Police spotting (junction watch)

Absolutely agree that there's an absolute fuck-ton of better things for coppers to be doing.

I can imagine that the collection and administration of said fines probably takes up a lion share of the amount collected once it's been seen through to completion.

I agree with the sentiment they could be busting rapists and other nobs, but how are the Police to respond to public calls for crackdown on dangerous cyclists? When people ask what the met are doing, they can produce a list of enforcement areas and figures on fines.

They also do boring stuff like this when they've got no intel on drug dealers and robbers to act on.

The full economic cost, if you consider all costs beyond the plod standing there (radio system, control centre, admin staff, office buildings, tea and biscuits, paperwork, archives, computer systems, pensions, NI... list is rather endless), will be far outweighed by any return from fines.