NSW Premier: Speed Camera Review

[AWD Chaser]

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/...d-camera-audit

An audit of NSW's speed cameras will be carried out to determine if they really are having an impact on road safety.
If they are not, NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell says, "They will be ripped out".
Mr O'Farrell on Thursday said each of the 172 fixed, six mobile and 60 safety cameras would be investigated in the auditor-general's review
The audit was needed to address motorists' concerns the cameras had become mere cash cows under the previous government, rather than used to improve road safety, he said.
While the premier admitted the unpopular devices were useful in curbing driver misbehaviour, he promised to rip out any camera used merely to gouge money out of NSW motorists.
"Fixed cameras can be useful, there is no doubt about that. Red-light cameras can be useful," Mr O'Farrell told reporters at the RTA's Traffic Management Centre in Sydney.
"What we want to make sure is that transparently, openly, there is an audit to ensure motorists know whether or not cameras at certain locations are delivering that better road safety outcome, or whether it is just in fact about revenue raising."
Mr O'Farrell said at the very least the audit, expected to take about three months, would "remove scepticism and cynicism about this issue".
"At best it will demonstrate case by case whether these cameras are achieving their outcome," he said.
The audit "ticked off" on another election promise of the new government, Mr O'Farrell said.
Motoring group the NRMA applauded the audit, saying motorists had to be assured cameras were only used in spots that would make roads safer.
"The community needs to feel confident that these cameras are there to save lives and not to raise revenue," NRMA president Wendy Machin said in a statement.
"This audit will go a long way to restoring that confidence."

So in other words - if its not making enough money - it'll be ripped out (moved)...

[Ben73]

Let's hope they get rid of those stupid red light and speed cameras that are one unit. I don't see how they save lives.

And they should also make mobile speed cameras more visible or get rid of them completely.


I'd love to hear the opinions on the article from all of all our speed camera lovers we have on this site.

[Rodp]

Originally Posted by Ben73

Let's hope they get rid of those stupid red light and speed cameras that are one unit. I don't see how they save lives.

Seriously?

I actually believe they're the only camera on the road that do make a difference. Seen several accidents by some bonehead planting it to beat the red only to plough into traffic entering from the other side of the intersection. A red light and speed camera deters those boneheads.

The fixed cameras. Pointless. Though, in NSW, if you're done by one clearly you're incapable of paying attention.

[Mechan1k]

The Safety cameras and school zone speed cameras are about the only ones that should be in place really ... the others are revenue raisers for sure.

[flappist]

Ooh he is playing an interesting game here.

Is it just a sham or is he fair dinkum?

What would the "experts" have to say if it actually works out they have been lying to us for years?

It would be so good if there was an "expert black list". Once you are caught pushing an agenda at the expense of truth you are prohibited from ever advising any Government body or receiving or being employed by a body that is receiving income fromr the Government.

e.g. Dodgly little serial pests who rely on hand outs from "road safety groups" academics will cause the aformentioned groups and academics themselves to be cut off.

bye bye Scrooby........

[Burnout]

Up here in Q'land - Ran east up the Logan M'way this morning, those who traverse the beastie will know about this one; the hill before you roll down to the auto toll gate, the gate being at Stapleton.
I'm in the left lane and a B double is in the right, he's making ground on me, just before we round the corner on the hill. He's got a CB & me being observant see him back off a couple, so I do likewise.
We pass the camera cart and he's off like a scalded cat.......

Won't bother to tell you speed cameras don't work...... CB's do, but.........

[XR Martin]

Funny thing about red light cameras, generally at locations where they are installed, rear ender accidents increase dramatically.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by Rodp

Seriously?

I actually believe they're the only camera on the road that do make a difference. Seen several accidents by some bonehead planting it to beat the red only to plough into traffic entering from the other side of the intersection. A red light and speed camera deters those boneheads.

absolutely. i wouldn't care if all intersections had camera's on them, and making them capable of detecting speed as well is a bonus. the amount of times i have a green light and have to wait for the boneheads still entering the intersection to turn in front of me..... i just don't get some people. blatantly running red lights is just plain dumb and they deserve every thing the law can throw at them. many people also don't realise that if the light is orange, and you could've stopped, the penalty is the same as running a red. orange doesn't mean speed up, which is why the camera's have had speed detection added to them.

*jumps down of soap box*

[Brazen]

Originally Posted by XR6 Martin

Funny thing about red light cameras, generally at locations where they are installed, rear ender accidents increase dramatically.

yes, SA's Motor Accident Commission found that there has been a dramatic increase in serious accidents at intersections since the introduction of red light/speed cameras.

