I did take driving lessons in London, although since I was about to move, I never ended up taking my driving test there. For those of you who don't know - London has speed cameras. Most people know where these cameras are located, but over the years the volume of cameras have increased, and now they have gone so far as to use these cameras to enforce people not going into the bus lanes etc. These cameras are everywhere.
But people are smart. I've heard stories about people who try to fight the tickets they get when the camera takes a picture of a 'car' being in the bus lane or going over the speed limit. People say 'well it wasn't me driving.' This excuse usually works, although I think that police or whoever it is that is in charge of these cameras are going to get smarter and actually be able to figure out who is actually driving and get that on film.
I was talking to a good friend of mine and we were discussing that the use of the cameras is almost becoming like a big brother thing... where they know where u are. For example, a wife who suspects her husband of cheating may want to get hold of these cameras to show that her husband is regularly passing a 'certain road' where he visits his lover daily. How far will we go with these cameras? Also... is it right that we are being watched when we aren't doing anything wrong? The cameras are there in case someone is breaking the law, but when we are not, is it fair to be watched?
In America, well Florida specifically, police cars hide around corners, or dark areas and observe cars for speeding. They have camera-like devices that they can hold up to cars to observe for speeding.Once they see a car speeding, they turn on their lights and chase that car down. Its quite a traumatic process. Suddenly you are driving and then in your rear view mirror you see a police car with their flashing lights on and sometimes sound too and you have to pull over as soon as you can. Its hard to know sometimes if they are trying to pull you over or just trying to get to someone else because they are behind you and flashing their lights so its sometimes hard to tell, so if in doubt just pull over anyway.
I remember when I had just passed my test and I got pulled over. I was so scared. I was just under 18 years old and I was a new driver and new to the United States. It turned out I was pulled over because my tag wasn't fixed the way it had to be (which wasn't my fault by the way). The cop was nice to me and told me to go to the car store and get it taken care of. But honestly, just being pulled over, even if you don't think you have done something wrong really gets your sympathetic nervous system riled up.
One benefit to being pulled over as opposed to being caught by a camera is that you can 'talk' out of a ticket. I was on my way back from my first overnight ER shift at 3am. I admit I was half-falling asleep and was driving without thinking. The roads were new to me and I honestly did not realize that I was in a road work area. I was going 53 mph and because of the road works the speed limit was 40 mph. I do not even remember passing by the police car on my way. But suddenly in the empty road I see a police car flashing their lights with sirens behind me. I am sure they are pulling me over because there is hardly any one else on the road. I quickly look to pull over somewhere, but there are road works and so its kind of hard to pull over in a convenient place so I pull over to the next turning lane. So I stop the car and put the wndow down and wait. I'm wearing scrubs since I just got out of the ER. The cop tells me that I was doing 53 in a 40 mph road work area. I apologize. He asked me where I just came from and I tell him. He asked for my license and I ask him if I can locate it from my glove pocket nearby. And he says yes. Basically long story short, he lectures me for a bit about driving safely, and especially about how since this is a road work area, and if the work men were about I could be fine up to $200 etc. etc. I apologize again. And then he lets me go.
I don't know the formula for them letting a person go. Whether it depends on what you are dressed like, what you say, how you act, or what kind of day they are having, not to mention if it is the end of the month and they have a quota to fill. But regardless I got off - and I'm glad.
But they are starting to bring cameras in especially in Orlando at the traffic lights to monitor whether people jump a red light. And that brings the same questions about people being monitored and watched also.
Most important thing to know is in England police officers are Bobbys and in America they are Cops.
Well.. alas there u go... it doesn't matter where you are... someone is always watching.
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