Mobile Traffic Enforcement - They Have to Go !

[the-e-dealer]

If you dont want to do the Time don't do the Crime. Simple!

[Twirly]

Just out of curiousity, what would the people who are objecting to these cameras have the authorities do instead? Should people not be fined for committing offences? Should they receive no other punishment? Should the offence just be ignored? It's all very well objecting, but can anyone come up with an alternative?

I too am a driver, and am horrified with some of the selfish behaviour we see on our roads. This behaviour leads to increased congestion and accidents. The junction mostly under debate here is renowned for being dangerous. If having the car there stops someone dying because drivers are taking extra care, I'm all for it.

[Loz]

I don't object to the cameras or for having lots of traffic wardens. What I do ask for is for them to be open, honest and accountable. I don't think that's a lot to ask for.

[StraferJack]

I can't disagree with you loz

And yet and yet

I suspect most people who consider themselves all those things couldn't do the job for more than a month a remain even a single of those qualities.

As for people saying they took the job, that's just ignorance of how many truly shitty jobs are out there, and where people's circumstance leave them with no choice

Now that sounds like I'm making excuses for bad behaviour, and I'm sure some posters will capitalise on that, but I'm just counterbalancing the relentless attacks on them. You hear plenty of motorists complaining about them but where is their side of the argument?

[Lawrence]

What I do ask for is for them to be open, honest and accountable

Lovely idea, honest and accountable wardens fining honest and accountable motorists.

[Medley]

Loz Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I believe that any surplus can only be put to

> "road safety" purposes.

>

> I put that in inverted commas as one council

> (Westminster) somehow decided that hanging baskets

> were an important tool in the fight for better

> road safety.

that was within the rules - if the council is ranked excellent by the Audit Commission (to be canned, I think?) then the council can spend it on what it likes. Westminster makes an annual surplus on parking fines of something like 15m quid.

[BruceA]

I think you might find www.NoToMob.co.uk illuminating. They have exposed numerous incidents where massive profits are being made where confusing, non-compliant or missing signs are allowed to remain so drivers can be entrapped. The covert CCTV cars do nothing to prevent offences endangering the public and causing congestion. They just let them happen for profit, whereas a CEO might prevent them. At least, you'd know immediately if you committed an offence and not possibly commit more while you wait for your CCTV issued PCN.

Here are a couple of examples:

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=4&ved=0CEYQtwIwAw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D0ADTL6Se22w&ei=edB5TuGtIsK28QPJrd0c&usg=AFQjCNHDM4AiRApkmPt7wczdRzYbW4p7UA

I rest my case. Now stop moaning and come and help the NoToMob!

[BruceA]

WCC's surplus is nearer ?30m and they have not been able to get their accounts signed off by the Audit Commission for the past 2 years due to "irregularities" ;-)

[James Barber]

Hi Gimme,

Sorry, I hadn't noticed your question of me before now.

My understanding is that people driving and parknig in Southwark are gradually getting more law abiding and year on year fewer tickets are beign issued. Great news.

From memory Southwark makes ?3.5M profit. I'm sure I've posted the figures on the EDF somewhere...

[kford]

How much profit do the American contractors APCOA make?

PS, they're still parking with their engines running for their entire shift. They also operate their mobile phones while the engine is running. This is illegal, with a fine and points from the police.

[Masterblaster]

I actively support the enforcement of the law, even if petty. If I don't like a law, I write to my MP, or to the relevant government department. You cannot have laws and allow people to break them. Lack of respect for the law / knowledge that you will not get caught seems to me the ultimate reason for the riots.

To the person who asked about the rules on yellow boxes (without google) I believe the rule is that you should not enter until your exit is clear, unless you are turning right and only prevented from doing so by oncoming traffic. :)

[Freddy1929]

figgins Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> www.notomob.co.uk

>

> I hate these stupid little cars. The council

> clearly is not interested in stopping bad

> driving/speeding/illegal parking. On the

> contrary, it wants it to continue and even

> increase, because it is a source of revenue. If

> they wanted to reduce it, they would have signs up

> warning you that the camera car was around. How

> much of the council's annual budget comes from

> speeding tickets, parking tickets,

> "yellow-box-offence" tickets, etc.? They rely on

> this money.If everyone suddenly stopped

> speeding, stopped getting parking fines etc. they

> would be in trouble. And we are paying for it twice.

