverage is that the danger point for motoring accidents is at a junction LESS THAN A MILE FROM YOUR HOME.
Here's part of the story:
Junction danger
It examined accident data relating to roads across Britain. Among the Road Safety Foundation conclusions were:
A third of all fatal and serious crashes happen at junctions
Single roads carry six times the risk of motorways and twice that of dual carriageways
One-in-four fatal or serious crashes on A-roads or motorways involves a motorcyclist
There was a 5% reduction in the number of fatal crashes on such roads in the past three years
Read more
Captain Gatso
Friday, 14 May 2010
War on motorists to end
It's the news that everyone here at Motorists Against Detection have been waiting for - the new Govt will end the war on motorists.
No more cash for speed cameras is great news; and now they need to disband the camera partnerships and their 'jobs for the boys' mentality.
The UK had the safest roads in the world until Nu Liebore took office.
Perhaps we can go back to those days and stop trying to fleece the motorists to fund barmy schemes.
Captain Gatso
The Motorists Friend
NEW Transport Secretary Philip Hammond vowed to "end the war on motorists" yesterday.
He promised there would be no tolls on existing roads, no more government funding for speed cameras, and consultation on a "stabiliser" mechanism to bring down fuel duty when petrol prices rise.
Mr Hammond said: "Motoring has to get greener, but the car is not going to go away."
Read more of The Sun story.
No more cash for speed cameras is great news; and now they need to disband the camera partnerships and their 'jobs for the boys' mentality.
The UK had the safest roads in the world until Nu Liebore took office.
Perhaps we can go back to those days and stop trying to fleece the motorists to fund barmy schemes.
Captain Gatso
The Motorists Friend
NEW Transport Secretary Philip Hammond vowed to "end the war on motorists" yesterday.
He promised there would be no tolls on existing roads, no more government funding for speed cameras, and consultation on a "stabiliser" mechanism to bring down fuel duty when petrol prices rise.
Mr Hammond said: "Motoring has to get greener, but the car is not going to go away."
Read more of The Sun story.
Saturday, 24 April 2010
Town that scrapped 'motorist tax' speed cameras sees no increase in accidents
This story in the Daily Mail is almost too good to be true.
Proof, if ever any were needed, that what we at Motorists Against Detection have been saying for years - SPEED CAMERAS DO NOT WORK THEY ARE THERE TO RAISE CASH.
Get the message?
Good. Now let's remove them where they aren't needed and be honest about why they are there in the first place.
Captain Gatso
The Motorists Friend
The first town in Britain to scrap fixed speed cameras has seen no increase in accidents, it was revealed yesterday.
But the number of motorists prosecuted for speeding there dropped by more than 40 per cent.
Swindon switched off its cameras over claims they were a ' blatant tax on the motorist' which did nothing to improve safety.
Read more
Proof, if ever any were needed, that what we at Motorists Against Detection have been saying for years - SPEED CAMERAS DO NOT WORK THEY ARE THERE TO RAISE CASH.
Get the message?
Good. Now let's remove them where they aren't needed and be honest about why they are there in the first place.
Captain Gatso
The Motorists Friend
The first town in Britain to scrap fixed speed cameras has seen no increase in accidents, it was revealed yesterday.
But the number of motorists prosecuted for speeding there dropped by more than 40 per cent.
Swindon switched off its cameras over claims they were a ' blatant tax on the motorist' which did nothing to improve safety.
Read more
Sunday, 18 April 2010
Bring on the fuel protests
At last! People are being stirred into action.
How many people will support the latest bid to avoid filling up on 1 May?
To be honest, not many.
But Nu Liebore will be fuming that the protest to highlight fuel costs takes place just a few days before the election.
Remember: the inept, lying Government trousers 76p for every litre sold.
So let's support the bankers bonuses and keep on paying!
Apparently, haulage firms in the North-East and activists Farmers For Action are also planning demos. Various people have been in touch for me to take a lead on this but I need more people to step forward.
Also people need to be aware that Tony Blair changed the law on these protests.
Captain Gatso,
The Motorists Friend
We're net buying petrol there
Read the News of the World story:
ANGRY motorists are planning mass protests against petrol prices just DAYS before the election.
A huge Facebook campaign is mobilising half a million drivers to boycott pumps in demos which could be devastating for Gordon Brown as Britain goes to the polls.
It comes after a series of unpopular tax hikes in recent months sent petrol soaring to 120.8p a litre this week - up from 94.9p only a YEAR ago - with the Government pocketing 76p for every litre sold.
How many people will support the latest bid to avoid filling up on 1 May?
To be honest, not many.
But Nu Liebore will be fuming that the protest to highlight fuel costs takes place just a few days before the election.
