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Original poster

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

182 replies

bbcessex · 05/07/2019 15:36

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?

OP posts:
CocoCharlie83 · 05/07/2019 16:54

If I know where a speed trap is it makes it safer for me as a driver even if I never speed. Other road users decelerate quickly once they see a mobile speed camera often as a reaction even if not speeding. This can lead to accidents

Alsohuman · 05/07/2019 16:56

They always publicise the location of mobile cameras here. The whole point is to stop people speeding.

TheVelvetOnion · 05/07/2019 16:59

I would never give people a heads up and can't be doing with other people who do. I'm sick to death of the idiots who speed through the village I live in. Absolute arseholes!

LauderSyme · 05/07/2019 16:59

Reducing dangerous driving is a good thing no matter how it is achieved. The problem with posters A and B is that they are encouraging such a reduction purely on this one occasion, whereas poster C's approach may yield longer term improvements.

A and B are irresponsible and only care about the potential negative impacts of speeding on their own pocket and/or licence. I wouldn't warn other drivers: Don't speed and you won't need a warning!

Cheeseandwin5 · 05/07/2019 16:59

We do have alot of stop and check in our area and it has caused similar debates as your post. People remark that the police are there for a reason, reducing speed, maybe to catch criminal activity and I am inclined to believe that. If it stops one drunk driver than it would be worth it

CuriousaboutSamphire · 05/07/2019 17:02

Iwan much as I sympathize with you* and anyone who has lost lived ones to RTAs, I don't think it is in anyway twattish to encourage people to slow down. That is why the police across the UK publish the locations of their mobile units.

(And thanks for the emotional blackmail attempt, but you aren't the only one to have lost loved ones in similar circumstances)

LizB62A · 05/07/2019 17:09

I'm always Poster C - I ask people why they don't want the police to catch people speeding on our roads, driving without a licence/car insurance etc.
Especially on our local roads where our kids walk home from school etc.

newmomof1 · 05/07/2019 17:11

I'm with C - they put pretty clear signs up too to let you know they're there!

Isn't A also committing an offence?

Original poster
bbcessex · 05/07/2019 17:13

@Iwant2move - so sorry ThanksThanks

OP posts:
sonjadog · 05/07/2019 17:18

There was a drunk driver caught by the police in a speed trap near where I live last week. When he was caught he said to the police that he should have known to slow down as a driver coming the opposite way had flashed their lights at him. So if he had paid attention and slowed down, that drunk driver would have continued on his way for another 15-20 miles to his destination. Would the driver who flashed their lights at him been glad that they had given a warning to a drunk driver so that they avoided being stopped by the police? I would imagine they would be horrified if they knew.

So no, I won't warn other drivers either online or by flashing lights, because you don't know who that other driver is and whether or not they should be stopped by the police.

Jellybeansincognito · 05/07/2019 17:18

I’m with C, I can’t stand people that speed. They’re all big and clever until they kill or injure someone.

Everyone deserves to be safe on the roads.

Lweji · 05/07/2019 17:18

I'm more with A, although I would love to see some dangerous speeders caught.

The fact is knowing that sometimes there are hidden speed cameras leads drivers to slow down in general. I've seen it happen in a road I often use. I must be one of the few, if not the only one, who didn't get a ticket. Grin

In any case, I'm usually more concerned about dangerous overtaking and tailgating.

Original poster
bbcessex · 05/07/2019 17:19

@CuriousaboutSamphire - wow. That was a spectacularly unpleasant comment.

OP posts:
LizB62A · 05/07/2019 17:23

@missbattenburg

A slight correction:
Prevention: warn people and they will reduce their speed for that day only - the rest of the time they'll speed
Punishment: don't and let them get caught

Jellybeansincognito · 05/07/2019 17:23

@Lweji the 3 usually come hand in hand. I can’t even do a journey in the car lately without coming across at least 1 or 2 people that are going to harm with the way they were driving.

SoupDragon · 05/07/2019 17:27

I don't think it is in anyway twattish to encourage people to slow down.

It is twattish when being caught might make them slow down permanently and not just for the small area of the speed trap.

AcrossthePond55 · 05/07/2019 17:30

The police and highway patrol here pretty much tell you when and where it's 'max enforcement', their spokesperson usually appears on the evening news. They'll even tell you that point is not to 'catch speeders' but to slow people down by making them cautious and not wanting to get caught.

It's going on all weekend on the freeways to and from Lake Tahoe due to it being 4th of July. It was well publicized.

Alsohuman · 05/07/2019 17:33

Nobody slows down permanently though. I last got a ticket 12 years ago for speeding on the A1. I probably stuck to the limit for six months.

Lweji · 05/07/2019 17:33

Same here around the holidays when traffic increases, as well as when people are expected to drink.
We know that the police are out in force.

They also post their mobile camera locations for the whole country.

But on the whole, traffic calming measures at black spots are probably best anyway.

sneakypinky · 05/07/2019 17:35

I'm with C

RiftGibbon · 05/07/2019 17:36

Our local FB page has taken the stance of deleting posts warning of "speed traps".
If you are speeding then you should expect consequences.
If you warn people, they'll slow down that one time and then just go back to speeding the next.

Cornball · 05/07/2019 17:39

Once upon a time I would have agreed with c. But!

Nah they're so sneaky, there's a road near me with no visable speed signs apart from one each way on the tarmac that's faded. The limit is 30 but its a dual carriageway looking road. You'd have absolutely no clue it was a 30 and they hide behind some convenient trees so you can't see they're there until too late. It's been raised numerous times but they won't put more signs up and they make 600,000 per year off that stretch at road alone!! That's not for safety, that's a money making scheme

Lweji · 05/07/2019 17:39

If you use Waze, you can report mobile speed cameras in real time.
And you will get the warnings, of course.

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 05/07/2019 17:41

I agree with Samphire and I also didn't like the emotional twang, Iwant2move, accidents are caused by lack of attention, not necessarily speeding but ALWAYS inattentiveness, people on mobiles, changing radio stations, gazing at an accident on the other side of the road, anything but on where they're supposed to be looking. I'm very sorry about your husband but please don't do that.

Cornball · 05/07/2019 17:41

Also worth noting the stretch before is 40 so people are often flashed doing 35 to 40, not whizzing at 60.