We pay for the car and the staff to be

> employed (and to tell us to mind our own business)

> and we pay when we get fined.

your comment ''if everyone stopped speeding, and getting parking fines.....''

speaks for itself!!!! DO NOT SPEED OR PARK ILLEGALLY and you won't get fined, so the Council will no longer need to fund Traffic Enforcement staff!!! everyone will be happy!!

[kford]

Anyway, they're not speed camera cars. Not equipped or certified for it. They're really only used to nab bad parkers and no-right-turners.

[BruceA]

It is very naive to claim that all drivers need to do is to stop breaking the law. In many cases, these $CAMera cars are knowingly taking advantage of non-compliant, confusing or hard to see signs to swell the profits of NSL and Apcoa and prop up shrinking PCN revenue to pay the council fat cats.

Here is a classic example of a 'honey-pot' being exploited which shows just how easy it is for them to mug motorists:

When viewing this, also consider what % of drivers were turning left anyway! Fortunately, action by www.NoToMob.co.uk ensured that all victims of this scam were reimbursed.

[mynamehere]

I agree with BruceA. A Parking Enforcement system has to be run with the utmost integrity: there are plenty of grey areas and plenty of confusing road markings. The purpose is: safe driving and clear main roads. I also complained here some time back that I was ticketed while standing by my car in front of my house on a street with no restrictionss at all. You all responded quite loudly that I should learn how to park.

The southwark car that ticketed me sat and did nothing during the school rush. The two men sat and ate and chatted. Then the car sprang to life and raced twice up and down in front of my house. Drove off. Raced back. At that moment one of the men jumped out and put a ticket on my car. He jumped back in and raced off while I stood in the road and yelled.

I have a cut drive in front of my house. My forecourt was loaded with wood and such. My car stood in front of my drive and, yes, the tyres touched the cut paving stone. I did take it up with parking and it became ridiculous talking about the wheels of my car and this 1/2 inch of paving stone and whether I am allowed to stand in front of my house and a cut curb. Why were these men on a residential street with no restrictions that was empty? I've seen them since, the same car and men driving in the same way on an empty street with no restrictions. And when I stopped and looked at them I do believe they remembered me and accelerated away although it was perfectly clear they had intended to ticket a car for some minutia of transgression.

While Rome burns.

[kford]

@ myname here: A Parking Enforcement system has to be run with the utmost integrity

When it's run as a private profit-making enterprise, as all council contracts are, this is impossible.

[BruceA]

Flagship Council Parking Dept lets slip the real motive for CCTV!

[James Barber]

Parking fine revenue is down 17%. Cool. People are currently being more law abiding.

[kford]

APCOA's shareholders will be up in arms.

[BruceA]

"Parking fine revenue is down 17%. Cool. People are currently being more law abiding."

Not necessarily so. There has been a massive fall in demand as the motorist is being priced out of central London.

You have to be careful jumping to conclusions with statistics, e.g. 30% of fatal accidents involve excess alcohol > you are more than twice as likely to be involved in a fatal RTA if sober > So drive drunk! Or there have been no adults convicted of consensual homosexual acts since 1967 > there is now no homosexuality! :))

[mynamehere]

Councillor Barrie Hargrove, cabinet member for transport, environment and recycling at Southwark Council

Transport... that includes parking fines and administration

Environment and Recycling.... the blue and brown and green bins

a man who from the creation and implimentation of policy can only be seen as having little insight or interest or breathe of knowledge

[BruceA]

Councillor Barrie Hargrove? Ah, yes! The man that, after studiously ignoring my emails, felt that my offer to turn up at his surgery to video his answers concerning the enforcement of the bay in Southampton Way constituted a threat that required him to consult the legal department. Democracy at work, eh? :)) I wonder if he is concerned about ending up with substantial quantities of egg on face like Cllr Rowley?