Remember: the inept, lying Government trousers 76p for every litre sold.
So let's support the bankers bonuses and keep on paying!
Apparently, haulage firms in the North-East and activists Farmers For Action are also planning demos. Various people have been in touch for me to take a lead on this but I need more people to step forward.
Also people need to be aware that Tony Blair changed the law on these protests.
Captain Gatso,
The Motorists Friend
We're net buying petrol there
Read the News of the World story:
ANGRY motorists are planning mass protests against petrol prices just DAYS before the election.
A huge Facebook campaign is mobilising half a million drivers to boycott pumps in demos which could be devastating for Gordon Brown as Britain goes to the polls.
It comes after a series of unpopular tax hikes in recent months sent petrol soaring to 120.8p a litre this week - up from 94.9p only a YEAR ago - with the Government pocketing 76p for every litre sold.
Tuesday, 13 April 2010
£100k bill to get off a £60 ticket
Good luck to Neil in this fight. It's been ongoing for a while so he deserves every respect.
The local authorities are fighting it all the way in the knowledge they can't legally defend themselves.
They hide behind the notion that the laws are 'too complicated to implement'.
How come there wasn't a problem when the police were responsible?
The answer is that the councils got greedy and relied on the UK population not fighting back.
To a large we haven't but there's a sting in the tail coming very, very soon....
Captain Gatso
A PARKING crusader waging the biggest ever war against traffic wardens has shelled out £100,000 - to fight a £60 ticket.
Neil Herron, 47, has already re-mortgaged his £200,000 home to fund the landmark legal battle.
And now he's flogging his car - along with the appropriate personalised numberplate F1 NED.
Read the News of the World story
The local authorities are fighting it all the way in the knowledge they can't legally defend themselves.
They hide behind the notion that the laws are 'too complicated to implement'.
How come there wasn't a problem when the police were responsible?
The answer is that the councils got greedy and relied on the UK population not fighting back.
To a large we haven't but there's a sting in the tail coming very, very soon....
Captain Gatso
A PARKING crusader waging the biggest ever war against traffic wardens has shelled out £100,000 - to fight a £60 ticket.
Neil Herron, 47, has already re-mortgaged his £200,000 home to fund the landmark legal battle.
And now he's flogging his car - along with the appropriate personalised numberplate F1 NED.
Read the News of the World story
Thursday, 8 April 2010
Police secretly photographing 14million motorists a day and storing images for two years
The police state we call the UK really is a sad place to live.
The Daily Mail has an interesting story - and I'm pleased to see that Liberty say this is an illegal database.
No lawmaker has been involved with the police compiling this horrendous database.
Will they stop sending our images to the computer? Under Nu Liebore? What do you think?
Captain Gatso
The Motorists Friend
Police are secretly photographing up to 14million motorists a day and keeping their details for years, it has emerged. Images of drivers and their front seat passengers are being captured by a network of cameras and held on a database without their knowledge, a police document has revealed.
Now police chiefs are facing a legal challenge from privacy campaigners, who say that automatic number plate recognition cameras are being used to spy on innocent road users.
Police and the Highways Agency have previously claimed that ANPR cameras on the roads do not transmit images of drivers.
Read the rest.
The Daily Mail has an interesting story - and I'm pleased to see that Liberty say this is an illegal database.
No lawmaker has been involved with the police compiling this horrendous database.
Will they stop sending our images to the computer? Under Nu Liebore? What do you think?
Captain Gatso
The Motorists Friend
Police are secretly photographing up to 14million motorists a day and keeping their details for years, it has emerged. Images of drivers and their front seat passengers are being captured by a network of cameras and held on a database without their knowledge, a police document has revealed.
Now police chiefs are facing a legal challenge from privacy campaigners, who say that automatic number plate recognition cameras are being used to spy on innocent road users.
Police and the Highways Agency have previously claimed that ANPR cameras on the roads do not transmit images of drivers.
Read the rest.
Thursday, 18 March 2010
M6 - speed camera chaos
It was interesting to read that thousands of drivers have been caught out by the speed cameras in the roadworks on the M6 near Carlisle.
I drove through those roadworks last week and was amazed. There is no apparent reason for so many drivers to be fined.
However, I was concerned to see how they had erected the actual speed signs.
I was under the impression that speed signs had to come in pairs - one on each side of the carriageway. In these roadworks there's often just the one.
Can someone confirm this is true? (I'm about to contact an expert who will be able to tell me).
If so, it looks like thousands of motorists will have their fines repaid. Maybe.
I drove through those roadworks last week and was amazed. There is no apparent reason for so many drivers to be fined.
