| Motoring Discussion > Speed vigilanties.l | Miscellaneous |
| Thread Author: henry k | Replies: 40 |
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New Wed 1 Jul 15 18:07
Speed vigilanties.l - henry k
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How to spend the hottest July on record!!! On your little chair with a speed gun and a mate as a witness!! A 30 Limit road that I use every week and was not aware of any stupid speeds. It is not by a school, shops, ped crossing and I am not aware of any RTCs there. Nothing better to do ??? Meanwhile less than a mile away there is a 40MPH limit dual carriageway. It is the norm to dangerously jump the lights. The climb up the significant hump of the dual carriageway by the crossing traffic saves the day. In the evening and at weekends the speeding is reduculous. I estimate often 80mph and maybe three figures. The sound of the engines revving, the gear changing and the doppler evect is "interesting". Silly little people!! Rant over |
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New Wed 1 Jul 15 18:13
Speed vigilanties.l - Zero
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| Well once they stopped McDonalds being built they had nothing else to interfere in. And I have you know I only do 79 on that dual carriageway. |
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New Wed 1 Jul 15 18:31
Speed vigilanties.l - henry k
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>> Well once they stopped McDonalds being built they had nothing else to interfere in. >> Was mostly Hinchley Wood folk not the Claygate lot. >> And I have you know I only do 79 on that dual carriageway. >> I doubt if I would hear you . Silent and deadly ? :-) Some cars/bikes would shame F1 cars for noise. |
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New Wed 1 Jul 15 20:38
Speed vigilanties.l - Bromptonaut
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We have them here too. Neighbourhood speedwatch or something like that. To be fair they're the same people who give their time to the Parish Council and both raise money and push the mowers to keep the churchyard looking smart. When the Northants Police Service ask locally what the three top issues for the citizenry are you can guarantee speeding will be in there along with ASB and petty theft*. And when Community Speedwatch go on patrol with their deckchair and speed gun the people they log are overwhelmingly.......... Villagers. *If you ask around St James - the area towards the rail station including the truck park by the Super Sausage cafe - it'll be ASB, speeding and street prostitution. In other words speeding is everyone's problem and everyone's crime. Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Wed 1 Jul 15 at 20:40
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New Wed 1 Jul 15 21:22
Speed vigilanties.l - Armel Coussine
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>> We have them here too. Neighbourhood speedwatch or something like that. The carphounds are everywhere. You have to keep a weather eye open for them, and resist the temptation to charge down the verge and give them a scare or worse. I've been speeding discreetly for much of today - not alone I should add, I take my cue on motorways from other traffic. Hope I won't get any unwelcome mail as a result. |
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New Thu 2 Jul 15 08:07
Speed vigilanties.l - CGNorwich
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Well they're not vigilantes are they? They have no powers other than to pass the information they gather to the police who may send the offenders a letter. I wouldn't want to do it myself not least because of the amount of abuse they receive but at least they are trying to improve they're local environment and giving up their time to do it. Speeding in residential areas is anti social as anyone who walks anywhere rather than jumps in their car for every minor journey will know. |
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New Thu 2 Jul 15 09:09
Speed vigilanties.l - henry k
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>> but at least they are trying to improve they're local environment and giving up their time to do it. >> Yes very noble but a really strange location to set up. As you can see there is a slightly wide verge. i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02360/Saad_al-Hilli_2360131b.jpg tinyurl.com/omh6q4u Last edited by: henry k on Thu 2 Jul 15 at 09:12
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New Thu 2 Jul 15 09:38
Speed vigilanties.l - Manatee
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So you're referring to actual coppers? We thought you were talking about the local voluntary thing. Volunteers do it here now and then. Anybody over the limit gets a letter; twice and they get a visit from a police officer or PCSO and words of advice. Most of the people caught are locals as you would expect. Now we are getting a sign:) I support the initiatives. It's unnecessary and anti-social to roar past people's houses, foot to the boards, and there are places with no footway either. I live on a quarter-mile stretch with a bend at one end and a cross-roads at the other. The knuckle draggers spend half of it accelerating to 50 and then 100m with brake lights on for the bend or the junction. Unfortunately the police won't allow the gun on this particular stretch because it would not be visible enough to drivers, and they might panic and crash. So it has to go 1/4 mile further on, where speeding would be less of an issue. The police themselves of course always hide if the they can, but the volunteers aren't allowed to! |
