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LONDON (Reuters) - A British motorist who blew up a road safety camera which had caught him speeding was jailed for four months Wednesday, Greater Manchester Police said.

Craig Moore, 28, took his revenge on the camera, which had flashed him in the Hyde area of Manchester, in August 2005.

Although the camera itself was badly damaged, images of him speeding and returning to destroy the evidence were stored in recording equipment in its unscathed base.

Full details at Reuters

Although he broke the law by definition, I can't help feeling that he somehow struck a blow for freedom from Big Brother (or Big Tony, as the soon-to-leave PM might be referred to).

Siggy

Hero.
Plain and simple!

I do a lot of travelling and there are many cameras which have been damaged by fire or other physical attacks.
Some cameras have cameras watching them - for just this reason.
We have something like 20% of the worlds CCTV cameras in this country (wonder who counted 'em?!).

Anyone visiting this country where cameras are few and far between or none existant, will be amazed just how many of these bleedin' things we have!
If they're not fixed position ones, we have hundreds of mobile speed cameras which hide round bends, behind signs etc.
Some are local authority operated and are just in it for the revenue.

They have been re-named 'safety cameras' but there is eveidence in some areas that accidents INCREASE because of them.
People concentrate more on looking at their speedo than where they are going.

We also now have a NPRS (number plate recognition system).
This links ALL cctv and even cameras on petrol station forcourts to a central computer which logs where you go at what time.
Many motorway services have a chuffing great sign that tells you that you've been logged, as you're leaving.
It's supposed to try and get people who drive without insurance (it's connected to their 'puters too), road tax and MOT.
Your reg is logged and read within 0.2 seconds and your motoring history is read within 0.5 seconds.
The info is then stored for an undesclosed period of time ... somewhere!!

Give the guy a medal I say!

its not about safety, its about fines and revenue production.

An article in the Austin newspaper says Austin may start implementing the cameras they have installed on traffic lights to ticket people who run red lights. I am all for anything that would REALLY stop people from running red lights-it's epidemic here. But I fear once cameras are accepted-like toll roads-there will be no stopping them.

Redbike,I know what you mean, but it sure would make my job easier......Angelis

Hero, no doubt about it.

Minnesota used those things for a while, but I believe they have been ruled contrary to the state constitution. The law says tickets must be issued to the driver, not the vehicle. If the camera can't prove the identity of the driver, the ticket cannot be issued. Hurray for the Minnesota courts.

About a year ago I was riding with the GF in her car in Oregon and we got flashed by a camera. She waited for the ticket to come in the mail but it never came. I fantasized for weeks about how to go back and destroy that camera. My favorite idea was a paintball gun filled with balls of epoxy glue.

I hope Big Brother isn't listening. Yeah, right.

Cody

out here in BC red light cameras work the same ,takes your picture from behind (tax sticker is there) owner gets ticket no matter whos driving . however people have been fighting them in court(successfully)because the amber light in the sequence of lights can be set for different lenths of time ,but even then it costs you, a days pay or use of a days holiday ,which coincidently is about the same as the fine its self ,f#&*ing arseholes

Absolute hero.

The stuff he used to blow it up was the stuff they use to weld railway track together....gets way too hot way too quickly! Shame it didn't melt the pic storage device...

Epoxy Glue? In some parts of the country a 30.08 would be a more likely answer to the thing. I really hate the speed trap cameras because they are only there for money. Safety is only an issue for the red light cameras. Here in the Des Moines area traffic signals seem to be advisory in nature only. The cops are waaay too busy giving speeding tickets in areas where the limit is ridiculously low to be bothered catching the idiots running red light. It’s a toss up for me which is worse, Big Brother creeping in or idiots running red lights because the cops are too lazy to stop them.

And to think, the insurance companies finance the cities and counties and states to get these new gizmos. Why? To help them get more revenue ( for no cost ), and they in turn can raise rates. There is a neww device to be installed in cop cars that will be a dual camera ( not a great description on my part, sorry ), it is different than the one that films the arrests and stops and all. This one will automatically scan plates and being up the records of said car, thus they can lock in and get those who appear to be repeaters, or have an outstanding violation, or whatever. Again, it will be supported by the insurance companies.

Realize that when someone wants to fight tickets, the insurance companies often compensate for the fight, and even the radar gun companies will join in the fight. Special interests indeed!

Lazlo had a bit on the new camera stuff on XM radio recently.

Gotta say... Criminal. Imagine a motorist speeding through your neighborhood, kids playing in front yard chase ball into street, hit by motorist driving too fast to brake in time. You would want to string him up right there. Point is this, the cameras are meant to enforce the law that he should have been following... now i am not saying that i don't speed, but when i do it, i am willing to face concequences. This guy is a coward... if he wants to be a hero he can work his way into parliment and change the laws there, but blaming the camera for him breaking the law... what an idiot. All he accomplished was getting himself into more trouble. Nothing changed, camera still there and will be repaired with his and everyone elses tax money. Give it up for higher taxes. Sometimes you just have to take what is coming to you, it is part of being an adult.

I am in total aggreement with Topher on this. Criminal. he broke the law and decided to break it again to get out of the original crime. Well tough luck pal, you did the deed now you can pay the price.

Whats that expression, If you cant do the time, dont do the crime.

I agree with the above two. Just cause he got a ticket is no reason to destroy property. Pay up.
With that said, I think the stupid cameras are nothing more than money machines and should not be allowed for so many reasons.

There is a case later this month in the European Court of Human Rights (we don't have a constitution) that may declare these cameras illegal.

When you get 'caught' on one you have to sign a form telling them who the driver was. As it is a criminal offence (speeding) this denies the 'offender' the right to remain silent and forces you to incriminate yourself.

If they make it a civil offence, then they can keep the cameras and fine us for speeding but they can't suspend your licence.

Speed cameras don't catch drunk drivers, dangerouse drivers, uninsured drivers etc etc etc but they do reduce traffic cops who do catch them.

I don't rate the EEC much, (it costs us £59 Billion a year to get shafted by the rest of the member countries) but at least they have a bit of protection form the Human Rights legislation. It was only passed to protect corrupt Euro politicians but seems to be a nice little earner for Tony Blairs wife ( a human rights lawyer).

CRIMINAL!!!!!!!!
How dare he damage those wonderful friendly yellow boxes.
How am I supposed to get home at night now??????????
They always flash and light up the road for me everytime I go past!!!!