Another speed camera torched (From Bournemouth Echo)
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Another speed camera torched
7:30am Monday 22nd February 2010 in
ANOTHER speed camera has been vandalised in East Dorset.
The attack on the device in Golf Links Road, Ferndown, is the fifth against cameras in the district in seven months.
Cllr Lesley Dedman, who chairs the town council’s traffic working party, said new initiatives were needed to curb speeding in Ferndown.
“Golf Links Road had to have speed cameras and traffic calming measures installed – at a cost to the taxpayer – because of the excessive speed drivers used on this quiet residential road,” she said. “I think this incident against a speed camera – which is specifically designed to reduce speed on an unsafe road – shows how much we need a new strategy in Ferndown to make life safer for our community.”
Daily Echo readers contacted the paper on Friday with reports that the device – between the Sainsbury store at Tricketts Cross and Parley – had been damaged by fire.
The spate of incidents began last August with an attack on a camera in Three Legged Cross. A second strike followed in the same month in Verwood.
Tyres were hung around the camera on Ringwood Road in Longham and set alight last November, drawing criticism from Ferndown mayor Cllr Queenie Comfort, who said the attack could have cost lives.
Vandals began the new year by setting fire to the camera near the Bear Cross roundabout, not realising the empty housing did not contain a Gatso device.
Dorset Police announced last December its plans to replace the fixed cameras with devices that measure a vehicle’s average speed.
Comments(38)
ferndun
says...
9:10am Mon 22 Feb 10
golden mouldie
says...
9:41am Mon 22 Feb 10
Rikaroony wrote:Of course it was. Them 'rich' people that think they own the road.
“Golf Links Road had to have speed cameras and traffic calming measures installed – at a cost to the taxpayer – because of the excessive speed drivers used on this quiet residential road,”
Hmm I thought it was because the residents didnt like it being used as a "rat run"
Esqui
says...
10:18am Mon 22 Feb 10
Derf
says...
10:31am Mon 22 Feb 10
Wonder why that is?
Maureen Arthur
says...
10:36am Mon 22 Feb 10
in you face speed camera thing!!!
fedupwithjobsworths
says...
10:37am Mon 22 Feb 10
ferndun
says...
11:20am Mon 22 Feb 10
Esqui wrote:A victory against stealth tax!
No excuse for destroying things you don't like. Clearly these people have no respect for property
Syd Poumen
says...
11:22am Mon 22 Feb 10
2Much...again! wrote:I hope it is your house that these law breakers set fire to next....or is that 2much to hope for !
Good on the person that did this! I love it when people make a stand instead of just rolling over and accepting everything that's thrown. Get rid of all the cameras, and bring traffic police back in force!
Angeliquie Von Sohsten
says...
11:25am Mon 22 Feb 10
mikey2gorgeous
says...
11:30am Mon 22 Feb 10
2Much...again! wrote:Replacing cameras with 'real' coppers will result in increased costs and less actual speed trapping. The only 'reason' they would be 'better' is that you'd have more chance of speeding without being caught.
Esqui wrote:Property like this needs destroying.
No excuse for destroying things you don't like. Clearly these people have no respect for property
Do you not think a copper is a better invention?
.
Why, if you want more police on our roads dealing with bad driving, do you think making them do the job that cameras currently do won't deplete their resources? Surely your argument should be: 'more police and keep the cameras'?
.
No - you just want to be able to speed with no heed for the law.
ferndun
says...
11:39am Mon 22 Feb 10
Syd Poumen wrote:Syd that's a really smart comment! Lets weigh this up - a speed camera or a house which PEOPLE live in! Bright - NOT!
2Much...again! wrote: Good on the person that did this! I love it when people make a stand instead of just rolling over and accepting everything that's thrown. Get rid of all the cameras, and bring traffic police back in force!I hope it is your house that these law breakers set fire to next....or is that 2much to hope for !
2Much...again!
says...
11:40am Mon 22 Feb 10
Syd Poumen wrote:My house? Nice
2Much...again! wrote:I hope it is your house that these law breakers set fire to next....or is that 2much to hope for !
Good on the person that did this! I love it when people make a stand instead of just rolling over and accepting everything that's thrown. Get rid of all the cameras, and bring traffic police back in force!
Thanks!
Syd Poumen
says...
