8 December 2003
Speed cameras not widely approved
It was ironic that the first person charged with trying to destroy a speed camera in this country was locked up on the same day that the Government acknowledged that it had gone too far in promoting the so-called road safety device.
As a result the more intelligent police forces have announced that they will be cutting back on cameras, and placing them at black spots only. At the same time a poll was published which showed that 84 per cent of motorists thought they were treated unfairly by the Government: hefty majorities felt that speed cameras did not reduce the number of accidents, that there were too many cameras and (a whopping 71 per cent) that they were there primarily to raise revenue. This did not deter a spokesman from Norfolk’s speed camera promotion partnership, commenting on the trial, from saying he was convinced that a majority of the public were in favour of cameras. He may not have known about the poll, but he certainly knew that 12 out of the 18 permanent roadside cameras in Norfolk had been attacked in the last two years, because he said so. This is hardly evidence of overwhelming approval from the public, given that only a minute percentage of disapproving drivers would go as far as to break the law in that way. More than 700 cameras have been destroyed nationwide.
In fact the emphasis on speed as a big factor in accidents is both mistaken and lazy, as has been shown on this page before – which may be why speed limits are so popular in Suffolk. Excess speed happens, and is dangerous, but the really huge factor behind most accidents, as we all know deep down, is inattention. And that’s why curbing the use of mobile phones by drivers is a great idea. But why stop there? The insides of most cars are full of distraction opportunities. Leaving passengers aside, there are cassette and CD players, radios, air-conditioning controls, cigar-lighters and other assorted peripheral switches.
I am not suggesting that we make them all illegal – except for the passengers, obviously – but drivers need to be aware of the risk they take every time they look away from the road. By lulling them into a false sense of security through suggesting that they can do almost anything as long as they are driving within the speed limit, we are inviting more accidents. And the figures show that’s exactly what has happened.
A reader tells me of a recent incident in which a top-of-the-range BMW filtered into his lane from a slip road “at all of 40mph” – at least 20mph below the prevailing speed of the traffic. He continued: “I had to pull out sharply and overtake – and guess what the driver was doing?”
Not speeding, certainly.
Summit of my career
I was overwhelmed – and, of course, rather humbled – last week to have a signal honour bestowed upon me.
I am now president of the West Norfolk Mountain Rescue Team.
Chairman Mr D Everett, of Snettisham, informed me of the decision shortly after the position was declined by Professor V A R Scheinlich of Hingham. I did not feel in the least slighted to be second choice to such a distinguished citizen, especially as the job included a free team shirt, which I shall of course wear at every opportunity.
According to Mr Everett, Prof Scheinlich declined the offer of the presidency because he was working on a book on the motorways of Norfolk. Other positions within the WNMRT remain vacant: secretary, treasurer and events organiser, for instance. I am particularly glad to take up this post because – contrary to popular opinion – I do feel that there is a big risk to any mountain that strays into West Norfolk. It might simply sink into the Fens, or lose heart in Brancaster. There is no telling what might happen to it in the Sandringham area.
Our organisation will be vigilant in watching for all such events and will not hesitate to do our utmost to rescue any mountain at risk in the wilds of West Norfolk.
Stagecoach scandal
Following concern expressed on this page about the absence of stagecoaches from Christmas cards this year, I received a letter from a concerned South Norfolk man, who described it as “a scandal, and the result of the Government attempting to move our transport system into a century not yet ready to receive it”.
David Williams of Winfarthing (for it was he) wrote: “With Anglia Railways operating an increasingly restricted service, the revival of the stagecoach service between Norwich and London should be looked at seriously.
“As far as I know, the wrong sort of snow can usually be negotiated by a coach and four, making the whole idea seem an attractive proposition. Leaves on the road are no great problem either.”
He adds: “Fortunately the leading community magazine in South Norfolk, nay the whole of Norfolk, has been persuaded to open its ancient archives to a curious public and reveal that all is not lost and the Christmas coach and four can in fact ride again.”
Mr Williams, who is editor of Cock Crow, was kind enough to send stunning pictures of stagecoaches to us. Unfortunately we have been unable to publish them for technical reasons (wrong kind of ink). Curious readers should contact him.
Helpful measures
Metric tonnes are a bit hard for most of us to envisage; so Norfolk County Council has given us a helpful guide in its helpful magazine for all residents. Instead of 13,000 tonnes of salt being stockpiled for use on the county’s roads this winter, we are invited to see this as 1625 killer whales. In similar vein, each gritter will be sent out carrying 12 polar bears – or to be more precise, their weight in salt (not gold).
These violent metaphors may be designed to keep us alert, but we need to be careful where we are going. A helpful reader suggests that we could end up with our whole weights and measures system being rewritten – a bag of sugar could be a large cat, and a sack of coal could be a coypu. I quite like the idea.
Spanking school
Having been a little concerned for the future of some Norfolk schools, which seem to be running the risk of being derailed through PFI, I was overjoyed to read that a school at which my mother taught back in the 1930s has had its Victorian buildings replaced. Rackheath Primary, near Norwich, is now, in the words of the head teacher reported in the village news organ, “a brand new spanking school”.
I understand that the head back in the 30s was not backward in the use of the cane, but no doubt spanking is more in the spirit of the 21st century. I am sure it will go from success to success.