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Are we seriously to believe that in this day and age with GPS positioning, sophisticated measuring devices and speed cameras, both static and mobile, that the police or SOCO cannot do this job without closing a motorway for 12 hours?
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Don't really think that making money comes into discussion around death and/or serious injury.
Daresay if you were the bereaved relative a delayed journey for others would be a small price to pay for a thorough investigation at the scene. I'm sure that the police specialists/motorway repair teams/accident investigators, etc get there and do the job as quickly and professionally as they can. Also, Can't quite see the relevance of GPS positioning or speed cameras in the investigation of a fatal accident.
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The use of GPS and cameras are useful for determining the position of accidents, vehicles, tyre marks on the roads etc, etc.
Sadly, because plod takes an inordinate amount of time now to clear non fatal accidents, people are less inclined to give them the benefit for serious ones.
BTW, I have seen Lanacshire Police use cameras extensively to photograph accident scenes plus other specialist measuring devices. They use these for computer similation to determine the cause of an accident. I never mentioned speed cameras being used in the investigation of accidents if you care to read my post carefully.
Thank you.
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Since I joined this forum I've refused to mention that I am one of those Traffic 'Plods', it just wasn't an issue. However the ignorant comments being expressed here warrant a reply. I am the investigating Officer for a recent double fatal accident involving two motorcyclist and a car. The road was closed for five hours. This was to allow us to carry out a full examination of the scene, including the taking of aerial photographs. We also examine the road surface carrying out skid tests and other measurments. Every piece of debris is marked and measured. This enables us to find the answers that the deceaseds family need . In this case it also clears the surviving car driver of any blame. These two bikers thought it would never happen to them, just as it will never happen to you.
Speed Cameras have become a curse and most Police Officers are just as angry at their abuse as you are. However, your tabloid comments do you no favours and I would suggest you find out facts before resorting to such ill-informed tat.
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Have to say, an uncle was a copper as was a cousin and even I wanted to be a copper when younger.
It is a sad fact of life that the Police, for a number of reasons ie scameras, failure to respond to reported burglaries promptly, failure to catch 'real' criminals etc, have lost the trust of many, many people like myself.
Scrapping someone off the road mustn't be pleasant but can you honestly say a road must be closed for upwards of 12 hours when this isn't the situation? On the radio today, there were reports of another major road closed due to a wagon accident (no fatalities) but the road would be closed for 10 hours! WTF!
A sobering thought is that it is the constables of today who are the ACPO's of tomorrow who are doing the damage with what one can only describe as a strange sense of priorities.
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Midlifecrisis
Putting aside the unfortunate anti-police rhetoric in this thread the original post seemed pretty reasonable and concluded
Although a subjective opinion, it seems to me that road closures are much longer these days and much longer than abroad.
Are therefore investigations more thorough today than in earlier times and in other countries?
A rather cynical view expressed to me by a jaundiced ex-copper was that the ability to earn lucrative overtime was hardly an incentive to rush matters.
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I would fully support midlifecrisis's view from the sharp end. If someone close to me was involved I would not want to hear that nobody knew why it happened, they just swept up the mess quickly so nobody would miss Eastenders.
Plus let's have some consideration of how unpleasant the job is. In the case I referred to, it wasn't very nice for the CSI to be faced with a decapitated head stuck in a helmet.
PB.
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As a car driver and motorcyclist doing a fair mileage each year and with an interest in road safety (as well as survival) I, too, would be interested in knowing the cause of the accidents which I see and come across the aftermath.
It is obvious to me that there are many causes, not just one. Poor observation; excessive speed; misjudgement of distance; poor road layout or signage; weather conditions; driver impairment due to drink, illness or drugs, etc., etc.
What seems to missing is any attempt to relay the information gained back to the public. Yet how can the public improve their behaviour and anticipation if they don't know what causes accidents.
Many of the issues raised by the results of investigation are out of police control. There are too many agencies involved each with their own, often opposing, agenda, each trying to pass the buck to minimise their own expenditure.
Why not use the press, TV and the internet to disseminate information gained about accidents. Why not select one accident a week and explain in an unbiased way how it happened and what could have prevented it. If physical changes to roads, signs etc. are needed the publicity should give incentive for the authorities to act.
A lot of effort obviously goes into investigation, including the inconvenience to other road users due to the necessary closures. So don't just file investigation results away, make full use of them in an imaginative way to prevent repetitions. It might even save somebody's life, maybe mine or yours.
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As a car driver and motorcyclist doing a fair mileage each year and with an interest in road safety (as well as survival) I, too, would be interested in knowing the cause of the accidents which I see and come across the aftermath.
What seems to missing is any attempt to relay the information gained back to the public.
I know in the US there was a time when information/a subtle warning was posted on overhead gantries ie:
"Delayed: 5 car pile-up: Driving too fast in wet."
However, there was also the priceless:
"Some ***hole talking on his cell phone got creamed."
Bad day in the office for somebody?
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I'm glad to see your message, MLC, and I want you to know that neither the tabloid comments nor the ill-informed tat reflect the opinions of the site, the forum or its moderators. In my former incarnation as a fireman I worked at too many scenes of carnage, first on the M1 in Leicestershire and later on the A23 and A27 in East Sussex, the great majority of them the result of the two mentalities which prevail on today's roads -- "stuff you mate" and "hurry-hurry".
The forum's policy of allowing contributors, as far as possible, to have their voice means that we can't censor opinions that don't tally with our own until they start to impede the smooth running of The Back Room. Even then (as you've no doubt noticed, MLC) it's impossible to satisfy everyone.
Finally, don't allow the adverse remarks of a few dickheads to turn you away from the forum. You're welcome here.
Martyn [Back Room moderator]
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mailto:webmaster@honestjohn.co.uk
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Jack,
Thanks for the reference. It was an interesting read
regards
Vercin
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