Smile for the camera!

It's that time of the week again. Another post from CATCOUK, and another hour long read ahead of you (well, I did always read slowly...)

This week, I bring you news of great joy! In the media this week has been alot of stats about Speed Cameras. Obviously, there isn't a single sane driver in the U.K. that actually likes the damned things (and for our international readers, I'm sure other countries hate them as well). In fact, I can provide proof to you, that we as the British public hate the pesky things.

I was driving to Band practice this Monday evening. Part of my route goes along a stretch of dual carriageway that has had many accidents over the years. Quite rightly so, the local council have lowered the speed limit (from 70 to 50mph), resurfaced the road, added other restrictions (like closing junctions, and adding traffic lights). Anyways, these methods have greatly reduced the number of accidents, and you couldn't really call this road an 'ACCIDENT BLACKSPOT' any more.

But not happy with making our life miserable with tax, and eveything else they do, the concil decided to add a speed camera to this bit of road. Without really telling us. I drove along here on Saturday, and there was nothing - not even builders/ or highway men as I think I'll call them. They put this camera up on Sunday apparently. Naturally, I put the anchors on to make sure I'm doing less than 50 (which, for legal reasons, I must already have been doing...).

I drove past this same camera again later in the week. I was prepared for it this time, so I 'made sure I was at speed' (ie slowed down) early. But as I drove past, I noticed the camera looked a little bit odd. On the return journey, I saw that something had happened to the camera! After many minutes of laughter, I realised that the locals had clearly decided to take action on our council's new 'cash fund'.

Smile for (or is that LAUGH AT) the camera: WSCC latest cash fund destroyed.

It turns out, that the camera was burned Monday night, less than 48 hours after it had appeared! The culprit placed a tire around the top of the camera, and then set the tire on fire. Local coppers say that they believe this is the action of a Nationwide group, that go around doing this to cameras all over the country. It's not a local person just copying the idea of other drivers accross the country...

The council say that they will replace this camera, as local people want it. Now I'm no expert, but this camera was burnt down 48hrs. after it was put up. Local people WANT IT?!?! Right.... The council clearly havn't taken the hint on this one.

If you think speed cameras are a good thing, and the 15% of accidents they prevent to stop are worth while, why not leave a comment telling me what a good driver you are (just after phoning the police to try and implicate me in this arson attack).

If you hate speed cameras more than the thought of the 'Hoff' in the shower [shudder], why not leave a comment saying what an excellent driver you are, and that Speed Cameras cause more rear-ending accidents, than they prevent.

[LEGAL NOTICE: CATCOUK and it's editor(s) have in no way participated, nor support the illegal activities involved with the Speed Camera mentioned in this post. Any comments made that sound like support for this kind of activity, are made purely in jest, and readers should respect the law and understand that CATCOUK does not encourage anyone to start burning speed cameras by putting tires around the tops, and setting light to them - think of the environmental damage. If you'd like to discuss this further, or bring me in for questioning, why not leave a comment, starting your comment with "Hello, hello, hello. What's going on 'ere then".]