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New Thu 2 Jul 15 10:00
Speed vigilanties.l - henry k
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>>So you're referring to actual coppers? We thought you were talking about the local voluntary thing. >> No. The links were to show that it is not a country lane. The house in the photos is where the family of the Alps murders used to live hence the police there. >> and there are places with no footway either. Not the case as you can see. >>The police themselves of course always hide if the they can, but the volunteers aren't allowed to! But use the lowest possible camping chair and position themselves under trees. |
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New Thu 2 Jul 15 15:21
Speed vigilanties.l - CGNorwich
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Is it a 30mph limit? If it is I just don't see what you are whinging about Just slow down Easy isn' it? . |
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New Thu 2 Jul 15 16:13
Speed vigilanties.l - henry k
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>> Is it a 30mph limit? >> Yes >> If it is I just don't see what you are whinging about. I just wish they would go up the road and do something useful and measure the mega speeders >> Just slow down I was not exceeding the limit!! >> >> Easy isn' it? I have no problem with the speed limit there. |
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New Sun 5 Jul 15 01:02
Speed vigilanties.l - Armel Coussine
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>> Speeding in residential areas is anti social as anyone who walks anywhere rather than jumps in their car for every minor journey will know. Don't you assess the speed of approaching vehicles more or less unconsciously CGN? Seems like the sensible thing to do whether you're driving or crossing the road on foot. There are rude dangerous drivers but most are just bumbling. Pedestrians owe it to themselves and everyone else to behave sensibly. They don't have privileged status. |
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New Thu 2 Jul 15 23:56
Speed vigilanties.l - ....
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They could always do something useful like FOAD. Seriously, have these oxygen thieves got nothing better to do? Maybe a general shutdown for a month with no oil deliveries or food to outlying areas would help them focus. I'm not vindicating speeding but sometimes those bored witless need a reminder there's a world beyond the garden fence. |
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New Fri 3 Jul 15 04:24
Speed vigilanties.l - Manatee
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| Er...and why don't you and Henry visit your ire on someone who deserves it? |
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New Fri 3 Jul 15 08:50
Speed vigilanties.l - Old Navy
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In my area diy speed cops are not a problem, we get a speed camera van in the small villages if the locals complain, or even if they don't. They can "do" several villages a day. www.fifesafetycameras.org/minisites/index.cfm?fuseaction=page.display&pageid=5571A7EE-E7FE-C7EA-0A9677F21EB60A6E&siteID=5532C540-E7FE-C7EA-0BCA29284451CFB6 Last edited by: Old Navy on Fri 3 Jul 15 at 08:52
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New Fri 3 Jul 15 09:38
Speed vigilanties.l - henry k
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>> Er...and why don't you and Henry visit your ire on someone who deserves it? >> I thought it was obvious - Cos they are going too fast ! |
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New Sun 5 Jul 15 00:38
Speed vigilanties.l - ....
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>> Er...and why don't you and Henry visit your ire on someone who deserves it? >> Give me a clue...maybe the bored witless don't qualify so who's left? Those with huge pensions who don't deserve this nuisance? Those who want the world to pass them by but leave everything on their doorstep at their convenience? Who deserves it? |
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New Sun 5 Jul 15 11:48
Speed vigilanties.l - Manatee
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>> Give me a clue...maybe the bored witless don't qualify so who's left? >> Those with huge pensions who don't deserve this nuisance? Those who want the world to >> pass them by but leave everything on their doorstep at their convenience? Who deserves it? Do you really need a clue, or are you just acting dumb? Three clues then. People can be divided into those on the right side of the law and those on the other side. People who are involved in Neighbourhood Watches, and the people who think they are entitled to anything they can steal. People who give their time to the benefit of their community, or puffed-up junior executives on their way to yet another inconsequential meeting who think their journey is more important than anybody else's peace or safety. |
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New Sun 5 Jul 15 12:39
Speed vigilanties.l - ....