However, I was concerned to see how they had erected the actual speed signs.
I was under the impression that speed signs had to come in pairs - one on each side of the carriageway. In these roadworks there's often just the one.
Can someone confirm this is true? (I'm about to contact an expert who will be able to tell me).
If so, it looks like thousands of motorists will have their fines repaid. Maybe.
Tuesday, 29 December 2009
And finally the truth comes out
I've been telling anyone who will listen for years - and so have fellow members of Motorists Against Detection - that speed cameras have nothing, and I mean NOTHING to do with road safety and here is the proof.
Swindon took the brave step of removing their cameras and got lambasted for it. Now a year later they haven't seen a difference in their accident rates.
That's because speed is not a factor in 95% of accidents.
If this deceitful government and their misguided camera partnerships announced today that they were going to improve driving standards and behaviours I would be on their side immediately. We have too many drivers in this country (many without licences or insurance) who have no idea how to drive properly. Crack down on those idiots and see the accident rate fall. Simple.
Here's today's story in the Sun:
Swindon took the brave step of removing their cameras and got lambasted for it. Now a year later they haven't seen a difference in their accident rates.
That's because speed is not a factor in 95% of accidents.
If this deceitful government and their misguided camera partnerships announced today that they were going to improve driving standards and behaviours I would be on their side immediately. We have too many drivers in this country (many without licences or insurance) who have no idea how to drive properly. Crack down on those idiots and see the accident rate fall. Simple.
Here's today's story in the Sun:
FIXED speed cameras make no difference to road accident rates and are simply money-making machines, it was claimed last night.
The first council in the country to ban Gatsos revealed it has seen little change since making the move in the summer.
Chiefs in Swindon, Wilts, reckon the results have proved that the cameras didn't save lives - but were only there to make money.
Sunday, 13 December 2009
Drivers’ personal details handed to EU
Please believe me when I say we now live in a police state.
Your privacy is no longer an issue - anyone in Europe can find things out about you.
There's going to be a few people being chased for committing minor motoring offences from years ago - shame we don't have the same enthusiasm to chase foreign offenders.
This is in the Sunday Times:
Drivers’ personal details handed to EU
The personal details of nearly 40m UK motorists will be open to abuse when they are “automatically” trawled by foreign states, an internal police report has admitted.
Sensitive information such as a driver’s address, motoring convictions and medical history will be exposed to routine sifting by police, traffic wardens and other officials across Europe when European Union data-sharing plans come into force in 2011.
The “restricted” document raises fears that foreign traffic police and other bureaucrats on the continent will be able to hunt down British tourists years after they return home for reasons such as unpaid parking fines.
Read more
Your privacy is no longer an issue - anyone in Europe can find things out about you.
There's going to be a few people being chased for committing minor motoring offences from years ago - shame we don't have the same enthusiasm to chase foreign offenders.
This is in the Sunday Times:
Drivers’ personal details handed to EU
The personal details of nearly 40m UK motorists will be open to abuse when they are “automatically” trawled by foreign states, an internal police report has admitted.
Sensitive information such as a driver’s address, motoring convictions and medical history will be exposed to routine sifting by police, traffic wardens and other officials across Europe when European Union data-sharing plans come into force in 2011.
The “restricted” document raises fears that foreign traffic police and other bureaucrats on the continent will be able to hunt down British tourists years after they return home for reasons such as unpaid parking fines.
Read more
Tuesday, 6 October 2009
Speed cameras to go - Tory promise
At long last! People are starting to listen to the arguments I have been making for years now.
I'm not just a lone voice. The Tories at the conference have said they will get rid of cameras (for the full SP read the Reuters story below).
I've done SKY News and lots of radio on this fantastic decision.
In a nutshell - for all you disbelievers out there - speed cameras are about raising cash NOT about road safety.
FACT: According to the Government's own figures, less than 5% of accidents are down to speed
FACT: Most accidents take place at a junction within a mile of your home.
The secret data will put an end to the camera partnerships lies once and for all.
Now let's vote Conservatives and get these lying, double crossing, war mongering, inept tossers who have bankrupted the country out of office!
Captain Gatso
The Motorists Friend
How Reuters told the world:
The Conservatives declared war on the rapid spread of speed cameras on Tuesday, saying there were better ways to keep the roads safe.
"It's time to put a stop to Labour's cash cow camera culture," Conservative transport spokeswoman Theresa Villiers told the party's annual conference.
"Electing a Conservative government would signal the end of the relentless expansion of fixed speed cameras. It's time to say 'enough is enough'," she said.
