Surfing is usually associated with the sun, the sea and the sand, but Staffordshire County Council use this term for drivers who adjust their speed between speed cameras to cheat the system.

The A34 to and from Stafford to Newcastle-under-Lyme has more speed cameras on the one stretch than many other places in the country.  Although speed cameras are a thorny subject – and of course spark debate amongst most drivers speed cameras generally are put in specific accident black spots based on previous KSI (Killed or Seriously Injured) statistics across most counties. For Example if many incidents  resulting in drivers been killed or seriously injured near a busy junction on a fast moving road, often a camera is placed there specifically to encourage drivers to slow down.  Speeding between them increases the risk in between where there are other hazards, Staffordshire County Council place mobile camera units at these points, where many are caught out.

Because speed cameras generate income for the government and they are not enforced blind to the situation or traffic conditions they are attacked by drivers.  Without speed a crash cannot happen, the higher the speed the injuries sustained significantly become worse.  The war against speed seems to be a lost cause as over 90% of tickets issued on the road are through speeding.

One of the main issues with speed is the way it is measured; miles per hour.  This causes a physiological effect that drivers believe if they drive faster they will get to their destination quicker. Although technically on a straight and clear road, this may be true, in reality on a hazardous stretch of road it is not.

Take the Motorway, on many occasions I have had cars overtake massively over the limit, when the road slows down due to traffic, often those drivers have made no or little progress more than myself at the speed limit.  On roads with traffic lights, junctions and roundabouts generally driving quickly between them is less effective than planning ahead to be in a the best lane and timing in order not to stop.

Of course speeding itself is not the issue, its the avoidance of the collision with another vehicle; can you stop? (when was the last time you DID an emergency stop?) have you got time to swerve? will the vehicle behind stop if you do?

Also ask yourself the question; have you every tried pulling away from a junction, and just as you go to pull off a vehicle coming WELL over the speed limit appears very quickly and you only just miss them? Is that you?