I always thought the last place you want people taking their eyes off the road to look at their speedo would be at intersections.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by XR6 Martin

Funny thing about red light cameras, generally at locations where they are installed, rear ender accidents increase dramatically.

generally speaking, most of the time a rear ender means one thing.

[Brazen]

Originally Posted by prydey

absolutely. i wouldn't care if all intersections had camera's on them, and making them capable of detecting speed as well is a bonus. the amount of times i have a green light and have to wait for the boneheads still entering the intersection to turn in front of me..... i just don't get some people. blatantly running red lights is just plain dumb and they deserve every thing the law can throw at them. many people also don't realise that if the light is orange, and you could've stopped, the penalty is the same as running a red. orange doesn't mean speed up, which is why the camera's have had speed detection added to them.

*jumps down of soap box*

They have right of way if they are already entered the intersection, if your light has turned green your supposed to wait until the intersection is cleared before proceeding.

[Luke Plaizier]

Yeah, I have to admit that intersection cameras do make sense. It might make sense to have drag-racing or jump-start cameras too, to stop the infantiles trying to race you at the lights.


Lukeyson

[SEZ213]

Originally Posted by Rodp

Seriously?

I actually believe they're the only camera on the road that do make a difference. Seen several accidents by some bonehead planting it to beat the red only to plough into traffic entering from the other side of the intersection. A red light and speed camera deters those boneheads.

The fixed cameras. Pointless. Though, in NSW, if you're done by one clearly you're incapable of paying attention.

Seconded, on all fronts. Same goes for Queensland - theses cameras stick out like the dogs proverbial...there's plenty of warning, and most camera cars are easy to spot as well. The undercover one's not so much, but you generally know which ones are and which ones aren't...

[flappist]

Originally Posted by Sezzy

Seconded, on all fronts. Same goes for Queensland - theses cameras stick out like the dogs proverbial...there's plenty of warning, and most camera cars are easy to spot as well. The undercover one's not so much, but you generally know which ones are and which ones aren't...

Definition of a successful speed camera:

From a road safety point of view: 0 tickets as no one was travelling above the magic number.

From a revenue point of view: squillions of tickets as many are travelling above the magic number.

* but if speeding is so dangerous why are there not huge numbers of road deaths around any camera that makes a lot of money?

[Jim Goose]

Interesting but how long will this review take?

Red light cameras i dont have a problem with to be honest.
Have also noticed more and more railway crossings also with cameras due to idiots queing across rail lines or driving around boom gates etc...

Speed cameras certainly dont provide any deterant as much as a marked car does doing the rounds...

[flappist]

Originally Posted by Jim Goose

Interesting but how long will this review take?

Red light cameras i dont have a problem with to be honest.
Have also noticed more and more railway crossings also with cameras due to idiots queing across rail lines or driving around boom gates etc...

Speed cameras certainly dont provide any deterant as much as a marked car does doing the rounds...

Yes I was up in Townsville last week and saw a few rail cameras on the road back. Bloody good idea....

[Jim Goose]

hey we agree for once.... lol

Yes too many times i see it here with total dismay.
I was in Cairns last week and the cavilier attitude there was even worse.

Seriously why do people need to drive like maniacs or want to commit suicide?
We all used to drive like pratts when we were young, but as an adult i see more and more people who really dont give a fig.... ok steps of soap box.

[AWD Chaser]

Originally Posted by Jim Goose

Interesting but how long will this review take?

3 months

[Jim Goose]

3months in real time or 3 months in public service time???

[SEZ213]

Originally Posted by flappist

Definition of a successful speed camera:

From a road safety point of view: 0 tickets as no one was travelling above the magic number.

From a revenue point of view: squillions of tickets as many are travelling above the magic number.

* but if speeding is so dangerous why are there not huge numbers of road deaths around any camera that makes a lot of money?

Wha? I'm agreeing that fixed speed cameras are a waste of time...if someone gets finedd around them, I guess it proves they deserve it then doesn't it...?

Aside from that, I'm not sure exactly why that's directed at me?

