Speed Cameras Banned In Swindon, UK
The British Government’s love for cameras of all kinds is well known, and its passion for speed cameras is a story we’ve followed at TTAC for some time. Until now, the news we’ve reported has been consistently bad, unless you happen to be a big fan of increasing government surveillance for revenue-building purposes. But the Times of London reports the speed camera onslaught may have reached its zenith, as the town of Swindon has become the first British municipality to ban the automatic speed traps. The Tory-led council of Swindon banned the devices, for a variety of reasons, although it seems that the “blatant tax on motorists” angle may have taken a back seat to the camera’s half-million-dollar annual maintenance costs in the decision. Hysterical opponents of the move wail that the council would have “blood on its hands” when the first person is killed by a speeding driver.
This, despite the council’s vow to look into more speedbumps, signs and radar-weilding bobbies. Also, there’s the possibility that the Swindon police, Wiltshire County Council and the Highways Agency could pull together more money (from speed cameras) to take over the Swindon Council’s unpaid maintenance costs. The Times also reports that “boy racers” are cheering the council’s decision, clarifying that “boy racers are easy to spot in their uniform of baseball cap, shellsuit and trainers. They sit, low down in bucket seats, barely able to see over the wind-screen as they twitch in time to booming sound systems.” Because when speed cameras are defunded, the ricers win.
More by Edward Niedermeyer
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Damn right the chavs win! Of course having a half a million USD in maintenance cost for cameras in a town of about 25 square miles seems somewhat ridiculous.
“boy racers are easy to spot in their uniform of baseball cap, shellsuit and trainers. They sit, low down in bucket seats, barely able to see over the wind-screen as they twitch in time to booming sound systems.” Isn't this mildy racist. Or ageist. Or something that the supposedly forward thinking people of Europe abhor?