Speed cameras have already been removed from the Wiltshire town of Swindon, and in Wales statistics show that aggravated motorists have vandalised more than 100 in recent years.
With damage ranging from arson to splashing lenses with paint and breaking the glass, dislike for speed cameras is clear, and just as prominent in England and Scotland as it is in Wales.
While no driver should be breaking the rules of the road, the bottom line is that no one likes fines – its just that some of us react more aggressively to getting one than others. For the modern motorist, speed cameras represent just one of several pitfalls that they are exposed to every day.
With temptations spanning minor offences such as parking on double yellow lines, to more serious matters like texting behind the wheel or having a drink and driving, a large number of drivers still fall foul of the law. For individuals and companies alike, fines are a significant expense and a frustrating one because this is a cost that, unlike most others, should be totally avoidable. Most of the time we know the rules and if we manage to stick to them we should never have to pay a fine.
However, this is not the case in every instance and there are fears that the forthcoming postal strikes could leave even the most law abiding drivers exposed to punishment. Expected to cause mayhem with car insurance and road tax renewals, the AA is warning drivers could face fines or risk having their cars confiscated if the delivery of insurance documents and road tax discs are delayed by the disruption to postal services.
While the national road tax database will show that a car has been taxed, if the disc doesn’t arrive, then drivers can be penalised for failing to display it. Missing insurance documents pose an even bigger issue, particularly for owners who leave it to the last minute to arrange their policies. What’s more, there’s a good chance that they won’t even have the luxury of a reminder, as they too will be stuck in limbo because of the postal strike.
While it would have been difficult to predict striking Royal Mail workers, I suppose the moral of the story is get your house in order and renew in plenty of time, because if you cut things too fine you might be in for a nasty shock, once the post finally arrives that is!
