Watch it on the M27 M3 and Surrounding Area...

[HomerMarge]

Hampshire Police are doing for a television

programme series from tomorrow (26th September) for seven weeks.

If you use the M27 or the M3 this potentially affects you so please

proceed with caution and pass onto anyone who you feel might just need

to know. The program a BBC South commission called "Traffic Cops" will

be filmed covering the area from Ringwood concentrating on Ringwood M27

up to M3 J9 and a team working the ringroad around Southampton (Totton

will have a unit working it alone), Cosham M27 stretch to J5 of the M27

(Southampton Airport turn-off). The fourth concentration is working from

Winchester Services covering M3 to J10 M3 (Winchester South) using five

unmarked cars, two Black Skoda 03 registration Octavias, an 05 plate

dark red Mondeo and two Volvo saloon cars.

The BBC unit are going to be based out of a unit in Millbrook Road in

Southampton and will also be covering the armed police response unit and

the Southampton Airport Police Security / British Transport Police team.

The BBC team are in Citreon Picasso MPVs leased from Arriva.

To make it even more effective the Traffic police have authority from

Chief Constable to "work to rule" So instead of the laid back approach

to the usual Hants traffic police this will be a lot more concentrated

to make it effective filming.

Please bear this in mind if you travel over these routes.

 

[Windrush1]

Thanks for the warnig but if one sticks to the rules of the road no worries

 

[CliveV]

Info much appreciated - passed it onto contacts & clients - many have replied with thanks - so pass these onto you

 

[Mikey1]

Why oh why do people have to warn other drivers about police speedtraps and other police issues?If you speed you are breaking the law , by warning people they do not change their attitude to speeding example person drives through village every day at 50 mph (speed limit) gets flashed about speed trap slows down to 30 for that day only , if if gets a fine plus 3 points it will make him think again and if they reach 9 points the risk of losing their licence and job is a great incentive to stick to speed limits.Having been in the fire service for 10 years and cutting people out of cars due to speeding accidents and others speeding causing the accidents might make you think again , just think speed does kill how would you feel if you lost someone due to a speeding accident!

 

[GrahamW]

Mike

Well this one might run for a bit, I'll tell you why people warn others. It's because it is totally unfair how the police abuse the motorist all the time rather than getting out and arresting someone who deserves it. I am not suggesting for one minute that people should ignore speed limits, quite the contrary, however the experience of getting 3 points and a

 

[Paul8]

Why oh why do people have to warn other drivers about police speedtraps and other police issues?If you speed you are breaking the law , by warning people they do not change their attitude to speeding example person drives through village every day at 50 mph (speed limit) gets flashed about speed trap slows down to 30 for that day only , if if gets a fine plus 3 points it will make him think again and if they reach 9 points the risk of losing their licence and job is a great incentive to stick to speed limits.Having been in the fire service for 10 years and cutting people out of cars due to speeding accidents and others speeding causing the accidents might make you think again , just think speed does kill how would you feel if you lost someone due to a speeding accident!

Oh my God...speechless...really. Unbelievable blinkered attitude!

 

[CliveV]

People warn others for the same reason Speed Cameras (or Sleeping Highwaymen) are "advertised" by way of signs and being painted bright yellow.

The idea is to prevent INNAPROPRIATE speeding. Not speed itself as speed, itself, does not kill.

Speak to a Traffic Cop and they will tell you that bunching caused by an obsticle, tailgating and those occupying the centre lane are far more dangerous events than someone travelling at 90mph and driving well.

I also think Graham makes a valid point. The BBC program is going to make the Police act "properly" i.e. according to the rule-book. I have no problem with this. I hope and expect they will catch the tailgaters and CLOC members and educate them in how to be better drivers. These drivers drive like that because to them it is normal and will not change their ways even if warned.

Speed cameras cannot do this "1 on 1 policing" that is now so sadly lacking. If this program gets more police on the motorway checking all aspects of driving then I for one will be well pleased.

I just hope they catch the old guy that pulled onto the M27 from the M271 who then swung accross in front of me to occupy "his spot" in the centre lane. I had pulled accross into the centre lane to allow him to filter onto the motorway, but he didn't even know I was there. He missed my front by about 2 foot and caused me to brake. When I overtook him, he was staring fixedly in front and he was stiil occupying that centre lane when I pulled off three junctions later.

These antics effectively reduce a three lane motorway to a two lane one and one where a large goods lorry cannot overtake such an ignorant driver.

 

[Mikey1]

Oh my God...speechless...really. Unbelievable blinkered attitude!

Hi Paul sorry to sound blinkered but removing a body from a car that was hit head on by a car going toofast and lost control sort of upsets me a bit!!

 

[Dusty1]

Going back to the original posting, one of the Volvos is silver as it was spotted by a Lotus 7 Club member having pulled a white van near Fareham. The Volvo had a film crew and whopping great camera stuffed in the back.

I understand that there has been confirmation of this filming on local radio and the copper on the news said that they are covering the whole of the Hampshire police area, not just motorways.

 

[Paul8]

Hi Paul sorry to sound blinkered but removing a body from a car that was hit head on by a car going toofast and lost control sort of upsets me a bit!!

