Average Speed Cameras on Handcross Hill

[Triggaaar]

Indeed - if the police could actually get officers out on the road they might actually catch the dozens of people I see driving while on their mobile phones each week.

And what about smoking? Can you still legally take drugs and have a fire in your car while driving?

 

[Bold Seagull]

I find it hard to believe that these temporary average speed cameras would stand up in court. Until now (this thread) I'd never actually heard of anyone getting a ticket from them. If you get snapped by a fixed camera (Gatso), you get reams of information about the date the camera was last calibrated, supporting photos etc.

These temporary cameras are such flimsy affairs, the distance between the start camera and end camera must be exact and known precisely to be admissable. Also their clocks must be precisely synchronised. I'd be very surprised if all that would stand up to scrutiny.

Maybe they just accept the money from those who pay up and ignore anyone who challenges it?

They'll be more accurate than the static ones. As happypig says, you've probably got a 2 or 3 mile distance which you can set the time between which a speeding driver is flagged. That time can be set to account for any margin of error in the equipment or the distance in-between. It eliminates the 'I was speeding up to avoid a collision' claims, and enables drivers to drive safely without braking suddenly in a static camera zone. I suspect the actual time you have to clock through there to get caught probably has you doing a constant 45 or so. The static cameras have 50 yards or so to make their measurement and much more potential for errors.

I always set my cruise control through the average zone at about 42mph........I live on the edge like that.

 

[otk]

Where's anyone said to take beat officers off the streets and chuck them in cars Using your mobile phone while driving is highly dangerous ( certainly more dangerous than going a few miles over the speed limit in most cases ) and the practice of using enforcement cameras while reducing traffic patrols only increases the problem or at least doesn't reduce it.

I see. They can just magic up some coppers to put in cars, while making loads redundant

The cameras are INSTEAD of coppers in cars, and if this thread is anything to go by, have deffo increased debate, and hopefully, compliance with the law. Of course there will be transgressions, as there were when there were no cameras, and just plod in his/her Hillman Avenger

 

[otk]

They'll be more accurate than the static ones. As happypig says, you've probably got a 2 or 3 mile distance which you can set the time between which a speeding driver is flagged. That time can be set to account for any margin of error in the equipment or the distance in-between. It eliminates the 'I was speeding up to avoid a collision' claims, and enables drivers to drive safely without braking suddenly in a static camera zone. I suspect the actual time you have to clock through there to get caught probably has you doing a constant 45 or so. The static cameras have 50 yards or so to make their measurement and much more potential for errors.

I always set my cruise control through the average zone at about 42mph........I live on the edge like that.

I hope your speed measuring device isn't only 90% accurate

 

[Bold Seagull]

I hope your speed measuring device isn't only 90% accurate

I know, it really does just make you feel alive going that little bit faster not knowing who is more accurate, while those you're overtaking wonder if it's worth the risk of that extra 2 mph...

Average speed cameras are fun. There is no doubt about this.

 

[otk]

I know, it really does just make you feel alive going that little bit faster not knowing who is more accurate, while those you're overtaking wonder if it's worth the risk of that extra 2 mph...

Average speed cameras are fun. There is no doubt about this.

You strike me as the sort of person whose most successful form of contraception is your personality

 

[BLOCK F]

I see. They can just magic up some coppers to put in cars, while making loads redundant

The cameras are INSTEAD of coppers in cars, and if this thread is anything to go by, have deffo increased debate, and hopefully, compliance with the law. Of course there will be transgressions, as there were when there were no cameras, and just plod in his/her Hillman Avenger

Two points here:Firstly,let us have more efficient use of the police officers we have and don't let anyone tell me that they are always used efficiently.Just think of the form filling and admin. we hear about,not to mention the fact that coppers always seem to be in pairs.Not always necessary,surely.No doubt there are loads of other improvements in working practices that ought to be introduced to the force as well,but that is another debate.
Secondly,we all know cameras are instead of traffic police.............that is the problem,isn't it!!
I believe public confidence and respect for the police force/service is at an all time low.Well something needs to change doesn't it!
Whether or not the new Commissioners will have a positive impact,I do not know.Got my doubts,but fingers crossed.

 

[Bold Seagull]

You strike me as the sort of person whose most successful form of contraception is your personality

There is probably some truth to this....

 

[bomber130]

Not sure if this is true but I have been told that there are two cameras as you enter the 40 mile an hour bit one for each lane. Also one for each lane at the end of the 40mph bit. If you enter on the left hand lane and then go into the right then your average speed cannot be determined. I actually changed lanes a few months ago and was going faster than the 40mph and never received a ticket. However please don't quote me if a ticket comes through the post.

 

[Guinness Boy]

I actually think it makes sense to have average speed cameras where you've narrowed lanes and work may / may not be going on but they could use them in a lot more places too. Let's take Portslade where I regularly take my 2 young kids on the school run. Trafalgar Rd has been made a 20mph limit and yet all the side roads are still 30. Not only does this not make any sense but the 20mph isn't enforced anyway.

The result is that NO ONE does 20 on Trafalgar unless they are stuck in a traffic jam. You also have the confusion of turning in to a narrow road with cars parked on either side in an estate and being reminded by a sign you can SPEED UP. This is patently insane.

I know the council or rather it's Green minority leadership want to extend the 20 limit everywhere but what you have at the moment is something that is supposed to make kids safer that is currently making it more dangerous for them.

 

[Vegas Seagull]

A policeman I knew told me they had targets to meet and would often go to roads which they knew were easy spots to pick up drivers speeding. This was not done for road safety. They are called raod safety cameras, not money raising cameras.

