Policing on the cheap?

[daktulos]

I'm not sure what I think about this ... in the monthly circular from our MP:

Volunteers wanted for new 20mph speed watch scheme

Residents who are concerned about drivers breaking 20mph speed limits in their roads are being invited to apply for a new speed watch scheme. Citizens living in streets that already have the lower speed limit can volunteer to form a DriveSafe group with their neighbours to encourage vehicles to slow down. Those taking part in the programme, will be trained to stand at the roadside and record details of speeding vehicles for sending advisory letters to the owners, with the aim of encouraging them to reduce their speed. All applicants must have the backing of ten other residents, including at least four people prepared to volunteer at the roadside. The groups will be asked to operate for 12 roadside sessions, starting in spring and ending in autumn 2022.

[Kenzie]

Nothing new, we have a few of them around here. Mostly in the smaller villages.

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[CheGuevara]

We have that (community speed watch) in our village as well, and after being told that additional measures (cameras, speed bumps, additional signage, policing etc) would not be suitable in our area - with no explanation why.

[Kenzie]

Originally Posted by CheGuevara

We have that (community speed watch) in our village as well, and after being told that additional measures (cameras, speed bumps, additional signage, policing etc) would not be suitable in our area - with no explanation why.

I'd read that as they don't want to pay out.

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[Bibio]

round my way the volunteers would get bricks put through their windows.

if scamcams were really about saving lives then there would be one outside every school in the UK.

whats next volunteer police officers... ohh wait..

[keith_d]

Originally Posted by Kenzie

I'd read that as they don't want to pay out.

Maybe we need a scheme where a group of concerned residents share of the costs of a mobile camera which will be sited there on a random day each month. Only paying about 5% of the full cost would make it affordable if the local police already have a mobile unit that's not heavily used.

If residents were willing to pay for a year of random visits, this would indicate that they were serious about speed reduction. And once a few of them have received speeding tickets on their own street they might realise what a stupid idea it was.

[CheGuevara]

Originally Posted by Bibio

round my way the volunteers would get bricks put through their windows.

It's welcomed here- or at least well received in the village whatsapp group (it's a very small village). Plenty of families with young children, residents walking to/from local footpaths or into the centre of the village etc, plus no shoulder on the road to walk on, a couple of blind corners, and generally limited visibility with cars parked on the roadside -it's really not an appropriate place to speed.

Our main issue is commuters and commercial vehicles using the road as access to/from the A14. The first outing of the community speed watch registered one car at nearly 65mph approaching a blind & narrow corner where most cars would struggle to keep their side of the road at anything North of (I'd estimate) 20mph.

So far the best deterrent I've found (while I'm outside at least) is to hold up my phone like I'm recording (I'm not). Not had one instance yet where a speeding driver didn't slow and slink by with a look of shame/fear-of-being-busted on their face. Funny that when the same "tough" people respond with rude gestures and language from inside their car when you politely wave them to slow down.

[Bibio]

Originally Posted by CheGuevara

So far the best deterrent I've found (while I'm outside at least) is to hold up my phone like I'm recording (I'm not). Not had one instance yet where a speeding driver didn't slow and slink by with a look of shame/fear-of-being-busted on their face. Funny that when the same "tough" people respond with rude gestures and language from inside their car when you politely wave them to slow down.

i would be very careful about doing that. up here you run the risk of getting your kurnt kicked in. it only takes one nutter to get upset.

[Adam Ef]

Originally Posted by Bibio

if scamcams were really about saving lives then there would be one outside every school in the UK.

The one that got me was outside a school. 36 in a 30. 7am in the morning Jan 2nd. Everything closed in a small village.


I was impressed my van actually managed to get up to the limit.

[Adam Ef]

We've also had a Police letter for our car speeding caught by a resident scheme. Unfortunately it was the garage it was in with being repaired who were test driving it at the time. No one to reply to state that though according to the letter as it's a resident scheme, not Police, but it would be taken into account in any future incidents of Police concern.