Woman ‘surprised at abuse’ as she works with speed camera van crew

A woman who became a speed camera van operator for the day was astonished at the level of abuse employees suffered.Reporter Emily Johnson wanted “to become more clued up on the secrets behind speed vans” and discovered that staff aim to give “roadside education” to drivers rather than fines in most instances.  But she found out that this didn’t stop some drivers hurling abuse at the workers.Journalist for Hull Live, Emily Johnson joined Ian and Chris from Safer Roads Humber for a day to see how the enforcement works.Writing for the publication today, she said: “I was no stranger to camera operators being called names online but was surprised to learn that almost every operator had been approached in person and received abuse – even if it wasn’t everyday.”Whether it be taunting the workers with obstruction, verbal abuse, and in very rare cases, physical abuse, the job can come with safety concerns. Most speed camera operators work alone so it’s not surprising that it can be intimidating when faced with an angry member of the public.”I came away from the experience having a new respect for Safer Roads Humber – not that I have ever been fined before. It is easy to rant about points on your license and fines for what you may view as a ‘victimless crime’ but 41 families in this region were devastated last year when they were robbed of their loved ones.”Speed guns are 100 per cent accurate and can measure from up to 1km away. Emily Johnson experienced life as a speed camera van operator (Image: Hull Live)When a driver was spotted going the wrong way around a mini roundabout near Beverley, East Yorkshire, the team weighed up their options.Ian, an experienced speed camera van operator, said: “If we approached that driver, we would just give them some roadside education.”It might have been a long time since they did a driving test and they won’t necessarily realise how important it is to go around the correct way. It would be pointless just giving them points or a fine, when a little advice could make sure they correct their driving behaviour in future.”A cyclist approached Ian’s colleague Chris to have a chat. He mentioned a certain road in Beverley that motorists were treating “like a race track” and suggested the operators take a look.As in other aress around the country, the locations of the Safer Roads Humber vans are pre-determined based on statistics, such as speed complaints by residents, casualties, and deaths.This means that locals are best off contacting their council with complaints if they are keen to make a road a speed van site. Police can, however, decide to park a speed van in any location without needing to give a specific reason. Ian, from Safer Roads Humber, spoke about his experiences (Image: Hull Live)Emily said: “While I understand that it can be frustrating if you are caught in a rush, it nowhere near matches the heartache of finding out your friend or family member was killed in a preventable crash.”The overall point of speed vans is to change the behaviour of drivers on all roads and Ian said he hopes that one day his job will be obsolete.”The cyclist encounter ended positively and Chris and Ian confirmed that members of the public often thank them for their work to keep the roads safe.”The senseless loss of life through speeding, distractions and careless driving inspired these men to want to improve road safety in the Humber area- but unfortunately not all members of the public share their passion.”When a van driver was pulled over by police earlier this year for doing 88mph in a 50mph zone, he told officers their guns were “stupid”.But the motorist ended up being reported and cautioned by the Devon and Cornwall Constabulary team.