Victim mentality?

[BayView]

Was watching the teev last night and there was a story on the news about unmarked cop cars.

One was shown pulled up behind another vehicle (the cop was issuing a ticket to the driver), lights flashing etc.

This particular unmarked car was a white station wagon, with an "L" plate on the back, and those white silhouette family stickers in the rear window.

I thought; "How cool!" - a good way to catch speeding etc drivers.

But no!

The reporter of the story was interviewing various folk about what they thought of this unmarked car situation, and almost every one of them thought it was unfair, under-handed, sneaky, etc, and they shouldn't be allowed to patrol in cars like this, or have hidden cameras - we should be warned, and the cars/cameras should be visible.

Now, maybe I'm completely wrong, but to me; the whole idea of cameras and unmarked cars and so forth is to stop speeding drivers and cut the road toll?

Therefore, if we all know that there could be a hidden camera somewhere, or an unmarked car sitting right behind you, it gives everyone a very strong incentive to not speed, and hopefully save a lot of lives and serious injuries?

To me; driving is not a right - it's a privilege, and we are obliged to follow the road rules. Every day I see many, many violations of rules - blatantly too.

Simple procedure; follow the rules ( as you are supposed to) and you won't ever have to worry about cameras and unmarked cars skulking about, trapping the inconsiderate and irresponsible.

I felt these folk were of the victim mentality, whereby they think it's ok to blame everyone else for their misfortune - but of course; it is their own doing. No-one forces folk to speed or run red lights, or tail gate etc.

I say keep the hidden cameras and unmarked cars - hell; add loads more!!

What's your take on these hidden cameras and unmarked cars?

 

[HD_ACE]

Its the guilty ones that seem to think its unfair.

 

[AlmostBob]

I think its funny, good on em

 

[TMNT]

you do know that there is no proven results that increasing the speeding fines or spending 1000% more on police with speed guns hasnt actually lowered the roadtoll?

 

[Aaron_C]

Speed cameras are another tax. The 100% justifable tax.

They do not lower the road toll - anyone who suggests otherwise is engaging in post hoc ergo propter hoc.

 

[HotRod]

Speed cameras are another tax. The 100% justifable tax.

They do not lower the road toll - anyone who suggests otherwise is engaging in post hoc ergo propter hoc.

Knock your socks off.....

Cameras Save Lives

 

[DaveM]

It seems like everything these days is someone elses fault and nobody is responsible for their actions

 

[datto]

Fines collected should go to intensive education programs. In schools, prior to obtaining licences etc.

Better education beats other enforcement measures IMO.

 

[Crabnet]

A recent local study showed that speed cameras are predominately set up in areas likely to generate lots of revenue rather than in accident hot spots.
Like on the main road at the end of my street where the speed limit changes. Rarely an accident although a truck did lose it's brakes once and another was a drunk who slammed into a pole during the early hours.
As far as unmarked cars, there have been times when I wished there was one around to catch the hoons that weave through traffic at maximum revs, suddenly change lanes to undertake and tailgate during peak traffic times.

 

[TMNT]

It seems like everything these days is someone elses fault and nobody is responsible for their actions

agree, I am definitely one of the first that says "wah wah wah, gen Y, young people, nothing is ever their fault, its the entitlement mentality of australians"

and

"if you dont speed then you have nothing to worry about whether the fine is $100 or $1000"

that being said, at which point do you draw the line, what happens if fines were $10,000 for being 1km over hte limit, and I want my taxes to be spent on police enforcing harsher crimes, robbery, theft, assault, not some petty 1km over hte limit, even if I didnt speed, I dont want to see police every 100m hiding behind the bush trying to catch someone

 

[Ideo]

The problem is that unmarked cars, cameras etc are great for increasing revenue, but do little for actually addressing bad driving.

Put more marked police cars on the road and you will see a general improvement in driving. Fewer people using phones, tailgating, keeping in the right hand lane when not overtaking and so on.

Just concentrating on speeding sends the wrong message regarding road safety. Most accidents are caused by either inappropriate speed (doing at or below the speed limit in poor conditions) or driver inattention rather than speeding. But these are not really looked at. Instead we have a "well I'm not doing more than the speed limit so I'm a safe driver" even if they are singing along to the radio, having a chat on the hands free and got the cheapest tyres they could and always skimp on car maintenance.

I do 40,000kms a year. I would prefer to be on a road in the middle of the day where the cars were mostly reps and other people who drive for a living doing 120+ than on a weekend when people are sitting on 100 but not thinking about the action of driving.

 

[Fifth]

Someone has been watching Today Tonight. Or A Current Affair. Or The Project.

Watching such programmes is, in the words of ACA/TT/TP, 'a disgrace'.

*shakes head with Tracy Grimshaw-like moral indignation*

 

[Indifference]

......
I say keep the hidden cameras and unmarked cars - hell; add loads more!!

What's your take on these hidden cameras and unmarked cars?

