Would you warn oncoming drivers of a mobile speed camera?

I have been warned by other drivers several times in the last few weeks, but I live in a rural area where it is very common to warn each other.

I am not admitting to warning others of Police, I know there are several Police officers on this forum although I do not know their forum names.
 
john_smith said:
Yes. Always. If people are speeding I feel telling them to slow down could prevent an accident.
Click to expand...

So you flash your lights at people speeding regardless of whether there's a camera?

I'd have thought points and a fine would be more likely to have a better long term effect.
 
If I notice a speed camera van it reminds me that the place must be an accident black spot so I let people know they are approaching a dangerous location. Most drivers appriciate the warning and respond with a thumbs up.

Everybody is safe. If there's a side effect of saving the police some paperwork as well then that's a bonus that i'm sure they will appreciate.
 
Last edited:
The enforcement of speed limits is all wrong, let me give you these examples.

Last night I drove my lad into the pool. As I was about to pull out of a side road onto the main route a car went past (through our village with a 30mph limit which is very much needed) at, I estimate, over 45mph, about 50% over the limit.
Later, in Sheffield city centre, a guy went though a red light about 3 seconds after it had changed and then sped off round park Sq roundabout (30mph limit) at around 50mph before accelerating to about 60 on the first section of the Parkway (30 limit). 60mph is 30mph over the limit (100% over in his case) and, AFAIK, ban territory.
Both those cretins knew full well they were speeding yet they have still got their licences and therefore cannot have been done for speeding, certainly not that often.
On the other hand, as mentioned above, I got a speeding ticket (from a camera....) for accidentally doing 36mph on a primary route dual carriageway.

As I said, the enforcement of speed limits is all wrong.
 
john_smith said:
If I notice a speed camera van it reminds me that the place must be an accident black spot so I let people know they are approaching a dangerous location. Most drivers appriciate the warning and respond with a thumbs up.

Everybody is safe. If there's a side effect of saving the police some paperwork as well then that's a bonus that i'm sure they will appreciate.
Click to expand...
I used to get quite angry at people warning speeding drivers about speed cameras but after my recent ticket I actually think there is something in what you have said, though on balance I still don't approve !
I very much think all speed cameras should have the speed limit at the location painted on the road right in front of the "lines", which, in a way, is similar to what you have said. It would mean the number of speeding tickets given out would plummet yet the cameras would still be slowing cars down at supposed accident black spots*, which is supposedly what the cameras are there for......

* They aren't all accident black spots are they ? The camera that got me was on a stretch of road with only 4 "slight" accidents in the 6 years before it was put in and it was only 40mph before, not 50 or 60.....
 
Last edited:
SheffMan said:
The camera that got me was on a stretch of road with only 4 "slight" accidents in the 6 years before it was put in and it was only 40mph before, not 50 or 60.....
Click to expand...
That camera has been there 15+ years, were you really so upset about it that you went digging out accident statistics from the early 2000s? :cry:
 
Kenai said:
That camera has been there 15+ years, were you really so upset about it that you went digging out accident statistics from the early 2000s? :cry:
Click to expand...
I may be getting confused about when the camera was put in and/or the speed limit dropped, but it amounts to the same thing really, i.e. it does not seem an accident black spot and therefore the huge number of tickets that camera must issue since the speed limit was dropped are just generating money. It was this one :
www.bournemouthecho.co.uk

'Insane idea': Council to reduce speed limit on busy road where a speed camera sits

THE COUNCIL is to reduce the speed limit of a busy stretch of road which has a speed camera on it.
www.bournemouthecho.co.uk www.bournemouthecho.co.uk
 
Last edited:
AFAIK this is a thread about if it is acceptable to warn drivers about speed cameras. That is surely a question about ones attitudes to speed cameras and if they are doing their job of making the roads safer as opposed to just generating money. And my opinion has changed significantly on that in the last month...
If these "safety partnerships" go to too far, like they did in Bournemouth (and it's not just me who thinks they did), then they will lose public support.
 
Freefaller said:
I personally go out of way most days to help others - it's a natural trait of mine, doing a small hand movement on the stalk to warn people of hazards just makes the world a nicer place in my eyes.
Click to expand...

An interesting perspective - while I appreciate your intentions are positive towards the person you're flashing, and I also do my best to help people, I'm not sure I see enabling someone to get away with breaking the law as "making the world a nicer place".

Would you also offer to hide a dealer if they knocked on your door to hide from the police, or hold the door for a shop lifter so they could get away from a security guard that bit quicker?
 
john_smith said:
If I notice a speed camera van it reminds me that the place must be an accident black spot so I let people know they are approaching a dangerous location. Most drivers appriciate the warning and respond with a thumbs up.

Everybody is safe. If there's a side effect of saving the police some paperwork as well then that's a bonus that i'm sure they will appreciate.
Click to expand...
Although if the police catch you doing it, you've broken the law and have caused them to do more paperwork...
 
