Speed cameras and driving at the national speed limits.
Positive reinforcement not Negative reinforcement.
I would like to make a suggestion to encourage people to drive at the speed limits.
Currently with the speed cameras, if you speed then you get fined, this deters most of the conscientious drivers but still some flout the law and don’t seem bothered about paying fines and receiving points on their driving licence, the I don’t care and it won’t happen to me attitude! More money than sense!
I have driven for 40 years, cars and motorcycles, both for pleasure and professionally and I am proud of my clean licence, this article stemmed from a recent speeding fine my Husband got, he also has been driving for nearly 40 years , also with a clean licence, he was doing 35 mph in our local village’s 30mph zone, fair enough he was speeding and was happy to take the consequences, just one of those slight lack of attention moments that most people have.
This then got me thinking, what if the speed cameras randomly picked people who where doing the correct speed limit and these people received a letter to congratulate them on driving carefully with a gift, say some shopping vouchers or a Cheque or a discount voucher with money off their next road tax bill. Reduction in car insurance. What an incentive that would be!
I am a dog trainer and behaviourist and this is the way we train dogs.
There is negative reinforcement e.g. a tight lead, the dog pulling means we don’t move forward to the reward, the walk and run in the lovely park. If the dog walks on a loose lead, he gets positive reinforcement, a smile a verbal encouragement, better still a tasty treat or a play with his favourite toy. Dogs are always thinking what is in it for me, if there is nothing in it for them, they just won’t be interested in doing it.Speed cameras are necessary but only offer negative reinforcement.
What if we did a job and our bosses never told us we have done well or even ultimately didn’t receive wages, we wouldn’t want to put our very best efforts into our work. Maybe your teacher at school, only ever tells the class off but doesn’t say, well done! There would be no respect for the bosses and teachers.I don’t think this would take a lot of organizing, those who pay fines can fund it, also insurance companies and the DVLA can sponsor it too, good advertising for them. This I am sure would make people feel much more positive about the sight of speed camera’s on our roads.
Let us give something back to the caring conscientious drivers.
Susan Fryer
31st July 2010