Is it unreasonable to post a warning about a speed trap?

[bbcessex]

Just seen this debate going on on our local village Facebook group.

Poster A: Warning everyone, there are police with speed gun trap at XXX lane today.
Poster B: thanks for sharing, will go slow down there today
Poster C: the point of speed gun traps is to catch speeders and give them consequences like fines or speed awareness courses. Consequences change behaviours. You are wrong to pre-warn people as it removes the consequence which means the drivers won't learn a lesson.

For the record, I'm not any of the posters but I completely agree with Poster C. Typical facebook bunfight has now ensued.

Is Poster A unreasonable to post the warning?

If it makes people drive slower I don’t see an issue with As post..

With poster A

In Switzerland, you can be fined for posting such a warning, even on a closed What's App group.

I agree with A

Notifying other drivers by flashing them, even posting locations on social media is an offence and can land a substantial fine.

The police put the location of the speed cameras for the week in our local newspaper so I don't think A did anything wrong tbh.

I'm afraid I don't agree with A.

You would not believe the amount of people that loathe reasonable speed restrictions and limits, even when the road is in front of a school. They see it as their right to drive as fast as they like.

We have a problem with this for a road in our area. One day, someone kill injure or even kill a child, but you can't get these drivers to slow down and keep to the limit.

So poster C wants people to speed then?

I see the reasoning of C but...

Our local police always publish locations of speed traps ahead in advance. If they do it, why shouldn't anyone else?

I was told (although not sure I believe it) that the point of the traps - and the reason why they are highly visible (most of the time) is to encourage people to slow down in the first place.

Oh... Peter Perfect just arrived

And several Twatty Theresas

If it makes people slow down then its helping.

Someone is being unreasonable using pre-warn.

I agree with poster C, so do I vote YABU or YANBU?

CuriousaboutSamphire

I must be a self righteous twunt with a dead husband killed in an RTA by a collision with an overtaking driver. I was left with three children to support and no income.

The police in my area publish where the speed traps are going to be each week.
If you're not a speeder, then you have no need to worry.
If you slam into the rear of someone who has slowed down for them, then you were going too fast and too close.

The problem with posting this is it will cause people “in the know” to slow suddenly at the relevant moment. People behind them who aren’t expecting them to do this will have to slow, too. This could cause an accident.

If the person behind is maintaining a sensible distance, they won't cause an accident!

If you warn people who habitually go too fast then you are making that bit of road a little safer that day.

as some one who is sick to the back teeth of being tailgated by twats while doing 30 in a 30 I am with C 100%

I still laugh at the time a tailgating asshat over took me at speed on a 30mph road and went straight through a speed cam - which flashed nicely!

I've always thought as you do! "I'll go slow today" My arse! Go at the correct speed every day!

oh and don't get me started at '20mph when light flash' school lights - the 20 is in a big red circle ergo it's the fucking law not a choice

Depends whether or not you think prevention of crime is the most importnant thing, or punishment for crime is.

Prevention: warn people and they will reduce their speed
Punishment: don't and let them get caught

Prevention is probably going to result in less impact on innocent bystanders because the crime is not committed in the first place.

Punishment allows the crime to happen, any victms to be impacts etc and then acts afterwards.

I can see both sides, warning does slow people down and I'd rather have safer streets than anything else. I think the best thing would be for OP to post regular warnings that speed cameras are out on Main Road/High Street/School Lane etc and see how long until someone realises it's made up

I'm interested: if there wasn't actually a speed trap, and A was lying because they just wanted to get people to slow down, what would everyone think about that?

Person A just changes peoples habits for today, but has no impact long term.

Person C let's people change their long term (after they have been fined multiple times l, if they are slow learners) habits

I’m in camp A.