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These things always start with best of intentions then get out of hand, it's human nature. Someone always gets the hump with someone else. Members of the public watching other members of the public and reporting back to authorities strikes me as a bit GDR in the 1950s. |
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New Sun 5 Jul 15 13:17
Speed vigilanties.l - Clk Sec
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>> Members of the public watching other members of the public and reporting back to authorities<< I've not always been whiter than white as far as speeding is concerned, but for a good while now I've adhered to the various limits for a variety of reasons, one of which is, that I'm never in much of a hurry to get anywhere these days. I've no problems whatsoever with speed cameras or uniformed policemen wielding speed guns, but I just can't seem to warm to these local wannabe speed cops, though. No matter how hard I try. |
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New Sun 5 Jul 15 13:25
Speed vigilanties.l - No FM2R
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I think its two different things; The idea of enforcing a speed limit, with which I have no problem, and the idea of the type of person who wants to do it in his spare time, which I am much less keen on. However, I believe Henry's point, unless I misunderstood, was that there was a far better and more worthwhile place just down the road. |
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New Sun 5 Jul 15 13:34
Speed vigilanties.l - Zero
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>> However, I believe Henry's point, unless I misunderstood, was that there was a far better >> and more worthwhile place just down the road. Yeah, there is more than a hint of Nibyism about speed vigilantes |
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New Sun 5 Jul 15 13:16
Speed vigilanties.l - No FM2R
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>> are you just acting dumb? I believe the phrase is "faux ignorant". |
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New Sun 5 Jul 15 14:54
Speed vigilantes - Manatee
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Nimbyism has a bad name. If a few more people cared about their immediate surroundings it might be more pleasant all round. To compare village speed gunners with Stasi informers is just silly. They are not anonymous and they don't collect evidence as such - nobody gets points, just a nudge. Flashing signs can do that but some who will ignore those might be more inclined to temper their speed when they are less anonymous themselves. I've never done the speed gun myself, but I know some of the people who do and they are the same people who give up their time for the play group, the village hall, or the parish council. Such people are frequently mocked by those who are quite happy to use the facilities they help to maintain and fight for. Last edited by: Manatee on Sun 5 Jul 15 at 14:56
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New Sun 5 Jul 15 15:09
Speed vigilantes - Bromptonaut
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>> I've never done the speed gun myself, but I know some of the people who >> do and they are the same people who give up their time for the play >> group, the village hall, or the parish council. Such people are frequently mocked by those >> who are quite happy to use the facilities they help to maintain and fight for. > Exactly same where I live. |
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New Sun 5 Jul 15 16:02
Speed vigilantes - Westpig
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It would help if the speed limits were right in the first place. Then the only people properly breaking them would be the anti-social or criminal. As it is, when a limit is pointless and ill conceived extra groups of people break them. |
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New Sun 5 Jul 15 16:15
Speed vigilantes - No FM2R
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If NIMBYism is along the lines of "it should be nowhere, and definitely NIMBY" then it seems reasonable. But if it is, as seems more usual, "we should have more xxxxxx* but NIMBY" then its risable. Where xxxxx is prisons, schools, housing, prisons, higher speed limits etc etc etc |
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New Sun 5 Jul 15 17:25
Speed vigilantes - Manatee
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>>Where xxxxx is prisons, schools, housing, prisons, higher speed limits etc etc etc Interesting topic. Hypocritical I suppose; but if yours is the only locality not to campaign against the incinerator, the new flight path, the prison, the travellers' camp, the landfill site, and the wind farm then do you get the lot? Who is going to make the case against a particular location for a a development if not the people who live there? How many people here, who live in a quiet rural area and love it, wouldn't approve of a campaign against a new airport half a mile away? Where it becomes unfair is when people misuse influence - but, as I am often reminded, it's difficult to stop people doing business with their friends. |
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New Sun 5 Jul 15 16:55
Speed vigilantes - ....
