Editorial: Video trial likely to hit wall of public outrage

Photo / Doug Sherring

The bold plan by central North Island police to use hidden video cameras in an attempt to cut the road toll is understandable given the area's shocking record of what the district commander calls "nonsensical" crashes.

And yet the idea goes against the spirit of the law which does not allow hidden speed cameras.

The police aim to get around this restriction by using hidden video cameras to catch motorists driving dangerously - say overtaking on yellow lines - rather than simply speeding.

The district commander, Superintendent Russell Gibson, makes no apology for the tactics.

"If I have to have officers hiding in trees to stop the blatant disregard for the road rules that is claiming lives almost daily, that is what I will do," he said.

The aim is commendable but there are good reasons to doubt whether it will be effective.

No one feels comfortable knowing they may be secretly taped and therefore in the long run, hidden video cameras are more likely to fuel a sense of grievance than they are to make motorists generally more responsible.

No doubt much of that grievance will be expressed by accusing the police of revenue gathering, as Mr Gibson has predicted. Of course that is an insupportable and unfair claim. There is no reason to doubt that the one and only objective of this exercise is to save lives.

But it would be wrong to think that "revenue collecting" will be the only grounds for complaint. The general public will feel a strong, genuine and legitimate objection to what is, in the end, a form of spying.

More than 10 years ago the Government conducted a trial of hidden speed cameras in the Waikato but public objections were so strong that the scheme was never introduced nationally.

Central North Island police should heed that example in this case. If motorists won't accept hidden speed cameras, they are not likely to accept hidden video cameras either.