Two years ago Phil Brown of Bowness, UK received a £60 speed camera ticket while driving 60 MPH in a 50 MPH zone, along with a dozen other motorists driving with the flow of traffic. Brown estimates that when he recently renewed his automobile insurance, the old conviction had driven up his rate and cost him an additional £60 ($113 US). New convictions raise rates even more.

Brown has never made a claim on his insurance in over thirty years, and does not see how he would be a risk to the company now.

"I wonder if there isn't some connection between the proliferation of these cameras and this new-found income stream for the insurers?" Brown asks. From 2003-2004, UK speed cameras issued 1.8 million tickets with fixed penalty points against drivers' licenses.

He tells me he was looking for a new motor insurance deal at renewal time and was asked if he had any motoring convictions. "I can't remember ever being asked previously," [Brown] said.