This feels a bit odd, writing a blog post! Been a while but that is because I've been busy, and working on a new bit for the site. That and I've also not had much to say recently, shocking I know.

But anyway, all that is set to change because once again, the fuel for many of my rants, BBC Breakfast came up trumps again today. They were covering a story about how the community (a couple of folk) in a village were using a speed gun to actively monitor the speed of cars passing through their village, then recording the cars details, sending it to the police, and they can issue a warning letter. No prosecution can ever be brought, but still, it is a warning.

Trouble is, the community shouldn't have to be policing the speed limit, the police should. It is all very well the police saying they are working in partnership with the community, but the fact remains they are the professional, impartial keepers of the law, not the emotionally involved members of the community. It is one step away from a vigilante society.

Those in favour of these schemes says it empowers the community, but I say they don't need to hold speed guns to be empowered. Whatever happened to a good old petition, lobbying the council to improve traffic safety, introduce traffic calming measures. Sure that takes longer and isn't as much of a high visibility deterrent as someone with a speed gun, but in the long term the traffic calming will have a much better effect at reducing speed than a speed gun on show a couple of hours a day, when the weather is nice.

I'm sure this issue divides many people, but happily Dawn agrees with me on this one, but what do you reckon, yay or nay to community speed guns?