Speed Cameras: Revenue producing rip-offs, as aired in recent media releases are in some instances precisely what these are.
It is not a question of being fair or unfair, it is a question of effectiveness and sheer stupidity. Recent examples noted of this were the positioning a traffic police cameraman about 1km from Baypark two weeks ago, screened by the shrubbery, flashing cars on an area of road where excess speeds are not notoriously high nor accidents a regular event.
The associated police cars then stopped errant drivers on the high side of the bend at Te Maunga Junction opposite Baypark in a very precarious spot, endangering both themselves, their ‘victims' and other motorists.
Traffic Police seemed to have learned nothing from the recent fatality at Mount Central Parade and thousands of other similar instances in NZ every year. The Police strategy of pulling over motorists in dangerous places needs regulating immediately. This practice has to cease.
Then lo and behold last Friday night at the bottom of 15th Avenue on Thursday opposite the Shell Service Station in an off road carpark was a traffic policeman prancing around in the dark, waving a 'hair-dryer” type speed gun at motorists coming down a hill which is impossible to travel down at 50 kph or less, unless you brake at the top of the hill or change to low gear!
Sorry, these two instances are not educating motorists about speed, they are part of a no-brainer revenue collection policy.
Police, please just get out in the open and be visible as Police if you want to make a difference by all means.

R Paterson, Matapihi.