11:43am Mon 22 Feb 10
2Much...again!
says...
11:49am Mon 22 Feb 10
mikey2gorgeous wrote:Police don't just deal with bad driving..and speeding..isn't necessarily bad driving..but police are able to determine more accurate fault..they can determine drunk/drugged up drivers..cars without tax, MOT or insurance..and...the
2Much...again! wrote:Replacing cameras with 'real' coppers will result in increased costs and less actual speed trapping. The only 'reason' they would be 'better' is that you'd have more chance of speeding without being caught.
Esqui wrote:Property like this needs destroying.
No excuse for destroying things you don't like. Clearly these people have no respect for property
Do you not think a copper is a better invention?
.
Why, if you want more police on our roads dealing with bad driving, do you think making them do the job that cameras currently do won't deplete their resources? Surely your argument should be: 'more police and keep the cameras'?
.
No - you just want to be able to speed with no heed for the law.
y make the streets safer.
I'm happy to pay for those costs..as they are necessary.
For your info..seeing as you've made assumptions about the way I drive, I adhere to speed limits.
ski
says...
11:51am Mon 22 Feb 10
Sir Alan
says...
11:51am Mon 22 Feb 10
It seems when you are rich you have influence and can get speed cameras put up.
i think public opinion is turning against them. i was caught on one ages ago and was made to go on one of the polices speed awareness courses, total waste of time , one man even fell asleep during it , get rid of cameras and get some police out and about and make them do there job.
Fightingback
says...
12:08pm Mon 22 Feb 10
ciderscott
says...
12:45pm Mon 22 Feb 10
The irate commuter
says...
1:23pm Mon 22 Feb 10
If you aint speeding & therefore breaking the law, then surely you aint got nothing to worry about.
i think I can spot the boy racers on this site with multiple points of their licences.
sea poole
says...
2:39pm Mon 22 Feb 10
Bob49
says...
3:37pm Mon 22 Feb 10
The selfish shall inherit the earth and not one single cretin on here defending this would stump up the money for a police officer to be stationed at that spot for 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
As to the absurd 'bobbies on the beat tosh it's funny how only a few of the pro criminal element on here constantly demand this Luddite nonsense and how the coppers be they here or anywhere else in the world choose to police how their experience has taught them best.
Bring back the Bow Street Runners so that the selfish can't be caught.
jonpds
says...
4:19pm Mon 22 Feb 10
Did they not think to pull the fuse at the little adjacent feeder box, put a sticker over the camera window, or a piece of tin foil over the big rectangular radar window?
EGHH
says...
6:16pm Mon 22 Feb 10
teeheehee
says...
6:38pm Mon 22 Feb 10
ciderscott wrote:Yes i know the one you mean it would be terrible if something happened to it...hint hint:):)::):)
May I point out a very annoying, half hidden camers in Kinson Road Junction Brook Road...just a thought!
Visitor from far away
says...
6:59pm Mon 22 Feb 10
An accident occurs once or a few times within a specific distance. Local people contribute to a local authority. That local authority then decide to place a detection system near by the accident location to catch any transportation device controller exceeding a specified speed limit. The authority decide that speed was the cause of the accident (some serious/some very minor) and should any controller be convicted of exceeding a set limit the local people that pay the local authority get 3 points on a paper document and a small individual financial penalty equivelant to 0.003% of their income, if they have one.
Is this undervaluing a life that may have been lost as a result of travelling at speed or is it a method of raising additional revenue for the local authority, from local people that are already contributing and a feeble method of saving lives.
More importantly, from visual observation, we note that where the speed dectectors are located vehicles slow down - causing danger - but then speed up elsewhere to make up for loss time but no accidents occur as there are no speed detection devices in these areas. Is this true? Therefore is speed the real problem or is is poor vehicle control or poor vehicle condition. If poor vehicle control or condition then surely this should be the focus.
From where we come from - you crash you dont drive/control. You cause death to another you give your life to helping others in return. No excuses, no exceptions - simple.
Perhaps if this was applied in this world many frustrations would be removed and you could all enjoy your life and the safety around you.
If you faced removal of driving ability if you ever had a crash/accident would this make you drive more carefully. If you faced dedication for the rest of your live to helping others as a result of taking a life of another be more careful? Perhaps not for all on this strange island but obviously a better option than current.
nick1109
says...
