No to speed guns

1 August 2010 02:30 pm - 33 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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By Pushpakumara Jayaratna

Senior Police DIG Nimal Lewke said today that the strategy to nab offenders with a high-speed gun has failed and the police should not use this tool in the future to monitor the speed of vehicles.

The DIG, who is in charge of the Wayamba province told reporters at a press briefing in Kurunegala that the strategy used by policemen to nab offenders by examining the speed of vehicles with the high-speed gun while in hiding has failed and thereby it should not be used in the future.

“Police officers should be on the road and examine the speed of vehicles. Then when drivers see these police officers they will control their speed in fear and will warn other drivers to control their speed as well,” DIG Lewke said.

The DIG also pointed out that 167 people have died in the Wayamaba province alone as a result of accidents within this year and added that this is a grave situation. (Daily Mirror online)

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Comments - 33

TERRENCE B. DE SILVA Monday, 02 August 2010 08:04 AM

THEY STILL LIKE TO PLAY "HORA POLICE" HIDE IN THE BUSHES AND CATCH LITTERBUGS AND SPEED FIENDS

Vasantha Gunawardena Monday, 02 August 2010 05:57 AM

this is very valid. in modern countries, they fix radars along the road bothways and capture speed stars by taking their picture with nuber plate. so it will be fed to the computers, and driver and vehicle will be fined accordingly. they can check their account everynow and then by log in their trafic file on web site, and pay the fine, failing to do so, the fines will be accumilated with accrual intersts and shall have to be paid when prior to renew their revenue licences . so waste of time and the curruption will not be there at all.

Vasantha Gunawardena Monday, 02 August 2010 05:58 AM

Yes , it is indeed . it is far more civilized than hoding gun at you undercover trees or house. They need to think bit far technological than conventional.

citizen1 Monday, 02 August 2010 06:29 AM

It's like checking the time by your shadow...totally outdated!

saman Monday, 02 August 2010 06:31 AM

drivers may end up into other accident by looking at the wide screen ! first we should ask GOV and parliament members not to speed ! and set a example

ami Monday, 02 August 2010 06:53 AM

Dont do that in Kelaniya ! Fix 'em elsewhere ! Our Doctor hates the tool !

ami Monday, 02 August 2010 06:55 AM

Hello !!! This is Sri Lanka !

Concerned Citizen Monday, 02 August 2010 07:01 AM

To minimize accidents, the govt. should widen at least the main trunk roads by adding another lane both ways. Day by day, the volume of vehicles are increasing on the roads. More than speed, it is overtaking that leads to accidents in Sri Lankan roads. The temptation to overtake will always be there when vehicles made for super motorways are used in single lane roads here among slow moving buses, lorries and three wheelers.

Bandula Monday, 02 August 2010 07:26 AM

This is a very sensible opinion by the DIG. Some constables while catching speedsters on their speed guns let them free for a bribe. Unfortunately a guy driving at a moderate speed is trapped by the constable showing the speed recorded earlier. The new cars with high performance engines also have sound brakes to avoid any accident. If you see the accident record it will be seen that the culprits are mostly bus drivers, lorry and van drivers. They are not literate to understand road rules and will overtake on the blind side, rounabouts and in narrow roads leaving the oncoming vehicle at mercy. These drivers do not stop on pedestrian crossing. It is better to get these drivers to follow a course in safe driving adhering to road rules and thereafter charge every one of the for reckless driving and breaking road rules.

shane bandara Monday, 02 August 2010 05:44 AM

Solution is speed cameras and plain clothed traffic police with speed guns..

sltk2004 Monday, 02 August 2010 08:08 AM

Dig holes on the roads, put humps - make it impossible to drive at higher speeds... that will be easy :)

Adhi Vaasi. Monday, 02 August 2010 09:16 AM

To check the speed we must throw a dummy traffic cop in front of the vehicle,if its very badly smashed up we have to give the maximum penalty to the driver and repair the dummy for the next vehicle.

Repair cost of the dummy must be charged to the driver.