Fixed speed cameras on British roads had almost trebled during Labour's 12 years in power, but the fines they generated blinded Labour to the merits of better ways of keeping the roads safe, such as education, vehicle-activated signs or traffic police, she said.
Predicting that fixed speed cameras had reached their "high watermark" in the country, she said a Conservative government would not fund any new fixed speed cameras.
"If local authorities want new cameras they'll have to prove nothing else works better and they'll have to find the money themselves," Villiers said.
She said the Conservatives would publish information, now secret, on each speed camera's record on safety and on fines, so local communities could judge whether a camera should stay or go.
I'm not just a lone voice. The Tories at the conference have said they will get rid of cameras (for the full SP read the Reuters story below).
I've done SKY News and lots of radio on this fantastic decision.
In a nutshell - for all you disbelievers out there - speed cameras are about raising cash NOT about road safety.
FACT: According to the Government's own figures, less than 5% of accidents are down to speed
FACT: Most accidents take place at a junction within a mile of your home.
The secret data will put an end to the camera partnerships lies once and for all.
Now let's vote Conservatives and get these lying, double crossing, war mongering, inept tossers who have bankrupted the country out of office!
Captain Gatso
The Motorists Friend
How Reuters told the world:
The Conservatives declared war on the rapid spread of speed cameras on Tuesday, saying there were better ways to keep the roads safe.
"It's time to put a stop to Labour's cash cow camera culture," Conservative transport spokeswoman Theresa Villiers told the party's annual conference.
"Electing a Conservative government would signal the end of the relentless expansion of fixed speed cameras. It's time to say 'enough is enough'," she said.
Fixed speed cameras on British roads had almost trebled during Labour's 12 years in power, but the fines they generated blinded Labour to the merits of better ways of keeping the roads safe, such as education, vehicle-activated signs or traffic police, she said.
Predicting that fixed speed cameras had reached their "high watermark" in the country, she said a Conservative government would not fund any new fixed speed cameras.
"If local authorities want new cameras they'll have to prove nothing else works better and they'll have to find the money themselves," Villiers said.
She said the Conservatives would publish information, now secret, on each speed camera's record on safety and on fines, so local communities could judge whether a camera should stay or go.
Tuesday, 18 August 2009
Angry motorists torch speed camera in backlash against scores of tickets in three days
No comment.
From the Daily Mail:
Speed cameras are being destroyed in what appears to be a revenge campaign by motorists. Two on one stretch of road in East Dorset were set alight on consecutive weekends, and four others have been vandalised in the county in the past year.
Read more....
From the Daily Mail:
Speed cameras are being destroyed in what appears to be a revenge campaign by motorists. Two on one stretch of road in East Dorset were set alight on consecutive weekends, and four others have been vandalised in the county in the past year.
Read more....
Saturday, 15 August 2009
The speeding 'stitch-up': Middle-class drivers 'will have to pay big costs bills even if they win court cases'
Well done to Ray Massey in today's Daily Mail.
In a nutshell: Thousands of middle-class motorists who challenge speeding fines face having to pay most of their legal costs even if they win their cases.
Reforms, which have been described as a 'stitch-up' aimed at excluding the middle classes, will limit the costs that can be claimed back by the drivers.
From October, the Ministry of Justice is cutting the current generous level of costs awarded to successful defendants to the lower rates used in legal aid cases.
It's all about the money! Zanu Newliebour prove once and for all that 'justice' in the UK does not extend to motorists - especially when they come up against the money machines that are speed cameras.
I have told everyone for years to contest their fines.
Then the authorities made it harder and doubled the fine if you dared to take them on.
That's not justice.
And with the number of mistakes being made this just underlines the police state we live in. This latest move from the 'Justice' Ministry is a disgrace and targets all but the rich. Gordon Brown - his election to oblivion can't come soon enough.
Captain Gatso
The Motorists Friend
In a nutshell: Thousands of middle-class motorists who challenge speeding fines face having to pay most of their legal costs even if they win their cases.
Reforms, which have been described as a 'stitch-up' aimed at excluding the middle classes, will limit the costs that can be claimed back by the drivers.
From October, the Ministry of Justice is cutting the current generous level of costs awarded to successful defendants to the lower rates used in legal aid cases.
It's all about the money! Zanu Newliebour prove once and for all that 'justice' in the UK does not extend to motorists - especially when they come up against the money machines that are speed cameras.
I have told everyone for years to contest their fines.
Then the authorities made it harder and doubled the fine if you dared to take them on.
That's not justice.
And with the number of mistakes being made this just underlines the police state we live in. This latest move from the 'Justice' Ministry is a disgrace and targets all but the rich. Gordon Brown - his election to oblivion can't come soon enough.
Captain Gatso
The Motorists Friend
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