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Drunk driver felled Long Lane speed camera
IT HAS been revealed that a speed camera in Hillingdon which was felled, was in fact the result of a drunk driver crashing into it.
It was originally thought that the Gatso in Long Lane, Hillingdon, was lying prone on the side of the road after an act of vandalism by a disgruntled motorist, with Hillingdon police unable to provide information otherwise.
However, a witness to the crash, which took place on December 27, has revealed that a driver of a Land Rover in fact ploughed into the speed camera at high speed.
Nicki Couch, of nearby Windsor Avenue, Hillingdon, said: "The driver of the Land Rover had been driving under the influence of alcohol and had in fact collided into the speed camera, whilst managing to completely write off a silver Vauxhall Corsa belonging to an elderly resident of Long Lane.
"I actually called the police at the scene of the accident and my father and my sister's fiance had caught up with the driver down by Oak Farm Library and held him there until the police came.
"To see that someone had written to the Gazette saying that the speed camera's are not wanted there, to be honest, horrifies me and obviously it is needed following the event mentioned above.
"If someone had in fact been in that Corsa, I can assure you that they would not have survived."
The road stretches between Uxbridge and Ickenham, and has a speed camera near to the junction with Oak Farm Primary School.
Ms Couch added: "I think that the need for speed camera's along Long Lane and other busy roads is completely essential to ensure the safety of all road users and pedestrians, not forgetting the fact that this speed camera was directly opposite a popular primary school."
Swindon Council recently caused controversy by becoming the first local authority in England to axe speed cameras claiming they do not save lives, although Hillingdon Council, who have been running a hard hitting anti-speeding campaign over the past few months, indicated they have no plans to follow suit.
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Point is that the speed camera did not catch the drunk driver did it? So Nicki Couch's claim that the speed camera is "needed" is complete nonsense. Speed cameras do not catch drunk drivers, it takes police patrols or public spirited people to do that :-)
Its useless there. The residents clearly hate it as a large van is always parked in the way of it to prevent it getting decent shots, and since the speed cameras gone so has the van. And safety because of the school? to be honest thats a joke. two relevant points here:
Who would speed along their when school children are out, and secondly, if they wanted to, i guarentee you EVERY time the kids are near that road, the road is completely packed. If that was a 10mph speed camera, it still wouldnt catch anyone at the time kids are out. All its there for is money from those who are unfortunate to not know the area doing 35, hardly a major problem, and to catch out the younger drivers, removing half their license with 3 points if their still on probation. They havent placed it in an accident hotspot, they have placed it when the road goes DOWNHILL and with NO BENDS and a CLEAR view. Honestly, read the capitalised bits. You could safely do 40 down their. The speed cameras are only their for money, good on Swindon who scrapped them and also LOWERED their speeding figures.
obviously it is needed following the event mentioned above.
ok when was the last time those money grabbing machines actually caught a drunk driver?
I live quite near to Long Lane and have driven up and down it many times and must say that on many occasions whilst following other motorists along there at around 30mph I've had to brake to under 20mph due the driver in front jumping on the brakes at the sight of the cameras which leads me to believe that they are a distraction more than a deterrent!!!
I find it disgusting to think that anyone feels the need to justify speed cameras, they have been proven to increase the risk of accidents, and for proof of that statement look at all the skid marks on the A40 just before the eastbound exit slip road at the polish war memorial, just after the camera was installed.
there is no need for the speed limit to drop just there as it is still a 3 lane carriageway. and the only reason they are installed is to further "tax" the motorists of this nation I think the government have gone to far with regards to punishing the motorists who make the silly mistakes, a few miles per hour over the limit, forgetting to put a seat belt on having a quick drink of water while stopped at the traffic lights. and did no one think this apparent drunk driver had a personal vendetta against the speed camera and did in fact deliberately aim at it, it's not unheard of.
totally agree with O. Scott & Anonymous ,
cameras are simple an act of evil,... They have been proven not to save lives, and are only there to generate revenue to the council. if they need anything to start with then they should regulate the parking hooligans by uxbridge liquid nightclub, where without clear lighting or signs pray on people right infront of the civic centre