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>> Nimbyism has a bad name. If a few more people cared about their immediate surroundings >> it might be more pleasant all round. >> >> To compare village speed gunners with Stasi informers is just silly. They are not anonymous >> and they don't collect evidence as such - nobody gets points, just a nudge. >> Don't we already have an infrastructure in place to take care of this sort of thing? Why do we need these people to do this task? Is the infrastructure not coping, has it been scaled back or removed altogether? Rather than giving members of the public some hi-viz jackets and speed guns shouldn't we be looking a bit deeper? Last edited by: gmac on Sun 5 Jul 15 at 16:56
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New Sun 5 Jul 15 17:04
Speed vigilantes - Armel Coussine
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Sometimes perhaps these people are drawing attention to a potential accident black spot. More often though they seem to be busybodies and fusspots with poor judgement who want to feel important and boss people around. They are a well-known personality type, very often unbearably priggish and self-righteous, but sometimes after all right about something. Moralists are always annoying when they start picking at your own personality flaws. :o} |
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New Sun 5 Jul 15 17:30
Speed vigilantes - Armel Coussine
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| Westpig points out rightly that many speed limits are misplaced, unnecessary or too low to make sense, and this encourages drivers, even law-abiding ones, to stretch the limits or ignore them completely. |
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New Sun 5 Jul 15 17:46
Speed vigilantes - Manatee
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>> Don't we already have an infrastructure in place to take care of this sort of >> thing? >> >> Why do we need these people to do this task? >> Is the infrastructure not coping, has it been scaled back or removed altogether? >> >> Rather than giving members of the public some hi-viz jackets and speed guns shouldn't we >> be looking a bit deeper? Maybe, but that is probably beyond the scope of the Parish Council that has residents pestering it about speeding skip wagons and lunatic rat-running commuters morning and evening on narrow roads trying to do the kind of speeds suitable for a dual carriageway. Believe me I've seen it. The discussion goes around traffic calming (chicanes, build-outs, speed cushions/humps/tables, chokers, all accompanied by the required forest of signs, road paint and additional lighting. It costs a fortune, creates more noise and damages cars, and although people think they want it they usually don't like it when they get it. It progresses through getting the police to enforce the speed limits (forget it, usually), to about £3,000 to fund the speed gun and the necessary training and/or a light-up sign. There are basically three elements to work on - engineering (mostly the above ghastly traffic calming), enforcement (cameras fixed or mobile, which are not usually on offer) or education. The people you want to "FOAD" (must go back and give you a red nose for that gratuitous offensiveness) are part of the last option, the least objectionable of all to Toad types. What would you suggest, if you were on the Parish Council? Something feasible and affordable please. |
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New Mon 6 Jul 15 00:40
Speed vigilantes - henry k
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>>Believe me I've seen it. The discussion goes around traffic calming (chicanes, build-outs, speed cushions/humps/tables, .... >> re my OE Just about 200 yds from the site of the gun happy duo there is another road which is totally residential but leads toward the village centre. Until recently it was in need of repair as were speed cushions. It has recently been totally resurfaced with very nice, the very smooth tarmac. Curiously the speed cushions have not reappeared. |
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New Sun 5 Jul 15 18:26
Speed vigilantes - CGNorwich
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"Why do we need these people to do this task? Is the infrastructure not coping, has it been scaled back or removed altogether?" Apart from the cost issues your response highlights one of the big problems in our society. The belief that "they' should do something and that it is not the individuals responsibility to make their neigbourhood a more pleasant place to live. Drop litter in the streets - the council should pick it up Front garden a mess - Too much effort and can't be bothered to take the rubbish to the tip or mow the grass Cars parked on the pavement - Don't give a toss about the disabled , partially sighted or mums with pushchairs Dog mess - there's no way I'm clearing up after my own dog Speeding through the estate - My journey is more important than you kid's safety We don't need more 'infrastructure' , just a bit of social responsibility |
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New Sun 5 Jul 15 21:22
Speed vigilantes - ....
