Sign or fine – the modern British way to deal with problems. A large amount of council investment is in signs, which they believe is the best way to address modern problems such as anti-social behaviour, smoking, littering, what the green man on pedestrian crossing actually denotes, etc. Now in London we have CCTV cars going round – sinister looking beetle shaped cars whose primary directive is to enforce sign orders, and gain revenue from fining people who generally dont cause trouble. It could be a fear element – i.e. civil servants – from policemen to noise pollution officers choose to fight their battles from their desks – rather than in any kind of public forum.
The amount of warning and information signs beggars belief, especially given the lack of actual directional signs in London. And if any driver needs to be told to be careful in a built-up area, or that they shouldnt juggle their mobile phones whilst steering a tonne of metal at the same time with one hand, shouldnt be in a car. It appears a large proportion of civil service spending is on signs for idiots and lazy people, with fines applied wherever possible (but not reasonable).
But given the level of policing and monitoring how on earth can they enforce it? Thats where the camera cars come in, and I am sure this is thin edge of the wedge. What we have now is a government that fail at final hurdles every time – legislation is discussed/approved, then local council leap into action creating signs telling people, then fining people who ignore the all important signs. The cameras are there not to cut crime (unsolved crime is on the increase), but to enforce penalties. As the majority of people are going about their work and other daily business, without a balaclava or a hoodie on, then these are the people that are ultimately victims of this system.
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