7:46pm Mon 22 Feb 10
McVICAR
says...
7:47pm Mon 22 Feb 10
paul2
says...
8:42pm Mon 22 Feb 10
rayc
says...
8:48am Tue 23 Feb 10
paul2 wrote:Its would be bad enough if they are real Policemen but in these days of cost cutting they would be Specials or CPSO or much much worse civilains employed by the councils. Look at the way traffic enforcement has gone in London if you want to see how councils enforce yellow box junction enforcement etc.
You want more police watching every move you make? There will be even less freedom on the road. You will really be whinging and wish you had the cameras back!
2Much...again!
says...
10:48am Tue 23 Feb 10
paul2 wrote:No..actually i wouldn't.
You want more police watching every move you make? There will be even less freedom on the road. You will really be whinging and wish you had the cameras back!
Being a regular visitor to Spain..and knowing that they only pay about £100 a year in council tax, have street cleaners and coppers on the beat (oh..and no speed cameras because the residents get out and pull them out of the ground if one is put up)...it makes me think..
The people there are certainly not worried about having police visible..and probably thankful that their council tax is being spent properly?
They are more concerned with living life..
newstand
says...
5:42pm Wed 24 Feb 10
IMHO Xch
says...
8:37pm Wed 24 Feb 10
Simple really: Don't speed!
Roy P
moost
says...
2:56pm Thu 25 Feb 10
Simple really...wear your seatbelt, dont speed and police have more time to deal with other issues.
2Much...again!
says...
3:53pm Thu 25 Feb 10
Sad to see a nation of individual people becoming a 'system'
dorsetspeed
says...
5:36pm Thu 25 Feb 10
moost wrote:Even on the infrequent occasions you see real police on the road, they will be likely to be going for volume, not for the minority of really dangerous problems which are highly likley to cause accidents.
On one of the other stories people winge about police issuing 150 tickets...now you want more traffic police...make your mind up !!!
Simple really...wear your seatbelt, dont speed and police have more time to deal with other issues.
A little bit of correctly focussed effort would make a massive impact on road safety.
The "if you don't want a fine don't speed" argument has nothing to do with road safety, which is the important issue.
mikey2gorgeous
says...
10:58am Fri 26 Feb 10
dorsetspeed wrote:Once again - 'it's not me it's other 'bad' drivers that cause accidents'.
moost wrote:Even on the infrequent occasions you see real police on the road, they will be likely to be going for volume, not for the minority of really dangerous problems which are highly likley to cause accidents.
On one of the other stories people winge about police issuing 150 tickets...now you want more traffic police...make your mind up !!!
Simple really...wear your seatbelt, dont speed and police have more time to deal with other issues.
A little bit of correctly focussed effort would make a massive impact on road safety.
The "if you don't want a fine don't speed" argument has nothing to do with road safety, which is the important issue.
.
How nice for you to never be susceptible to distraction, tiredness or just plain mistake making like those 'others' who cause the majority of crashes. You must be one of the best drivers EVER! WOW!
.
They should get you to drive the Queen's car.
dorsetspeed
says...
3:19pm Fri 26 Feb 10
mikey2gorgeous wrote:Where on earth did that come from? Where on earth did I say that it's not me? Or that I'm not "susceptible to distraction", etc ?? Where did I say that I'm a good driver??
dorsetspeed wrote:Once again - 'it's not me it's other 'bad' drivers that cause accidents'.
moost wrote:Even on the infrequent occasions you see real police on the road, they will be likely to be going for volume, not for the minority of really dangerous problems which are highly likley to cause accidents.
On one of the other stories people winge about police issuing 150 tickets...now you want more traffic police...make your mind up !!!
Simple really...wear your seatbelt, dont speed and police have more time to deal with other issues.
A little bit of correctly focussed effort would make a massive impact on road safety.
The "if you don't want a fine don't speed" argument has nothing to do with road safety, which is the important issue.
.
How nice for you to never be susceptible to distraction, tiredness or just plain mistake making like those 'others' who cause the majority of crashes. You must be one of the best drivers EVER! WOW!
.
They should get you to drive the Queen's car.
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Rikaroony says...
8:47am Mon 22 Feb 10
Hmm I thought it was because the residents didnt like it being used as a "rat run"