Also, you are using emotive language to to make your point. Mown down; I was doing 40 on a dual carriageway, not 50-60. What speed was this driver doing. You need to know that before you try to imply linkage in the 2 events.

As speeding has killed on this stretch & I've yet to see a 70 year old outrun a car at '40' or 50 or 60 no'one could successfully claim a complete disassociation between the two events

 

[severnside gull]

Headed home last night about 6pm and the police were preventing access to the roadworks southbound. Wouldnt be surprised if it was an accident because on the way down the potholes in that stretch of road were horrendous and especially so because you cant switch lanes to dodge them ........... seriously bloody dangerous!

 

[GingerBeerMan]

More than 6,400 drivers race on A23 roadworks From The Argus)

They seem to be having the desired affect. I went through these the other day and they are very effective, everyone slowed to a crawl. It seems 'average speed cameras' are the only effective way to get people slow down other than installing monitoring devices in each car.

 

[Weststander]

I actually think it makes sense to have average speed cameras where you've narrowed lanes and work may / may not be going on but they could use them in a lot more places too. Let's take Portslade where I regularly take my 2 young kids on the school run. Trafalgar Rd has been made a 20mph limit and yet all the side roads are still 30. Not only does this not make any sense but the 20mph isn't enforced anyway.

The result is that NO ONE does 20 on Trafalgar unless they are stuck in a traffic jam. You also have the confusion of turning in to a narrow road with cars parked on either side in an estate and being reminded by a sign you can SPEED UP. This is patently insane.

I know the council or rather it's Green minority leadership want to extend the 20 limit everywhere but what you have at the moment is something that is supposed to make kids safer that is currently making it more dangerous for them.

I find it easy to not harm or endanger others whilst driving in urban areas.

No need to obsess about speed signs and council policies. Just drive slow enough, and with awareness, to have a negligible chance of ever hitting another vehicle, person or animal.

The standard of driving in Britain is shocking. Aggressive, competitive, selfish, deliberately speeding and jumping red lights, blocking junctions when stuck in a jam, and blaming everything on the evil police or councils. Add the new arrogance of drivers (women are as bad or worse than men) texting and making calls on the mobile.

 

[GingerBeerMan]

I find it easy to not harm or endanger others whilst driving in urban areas.

No need to obsess about speed signs and council policies. Just drive slow enough, and with awareness, to have a negligible chance of ever hitting another vehicle, person or animal.

The standard of driving in Britain is shocking. Aggressive, competitive, selfish, deliberately speeding and jumping red lights, blocking junctions when stuck in a jam, and blaming everything on the evil police or councils. Add the new arrogance of drivers (women are as bad or worse than men) texting and making calls on the mobile.

Have you ever driven in another country? I'd say the politeness of English drivers is very high compared to that of most European countries, however I wholeheartedly agree woman drivers are worse than men

 

[ATFC Seagull]

The standard of driving in Britain is shocking. Aggressive, competitive, selfish, deliberately speeding and jumping red lights, blocking junctions when stuck in a jam, and blaming everything on the evil police or councils. Add the new arrogance of drivers (women are as bad or worse than men) texting and making calls on the mobile.

I'm not a massively experienced driver overseas but have driven in Ireland, France and Italy, and can honestly say they are all many, many times worse in terms of standards of driving.

 

[Jimmy boy 69]

I see you are one of those drivers who believe everyone on the road should fit in with your intentions, rather than vice versa

Here's a snippet from the Highway Code. It's the leaflet you looked at to pass your test, then forgot all about...

'Part 3: Joining the motorway (259)
259

Joining the motorway. When you join the motorway you will normally approach it from a road on the left (a slip road) or from an adjoining motorway. You should

give priority to traffic already on the motorway
check the traffic on the motorway and match your speed to fit safely into the traffic flow in the left-hand lane...'

And you obviously have never driven a large vehicle, as changing lanes is a bit of an operation tbh, and not something that is done to accomodate selfish drivers

Lol. Where does it say you should stop on the slip road, if you can't get on the motorway, you should adjust your speed accordingly to filter in with traffic, also of you are approaching a slip road and you see traffic coming onto the motorway then it is purely common sense to move over to the next lane and let people on not just block them off. Theirs to many selfish people on the road that think it's their god given right to have right of way to name a few bus drivers, lorry drivers, taxis and normally some one who has a better car than you thinks hey should have right way. Hope who ever was in that bad smash westbound on a27 after derby game was ok.

 

[GoldWithFalmer]

All those TWATS that come fast in to the road works in the out side lane then pull in front of me and slam on the brakes and then do 30mph in the fast lane whilst i do 40mph

please stop-

You have just overtaken me THICK FUCKWITS,please don't drop in front and slow me down..

 

[champion7]

All those TWATS that come fast in to the road works in the out side lane then pull in front of me and slam on the brakes and then do 30mph in the fast lane whilst i do 40mph

please stop-

You have just overtaken me THICK FUCKWITS,please don't drop in front and slow me down..

Easy answer to that,when u get near to the single lane straddle the 2 lanes and it stops people from coming round you,van and lorry drivers do it all the time and so do i,stops the fuckwits in their tracks.

 

[Weststander]

Have you ever driven in another country? I'd say the politeness of English drivers is very high compared to that of most European countries, however I wholeheartedly agree woman drivers are worse than men [/QUOTE

Yep, Italy, USA, Spain and France.

After being abroad, its noticeable even driving on the A23 back to Brighton from Gatwick, about the aggression.

Its funny about Britain, and its so often said, we cant handle our drink and want to fight. Similarly behind the wheel, half of drivers become tough guys in their own imagination. Road rage.