Haggisman said:
An interesting perspective - while I appreciate your intentions are positive towards the person you're flashing, and I also do my best to help people, I'm not sure I see enabling someone to get away with breaking the law as "making the world a nicer place".

Would you also offer to hide a dealer if they knocked on your door to hide from the police, or hold the door for a shop lifter so they could get away from a security guard that bit quicker?
Click to expand...

I am of the belief (rightly or wrongly) that those 2 aren't comparable examples and is false equivalence, and they both have disproportionate consequences.

Someone that may be enjoying a spirited drive as we also enjoy(ed) doing at some one point, is not the same as a criminal in my eyes. Regardless, if I'm doing 50-60mph on an NSL and the other person is doing 65-70 I honestly couldn't really tell you if that person was actually speeding or not (the closing speed of 120mph ish is hard to ascertain if it's +- 10mph to me), I'm focussed on my driving and the road ahead. If I've driven past a camera van, or a horse, or some cyclists, or ANY hazard (and yes I consider a camera van a hazard) I would warn them. My view is, if it slows them down and creates less of an incident later on so much the better,.

Technically I'm not supposed to warn them of hazards or horses or anything, by why wouldn't you at least try? If my actions (which I couldn't prove either way) had a positive impact and slowed the person down and meant they went past the hazard safely, it may (although may not) slow them down for the rest of their journey.

Yesterday coming home from my dojo at 9pm, I was enjoying the wooshing and whistling of my car along some dark country roads (I live in the countryside), I wasn't going over the limit, but I was going at pace nonetheless. In a layby a couple of deer were standing around, it made me slow down considerably for the rest of that stretch of road as there may have been others that decide to dive across the road. Had someone warned me I'd have had my spider senses up and probably driven less enthusiastically. Ultimately nothing bad happened, but its easy to forget the hazards that can be present on the road, especially country roads with high hedges, so a warning of hazards is never a bad thing in my eyes.

I'm sure you'll disagree - but I'm happy in my decision to warn people for something minor like a speed camera. Whilst it may technically be potentially illegal (could be argued as obstructing the police in the execution of their duty, though this is often debated and rarely enforced for simple warnings), it's generally perceived as a very minor infraction aimed at helping someone avoid a fine for a relatively low-level offence (exceeding the speed limit slightly). The direct harm caused is minimal to non-existent in many people's and my own eyes.

Hiding a drug dealer/Aiding a shoplifter - these are significantly more serious actions. It involve assisting individuals engaged in activities with clear victims and substantial societal harm (drug dealing) or direct theft (shoplifting). Harbouring a suspected criminal or actively helping someone evade capture for theft are serious criminal offences with severe consequences.
 
Last edited:
Who on earth wouldn't warn someone. Weirdos.

Then again we have a ton of fixed cameras here so not much point. But if there is a mobile one you bet I'll help out. It's very easy to get insane fines here into six figures for silly things. E.g being too close can cost you 108,000 CHF...

And certainly driving in other countries it goes without saying.
 
Freefaller said:
I am of the belief (rightly or wrongly) that those 2 aren't comparable examples and is false equivalence, and they both have disproportionate consequences.

Someone that may be enjoying a spirited drive as we also enjoy(ed) doing at some one point, is not the same as a criminal in my eyes. Regardless, if I'm doing 50-60mph on an NSL and the other person is doing 65-70 I honestly couldn't really tell you if that person was actually speeding or not (the closing speed of 120mph ish is hard to ascertain if it's +- 10mph to me), I'm focussed on my driving and the road ahead. If I've driven past a camera van, or a horse, or some cyclists, or ANY hazard (and yes I consider a camera van a hazard) I would warn them. My view is, if it slows them down and creates less of an incident later on so much the better,.

Technically I'm not supposed to warn them of hazards or horses or anything, by why wouldn't you at least try? If my actions (which I couldn't prove either way) had a positive impact and slowed the person down and meant they went past the hazard safely, it may (although may not) slow them down for the rest of their journey.

Yesterday coming home from my dojo at 9pm, I was enjoying the wooshing and whistling of my car along some dark country roads (I live in the countryside), I wasn't going over the limit, but I was going at pace nonetheless. In a layby a couple of deer were standing around, it made me slow down considerably for the rest of that stretch of road as there may have been others that decide to dive across the road. Had someone warned me I'd have had my spider senses up and probably driven less enthusiastically. Ultimately nothing bad happened, but its easy to forget the hazards that can be present on the road, especially country roads with high hedges, so a warning of hazards is never a bad thing in my eyes.

I'm sure you'll disagree - but I'm happy in my decision to warn people for something minor like a speed camera. Whilst it may technically be potentially illegal (could be argued as obstructing the police in the execution of their duty, though this is often debated and rarely enforced for simple warnings), it's generally perceived as a very minor infraction aimed at helping someone avoid a fine for a relatively low-level offence (exceeding the speed limit slightly). The direct harm caused is minimal to non-existent in many people's and my own eyes.

