Rushing like lemmings to the cliff, this rotten state government mounts yet another attack on the ordinary punter. From Monday, six mobile speed cameras will be prowling the roads, concealed in nondescript white vans, each one of them able to fine six drivers every second.

This is yet another arm of the government's long established policy of bullying and punishing motorists. I can't remember the name of this week's roads minister and nor can I be bothered to find out, but whoever it is was on TV the other day, po-faced, bleating that he would be delighted if not one extra dollar was raised.

Pull the other one. If you believe that you'll believe Eddie Obeid and Joe Tripodi are fairies at the bottom of the garden. The budget papers predict that revenue from traffic fines will rise from $295 million in 2008-09 to $570 million in 2011-12.

All this when the road toll in NSW is at record lows, despite there being more vehicles driving more kilometres than ever.

The trouble is that we have a road safety industry producing ever more grandiose schemes to justify its existence. It is centred in the Roads and Traffic Authority, which - as ever - is a law unto itself and in cahoots with sundry "academics" who also make a living from harassing anyone and everyone behind the wheel.

Over the years they have created such a sacred cow that no government, of any colour, has the guts to say that enough is enough.

Mike Carlton