Volunteers out to snare speeders in Oakley (From Basingstoke Gazette)
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10 volunteers for Community SpeedWatch scheme
7:10pm Thursday 18th October 2012 in Local By Emily Roberts, Chief Reporter
SPEEDING drivers in Oakley had better watch out.
A group of 10 volunteers has signed up to take part in a Community SpeedWatch scheme in the village.
The members of the public will now be trained by the police in use of speed detection equipment, bought by Oakley Parish Council, to catch drivers speeding through the village.
The parish is one of just two areas in the borough to join the initiative, along with Baughurst Parish Council. Volunteers who sign up to the scheme use hand-held devices to record the speed of drivers and their car details, which are passed to the police.
Anyone repeatedly caught breaking the speed limit could be dealt with by police.
Oakley Parish Councillor Bob Frankland said: “You have to put quite a bit of commitment into doing it and we have enough people in Oakley who are willing to do that.”
The council has agreed to spend £1.99 on each of the volunteers to buy them a high visibility waistcoat to wear while using the equipment on the village roads.
The next task will be for the group to decide which areas of Oakley to target.
Comments(17)
LesFrèresCrucy
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11:46am Fri 19 Oct 12
Sam_Walker123456
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4:12pm Fri 19 Oct 12
The above appears below the story synopsis but if it is a link it does not work for me. What is it referring to? The only story I can find is from 2007 - a bit old to refer to the current story.
W Wallace
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4:25pm Fri 19 Oct 12
shame
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6:32pm Fri 19 Oct 12
. will these people be "shopped" don't think so
shame
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6:35pm Fri 19 Oct 12
Folkestone Saint
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11:22am Sun 21 Oct 12
W Wallace wrote:The fine goes to the registerd owner who then has to tell the police who was driving or take the fine and point's
How are the police going to deal with people? I'm confused by this, what penalties can they impose? Does it take a photo of who was driving? How will they know if it is me or my wife or my child for that matter? Still £1.99 hi vis jacket wish i had know I would have signed up.
Opinions_opinions
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3:44pm Sun 21 Oct 12
Folkestone Saint
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10:37am Mon 22 Oct 12
Opinions_opinions wrote:Read the first two paragraphs again and there is you answer, then read paragraph 3 there is your summary.
Dont' think it can work if a member of the public informs the Police of your vehicle speeding. Only a Police officer, fixed camera, or camera car can use their evidence to prosecute speeding motorists. A public citizen does not have any Police powers and unless the hi-viz brigade have calibrated camera equipment and have all been properly trained to use it in so much that it would be admissable as evidence, then and only then would it be possible for that to be used to prosecute. Otherwise just expect a letter in the post telling you to slow down.
W Wallace
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12:56pm Mon 22 Oct 12
So to me this means you can point your camera with your hi viz top but it doesn't matter unless local Bobby is with you. this may not be the case in Oakley but it does seem to me the case UK wide. But cheers for your valued input.
W Wallace
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1:33pm Mon 22 Oct 12
elwwood
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11:05am Tue 23 Oct 12
Next money saving scheme volunteer traffic wardens?
Folkestone Saint
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5:00pm Tue 23 Oct 12
W Wallace wrote:If enough people report a driver to the police they do have to act, and with evidence in hand this I'm sure will sort out some of the habitual offenders
Folkestone Saint, don't take what you read as gospel. It's meant to deter speeding it's pretty useless unless backed up by a so called enforcer of the law.
W Wallace
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10:21am Wed 24 Oct 12
Folkestone Saint wrote:Rubbish. Our policing system is very poor in following these things up. This scheme may deter people from speeding for a while, you may get a letter from the police advising that you have been seen exceeding the speed limit but without prosecution, points, bans then this will have no long term effect. These individuals have no right to proceed with charges. It will only happen if the police catch you in the act. Not some dithering old fool with a high viz jacket and a speed camera.
W Wallace wrote:If enough people report a driver to the police they do have to act, and with evidence in hand this I'm sure will sort out some of the habitual offenders
Folkestone Saint, don't take what you read as gospel. It's meant to deter speeding it's pretty useless unless backed up by a so called enforcer of the law.
Folkestone Saint
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10:55am Wed 24 Oct 12
W Wallace wrote:I don't care for your aggressive and rude manner towards me and those people trying to make lives for others better, we could take your initiative and do nothing however I feel it is better to fail trying than failing to try.
Folkestone Saint wrote:Rubbish. Our policing system is very poor in following these things up. This scheme may deter people from speeding for a while, you may get a letter from the police advising that you have been seen exceeding the speed limit but without prosecution, points, bans then this will have no long term effect. These individuals have no right to proceed with charges. It will only happen if the police catch you in the act. Not some dithering old fool with a high viz jacket and a speed camera.
W Wallace wrote:If enough people report a driver to the police they do have to act, and with evidence in hand this I'm sure will sort out some of the habitual offenders
Folkestone Saint, don't take what you read as gospel. It's meant to deter speeding it's pretty useless unless backed up by a so called enforcer of the law.
p.s. 3 of my freinds are police officers one of which is traffic so I know what I am talking about.
robertspet8
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12:14pm Wed 24 Oct 12
Several of my friends are solicitors but I wouldn't advise you to seek legal advice from me :-)
But I agree with you that it is better to try and if you fail try something else.
W Wallace
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1:20pm Wed 24 Oct 12
My point is, initially this will slow some drivers down, however those who are likely to speed will more than likely speed up again when they see it is not an actual police officer pointing the camera but someone of the local community. Tell me, when you see the traffic vehicles parked by the road side what effect does this have on traffic? Cars slow down initially and when they get past the stationary vehicle do they not speed up? Yes it is a good idea but in practice I am not sure what sort of impact it will have.
theKman says...
8:59pm Thu 18 Oct 12