I have just come back from a short holiday in France and I must say that the roads of France were a pleasure to drive on. The French are not obsessed with putting up direction signs, but the real bonus is that there are NO speed cameras. It seems that when the Government put up some speed cameras as a trial, the French motorists went out and took them down. So the Government gave up.
There are real policemen in unmarked cars with radar guns to catch the excessive speeders, but not the motorist who has drifted over the speed limit by a few miles per hour. It was a pleasure to drive without constantly checking the speedo.
So as you can guess I support Swindon Council's decision to stop paying towards speed cameras. More councils should follow their example.
Now I am not advocating that we go out and tear down all speed cameras, the ones at traffic junctions are vital to deter idiots who jump red lights, but the speed cameras that are just cash cows should be removed.
Damaging a speed camera would be a serious offence. You could end up with a criminal record.
What might be an idea is popping down to Rapid. There’s a sale on - bit like DFS - and you can pick up 5 gallons of exterior gloss white paint for a song.
Now, if as you walk across the road you accidentally drop this can of paint and spill its contents, covering the white line markers. It would mean that the speed camera was technically out of action and this would indirectly benefit the motorists of Britain. I am not encouraging it, but clearly it could happen!
In fact, the vast majority of traffic accidents a caused by male drivers between the ages of 17 and 24, but the government does very little to curb them. A 17-year-old can pass his test, climb into a Ferrari and belt down the motorway. It would infringe his “human rights” to limit what type of car he can drive, so because of these drivers, we all suffer speed cameras. Time for a change.
My recent blog on parking resulted in lots of people contacting me, thankfully all in agreement. One retired academic did question my doing away with Residents Parking as it means he can park by his house more easily.
The reason I dislike Residents Parking is from personal experience.
When I lived in Waterloo, Sefton Council inflicted Residents Parking on us, without consultation. This proved a disaster for the shops on South Road, due to the fact that there was no longer anywhere to park close to South Road, this lead to a decline and within a short time there were 14 empty shops on South Road.
When a new business opened it was a Bar or a Takeaway, which contributed to the decline of the area as the bars, many open till the early hours, attracted trouble-makers causing problems for the police and local residents.
Sefton Council wanted to introduce an administration charge of £10 for our residents parking permits, which we all strongly objected to and the idea was dropped. We argued that £10 this year would be £25 next year and another stealth tax on the motorist.
Sefton Council have had a re-think on residents parking.
One mean little “scam” by Liverpool City Council traffic wardens that I was told about involves a Council Car Park on Fraser Street, off London Road.
This is actually a "contract car park" for John Moores University - and NOT for the general motorist.
But as you will see on the sign this fact is far from clear and most people just drive in and pay the fee. On their return to the car they find a parking ticket and a £30.00 penalty.
When they object, it is pointed-out that they were not allowed to park and should have read the "contract parking" sign.
The Council should have the decency to put up a large warning sign rather than cynically trapping honest people like this. Despicable. How do these people sleep?
"It's a Wonderful Life"
(Thu 02/12)
TURN IT DOWN.
(Thu 11/11)
Do we need another Beatles book.
(Mon 11/10)
President or Pope, who is most welcome?
(Mon 16/08)
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