Cops to name and shame speeders

Alan Salter

August 19, 2006

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WATCHING: Now your boss will know

SPEEDING drivers caught on camera while at work are being named and shamed to their bosses in a bid to slow them down. Van and lorry drivers and sales reps travelling during company time are responsible for up to a third of all accidents, latest figures show.

And although Notices of Intended Prosecution are sent to firms to identify the driver of a speeding company vehicle, the news does not always reach the top.

But now in Greater Manchester, managers and company directors of firms whose staff are caught speeding are being sent a pack of warning leaflets called Give Your Staff a Brake to make sure they know what has happened.

It urges them to "Remind your staff of the dangers of speeding in company vehicles and you could save your business time and money".

And the pack even invites bosses to send their staff on a one-day driving improvement course organised by Bury council's road safety unit.

Planning

Also included in the pack are posters reminding staff that 20 road deaths a week involve people at work ,as well as Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents leaflets on speeding, drink and drugs, mobile phones, using personal vehicles for work, and planning safer journeys for company drivers.

The pack tells bosses: éSenior managers, from the head of the organisation down, should lead by example and follow the guidance in these leaflets.é

It asks them to review work targets and performance-related pay to make sure staff are not pressured into breaking the speed limit, as well as allowing enough time to complete trips.

Latest figures for Manchester show almost 500 casualties within eight months were driving for work é more than a fifth all people injured. Another 258 involved commuting drivers.
Claire Wightman, of the %Greater Manchesterés Drivesafe camera partnership said:

éDriving is the most dangerous work activity people do, with company car drivers, and people who do a high annual mileage at work, up to 50 per cent more likely to crash than private motorists.é

What do you think? Have your say.

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Showing comments 1 to 25 and replies | View All

Jake Long, Manchester, City Centre (19/08/2006 at 19:01)

Take pride in putting your foot down. You do not cause accidents by doing so otherwise motorways would not be Britains safest roads. By putting your foot hard on the accellerator; you are helping relieve the stress of other drivers and not spending too much time clogging up the roads and causing congestion.

jon, Manchester (19/08/2006 at 20:48)

Hopefully police officers won't be exempt from this! Their driving often leaves a lot to be desired. I have lost count of the number of polcie cars parked on double yellow lines whilst some gum chewing hatless officer stands in the chip shop queue - standards of his officers is another of Mike Todds failings!

James, Rosendale (20/08/2006 at 09:00)

Another waste of money. Speed is not the problem, its other daydreaming idiots.

Jonathan Robson, Down South (20/08/2006 at 10:11)

Not 100% sure how I could get a speeding ticket while driving a company vehicle without my bosses finding out, given that most arrive in the post these days!

John, Manchester (20/08/2006 at 11:13)

Why should people who work be treated any different from people who don't, the fine and the punishment is enough. It is like running to teacher when someone has been naughty!

Gordon Duff, Grasscroft (20/08/2006 at 11:46)

Motorists if you don't speed you'll put out of work the leeches employed to work these cameras and send out fines.

You might even see a reduction in your council tax.

PW, Manchester (20/08/2006 at 12:56)

A funny but relevant suggestion I read a couple of years ago. Get yourself a premium rate phone number, and put a sign on your van saying "Ring this number to report any discourteous driving". Then drive all day like a white van man, and watch the money roll in. (It was originally written as a joke, and I don't mean to condone bad driving). Seriously, a lot of the bad drivers probably don't care if they lose their job.

Jim, Prestwich (20/08/2006 at 13:18)

There may be a small kernel of truth in that speeding per se is not the cause of all accidents. Most accidents scenes I have passed have been at traffic lights. Given the number of vechicles who race throgh after they have gone red - included police cars not on emergency calls - is it any wonder! Mind though, those that race through are probably speeding anyway.

Andy, Wythenshawe (20/08/2006 at 17:03)

Of course speeding isn't the cause of ALL accidents, but its a major factor in deaths. When we have half wits like Jake Long on our roads, we wont solve the issue.. role on satelite monitored and controlled vehicles.

Jake Long, Manchester, City Centre (20/08/2006 at 22:19)

Although lemming pedestrians cause many accidents I think that cyclists have to be the main cause. Those lycra louts need tagging and their bikes crushing if they do not answer to the totalitarian dictate; eh! Andy. ??" p.s. Is there some logic to being a totalitarian hippy that I do not understand?

Shirley Andrews (EXPAT.), Bandol, France (21/08/2006 at 02:55)

They would be better spending the money on naming and shaming young offenders.Also unruly anti social neighbours.

Annoyed with being ripped off!!, Manchester (21/08/2006 at 09:02)

I've thought it for a long time and most will agree, that speed cameras are just a way of making money, they don't do anything about speeding drivers at all. I have been a careful driver for 5 years with a clean license. That is until Oldham council decided to put yet another camera up on Manchester road! There were no speed limit signs and a central reservation down the middle of the road, with houses set back from the road the highway code states this is a 40 zone. Not according to Oldham council however. After being collared at 41 miles per hour in a 30 zone (no signs remember) I decided to pay up and accept my comeuppance (not like you can argue anyway). However I don't appear to be the only driver caught by this particular camera. The camera has been repeatedly vandalised which makes me think others have had tickets. Since these incidents Oldham council have finally decided to put speed signs up. Bet they made a pile of money though, I suppose it would explain the constant roadworks. I guess this is how they fund them, by screwing drivers who commute to work this way out of even more money! As for naming and shaming company drivers, whats the point!! A slap on the wrist! Aren't the drivers supposed to pay the fines anyway and its their licenses that take the pounding, not the company.

