Omega Owners Forum
Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: Kevin Wood on 13 November 2007, 23:42:57
-
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/main.jhtml?xml=/motoring/2007/11/10/mfspeed10.xml&page=1
Interesting reading...
Kevin
-
Not all that surprising Kevin is it? There isn't much doubt that the government are not interested in saving lives or reducing accidents. They are interested only in pretending that tax rises are there for our own good. They tell us that we are not capable of making our own minds up and that they know what's best for us.
I know it's a cliche but we are living in Orwell's 1984, just 20 odd years later than he predicted. The longer we comply and let them get away with it, the more difficult it will be to turn back. Look at the former Soviet Union, that was all for the comrades own good.
-
As you say Kevin, very interesting reading.
I think I would rather see traffic cops on patrol than a camera any day.
Driving standards seem to deteriorate on a daily basis nowadays and I don't believe any "safety camera" can do much to reverse that trend.
Thinking about it how often do you see a traffic patrol nowadays, rather infrequently I would expect.
Speed is a relative to conditions, 70 on a clear motorway, no problem, add in congestion, poor weather conditions, poor driving technique and it becomes much more of a dangerous proposition.
Sadly the camera only sticks to it's programmed limit taking no account of the prevalent conditions, which adds fuel to the argument that it's there more to generate revenue from the motorist than to improve road safety.
-
Kevin, I read that in the paper. Thanks for posting it.
It's just another example of the way this country is going. Twisted facts to support ever increasing income for the few favoured ones. >:(
-
3,500 people killed on our roads every year is a disaster for those involved. 25,000 killed by the NHS every year through a unique cocktail of carelessness, mistake, neglect and incompetence and nobody.
-
I got three points and a £60 fine for doing 36 in a 30 mile hour zone and then at the weekend I watched at least three women bumping into other cars in the local supermarket manouvreing (I use the term loosely!) into or out of parking spaces. And I'm the dangerous driver >:( I work for probably the biggest comms company in the UK (no names no pack drill) and am on the road all the time and haven't had an accident in the last twelve years of motoring. Yet I'm the dangerous driver! I'm convinced that if it had been a real police man he would have beaten me up with words and let me off. Maybe!
Anyway, rant over, at least it makes me feel better.
Humpy
PS I've got nothing against women drivers, my missus is a very good driver but we've all seen them in the supermarket carpark haven't we?
PPS Just seen the above thread. My Mum's just got out of Kent and Sussex (West Kent NHS Trust, you must of heard of them the other week?) hospital with this C-Diff bug, fortunately alive and kicking!!!
-
The most worrying thing is that, not only have traffic cops all but disappeared, but I often see drivers committing obvious motoring offences (e.g talking on a mobile phone) whilst driving past police in marked cars and have never seen one get stopped.
That fact that drivers have the gall to do this says it all. I guess the run of the mill police driver has been told they don't have the training to pull people over or something?
Problem is, when they reach the point that even they can no longer spin this into a success story what will be next? Black boxes in cars? Speed limiters?
It's a real shame that from a genuinely good starting point on road safety we have spent a decade treading water and filling the government's coffers.
Kevin
-
The Transport Research Laboratory researched the causes of over 5,000 accidents. The data is shown below.
You can see that, contrary to popular belief, speed is not the primary cause of accidents. Indeed, excessive speed accounts for only 7.3%.
Sorry about the alignment! ;)
Accident Cause Definite factors
Qty %
Failure to judge other persons path or speed 623 10.7%
Behaviour - careless/thoughtless/reckless 513 8.8%
Inattention 465 8.0%
Looked but did not see 436 7.5%
Excessive speed 424 7.3%
Lack of judgment of own path 369 6.3%
Failed to look 365 6.2%
Following too close 238 4.1%
Impairment — alcohol 222 3.8%
Slippery road 175 3.0%
Inexperience of driving 163 2.8%
Behaviour — in a hurry 157 2.7%
Site details — bend / winding road 131 2.2%
Surroundings — stationary or parked vehicle 112 1.9%
Crossed from behind parked vehicle, etc 105 1.8%
Surroundings — bend / winding road 104 1.8%
Behaviour — panic 91 1.6%
Aggressive driving 80 1.4%
Behaviour — nervous / uncertain 69 1.2%
Other — (personal) 64 1.1%
Impairment — illness 58 1.0%
Distraction — physical outside vehicle 57 1.0%
Surroundings — buildings, fences, vegetation 56 1.0%
Failed to see pedestrian or vehicle in blindspot 56 1.0%
View — glare from the sun 55 0.9%
Impairment — fatigue 48 0.8%
Weather (eg mist or sleet) 45 0.8%
Distraction — physical in/on vehicle 45 0.8%
Site details — narrow road 41 0.7%
Distraction — stress / emotional state of mind 39 0.7%
Inexperience of vehicle 37 0.6%
Surroundings — moving vehicle 31 0.5%
Animal out of control 29 0.5%
Site details — steep hill 28 0.5%
Other vehicle defects 26 0.4%
Tyres — deflation before impact 26 0.4%
Tyres — worn / insufficient tread 26 0.4%
Other (Local conditions) 24 0.4%
Site details — poor road surface 23 0.4%
Site details — roadworks 23 0.4%
Interaction or competition with other road users 23 0.4%
Defective brakes 22 0.4%
Site details — inadequate signing 17 0.3%
Impairment — drugs 17 0.3%
Ignored lights at crossing 15 0.3%
Person hit wore dark or inconspicuous clothing 15 0.3%
Disability 14 0.2%
Site details — poor / no street lighting 14 0.2%
Tyres — wrong pressure 9 0.2%
View — windows obscured 6 0.1%
High winds 6 0.1%
Defective lights or signals 5 0.1%
Earlier accident 4 0.1%
View — glare from headlights 1 0.0%
Number of factors reported 5847 100%