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Speed camera's have a lot of detractors; ever since they were introduced in 1992 they have been met with a wave of opposition, hostility and suspicion to the extent that vandalism of speed cameras is common and several anti-speed camera groups have been established.
However, when I recently heard about a motocyclist in Scotland caught by police clocking 166mph, the need for some mechanism to control excessive speed becomes clear and undisputable. Covering 0.7 of a mile in 16 seconds, if he had collided with someone at that speed there is only a slim chance that he would still be alive today, while the chances of him seriously injuring someone else are high.
While this example forms part of a moronic minority, he is not the only person on the roads that drives like a maniac. The fastest speed recorded on a British road is a scandalous 172mph. Tim Brady was caught by a speed trap in Oxfordshire in a 3.6-litre Porsche 911 Turbo in January 2007.
In both cases the drivers received a jail sentence, and susbstantial fine which is absolutely what they deserve. With examples like this, it is no surprise that the Highways Agency is about to introduce a new, more intelligent type of speed camera over the next year or so. The new units will be harder for drivers to spot, styled to blend with other street furniture and they won't flash so a motorist won't know that they have been caught until the fine arrives in the post.
These devices are significantly more advanced than the current incarnations and will be able to cover multiple lanes as well as having the ability to distinguish between trucks and cars so that the different speed limits on many roads between the two types of vehicle can be successfully enforced.
I can totally understand why speed cameras can be a frustration to drivers, especially for the drivers who get caught just slightly over the limit. But there really is no excuse, drivers need to stick to the speed limits and if they do they will never have a problem.
While speed cameras in some locations are more effective than others, as long as thoughtless drivers are on the roads, it will be essential that those who are prepared to put other road user's lives in jeopardy through the use of excessive speed are caught and receive the appropriate punishment.
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