Gatso

Gatso –– The Never Ending Race, by Michael Allen with Maurice Gatsonides, Rob Wiedenhoff & Piet Philippa.

There can be few more comprehensive biographies than this, but its appeal is rather limited by the fact that Maurice Gatsonides, rally driver and adventurer of yore, is nowadays famous (or notorious) for having devised the Gatso speed camera.

Now we’re not saying that we disapprove of the idea of improving road safety, and if Gatso cameras increase caution amongst drivers and reduce casualties, then that’s all well and good. To begin with, however, we wonder how many drivers will be lured into accidents by watching out for cameras rather than where they are going?

What grates about this is the hypocritical smugness that exudes from the images of the subject and his invention. Perhaps a better title would have been Gatso –– Having his cake and eating it? S A