Police advice to motorists blocked by tree

[AlexJ]

During the recent storms in Britain, the BBC posted the following image on their website:

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/42469000/jpg/_42469595_hodgins_herts416.jpg

Now, there's a blinking great tree across the road and their advice is merely to slow down! Stopping would be a better idea.

[Harrison]

With all the Police cost cutbacks I expect they couldn't afford the right sign!

[J T]

"Police slow"

Yeah, aren't they just :dry:

[Harrison]

Except where catching motorist speeding is concerned. They are not too slow at catching them as it gets them a quick profit!

[AlexJ]

Well they don't actually have to any work for speeding - the council and police put up a camera and take the money. The govt. then take a share of the profits.

[Harrison]

Unless you take the motorway police into account of course, lurking around in their unmarked cars!

[AlexJ]

Unless you take the motorway police into account of course, lurking around in their unmarked cars!

And the speed camera vans I suppose as well. But apparently it isn't proper police officers that operate those. Any person (with a driving licence) can be employed to operate the camera vans without going through the police training etc.

[Submeg]

Really? you have to be a police officer over here to operate speed cameras

[AlexJ]

Really? you have to be a police officer over here to operate speed cameras

No, the UK have decided otherwise. A quick google search turned up the hideosly designed Norfolk Safety Camera Partnerships website (http://www.norfolk-safety-camera.org.uk/myths_new.php?PHPSESSID=d584f97bc06c9e778cd2ffb4b3934c11) which states: "The safety cameras are operated by additional dedicated civilian operators thereby not abstracting officers from other policing duties." (Safety cameras are what the govt. and police call speed cameras)

It's almost like a legalised vigilante - if those people are dedicated speed camera operators, then chances are they are anti-car and as such not use common sense.

The worst one I saw was a van on a motorway bridge at 11:30pm, when I'd come across one car in the last 5 minutes. Now in these conditions, I doubt anybody does 70MPH (113k/h for those of you outside the UK & US). Lucky I spotted him fairly early (it's a common bridge for the van to be on) so slowed in time. On the other hand, a police car passed me on the motorway a few weeks back,again late at night, I was doing significantly more than the speed limit and saw him come past but he just carried on. There wasn't any danger to other being caused so he saw that a ticket was pointless and carried on (going himself at a speed above the limit, which he thought was reasonable). Common sense prevailed.

[Harrison]

It's the same around here. The police don't normally bother stopping anyone going over the speed limit on the motorway if there is not much about. I normally see them shoot past me doing well over 100 MPH some nights.

When I travel to the west country it always seems the camera vans are around down that way early in the morning from 5am catching people. Have to really be careful sometimes as they are often just around bends.

I didn't know civilians operated the camera vans either. I always remember my uncle, who was a Police Officer before he recently retired, complaining if he got sent on camera duty. He hates traffic police and he was a police officer himself!

One funny thing is that he was in charge of the placement of the speed cameras near where he lives, so made sure there were none near his routes to work. :lol: He also likes to go past the slow down speed warnings to make sure they are all working correctly. ;)

[Teho]

I recently saw this (http://www.24dash.com/localgovernment/15570.htm), which shows what the police do when those Slow Down signs in front of fallen trees don't work. :doh2:

[AlexJ]

I recently saw this (http://www.24dash.com/localgovernment/15570.htm), which shows what the police do when those Slow Down signs in front of fallen trees don't work. :doh2:

Well it was a parking attendent who are worse than the police. What the hell did they suggest she do? Carry on driving with a smashed in windscreen and no mirrors in a car which was structurally wrecked and like to come off worse in a collision with a Sinclair C5?

[rayzorblue]

Breaking the speed limit is against the law are u guys suggesting the police should turn a blind eye :p

Oh did i mention i dont have a driving license and ride a bicycle everywhere :lol:

[AlexJ]

Breaking the speed limit is against the law are u guys suggesting the police should turn a blind eye :p

Oh did i mention i dont have a driving license and ride a bicycle everywhere :lol:

In the UK, copying a CD you own to your MP3 player is illegal without the record companies permission. However, the police use common sense and don't prosecute people. Breaking the speed limit, at night with nobody around, on a clear straight section of motorway, common sense should be used.

