The Telegraph reports that average speed cameras will now be used in residential areas. I think that in the future, this is the final straw that broke the camel’s back for the motorist.
First, a disclaimer: I don’t speed through villages, I don’t speed where unsafe, but I occasionally go over the speed limit in other areas where it is safe to do so. A good hypothetical example of this would be road that was previously a 60mph limit (for years) and was then reduced to a 40mph limit (and had a speed camera slapped on it).
There’s a worrying trend that many roads are having their limits reduced and a speed camera placed on them, purely for the point of raising revenue. Yes, speed cameras can reduce accidents in accident blackspots, but I suggest you read about regression to the mean for an explanation why placing them in such spots is flawed.
Anyhoo, back to the cameras: they will be placed at entrances and exits to various estates and zones to make sure you can’t escape by rat-running (but that won’t stop people from trying). As previously stated, I don’t speed through villages, but this will lead to drivers watching their speedometer instead of watching the road and the environment around them, which is unsafe. What’s worse is road speed limits will be downgraded before the cameras are installed, i.e. from 30mph to 20mph – tell me again that cameras are not revenue-raisers?
Sigh – it’s just another part of the Government’s panopticon project, where you are measured, weighed, surveilled, judged, monitored in everything you do…