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>> "Why do we need these people to do this task? >> Is the infrastructure not coping, has it been scaled back or removed altogether?" >> >> Apart from the cost issues your response highlights one of the big problems in our >> society. The belief that "they' should do something and that it is not the individuals >> responsibility to make their neigbourhood a more pleasant place to live. >> The taxes have been paid. The Services are itemised in your council tax bill. >> Drop litter in the streets - the council should pick it up >> >> Front garden a mess - Too much effort and can't be bothered to take the >> rubbish to the tip or mow the grass >> >> Cars parked on the pavement - Don't give a toss about the disabled , partially >> sighted or mums with pushchairs >> Or parking on grassed areas turning them into ploughed fields. Dockers Oysters on footpaths, the list goes on. Some People are just happy to live in a sh**hole. >> Dog mess - there's no way I'm clearing up after my own dog >> >> Speeding through the estate - My journey is more important than you kid's safety >> >> >> We don't need more 'infrastructure' , just a bit of social responsibility >> I never suggested we needed more infrastructure. I'm not one of the entitled crowd. What I am asking for is the infrastructure we have paid for and have in place be Held accountable. Too many professionally offended ready to jump in and make excuses. We don't need a mobile phone rule for driving, due care and attention should have taken care of that but we got it. Manatee is banging his head with the parish council. If that were me I'd be escallating through the authority responsible for policing the roads. It's all well and good trying to control things locally but at some point you have to say we've exhausted this, it's beyond the scope of the local parish, time to get the HA, Police, MP, press involved. Use the tools available. If enough people in the local area feel strongly enough about any issue then democracy that people keep mentioning should take over. Last edited by: gmac on Sun 5 Jul 15 at 21:24
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New Sun 5 Jul 15 21:35
Speed vigilantes - Manatee
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I'm confused. On the one hand, local people who care should have something better to do, on the other they should be using all possible endeavours to get "them" to do something. Typically that is what happens. The HA or LA will say traffic calming is expensive and try to talk you out of it (as would I, the cure is often worse than the disease). The police will not undertake to enforce limits based on complaints. People are just doing what they can. There is, by the way, an austerity programme in progress. Budgets are being cut, and cut again. |
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New Sun 5 Jul 15 21:43
Speed vigilantes - ....
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On the one hand if it is something the majority of the vilage or area want then they should be using the democracy they believe they live in to full effect. If it's a small minority then they should not be allowed to force their will on the majority. Mission statements are always useful with public bodies. If they state they will provide a service and are not you can always use their statement to remind them of the purpose of the body. You want to slow the traffic down but do not feel it is bad enough to warrant traffic calming measures... Last edited by: gmac on Sun 5 Jul 15 at 21:45
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New Sun 5 Jul 15 21:54
Speed vigilantes - No FM2R
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They put traffic calming in our village. At night the kids just screamed through on the wrong side of the road. In the day all the careful people were more careful, all the non-careful people just drove through without looking properly. A camera stopped the problem. Totally and permanently. I am a big fan of speed cameras. And traffic light cameras. And variable speed limit cameras. What really winds me up though is ridiculous speed limits. That makes me spitting mad. But what is the point of arguing about enforcement efficiency? |
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New Sun 5 Jul 15 22:12
Speed vigilantes - Westpig
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>> A camera stopped the problem. Totally and permanently. >> >> I am a big fan of speed cameras. And traffic light cameras. And variable speed >> limit cameras. Trouble is, they don't deal with the truly illegal, who won't be registered. Had a tremendous pursuit a few years back, me in a bog standard 1.7 diesel Vx Astra and the bad guy in a souped up V8 Range Rover (something like an Overfinch). I picked him up for seemingly deliberately setting off a speed camera on the North Circular at 0400. He could easily pull away from me, but i'd get him back on the corners and the brakes. He wiped out fairly spectacularly in the end doing a very high speed spin through a fast 'S' bend over a railway line... and judging by the lean the RR got into, he must have filled his trousers*. RR wasn't registered and was a crime 'pool' car. Every time they sent someone to the nick to get it back, I'd refuse to let it go as they couldn't prove they owned it. This went on for over 2 years. We auctioned it off in the end... and in effect fined them the £8K or so it was worth. * as did the poor sod stood at a bus stop on the bridge over the railway, who was missed by a gnat's knacker by a totally sideways RR still doing in excess of 60mph, half way through a 360. >> >> What really winds me up though is ridiculous speed limits. Join the club. Brings the whole system into disrepute. Last edited by: Westpig on Sun 5 Jul 15 at 22:13
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New Sun 5 Jul 15 22:15
Speed vigilantes - No FM2R
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>>they don't deal with the truly illegal, who won't be registered. Some of my family were police in Thames Valley. I recall one of them telling me that about 30% of burglars were caught when they were pulled over for an unrelated traffic stop. Mind you, that was a depressing amount of years ago. |
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New Sun 5 Jul 15 22:18
Speed vigilantes - Bromptonaut
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>> Trouble is, they don't deal with the truly illegal, who won't be registered. True but they free up Police time spent chasing the careless/stupid to deal with real villains. |
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