[gtxb67]

Originally Posted by Ben73

Let's hope they get rid of those stupid red light and speed cameras that are one unit. I don't see how they save lives.

i agree - i do not have a problem with every intersection having a red light camera - and maybe even a speed fine "if" you go through the red light, but i despise the red light/speed cameras

i have seen many instances where a driver has slowed down for the speed camera and the person in the opposite direction turning right, sees that as a sign they are stopping. fortunately every time i have seen it, the person turning right did not continue through or else . . . . since i have yet to see an accident before the red light/speed cameras that must mean they are doing a fantastic job of making the road safer - or maybe just moving the danger to another point

[sudszy]

Originally Posted by Brazen

yes, SA's Motor Accident Commission found that there has been a dramatic increase in serious accidents at intersections since the introduction of red light/speed cameras.

I always thought the last place you want people taking their eyes off the road to look at their speedo would be at intersections.

So is that at intersections controlled by red light cameras or at intersections as a whole in South Australia.

I would anticipate it is the latter as that was the issue that brought lowering the limits to 50km/h at intersections to this forum, but willing to be shown otherwise if someone can provide a link to show the numbers.

[Brazen]

Originally Posted by sudszy

So is that at intersections controlled by red light cameras or at intersections as a whole in South Australia.

I would anticipate it is the latter as that was the issue that brought lowering the limits to 50km/h at intersections to this forum, but willing to be shown otherwise if someone can provide a link to show the numbers.

Ones with the camera put in. The serious accident rate increased (I think even doubled) after the red light/speed cameras installed.

[sudszy]

Originally Posted by Brazen

Ones with the camera put in. The serious accident rate increased (I think even doubled) after the red light/speed cameras installed.

a link or verification would be good.

[Brazen]

Originally Posted by sudszy

a link or verification would be good.

It was an article in The Advertiser, I remember looking it up a year ago and there is no history of it whatsoever. At the time the police minister was very critical of the report and seeing the Motor Accident Commission is a government department I think it quietly got shelved.

I just sent the MAC an email asking for a copy, if I get no satisfaction I could always submit a Freedom of Information request.

[SEZ213]

Here's an interesting little snippet from an article I found...

Governments in every Australian state have installed red-light cameras at many intersections, claiming that these devices increase safety and prevent accidents and thus reduce the road toll. Whenever politicians are questioned on them, they insist that these gadgets are not there to raise revenue, but to increase safety. Of course this is the greatest pile of utter garbage and provably so.

After many red-light cameras were installed in Victoria, David Andreassen of Monash University did a 10 year comprehensive study of the effect of these cameras, gathering accident statistics at intersections for 5 years before red-light cameras were installed, compared with accident statistics for 5 years after red-light cameras were installed at the same intersections. Predictably, this study, the most comprehensive look at red-light cameras in the world, found that these devices not only did not reduce accidents, but increased them dramatically, totally debunking the claims of politicians who had approved their installation.

Source: http://www.carr.org.au/traffic%20cameras.htm

I don't know if it's fact or not, as I couldn't find any data - but I don't really see these cameras being a problem, personally of course.

[Brazen]

Originally Posted by Sezzy

Here's an interesting little snippet from an article I found...



Source: http://www.carr.org.au/traffic%20cameras.htm

I don't know if it's fact or not, as I couldn't find any data - but I don't really see these cameras being a problem, personally of course.

Interesting and there I was going to bash another Monash Uni report.

[SEZ213]

Originally Posted by Brazen

Sorry, but as soon as I see the words Monash University in any road safety report, I immediately tune out. They have been in bed with government for years in a lucrative grants and academic appointments which support victorian government policy. Monash is a joke.

Read it again, backs up the theory that red light cameras are useless...I know, Monash uni aren't generally reputable...but it seems this man agrees and has data to back up what you're saying - in Victoria anyway.

[Brazen]

Originally Posted by Sezzy

Read it again, backs up the theory that red light cameras are useless...I know, Monash uni aren't generally reputable...but it seems this man agrees and has data to back up what you're saying - in Victoria anyway.

Yeah Im a schmuck, misread the article. Can I switch my anti-Monash position now that I agree with them on something? Or does that make me a big fat hypocrite?

[TheInterceptor]

Another polititian making promises....not biting into that unless he delivers, even then, would he do that to gain our trust before backstabbing us?

Meh, i absolutly hate to the absolute max "saftey cameras". If im caught in the wrong spot when the lights being to change, it means i either have to slam the brakes or gun it. Hypothetically I'd get booked either way, i imagine running is red gets less punishment (read:fine and points) than speeding does nowadays.
More realistically, the increased danger and stupiditiy of the fact that you'd cross the intersection with your eyes on the speedo..but of course you're 100% safe because there's a miracle saftey cam watching you('re wallet)!