Andy, Wythenshawe (21/08/2006 at 10:12)

Annoyed with being ripped off!!, NO , most people DONT agree with the garbage you've just come out with ... you rip YOURSELF off by not obeying the speed limits. What is wrong with you people, if you dont want points or a fine... DONT SPEED.

Jim, Prestwich (21/08/2006 at 14:50)

Annoyed with being ripped off!! I don't know which country's Highway Code you've been reading, but in the English one it clearly states that in built up areas the speed limit is 30mph unless stated otherwise.

Joe, Radcliffe (21/08/2006 at 17:24)

I QUOTE FROM THE HIGHWAY CODE OF THE UK

The 30 mph limit applies to all traffic on all roads in England and Wales (only Class C and unclassified roads in Scotland) with street lighting unless signs show otherwise)

However you must read it not just look at the pictures at the top of the page

Colin W, Stockholm (22/08/2006 at 05:30)

Last time i checked wasnt it 30 mph in residential areas, areas with street lights unless stated otherwise??? Seems pretty clear cut to me

Annoyed with being ripped off!!, Manchester (22/08/2006 at 09:11)

Actually I did not say I didn't deserve the ticket!!!!! I actually said that the area was not a built up area CAN'T YOU GUYS READ!!!!
THESE CAMERAS ARE A WAY OF MAKING MONEY!! END OF!! Read before you go spouting your mouth off!!

Jake Long, Manchester, City Centre (23/08/2006 at 00:43)

Annoyed with being ripped off!!: Andy is very bitter about cars. He cannot see past his bitterness. I would imagine that he failed his test or something. Either that or he is one of the flat earth brigade (environmentalists) who believe that "cars are damaging the earth, man!"

Andy, Wythenshawe (23/08/2006 at 13:55)

Im not bitter about cars, i own one, ive also had numerous motorcycles and cycles.
What im sick of, is the attitude of certain car drivers that believe they have the right to ignore the law and believe the government is out to get them.
Im also sick of individuals that refuse to accept the damage they cause and how they've destryed the quality of life in this country. I oppose individuals that put self interest before obeying the laws and the good of us all, simple as that.

Jake Long, Manchester, City Centre (24/08/2006 at 10:53)

Andy - some laws are just simply wrong. According to law it is OK to shoot a Welsh person if they are within the walls of Chester after midnight on a Sunday, but that does not mean that it is right. One law that you do not seem to support is the one that gave parliament it's powers - The Bill of Rights 1689. This law states that summary justice is illegal (All grants and promises of fine and forfeiture before conviction are illegal) So you see; even you are selective about what laws you obey and what laws you choose to ignore. Put simply if you obey the law, as I am doing in this case, you would refuse to pay any "on the spot" fine because they have all been issued illegally due to the fact that the statutory instrument that is the grant of a forfeiture before conviction in a particular case is in contravention of the Bill of Rights and therefore illegal. Many people call themselves "Law abiding citizens" without thinking about it, but it is actually impossible to be a true law abiding citizen because the law contradicts itself on so many occasions.

Andy, Wythenshawe (24/08/2006 at 11:54)

True, some laws are wrong, but there can be no question about the legality of speed limits, the only reason certain people break those laws are for personal benefit and to the detrement of the safety of other road users.
Im do not knowingly break the law, therefore i am not selective, your example of the bill of rights has been argued in court and that arguement failed, and its been cited before as an excuse to get away with breaking the law.
There are certain individuals that work the system and ( for whatever reason ) choose to ignore authority , they are a danger to the majority, if you dont like a law get public backing and change it, till that time, obey it or face the courts.

PW, Manchester (24/08/2006 at 16:41)

Jake, in Chester is that after midnight Sunday, meaning early Monday.? Or is it after midnight early Sunday? I need to get that right. (LOL)

Jake Long, Manchester, City Centre (24/08/2006 at 21:00)

Andy - you are wrong about the bill of rights being argued in court and lost. There was one hearing and that was for permission to appeal a case that the defendant had already won, therefore there was nothing to appeal. I have the judgement in front of me. In any case, the matter is going on to appeal once the judgement has actually been handed down. On the second point; as you are finding out, the popularity of speeding laws is at an all time low. Granted that the "slow down" loby shout the loudest, but that certainly does not mean that they are either winning the argument or that they are right. I will admit that motoring law is my sworn enemy and every loophole that I can find, I will use. The reason for this is purely because I don't like dictatorial viewpoints. I believe that we were all born equal and do not have any right to tell each other how to live. If there was a law that stated a minimum speed limit that you personally thought was excessive, would you obey it?

Andy, Wythenshawe (25/08/2006 at 09:38)

Its not up to individuals to decide what they feel ( on any particular day ) is a safe speed , every individual will perceive a different speed is safe depending on how deluded they are . Speed limits and cameras are consistently backed in polls, lower speeds equals less carnage, no-one can argue against that.Clearly theres a minority that decide to pick and choose laws to obey .. they are called criminals, if they cant change the system ( in this case )they cause mayhem on the roads, and kill innocent people. Its also those that drive reckless and ignore the system that will force satelite control on all vehicles within years.

Jake Long, Manchester, City Centre (26/08/2006 at 11:46)

PW - I am not sure, but I think that you need a bow and arrow for it to be legal. It is also illegal to drive a sheep over tower bridge and one more stupid law for you: It is illegal to travel at more than 30mph in a built up area in a machine that you have bought for yorself on roads that you have paid way over the odds to use.

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