Well.... actually not me, but my dad.
I believe that in the UK, people have sucessfully petitioned for visible warnings signs to be put up where speed traps have been deployed, and I do strongly feel that it should be the same case here. Yes, including the petitioning part...
All cameras (whether fixed or mobile) must be highly visible. This includes painting camera housings yellow and ensuring they are not hidden behind trees, signs or bushes. Mobile camera operators must wear reflective clothing and use specially marked vehicles. In all cases, signs must be placed before the site and signs may only be placed in areas where cameras are present. The precise locations of all speed cameras will be published.
The fine has not only scared my dad into driving at the antagonizing speed limit, but it's also made him extremely paranoid when he sees a flash, spots any suspicious persons standing at the sides of the road, or passes any white parked car along the expressways. The allevated level of stress of constantly glancing down at the speedometer is also definately not healthy for his heart.
I keep telling him it was an isolated year-end/Christmas TP blitz, but he refuses to heed my advice since infringing on the precious laws of our state would cost him a hefty fine, something that the family can certainly do without.
He also contests the fine itself, since he sees himself as a safe driver and could not believe he was going 84km/h along alexandra rd. There seems however, no avenues for people in his situation or seeing some kinda proof or viewing the picure that was snapped.
In Australia, it has already been proven that the speed cameras are inaccurate, flawed and thus unreliable! Could that be the case in Singapore too?
MICK BUNWORTH: Vanessa Bridges was one of the first to challenge the accuracy of fixed speed cameras on Melbourne's Western Ring Road six months ago.
Vanessa's car was clocked at 158km/h by a fixed camera - a speed she knew was well beyond the 4-cylinder Datsun 120Y which has been putting along for close to 30 years.
After unsuccessfully querying the fine, Vanessa faced a mandatory loss of licence, but rather than trusting the technology she sought another opinion.
VANESSA BRIDGES: We got the car tested not only for the maximum speed it could go, which we found out it could only be 117km/h, but we also did a test on the actual speedometer and we found that when the needle was on 100 the car was actually only doing 90.
Without a way of retriving any form of irrefutable proof, one can never know.
A very good article on the pros and cons of using speed cameras can be found at http://www.debatabase.org/details_print.asp?topicID=252
Is this the transparency that our gahmen has been harping about? Vapourware I say...
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4 comments:
One, people want to be able to decide on their speeds depending on the road conditions, as opposed to a dictated one which may be overly conservative, as your dad has experienced. Fair enough, but as always, this is open to abuse which can lead to tragedy. The next question then would be, do we trust our local authority's judgement in determining safe yet effective speed limits?
Two, people despise underhand methods of surveillance and prefer public and visible ones. And if a misdeed has been committed, then the offender would admit and suffer the imposed penalty. I think it's fair to say that the traffic police adopt a reactive stance and therefore station themselves at trouble spots, no?
Of coz speeding kills, it's drummed into our heads everywhere, even in Australia. But speeding as defined in Singapore is - "travelling almost as fast as our MRT". It doesn't make sense to own private transportation, yet take the same amount of time to commute when taking the mrt...
It seems that somebody's been hearing the dissident voices at least, as the camera on ECP after Benjamin Shere's has been painted red.
I disagree however, that the cameras should be hidden. Would it be the case of the lesser evil? The camera should be there to enforce the speed limit on certain dangerous areas, and not be there to surprise the driver and potentially cause a pile up.
The last thing we want on our roads, is paranoid and stressed drivers. Road rage is a very ugly thing.
if a big traffic accident involving a careless driver and excessive speed happens, touch wood, what will singaporeans say? (the loudest voices wins of course)
a) They should make the speeding camera visible so that even if the driver is not paying attention, he can at least see the camera and slow down within safe distance.
b) They should make it invisible so that the guy who doesnt want to pay attention, pays attention at all times.
c) Don't really care.
In Japan, a car just recently rammed into a group of students standing at the pedestrian pavement. 74km/h. 4 lost their lives and some in the hospital. Driver was drunk of course. but you can go check the car out at 74km/h crash. not pretty of course.
From the experience of MRT suicides, i have this hypo that some singaporeans just love to be smart alecks...hope i am wrong...i think maybe (b) will be loudest.Now, who will be the loudest if a car accident happens due to the sudden braking when approaching a cam?... Just choosing a lesser of 2 evils based on different situations. one save lives and one saves money. (if it actually works that is.) it never ends...humanz...
a hypo about driving at 80km/h. If we dont keep it that way, people start seeing the time saved by faster car transport, more cars on the roads than kept at home. Speed drops to 50 due to massive jams. so ultimately this idealistic situation brings you back to -5 squares. haha..ok...jokin...
i say, keep it hidden. if you cannot drive properly, dont drive and put other's lives at risk. You don't want to start wearing reflective suits in broad daylight so that drivers can see you at a distance right? Maybe banning people from wearing dark tshirts near traffic would be better.
But of course, this is democracy. The loudest voice wins. =)
Watching NatGeo now, and it's this docu on the Autobahn.
Photo enforcement is used as well over there, and when you speed and are caught on camera, a citation is sent ALONG with a digitally enhanced snapshot of your car, licence plate AND your face.
Proof damnit. Where's the transparancy yeah?
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