Moral dilemma….warning oncoming traffic of speed traps.

A woman has just received a speeding fine for doing 24mph in a 20mph area.

Yes, she was speeding but could that be considered a dangerous speed?

The same thing happened to a friend where there were newly erected 20 mph signs - but not one warning her that she was entering a 20 mph road from a side road.

I do understand that speeding is dangerous, but where are the police when drivers overtake at speed when we are doing 70 mph on a motorway? Some must be doing 100 mph.
Oh! They're busy trapping people doing 24 mph in a new 20 mph zone..

Freya5

MissInterpreted

I don't really see a dilemma here. If you're warning them, then surely they are going to slow down, and isn't that the whole point?

Not the publics role though, is it, it counts as police obstruction, as reviously stated. People speed because they think the rules don't apply to them, and that they know best. Let them get caught I say. Two children were killed on a nearby roads, idiots racing, above the speed limit. So I will never warn other drivers. This makes me so angry.

I've already said that I personally don't do it, nor do I condone speeding.

MissInterpreted

I don't really see a dilemma here. If you're warning them, then surely they are going to slow down, and isn't that the whole point?

Not the publics role though, is it, it counts as police obstruction, as reviously stated. People speed because they think the rules don't apply to them, and that they know best. Let them get caught I say. Two children were killed on a nearby roads, idiots racing, above the speed limit. So I will never warn other drivers. This makes me so angry.

Yes flappergirl and GSM and sadly drivers with no respect for speed restrictions may end up seriously injuring or killing someone.
I think well meaning drivers warning of speed traps should consider the bigger picture.

Germanshepherdsmum

If they are speeding the object of the exercise is to catch them doing it. Someone who regularly speeds will slow down when warned of a speed trap and put their foot down again as soon as they’ve passed it. Repeat offenders will gather points on their licences which will eventually see them disqualified.

That's a good point. You might be warning somebody who is not an habitual offender and who is inadvertently doing 30 in a 20 zone.

On the other hand you might be warning someone who couldn't care less and who needs to to be disqualified.

That has been mentioned 2 or 3 times WW

It is against the Highway Code.

😱 Would mine too VioletSky…………

I hope the context to that is assumed

I hate being flashed at night, ruins my vision

Agree driver's shouldn't exceed the speed limit but what I do find strange is that on my 15 mile journey to work there are three long straight sections of road with clear visibility. These are the only safe passing places on what can be a slow road due to volume of lorries. The speed vans/traffic police often wait on these stretches but have never seen one on the winding stretches . Where I live the most dangerous road user are the tractor drivers who are usually using their mobile phones and seem to put their foot down in town but never when I am stuck behind them! I probably would warn someone of a speed trap ahead.

Good point.
I hadn't thought of that.

I'd think those who do flash their headlights to 'warn' others will probably do to to all oncoming motorists, whether they are actually speeding or not.

I don't agree with warning speeding drivers.

To me, it would just reinforce the feeling if invincibility; "I've never been caught yet" thinking.

Oh no, of course not

It's the people who speed everywhere that are the problem and if someone is knowingly speeding everywhere why do they deserve a warning to not face the consequences of speeding everywhere

VioletSky

Misinterupted

Do I know for a fact that speeding is a problem?

Yes of course

Because of all the accidents it causes being the reason that cameras and traps exist

No, I meant do you know for a fact that every driver who is 'warned' by another motorist is actually speeding? Probably not the case...
I'm not condoning speeding, by the way, and I've already said that I personally don't warn others of speed traps.

welbeck

it is improper use of the headlamps; same as sounding the horn, only proper use is to make other road users aware of your presence.
not of any other presence.

Flashing headlights, as you say according to the Highway Code are only to be used to let other road users know you are there, but seem to be used to covey all sorts of messages these days, including intimidating other drivers. I guess we have all been guilty of misuse of flashing lights but not of intimidating hopefully!

I don’t think warning about speed traps poses a moral dilemma to me, I just wouldn’t do it. I am always surprised how relaxed some are about speeding, and do not consider it a serious offence.

Cameras are not used as some believe be “money making devices” but placed, or used, where there is an hazard and also where there have been accidents including deaths. They are not used randomly.

Last year 29,429 people (including 1,633 fatalities) were killed, or seriously injured in road collisions in UK Many as a result of excess speed. In comparison there were 602 homicides (England and Wales) if as many were killed or seriously injured through violent crime, there would be much more of an outcry, but we seem to accept it.

Misinterupted

Do I know for a fact that speeding is a problem?

Yes of course

Because of all the accidents it causes being the reason that cameras and traps exist

MissInterpreted

Surely if you are warning someone, then they are going to slow down, which is the object of the exercise. Some drivers are repeat speeding offenders and seem to almost take fines in their stride, so to speak.

It’s not just a question of fines, though - if you get a lot of points then AFAIK you can lose your licence. Plus points are going to whack up your insurance costs.

VioletSky

MissInterpreted

I don't understand that 'logic' at all. If you are warning someone, then they are going to slow down. I don't see how it means they would feel safer speeding more. Anyway, it's not something I do.

Because they are speeding the entire time they haven't been "warned" not too

And you know that for a fact?

There is one particular spot not far from me that is a police speed trap cash cow. It’s a 50mph limit, but nowhere near a built up area. The speed van is sited in a lay-by at the bottom of a fairly steep hill, and can’t be seen before you reach it. It’s very easy to inadvertently speed because of the hill, and lots of people get caught every time it’s there. I’m all for prosecuting for speeding, but I don’t like this tactic, so I have been known to flash drivers going down the hill to warn them.

If it makes drivers slow down, what's the problem! It's no different from your sat nav warning you of speed cameras.

MissInterpreted

I don't understand that 'logic' at all. If you are warning someone, then they are going to slow down. I don't see how it means they would feel safer speeding more. Anyway, it's not something I do.

Because they are speeding the entire time they haven't been "warned" not too

it is improper use of the headlamps; same as sounding the horn, only proper use is to make other road users aware of your presence.
not of any other presence.

I understood that it was illegal to warn others, as is the use of speed detector devices. Surely warning someone by flashing lights or whatever means that the speeder then has carte blanche to speed if there is no one flashing lights at them.

A friend who holidayed quite often in Europe said that in one country they drove through (wish I could remember which!) had a system where if you were speeding in urban areas a traffic light further down the road would turn red and you’d have to stop until it went green again. They were a bit baffled at first by having to stop at these seemingly pointless traffic lights until it suddenly twigged with them that they were the ones responsible for making the lights turn red and that it was also why other drivers were glaring at them.