James bond Monday, 02 August 2010 09:24 AM

this technology is the state of the art in all developed countries but our police says it is useless??? Have you got a plan B? I smell something fishy, have any lobbyist paid the police to remove these equipments? If you have bought these equipments then implement them it effectively.
Road signs are important to know what speed is allowed.

saman Monday, 02 August 2010 09:32 AM

thats already there ! main one is in COL 6 near roxy cinema

Ruwan Ferdinandez Monday, 02 August 2010 10:36 AM

Today all the speed cameras in Oxfordshire in the UK will be turned off. Very soon, all the speed cameras in the whole of the UK will meet the same fate as a cost cutting measure. How can Sri Lanka afford anything better? But giving a camera to policemen is like giving an open cheque to them.

Dee Monday, 02 August 2010 11:50 AM

yes speed guns are of no use because ordinary drivers dont speed much and the vehicles whci speed and have red and white plates dont get captured on the speed guns.

kap Monday, 02 August 2010 11:55 AM

Why do u need a speed gun to detect a vehicle moving at a speed of 60km/hour?
we can walk faster than that.

Babanis Sunday, 01 August 2010 02:40 PM

Why not use video cameras with speed detection and issue a warning on a wide screen display. This will work fine as it will be impartial.

Sicillian Monday, 02 August 2010 05:08 AM

Police always like to play HIDE AND SEEK. Whether its speeding or other matters.

Senkadaga Putha Monday, 02 August 2010 04:58 AM

I can not understand why they talk about speed guns. These guns are not used by the other countries in the world. Please pay a vist to other counties and see how they are using cameras fixed to the cross wire in the middle of the road so that nobody can rob too. And it is very effective as it catches vehicle number plate too.

VK Monday, 02 August 2010 04:49 AM

The main issue is the roads dont have speed limit sign posts.... Nor do motorists know what a maximum speed is in a given area. Then, again, in the off-city regions of a expressway such as Kandy-Colombo, or Galle-Colombo should there be a speed limit of, say, 50-60 km/h (which is still the case in many sections)???

I think hiding and catching vehicles is not a remedy. The idea should not be to punish the drivers, but to make them control their speed. The authorities should work towards the latter objective.

local boy Monday, 02 August 2010 03:58 AM

install speed detections cameras like in dubai

Riyaz Monday, 02 August 2010 03:57 AM

that's very appropriate hope we will have good roads too, but after few days afraid we will have the Cameras going missing!!

Haramanis Monday, 02 August 2010 03:56 AM

Confusing. How can the police officers examine the
speed of vehicles without speed guns?

Chandler Monday, 02 August 2010 03:42 AM

OK DIG what is your alternative solution for unlawful speeding? Will you be responsible for road toll as a consequence of speeding??

Kithsiri Monday, 02 August 2010 03:27 AM

This is a useless device. The speed can be manipulated by moving fast towards the vehicle if the police officer wants to play the fool with drivers. Most of the police officers charge drivers for reckless driving or some other offences even though they are cought for speeding as measured by those guns.

AAn Balan Monday, 02 August 2010 03:09 AM

Fix automatic speed meters with cameras and fine those who are caught, there is no need for wasting man hours on road.

SHANS Monday, 02 August 2010 03:04 AM

I smell something fishy here.Well, If you do not have a speed gun how can the poice prove that you are breaking the speed limit? Without that we public do not have a way of defending ourselves against arbirtrary charges

I think this is a very meaningless statement. If u have technology you should use not depend on hunches and personal judgenments . It is fair by public

SRILAL Monday, 02 August 2010 02:51 AM

Mr DIG.....why highway traffic officers never stops PRADOS. INTERCOOLERS..?????

ranjith Monday, 02 August 2010 02:30 AM

Atlast an educated gentlemen and an officer has spoken the truth about speed guns and general police behaviour. Quite correctly preventing is better than correcting

Flower Monday, 02 August 2010 02:06 AM

Mr.Lewke must be appointed as IGP immediately.

SW Sunday, 01 August 2010 02:58 PM

This is the only sensible statement we have heard from a Gazetted Officer in the Police Force, for a long, long, very long time.

Calistus Jayatilleke Sunday, 01 August 2010 02:42 PM

After so many years, it looks like the Police has still not learned how to measure the speed of vehicles!

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No to speed guns

Comments - 33

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