That's cheered me up on a damp morning, good for them.
Quite jealous really, how come Americans get to vote for someone with an alternative point of view.
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I would be wary of using the American idea of morals about law enforcement
"the rage against them by some citizens knows no bounds. In April, a technician servicing a camera in Arizona was shot dead."
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i would rather be a toilet technician than a speed camera technician though
i bet they are right jumped up little so and so"s
party poopers
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I was just about to post the link to "Why links to The Times are not allowed" when I saw who posted it... ;-)
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Cheap populism sometimes wins votes.
It all rather reminds me of a current spat in Ireland about plans to reduce the blood alcohol limits. See these two magnificent contributions to the debate from politicians with a track-record of massive vote-getting: tinyurl.com/yfwmdrm and tinyurl.com/ygo9f8b
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Cheap populism?!?
I thought it was called democracy. If 75% are against something how come they're wrong and you're right?
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If 75% are against something how come they're wrong and you're right?
Winning the votes don't mean you're right, it just means that you get to make the decisions.
By your logic, whatever is done by a democratically-elected governments is right ... so I presume you agree that UK govt's widespread use of speed cameras is the right.
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NW: the fact that a small proportion of speed cameras are genuinely necessary for safety reasons - there's one near here - doesn't alter the fact that the overwhelming majority are there for other reasons altogether and a total pain.
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By your logic whatever is done by a democratically-elected governments is right ... so I presume you agree that UK govt's widespread use of speed cameras is the right.
If the majority had voted on an explicit issue such as speed cameras, then yes. But they didn't.
But I can see where this thread will lead so I'm off.
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No real issue with speed cameras, just the way they are deployed by people who should know better. Our local 'Safety Camera Partnership' is a joke, in so far as it is no more a partnership than I can fly! I contacted my local councillor who forwarded me to the Inspector running the scheme, who in turn forwarded me to the Borough Engineers Dept. All these people have a say in how cameras are deployed. When I suggested that they deploy a camera in my local area to stop speeding they were not interested. I was told they decide on priority based on accident statistics. When I pointed out that the camera in use that morning on a major road into town was positioned in an area that had not had any form of road traffic incident since God was boy, and I could prove it, they all just blustered away muttering about accident potential, whatever that is. When I suggested the camera was positioned to actually extract revenue from motorist, rather than for safety the effect was alarming and worrying, they are so defensive. I also suggested that when someone points out a good idea, the 'partnership' are not interested because they didn't think of it first. So all in all I would like to have a vote in how or if cameras are used. I think any right thinking person does not have an issue with camera use in certain area black spots, but when clearly used as a revenue raiser then I think we can all feel let down and cheated by the people who should know better. Concrete.
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I agree with Concrete. I can't blame the voters for getting rid of something they don't like, but then I do tend to think that the needs/wants of the many outweigh the needs/wants of the few. Not a popular point of view with some people but to me it seems common sense.
Steve.
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If you allow everything to be democratically decided you end up with California; they keep voting for less taxes, but for more public services, and then wonder why the state is bankrupt.
The trouble with democracy is that a lot of voters don't understand the question, and certainly don't understand all the ramifications of the answer.
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The trouble with democracy is that a lot of voters don't understand the question and certainly don't understand all the ramifications of the answer.
No easy answers. The alternative is smug politicians who presume they know best and that dissenters are automatically ill informed... in other words their way is the only way.
So if you happen to be a voter who does have half a brain, you're dismissed anyway.
Look at the voting for the EU treaty. Ireland votes 'no'. So instead of accepting that, they have another one, where they vote 'yes'. So all the 'yes' supporters are now happy, whilst the 'no supporters are not. Who said the 'yes' supporters were more important than the 'no's, why should the 'yes' supporters have multiple goes at the vote whilst the 'no's do not?
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On the bigger issues, those which are not discussed in election manifestos, its quite right that people are asked as its all very well saying you vote for them so you must like everything they will do, but who can tell what they will do once they have done their little list they promised - nobody can predict that with any certainty - Labour dont even bother with their manifesto promises, so it would be very useful to have a say in their madcap ideas.
Id love a vote on speed cameras - id vote for a stringent criteria based on facts about safety rather than some bluster a minister makes up on their lunchbreak to justify revenue creation by the back door.
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- id vote for a stringent criteria based on facts about safety
I'd be happy with that. In fact i'd welcome it.
If you saw a camera, you'd automatically know it was at a problem spot and you should take extra care....a bit like double white lines in the old days.....or even a 'Stop' sign over 30 years ago
Edited by Westpig on 10/11/2009 at 19:28
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Good on the Yanks and 75% getting their way seems like democracy to me. Unlike our underhanded lot here in my town. They pretend to be doing the peoples will but ignore it in reality.
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Have to say that I am not bothered at all about speed cameras. Those awful humps however, get rid of them and have a few more cameras.
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