COMMENT: Red light cameras

Over the past few weeks I've increasingly noticed a disturbing behaviour amongst drivers. Yes, there's always the idiotic speeders who feel that any road is a Formula One racetrack, but that's not the problem - though I'd welcome speed cameras wherever it is thought they'll catch speeders. If you don't want to be caught don't speed.

There are also the huge number of drivers who seem unable to use their indicators to let others know their intentions and movements on the road and, more often than not, on roundabouts. But again, this isn't the problem.

The worrying trend I've spotted is more and more drivers going later and later after traffic lights have turned red.

It is absolutely idiotic.

Sure, you may well be in a hurry to get somewhere, or you might even be late, but jumping red lights may well result in you arriving even later... or not at all!

At the moment there's an effective tv ad highlighting the dangers of trying to skip through a level crossing. Surely, jumping a red light is just as serious AND vastly more common an event.

Why do people do it? I'm guessing they think their lateness and inability to organise their life properly is more important than the safety of other road users, cyclists and pedestrians?

And that's part of the problem. Not only do these bad drivers risk their own safety, they risk the safety of others who are abiding by the law.

I think it's time for a clampdown.

I've never understood why all traffic lights aren't fitted with a speed/red light camera as a matter of course. This needs to be changed.

And let's not bother with a fine and a few points on the offender's driving license. That's hardly a deterrent. It needs to be real punishment. Licenses lost. Re-testing required. Long bans.

And don't go bleating about Big Brother. The safety of law-abiding road users and pedestrians is something that must be protected.

OPINION: Increasing the speed limit

With two major motorway crashes this weekend surely the government's ill-advised plan to increase the speed limit on motorways is dead in the water?



Of course, it's not the speed in itself that's the problem; it's the human driver making errors and misjudgements, it's the variable road and weather conditions and it's the continually degrading state of a car between services.

Increasing the speed limit would also have a negative effect on the environment with more poisonous fumes being produced and released into the atmosphere.

A few weeks ago, I saw a documentary in which a system was shown whereby cars linked into a grid which controlled the vehicle; it ensured safe distances, appropriate speeds and eliminated driver error (because the driver wasn't driving). Now that system may be many years away from being put into operation on our major roads but, until then, we need more caution, more sensible laws and a greater awareness of the effect of driving on the planet.

I'd favour a reduction of the speed limit to the US speed of 55 mph with VERY strict enforcement; stop the mamby-pamby 3 points/6points, let's stop people who drive unsafely from driving. I'd also have speed limiters compulsory on vehicles - no vehicle needs to drive over 70 - there is no sane argument for not having speed limiters.

Also, I'm sure it's not beyond the wit of man and technology to devise a system whereby you log in to drive and, if you're banned, you can't drive.

Speed kills. It's a simple message but says it all - well, not quite. Sadly speed kills not only the idiot driving wrecklessly, it often ends up killing others too.