Following the introduction of mobile speed cameras on the M4, I cannot be alone in thinking that enough is enough. We now have mobile speed cameras on a road that a recent EU report held up as one of the safest motorways in the country.
I'm not saying: "I want to speed and you lot are trying to stop me." I have never been prosecuted for speeding in 37 years of motoring. My concern is with the Big Brother aspect. The police, through the medium of the Safety Camera Partnership are happy to persecute motorists, but they don't seem to take much action on the minor crime that those motorists are subjected to every day, eg. muggings, burglary, car theft etc.
In 2000 I was assaulted in the street. The police attended but did nothing about it, but they did offer me counselling. In 2001, I was burgled. The police attended, but again did nothing about it. Later that year, my wife was subjected to an attempted burglary and harassment by a group of teenagers. This incident might not appear in the police records they wouldn't even send a car round.
Now we have the situation where, should I be seen doing 80mph on an empty M4 one Sunday morning...
I am sick and tired of the police hounding motorists. I intend to organise a protest against the Safety Camera Partnership with a view to getting traffic police back on our roads who could deal with the dangerous vehicles, the uninsured vehicles and the drunken drivers.
What I have in mind is legal and would involve driving three cars (or a series of three cars) in slow convoy along the M4.
Banners in support of the protest would be displayed from bridges along the route, which would amount to no more than individuals exercising their right to make a peaceful protest. Anybody interested in helping should e-mail me at robin@rsummerhill.freeserve.co.uk or telephone (01249) 652523.
R Summerhill
Chippenham
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