How about this..... a hidden camera or unmarked car only targets individuals.... an obvious camera or police car affects everyone's speed....


Isn't everyone going slower, better than 1 or 2 being targeted & just them going slower?

If it is safety you want, how about we drop ALL speed limits in the entire metropolitan areas (city limits) to 50 km/hr... everywhere. Even better, let's speed limit cars using smart roads, so that they can't exceed the posted speed limit in any circumstance by sending a signal to the car that prevents it from speeding......

When society gets tough on other serious crime, perhaps people will be more accepting of this sort of thing.... until then, let's all agree to disagree!!!

 

[geoffw]

I prefer to see unmarked cars than fixed speed cameras- where only the non locals get caught.

I would like though to see more red light cameras. I've been far closer to accident situations from people running a light than somebody driving too fast.

 

[nhg]

I read a study once, somewhere overseas they had an electronic sign that showed a happy face when driving under the limit and a sad face when someone speed by.

The sad face had a significantly greater impact slowing drivers down for longer than a speeding camera where people slowed down and sped up again once they passed it.

I won't state my driving record, it is quite horrific, and I personally prefer unmarked cars to the obvious 3 warnings and then a speed camera we commonly use in NSW. If anything, put a safety cam in every traffic light. That will slow people down.

 

[DEC]

The problem is that unmarked cars, cameras etc are great for increasing revenue, but do little for actually addressing bad driving.

Put more marked police cars on the road and you will see a general improvement in driving. Fewer people using phones, tailgating, keeping in the right hand lane when not overtaking and so on.

Exactly right.
Everyone is a good boy or girl on the road if you actually see cops.
Same in public space, people are less inclined to be idiots if they know the cops are nearby, but no, not enough money to be made actually solving the problems.

 

[BayView]

The problem is that unmarked cars, cameras etc are great for increasing revenue, but do little for actually addressing bad driving.

An unmarked car actually catches people in the act.

So do cameras.

You would think that the pain of being caught, or the possibility of being caught will slow down those who are caught.

We had a typical Falcodore driving bogan in our workshop the other day, who had lost his licence - too many demerit points. This loser is 55 years old, I might add.

I asked him how this occurred; he replied "speeding fines". I couldn't help myself and replied; "well; stop speeding then"....I wonder if the penny dropped?

This guy wants to get his shoit-heap fixed, but is broke and can't afford the repairs (I wonder why).

What I have observed over many, many years of driving is that when there are marked cop cars in view, everyone behaves themselves.

As soon as the cop car turns off onto another street/road etc, everyone speeds back up - every time....

Cops on the side of the road with a radar gun - everyone slows down, until they get about 200m up the road past the camera, then speed up again - every time.

So, whilst I agree the visual presence of cops is a deterrent (and I think we have waaaay too few of them on the ground), it is a very short and temporary one.

 

[BayView]

Fines collected should go to intensive education programs. In schools, prior to obtaining licences etc.

Better education beats other enforcement measures IMO.

Kudos.

I agree.

Driver training and education should be a Curriculum subject in schools.

Get rid of (well; not get rid of, but make them extra curricular electives of you wish to learn them) PC subjects like social studies, or learning some obscure second/third language that no-one will ever use and cr@p like that; teach kids subjects that will help them live as adults, and on how to be responsible in the real world.

I reckon all kids from about year 8 onwards should be doing practical driving training classes with qualified instructors - and written studies (road rules, etc), as well as advanced driver training course after this - before leaving High School.

 

[BayView]

A recent local study showed that speed cameras are predominately set up in areas likely to generate lots of revenue rather than in accident hot spots.
Like on the main road at the end of my street where the speed limit changes. Rarely an accident although a truck did lose it's brakes once and another was a drunk who slammed into a pole during the early hours.

This is my only gripe about the use of cameras.

And, I see three (parked cars on the side of the road) in our area which are in exactly the same spot almost every week of the year, at various times and days. It absolutely only for revenue raising.

All three are in areas where pedestrians almost never, ever walk, and are on straight roads where the speed limits are less than 80km's.

I can envisage the day when some disgruntled truck driver, having been pinged for one of these ridiculous traps, comes back and rams one of these parked cars with a camera on it clean off the road, killing the the occupant....it will happen.

As far as unmarked cars, there have been times when I wished there was one around to catch the hoons that weave through traffic at maximum revs, suddenly change lanes to undertake and tailgate during peak traffic times.

Not just hoons, I'm afraid - add to this teenage girls and tradies on mobile phones, mothers on the way to school pick-ups....to name a few groups.

Hoons are perceived to be most likely to drive like this, but I've seen all groups drive like this - except the Nannas in their Corollas and Camrys who sit on 75km's on the freeway.

 

[investor2009]

Follow the road rules and you won't have any problems.

Life is not meant to be 'fair' and I can think of a hell of alot worse things, I just think people who whine about getting caught speeding and 'cops' in general really dumb.