A reckless driver raced at illegal speeds through Winchelsea and then posted a video clip of the event on Facebook, according to The Winchelsea Flyer.
The article explained that the driver mounted a camera on the dashboard of the vehicle and the drove at high speed through Winchelsea and then along the A259(T) towards Icklesham. Using the clock on the video clip and measuring the distance between known landmarks, the average speed of the vehicle through Winchelsea was estimated at 55mph, although with a much higher top speed.
The speed limit on the roads along which the vehicle travelled are 30mph and 40mph. When the vehicle reached the layby roughly half way between Winchelsea and Icklesham, someone in the car can be heard laughing and saying, after some expletives, “150!”. That the vehicle reached at least 150mph is confirmed using the video clip and clock.
Winchelsea Community Speed Watch (WCSW) reported the film to Rye Police and asked for action to be taken against the driver.
A spokesman for WCSW, which is part of the Sussex Police sponsored speed-reporting initiative, said “Winchelsea, like many local villages, suffers badly from vehicles breaking speed limits. In our case, it is local rat-runners cutting through the town to try to beat traffic going around the outside on the A259. But this incident takes the idiocy to a new level. The driver is deliberate racing. And by posting the clip on Facebook, he is clearly out to boast to other boy racers.
He added, “There is a risk that this will encourage a fashion that will ultimately result in injury or death, perhaps not just for the driver and passengers, but possibly for innocent pedestrians. We were amazed that the driver published his offence. But then we have recently seen another young driver killed when she imitated the mindless trend of taking ‘selfies’ for Facebook but while driving.”
Rye Police say they have spoken to the person who posted the video clip on Facebook, who says he was only the passenger. However, the police say they are powerless to take any further action. WCSW expressed its amazement and grave disappointment. “It seems odd that someone can film an offence in which they are involved and no one can be taken to task. This sends out utterly the wrong message.”