How many cars on the road- how many speeders, how many accidents per day? Watch that bus when you cross the road! My cousin was almost fatally injured on a motorbike- It was an accident- is he riding again- yes, is he doing 50 mph everywhere? No.

 

[colin(bridgend)]

I am inclined to agree with Mike (the fireman). Whether you agree with the law or not it is there and therefore should be adhered to. However what has been said by Clive is correct regarding centre lane hoggers. The police should pull them over and initially warn them of their ways and if they persist in this then they should be brought to book. This is not the only stupid action of the motorist, other actions such as undertaking on the near side is not only an offence but also in my opinion dangerous. We as motorists all break the law sometime or other and if we get caught we must face the consequences - all praise to Mike for his views especially in the job he is doing. PS I am not a hoiler than thou do gooder - I have been caught speeding on three seperate occassions.

 

[Mikey1]

How many cars on the road- how many speeders, how many accidents per day? Watch that bus when you cross the road! My cousin was almost fatally injured on a motorbike- It was an accident- is he riding again- yes, is he doing 50 mph everywhere? No.

Paul yes accidents do happen thats not the issue here , we are talking about people who endanger life by speeding and should be caught to be warned of their dangerous driving , and your cousin "yes, is he doing 50 mph everywhere? No." had an accident but wasnt speeding , can i ask what speed he was doing?when he had the accident or was he hit by someone else?

 

[BigRoy]

Mike makes a valid point and I respect his view as he is the one at the sharp end scraping people off the road but as we all know speed alone does not cause accidents.

What concerns me about these programmes is the playing up to the cameras by the over zealous copper and cruising the motorways looking for a situation that will make good TV.

 

[GrahamW]

Mike makes a valid point and I respect his view as he is the one at the sharp end scraping people off the road but as we all know speed alone does not cause accidents.

What concerns me about these programmes is the playing up to the cameras by the over zealous copper and cruising the motorways looking for a situation that will make good TV.

Absolutely spot on Roy, did you ever see the series which covered the Cat and Fiddle Road. There was a right pompous copper on there that not only wanted to give out tickets but insisted on humiliating the poor (albeit guilty) biker first.

 

[BigRoy]

Absolutely spot on Roy, did you ever see the series which covered the Cat and Fiddle Road. There was a right pompous copper on there that not only wanted to give out tickets but insisted on humiliating the poor (albeit guilty) biker first.

Yes I remember that Graham, It was disgrace it brought back memories of my biking days, its all about gaining notoriety

 

[Terry_5081750]

Very interesting reading a real can of worms.I think what Mike is really trying to say is stop the aggresive persistant speeders who cause harm and danger to everyone on the road.The trouble all speeding get tarred with the brush in the Polices eyes which is just not true , how can someone get fined for 31 mph and the same fine for 50 mph its not fair , the 50mph driver would cause alot more damage that i do know , every person has their view but surely no one would like someone doing 50mph through their village.I find it is also very difficult to stick to the speed limit when you have a car with its headlights on full beam and right on your bumper just because you are obeying the law.These are the ones the police should stop .

 

[parker1158]

Hi All

I am sure Paul/Ruth posted this message with the best intentions but I would agree with the others in that if you keep to the limits there should not be an issue. Whether we like or agree with them the limits are there to be abided by and if we choose to flaunt them we do so with the knowledge that if we are caught we will, and deserve to be, punished.

 

[HomerMarge]

wow...did not mean for this one to cause such a stir...

and to say, just because we posted this mail (which we received at home and work from collegues and friends...you now the type that get passed on and on) does not mean we ourselves enjoy breaking the law by driving too fast..

One thought, maybe people who do break the law, speeding, drink driving, undue care and attention(as Clive points out) may think twice about their driving habits when they receive such a mail passed on to tell them of the high police presence in their area...if it stops one person turning the key on their engine after one too many drinks then it was worth sending it on...just a thought

 

[HomerMarge]

meant to say, I also respect the views and arguments we have seen, I cannot imagine what it would be like having to deal with such things as Mike has had to deal with and would not want to, likewise I agree with Graham, like most things nowadays it does seem to be more about meeting targets and a fine and points for 31mph in a 30mph zone is insane? I am sure we have all been out driving and thought why is there never a TV crew and copper around when we get cut up by the awkward driver, or overtaken by a speeder....likewise at some point I am sure we have all done some stupid when driving.

 

[rayc]

The problem with the government road safety initiative is that it is not targeting the causes of accidents. The Chief Constable of Durham has said that in his county, which is representative of the whole country, that only 3% of accidents involve vehicles exceeding the speed limit. The main causes are inattention and misreading the road conditions. Driving within the limit, but innapropriately for the conditions, is also a concern. This is the problem as I see it that if you keep lowering limits below what 85% of drivers would drive at if there were no limit (the way limits were set when traffic engineers set the limits and not social engineers, including local councillors), then the speed limit becomes the target speed. the whole strategy is based on the speed limit. The French have got their act together and their safety is improving all the time. They target the genuine reasons e.g. young inexperienced drivers who have a graded licence system.

We were told that speed cameras and safety partnerships would free up traffic officers so they could target driving without locences and insurance etc. This hasn't happened and there are less traffic officers than before cameras were introduced.