[rayzorblue]

Is that a raw nerve i seem to have touched :lol: and a camera cant tell how straight or clear a road is, but if you were to lose control doin 70 you might end up in better shape than if you were doing 120 especially if you hit the central reservation fly over into that family jus comin back from there hols.

[Harrison]

Well, at least if you hit a whole family you stand a better chance of survival due to the extra padding they would provide! ;) (only joking)

It's a proven fact that more accidents are caused at slower speeds less than 50 MPH, than at high speed. Even on motorways, crashes and pileups are whilst cars are moving slowly. Granted normally some idiot who doesn't break in time starts a pile up but that is a lack of driving skill, not speeding alone.

From what I witness on the roads I consider at least 15% or all motorists unfit to drive.

[rayzorblue]

Well, at least if you hit a whole family you stand a better chance of survival due to the extra padding they would provide! ;) (only joking)

:lol: I just like taking the moral high ground because its hard to break the speed limit on a bicycle, so dont even get me started on pollution :D

[Demon Cleaner]

I couldn't drive in the UK anyway, driving the "wrong" way on the street :blink:

[Harrison]

No! We drive the correct side of the road. It's those on the continent that have it arse backwards! ;)

[Demon Cleaner]

No! We drive the correct side of the road. It's those on the continent that have it arse backwards!How did I know you would say that :hmmm:

[Harrison]

:lol: Well it must be true if you knew I was going to say it. ;)

[Teho]

Well, of course it's you that drives on the correct side of the road and the rest of the world that's got it wrong. Makes perfect sense. :D

[Harrison]

Although a lot of the world do drive on the right, there are also quite a few that drive on the left. Australia and New Zealand for two.

Heres a map:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ec/Sens_de_circulation.png

[Teho]

Well, Australia and New Zealand is on the upside-down part of the globe, small wonder they do everything backwards there! ;)

Can't even get the seasons right.

[AlexJ]

Although a lot of the world do drive on the right, there are also quite a few that drive on the left. Australia and New Zealand for two.

But both NZ and Aus are former British colonies. As are Cyprus, Malta and Hong Kong who drive on the left. The exception to the British colonies is Japan. The Japanese reason is something to do with Samurai warriors, majority of people being right-handed and fighting on horseback in the middle of the road.

[Submeg]

Trust me left is the way to go :thumbs:

[TiredOfLife]

Although a lot of the world do drive on the right, there are also quite a few that drive on the left. Australia and New Zealand for two.

But both NZ and Aus are former British colonies. As are Cyprus, Malta and Hong Kong who drive on the left. The exception to the British colonies is Japan. The Japanese reason is something to do with Samurai warriors, majority of people being right-handed and fighting on horseback in the middle of the road.

Same reason for Great Britain, only change samurai for knights.

[J T]

Also the reason why spiral staircases in castles spiral all in the same way. To help the occupants repel invaders.

As everyone back then was forced to be right handed (left handers were considered to be the work of the devil), the invaders coming up the stairs couldn't swing their sword/weapon properly but the defenders higher up had space for much more of a free and mighty swing.

[Harrison]

Therefore a secret Left hander coming up the stairs would catch them by surprise. ;)

[J T]

If he hadn't already been killed by his own army of course, for being a witch or something.

[Submeg]

lol dont you hate that? I remember, back in the day, that being my previous life....waking up only to realise my left hand had been severed....and laying next to me was a letter, 'by order of the king'. Man did that piss me off :mad:

[J T]

Was it your jerk hand that's why it pissed you off so much?

I'd be pissed off if i lodst that hand too, you get me homeslice

[Submeg]

um.....:unsure: