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More than 2,000 fined for crossing Park Way bridge |
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Jan 26 2012, 01:02 AM
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Cllr David Betts (Con, Purley on Thames) celebrates making money out of 'stupid' Newbury shoppers!This is a bit more like it! Had the council installed cameras in place of bollards, they could have made a killing! All together now: "We're in the money, we're money!" "At a rate of £60 per fine - reduced to £30 if it is paid within 14 days - the council stands to have received up to £136,440 from the fines issued since the bridge reopened to traffic in November, although the council said it was unable to disclose what the exact revenue collected from the fines was as the NWN went to press yesterday (Wednesday)."
On top of that, the council come out fighting! The West Berkshire councillor responsible for highways, David Betts (Con, Purley on Thames) said the drivers had only themselves to blame. “Some people just drive about with their eyes shut,” he said. “It is a very high number of people getting caught, but there are many drivers who just do not read the signs and who ‘try it on’, thinking they will get away with it.” He denied that the camera was installed to catch people as a money spinner for the council: “The reasons for the changes in traffic flow on the bridge are very clear, it is part of the town centre traffic reorganisation scheme to get buses out of the pedestrian part of town, but if people are stupid enough to ignore the signs and we make money, that is a bonus.”That's the spirit! Cllr David Betts (Con, Purley on Thames) finally has something to cheer about as he celebrates the profits from a lucrative traffic order violations initiative. "... if people are stupid enough to ignore the signs and we make money, that is a bonus!" He chortled. http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/News/Article...articleID=19000
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Jan 26 2012, 05:51 AM
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QUOTE “Some people just drive about with their eyes shut,” Very very true. and how many of those "Never saw the rising bollards, guv"?
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Jan 26 2012, 08:44 AM
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People never have a problem turning to their local newspaper when *they* have been caught out not driving according to the rules of the road, but they do seem to have failed to spot the same newspaper detailing the new rules over the bridge over the past few month, or describing all the changes to the area over the last few years - Parkway, the bridge, the bollards, Northbrook Street. I am sorry but I do not buy any Newbury/Thatcham motorist claiming that they had no idea cars were now banned from crossing the bridge, especially as the bridge had been closed for the best part of a year.
Besides, what part of "Except buses and taxis" on a road sign don't they get? No - they know what the rules are, they simply think they can get away with it, no one looking, it's just tiny distance, the traffic lights mean I won't meet anything coming the other way.....
Out of interest, what kind of warning do they want then if standard, approved, road signs aren't clear enough? Sixty foot high signs, lit up with 1000watt flood lights, a man in front waving a flag drawing attention to the signs, a leaflet drop to their car first, a text message to their phone as they approach, barriers, bollards!!!!!, a 24/7 policeman on duty? What is needed then before they actually start using their eyes and observing what is in front of them?
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Guest_xjay1337_*
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Jan 26 2012, 09:06 AM
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Yo, wagwarn wid de thread Andy, my bretherin from another motherin. tink dis is a likcle bit of a topic for discussion mwan. Do you ever realise if you can "Bacon" in a Jamaican accent it sounds like something different all together? Plus if you hook your fingers into the both sides of your mouth and pull, so you're stretching your mouth, and try to say "Bucket" it also sounds completely different. I think a sign at a "normal" height, perhaps 6ft, would be clearer, accompanied by another sign at eye level on the entrace to the bridge. I haven't seen these signs which are too high to see (probably because they are too high) so I can't comment, I'd have to look which I might do when I get some time (just for sh*ts and giggles) Although at their calcs, every single person paid the full £60 fine...convenient eh? Plus Barrie Singleton is wrong. Blue signs do not "usually give positive instructions". Typical "old person, no driving ability" because he can't understand the bloody highway code!! QUOTE Blue signs with white text and white borders are found on motorways, where all direction signing uses this colour scheme.
On non-motorway roads, the same colour scheme is occasionally used for signs bearing miscellaneous written information (such as advance warnings of weight restrictions). They are also used for direction signs for pedestrians and cyclists (which are always accompanied by a pedestrian or cycle symbol). What is positive about that? It's certainly not giving you a pat on the head that's for sure. Nearly all of the lane restriction signs, and "no entry between blah am and blah pm" signs are blue. What a moron. Besides David Betts is right, after all if you are stupid enough to not see road signs then that's your fault. Yes, I appreciate sometimes everyone makes a wrong turn or something and that's fine, and if you do then all you get is a £30 fine. Something most people could afford in a heartbeat. Perhaps signage does need to be improved, as said I've not looked but you get the point. Too many people drive with blinkers on, staring only straight ahead and incapable of adapting to new road layouts or unfamiliar areas because they simply aren't very good drivers. You can tell these people because when you look at them they are staring straight ahead, never check their mirrors.
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Jan 26 2012, 09:07 AM
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QUOTE (Andy Capp @ Jan 26 2012, 01:02 AM) - the council stands to have received up to £136,440 from the fines Or, in reality £68,220 plus a few £30s from those foolish enough not to pay up promptly. I remember pointing the signs out to one driver queuing to cross the bridge, only to watch the driver ignore both me and the signs - I can't say that I am sorry to hear they were probably fined.
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Guest_xjay1337_*
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Jan 26 2012, 09:55 AM
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Agreed Andy, failing to see something is not stupid. But driving and not being attentive to the road, local restrictions, etc, is stupid.
Shall we play some Cluedo? I'm bored.
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Jan 26 2012, 10:09 AM
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QUOTE (blackdog @ Jan 26 2012, 09:07 AM) Or, in reality £68,220 plus a few £30s from those foolish enough not to pay up promptly.
I remember pointing the signs out to one driver queuing to cross the bridge, only to watch the driver ignore both me and the signs - I can't say that I am sorry to hear they were probably fined. I've seen drivers stop and read the signs and then drive on regardless, presumably thinking it's worth chancing it. Let's increase the fines and think of it as a moron tax.
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Guest_xjay1337_*
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Jan 26 2012, 10:23 AM
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http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/gr...t/dg_191955.pdfPage 9 They give instructions or information, yes - but not positive instructions "please turn left my good man, excellently negotiated that speedbump I must say". Mandatory is not "positve" in my eyes. And yes I'm aware that on page 11 or whatever it says "positive". I was not being literal but nevermind you.
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Jan 26 2012, 10:33 AM
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QUOTE (xjay1337 @ Jan 26 2012, 10:23 AM) http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/gr...t/dg_191955.pdfPage 9 They give instructions or information, yes - but not positive instructions "please turn left my good man, excellently negotiated that speedbump I must say". Mandatory is not "positve" in my eyes. And yes I'm aware that on page 11 or whatever it says "positive". I was not being literal but nevermind you. Mill lane - see those white arrows on a blue background - a mandatory sign & giving a positive instruction as to the direction of traffic flow, and thus the direction the driver should travel.
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Guest_xjay1337_*
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Jan 26 2012, 10:45 AM
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Guest_xjay1337_*
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Jan 26 2012, 12:53 PM
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QUOTE (massifheed @ Jan 26 2012, 12:15 PM) I like the fact that the picture of the disgruntled motorist in the article shows the signs which he is complaining about, clearly visible in the background. Even I missed that. What a jockey.
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