10/14/2019
France, Germany, UK: Speed Cameras ToppledEuropean cities saw dozens of speed cameras destroyed by vigilantes last week.
In Vouziers, France, vigilantes on Sunday cut down a "turret" style speed camera, leaving the smashed remains of the speed camera on the ground. Yellow paint was used to disable the speed camera on the RD11 in Docelles. On Thursday, the new "turret" style speed camera installed on the RD3508 in Poisy was destroyed by fire according to Haute-Savoie prefect Pierre Lambert, who said on Twitter, "This degradation represents a serious disturbance of the public order." Around the same time, a coat of purple paint kept the speed camera in Tavaux from issuing automated citations. The same color was used in Beauchemin on the D673 on Wednesday. Also on Wednesday, vigilantes burned the speed camera on the RN580 in St Laurent des Arbres. In Attin, red spraypaint blinded the D901 speed camera in Attin. On Tuesday, white spraypaint blinded the speed camera on the RN7 in Courthezon. In Saint-Nicolas-du-Pelem, the speed camera on the RD790 was torched.
Vigilantes in Exeter, England, set fire to the Pinn Hill speed camera on Friday.
In Florence, Italy, the speed camera on the Via Senese was damaged as it failed to prevent a serious accident. A wayward white Peugeot found itself on the wrong side of the road, forcing a truck to slam on the brakes. A Fiat Panda rear-ended the truck and struck a speed camera.
In Stephansposching, Germany, an allegedly drunk driver swiped a mobile speed camera on Thursday.