Speed watch volunteers suffering abuse: the Echo spends an hour on the road

VOLUNTEERS being shouted at, sworn at and being confronted with an in-yer-face abusive tirade.

Sounds inconceivable for somebody giving up their time to litter pick or feed soup to the homeless, but for community speed watch volunteers, this could just be an hour’s work.

Around 850 Dorset residents making up 90 groups across the county take part in the scheme on behalf of the police.

The Echo went out for an hour with one group of residents in Lilliput Road, Poole on a Thursday morning to see what it is like.

(Image: Daily Echo)

Perhaps unsurprisingly, abuse was discussed several times during our patrol with volunteers John, Mary and Maria – they wished to keep their identities protected because of the venom aimed at them.

John, a volunteer for more than 10 years, has seen a lot in his time as a volunteer, but insists the abuse will not put him off.

“Most people are supportive but there are a few people who think we shouldn’t be doing this,” admitted John.

“Some time ago, we had a chap who shouted at us, pulled over and, guns totally blazing, said to one of our female volunteers ‘I know who you are’.

“We recorded his vehicle details and the police took it up and he was later charged... it’s all vitriolic. But after that she said she wanted to stop volunteering.”

Another incident he recalled was in Canford Cliffs Road, a notorious speeding hotspot for the volunteers, where a couple on bicycles came up and said “it’s a wide, open road, all our neighbours hate what you're doing”.

In response, John told the cyclists: “This is our first time here in years.”

(Image: Daily Echo)

Maria described the abuse as being “scary” and recalled a time when a man got up to her face while taking photographs of her.

“He said he was going to put it all over social media. I don’t use it, I keep myself to myself,” the volunteer said.

But despite the barrage of abuse, what is it that keeps the volunteers wanting to stand at the side of the road watching cars drive past?

“The key to why I do community speed watch is in the word ‘community’; we do this to benefit them and keep everybody safe,” John said.

“This is all about education for me, those who receive a letter will hopefully think twice about speeding.

“An ideal day for me would be having zero return where everybody is driving within the speed limit.”

(Image: Daily Echo)

Myth busting 

CONTRARY to popular belief, not all community speed watch volunteers are bored retired people, the force was keen to point out.

The youngest volunteer in Dorset is just 20 years old. The oldest is 92.

The device held by the volunteers doesn’t take pictures, it’s not a camera. Instead, it simply records the speed accurately of approaching vehicles.

One volunteer will record the speed and, if it is caught at more than 35mph (in a 30 zone), he will say the car's make, colour and registration into a voice recorder.

Another will write down the details on a clipboard, ready to be sent back to the police where it is then processed by another volunteer.

(Image: Daily Echo)

Drivers caught will then receive a letter, no fine or points, alerting them to their speed. In essence, it’s a polite warning with no consequences.

However, the scheme can send three letters: a polite one warning about speed, another one more strongly worded and then a third one which is reserved for prolific offenders or high speeders.

This letter will be hand delivered by a police officer in a marked car.

Dorset Police’s speed watch coordinator Maria Attwood said: “For whatever reason, there seems to be a massive hatred towards our volunteers.

“All they are doing is keeping our communities safe and yet there is this massive backlash from people and on the internet.

“I say to these people to put themselves in the shoes of our officers who have to tell a person that their loved one has been killed by a speeder.

“It is not okay and it is a disgusting way to behave.

“But to put it all into a bigger perspective, what the volunteers are doing is potentially stopping you from getting three points on your licence. The letter you may receive may prevent you from speeding in the future.”

(Image: Daily Echo)

What we saw on the patrol 

WE were in Lilliput Road, opposite the golf course, on Tuesday, June 11 between 8am and 9am – so rush hour.

During this hour, around 650 cars, vans, lorries and motorbikes passed the team and 16 were recorded above the 35mph threshold.

Speeds ranged from 36mph to the highest of the day 41mph.

But the highest speed ever recorded by volunteer John in a 30mph area is 61mph and 67mph – just under motorway speeds.

And in just one hour, one driver of a BMW 4X4 decided it was a bright idea to swerve around the road as he was approaching the volunteers.

Why he did that, nobody could work it out.

Shortly afterwards, the driver of a grey convertible Mercedes AMG sport car came almost to a standstill, stopping traffic behind, to give two fingers up to the volunteers before blowing kisses.

Fancy becoming a community speed watch volunteer? You can sign up on Dorset Police's website at https://www.dorset.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/wsi/watch-schemes-initiatives/speedwatch/community-speedwatch/.