Hiding a drug dealer/Aiding a shoplifter - these are significantly more serious actions. It involve assisting individuals engaged in activities with clear victims and substantial societal harm (drug dealing) or direct theft (shoplifting). Harbouring a suspected criminal or actively helping someone evade capture for theft are serious criminal offences with severe consequences.
Click to expand...

The thing is, whilst you may be a skilled driver who is able to safely judge when it is safe to speed, in my experience, most drivers who are speeding have a very inflated sense of their skill behind the wheel, and their speeding is a reflection of their (lack of) ability rather than any carefully thought out action.

Just a couple of days ago I was stuck in a queue for 45 mins because someone had "somehow" managed to write off their car (no other vehicles involved) on a 30mph dual carriageway. Needless to say there was absolutely no way they were doing 30!

Speeding itself may not be the specifically dangerous part of their driving, but when coupled with poor observation and judgement, it exacerbates the effects. Less time to react to hazards means it's more likely for something to go wrong, and when it does the outcome is going to be worse.

Speeding is no more or less a "victimless crime" than selling someone drugs. Everything is fine and nobody gets hurt. Until someone ODs or an innocent motorist/cyclist/pedestrian is killed because someone decided to drive outside their abilities. Considering I have to share a road with these people, the quicker they rack up their 12 points and end up stuck on a bus the better.
 
Last edited:
Freefaller said:
Technically I'm not supposed to warn them of hazards or horses or anything, by why wouldn't you at least try? If my actions (which I couldn't prove either way) had a positive impact and slowed the person down and meant they went past the hazard safely, it may (although may not) slow them down for the rest of their journey.
Click to expand...

"You MUST NOT use hazard warning lights while driving or being towed unless you are on a motorway or unrestricted dual carriageway and you need to warn drivers behind you of a hazard or obstruction ahead."

That said, trying to claim a speed camera is a hazard (and I know people attempt to justify it - sudden braking etc.) is absolutely laughable.
 
Last edited:
Haggisman said:
The thing is, whilst you may be a skilled driver who is able to safely judge when it is safe to speed, in my experience, most drivers who are speeding have a very inflated sense of their skill behind the wheel, and their speeding is a reflection of their (lack of) ability rather than any carefully thought out action.

Just a couple of days ago I was stuck in a queue for 45 mins because someone had "somehow" managed to write off their car (no other vehicles involved) on a 30mph dual carriageway. Needless to say there was absolutely no way they were doing 30!

Speeding itself may not be the specifically dangerous part of their driving, but when coupled with poor observation and judgement, it exacerbates the effects. Less time to react to hazards means it's more likely for something to go wrong, and when it does the outcome is going to be worse.

Speeding is no more or less a "victimless crime" than selling someone drugs. Everything is fine and nobody gets hurt. Until someone ODs or an innocent motorist/cyclist/pedestrian is killed because someone decided to drive outside their abilities. Considering I have to share a road with these people, the quicker they rack up their 12 points and end up stuck on a bus the better.
Click to expand...

I think a lot of the issues with driving is down to driver distraction - music too loud, smart phones, touch screen infotainment, and generally automatic cars now that are just point and click. That doesn't absolve anyone of the responsibility of driving safely though I agree. However on your point, if people are so poor at driving, my warning will do absolutely nothing and they'll get caught anyway, so it's win win. I get to warn someone that may or may not be an attentive driver, if they are, they slow down and drive more carefully (win), if they're not, they'll get a fine for being caught speeding (win).

I still don't agree with your last paragraph as you've shifted your argument a little as you're now focussing on the potential consequences of the actions rather than the act. But you do have a valid point that both actions CAN lead to death or serious issues which doesn't make them victimless. However you're still in my opinion only focussing on the potential worst case scenario ignoring the probability and frequency of deaths or serious issues from speeding vs drugs, the nature of the harm whilst road deaths are tragic and awful, harms from drugs are much more complex (addiction, overdosing, crime, societal decay, gangs etc...). Equating them solely on the fact that death or injury can occur oversimplifies 2 vastly different problems.

Ultimately it comes down to intent and context from my perspective, most people speeding slightly aren't doing so with the intent to cause harm, whereas drug dealing inherently involves distributing dangerous substances often with disregard for the consequences. The context of of my original point (warning someone about a camera for speeding) gets lost when one immediately jumps to fatal accidents. Society I think would generally view dealing harmful illegal drugs as intrinsically more dangerous and morally reprehensible than minor speeding, even acknowledging that speeding can be dangerous.

You do (fairly or not, I'm not sure of your background, situation or life experiences) seem to have a strong personal animosity towards speeding drivers from what I can tell about hoping they clock up 12 points and end up on the bus! I mean whilst extreme, I totally support your right to hold that view, and I would agree if we're talking about doing grossly over the speed limit outside a school or in a small town then in which case I'm on the same page.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom