Average speed in road-works.

[Taybha]

I dislike the fact that some speed limits are too low for the conditions, 60-70mph on dual carridgeways in bright, dry sunshine in modern cars is needless, bear in mind the 70mph limit was set when cars had drum brakes all round and absolutely bugger all safety features.

This version of the austin allaggro came with added crumpet as after buying one men seem to lose the ability to pull

 

[gullshark]

Looks like she's only got one leg.

 

[Taybha]

For £536 new i wouldnt mind if she had no legs

 

[dougdeep]

I had an Allegro for a couple of years, it gave me no problems whatsoever and always started first turn of the key. Very good MPG too.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

In terms of % how many people can afford to employ that lawyer the stars use or similar, probably 5% if you are lucky, so 95% will just accept it and pay up. The odds are then stacked in favour of the enforcement authorities, they can afford to lose a couple of high profile cases and then close the loophole exposed, so that Joe Bloggs cannot use it.

... which is, of course, GOOD NEWS. Joe Bloggs is a dangerous driver. He seems to think it's more important to wriggle out of his penalty points than to drive within the speed limits. I don't want him on the road.

 

[BensGrandad]

Have you ever seen his wife driving the children the 200 yds to school in her 4 x 4 each morning. Now you are talking bad drivers!

 

[severnside gull]

from Speed Cameras UK - Speed Camera Database, Speed Camera Detector Reviews, Satellite Navigation Reviews

SPECS Speed Cameras

SPECS average speed camera systems utilise state of the art video system with Automatic Number Plate Reading (ANPR) digital technology. Consisting of a minimum of two cameras each fitted with infra red illuminators fitted on gantries above the road, so they can work day or night. SPECS speed cameras work out the vehicles average speed, given the time it takes to drive between the two camera positions.


SPECS average speed cameras are fitted either at the roadside or in the central reservation (as pictured below) a set distance apart to create a speed controlled zone, or where appropriate, groups of cameras can be linked to create a speed controlled network.

As vehicles pass between the entry and exit camera points their number plates are digitally recorded, whether speeding or not. Then, by ANPR recognition, the images on the video of matching number plates are paired up, and because each image carries a date and time stamp, the computer can then work out your average speed between the cameras. There is no film used for SPECS.

SPECS are commonly used to enforce speed limits on dual carriageways and motorways. This is because one SPECS gantry can monitor up to four lanes of traffic at any one time.



but also note this from another forum................

I heard somewhere that if you're changing lines they cant get you - anyone know if this is true or is it just *******s?
BBC NEWS | Magazine | How do average speed cameras work?


•Pairs of cameras spot your number plate, start a timer, and then spot your number plate again leaving a zone
•But each pair only covers one lane


But the critics have accused the cameras of allowing a less complicated dodge - changing lanes. Each pair of cameras covers one lane. So in theory, if you are clocked in the fast lane, and you then changed to the middle lane just before the exit camera, you would not be caught.

But Mr Davey says this would be difficult to pull off, as each section covered has a number of cameras and drivers would not be able to see which one was paired with which. You might be picked up by entry camera A, speed down to camera B and change lane only to find that that was also an entry camera and that either exit cameras C or D would get you further down the road.


Mr Davey is managing director of SCS who produce the cameras.

So it seems that he's basically agreed that they can be dodged like that unless you get caught out with what he goes on to explain.

Better to stick to the speed limit around those cameras but if you do happen to be going a little too fast then a change of lane might be a good idea

 

[Dave the OAP]

get a sat nav with the speed camera option ! the amount of speed cameras that are not on is amazing!

 

[John Bumlick]

Looks like she's only got one leg.

that, sir, is a picture of a lady with her legs together. if you come from croydon, i can understand your confusion.

 

[severnside gull]

that, sir, is a picture of a lady with her legs together. if you come from croydon, i can understand your confusion.

 

[Uncle C]

I dislike the fact that some speed limits are too low for the conditions, 60-70mph on dual carridgeways in bright, dry sunshine in modern cars is needless, bear in mind the 70mph limit was set when cars had drum brakes all round and absolutely bugger all safety features.

No excuse for hooning around built up areas and roadworks where there might be people working that you can mow down should you lose control - but on motorways the speed limit is a little too low imo.

So this is your carefull prepared defence when appearing in front of a magistrate.

 

[beorhthelm]

These average speed camera's are tiny things waving about on the top of high poles, shunted around by the workman as the roadworks move around. There is no way their evidence would be enforcible under the law.

you seem to have missed the point, there is a much larger margin for error and still prove that you were speeding. at say 50mph the mile will take you 1 min 12 sec, if you do it in 1 min you clearly had to be speeding. you can cover a lot of ground in 12 sec, around 22m/sec. so to claim the poles are not sited correctly they'd have to be 264m out for you to do 1 mile in 1 min. i could measure a mile with my car tripometer to with a 1/10th and be more accurate, think a couple of trained workmen can do well enough.

 

[severnside gull]

Simple really - if you want to speed keep chopping lanes and then worry for a week or so afterwards that you got away with it.

Alternatively engage cruise control (or drive sensibly) and you wont have a worry in the world

 

[larus]

Why do you feel the need to speed?

First. The speed limits on motorways are ludicrous. 70 mph - it's a joke. The problem the people who take a pious view is that the limit is not enforced. No-one will ever get fined for driving on a motorway up to 80 mph, possibly 85. I even go past police at 80 mph with no problem.

Make the speed limit a sensible limit and then enforce it if you want respect for the limit, but leave the crass comments such as "If you speed you shouldn't be on the road".

Secondly, I recognise the need for speed limits through road-works. In a rush hour, having slower traffic actually speeeds the flow, less stop-start. However, if I'm driving to Debyshire on a Sun eve through the roadworks and there's 3 lanes with virtually no cars on the road and no workmen about, does it really matter if I go though at 70. Well, really. If your only argument is "Well, it's the law", then don't bother, as the people who made the laws are the same ones that made the rules for parliamentary expenses, so they don't exactly command respect from yours truely.

 

[TWOCHOICEStom]

I even go past police at 80 mph with no problem. .

That's a silly thing to do.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

F No-one will ever get fined for driving on a motorway up to 80 mph, possibly 85.

I got done for 83 on an empty motorway so I'd be careful using 85 as a guide. You'll be given 10% of the limit to allow for inaccurate speedos but after that it will depend on the camera and / or officer manning the gun.

 

[Arthritic Toe]

you seem to have missed the point, there is a much larger margin for error and still prove that you were speeding. at say 50mph the mile will take you 1 min 12 sec, if you do it in 1 min you clearly had to be speeding. you can cover a lot of ground in 12 sec, around 22m/sec. so to claim the poles are not sited correctly they'd have to be 264m out for you to do 1 mile in 1 min. i could measure a mile with my car tripometer to with a 1/10th and be more accurate, think a couple of trained workmen can do well enough.

Yeah but when it gets legal, these things have to be precise and verifiable, otherwise the evidence is inadmissable.

I have never heard of anyone getting a ticket from an average speed camera in temporary roadworks. None of the above posts quote any examples either, despite these things having been around for a couple of years now. This is my main reason for thinking these things aren't enforced.

 

[Uter]

Yeah but when it gets legal, these things have to be precise and verifiable, otherwise the evidence is inadmissable.

I have never heard of anyone getting a ticket from an average speed camera in temporary roadworks. None of the above posts quote any examples either, despite these things having been around for a couple of years now. This is my main reason for thinking these things aren't enforced.

I've heard the compliance with the speed limit is much higher where average speed cameras are used as opposed at GATSO cameras. Maybe this is the reason you haven't come across anyone getting a ticket. Plus there are far more GATSO cameras than average speed cameras.

A slight aside: I've only ever seen average speed camera in roadworks. Has anyone ever seem them used elsewhere?

 

[Lokki 7]

It completely destroys the whole point of speeding, which I always thought was to get to your destination faster than you would if you drove safely.

It's wrong to make the sweeping generalisation that driving slowly = driving safely. It is estimated that only 6% of accidents on UK roads are a direct result of speeding. More often accidents are caused by careless driving. We would save a lot more lives if we made drivers over the age of 65 take stringent medicals every 3 years to keep their licenses. Some old fool pootling along at 40mph on the M1 is a lot more dangerous than someone doing 80.

Of course in urban areas it's right to have the limits we do, but you only need to look at Germany to see that it is possible to drive quickly and safely if managed properly.

 

[Lokki 7]

A slight aside: I've only ever seen average speed camera in roadworks. Has anyone ever seem them used elsewhere?

They have them over Tower Bridge and a reduced 20mph limit. A lot of people caught out when they installed them and lowered the speed limit a few years back as the signs are not overly prominant. Even the cabbies still get caught out.