speed cameras

scheming_gypsy

I think it's decided by the local police,
My main reason for a lot of the things i've said is because on the way into Preston from the M65 (or 55 ???) there are 2 speed cameras within about 400 metres of each other and during rush hour traffic there'll often be a copper with a hand held between the 2. Now this is a major road at rush hour when you're lucky if you can hit 30mph never mind faster.

On the opposite side of the road there are regular accidents just infront of a camera. This camera is facing downhill and just at the camera is a turning across the other lane of traffic.... So you're getting drivers coming down the hill and doing the usual speed check, looking up and seeing a set of red lights and a flashing indicator for a car turning... I probably see 1 accident a month here and i only pass it at about 09:50 and 18:10 each day

scheming_gypsy

Trafalgar... don't worry about it, i'm used to getting shouted at on here when i mention cars

Trix

I totally, totally understand where your coming from Trix and I'm glad your daughter is fine now, I did a very stupid thing when my daughter was 8 I was busy and on my own and I started to run a bath , hot water first(yeah I know I learnt the hard way)and I popped down to check on my son , unbeknown to me daughter sat on bath edge to turn tap off and fell in,followed ambulance and desperately wanted to keep up with it , so I do understand :-/

Thanks Traf - I'm not sure if you just mean that you were like me - speeding in an emergancy, or you read my post as my daughter being scalded :-/. My daughter had a condition called scalded skin syndrome, she didn't actually have scalded skin!. It's caused by the staphylococcal bacteria which causes a poison to the skin and causes it to blister and peel. This has got the medical bit if anyone wants to know more: (for whatever reason) http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001352.htm If you want to see how horrible it is, just type 'scalded skin syndrome' into Google images. NOT for the faint hearted mind - make sure you're not eating at the time. :-X

Back to the speed cameras!
One of the most effective things I've seen are the boards that flash the warning when you're going too fast - makes you check your speed without getting fined. If you're still speeding after that then you get flashed by a camera a couple of hundred yards up.

I do agree that speed cameras are not always used for what they were supposed to be intended ie make drivers slow down in accident blackspots, outside of schools parks etc and do seem have just gone into the money making side of it. The intention seemed good but then the money side corrupted the idea.

What is the fine money used for?

student100

Firstly, let me say that I completely agree with speed cameras for the reasons people mentioned above. BUT I also think more could be done to control people's speed.

Firstly, make it a lot more obvious what the speed limit is. I only passed my driving test a year ago, and when I was learning it took a lot of experience to work out the speed limit on some unfamiliar roads. Like, generally, if there are street lamps on a road then the speed limit is 30mph unless otherwise stated. On several occasions when I was learning I missed the speed limit sign just after a roundabout that said "40" or whatever - as a learner I was paying more attention to getting around the roundabout safely - and then I got told off by my driving instructor for doing just 30 (or 29 or whatever) in a 40 limit. It just goes to show that speed limits are not marked clearly enough - it's easy to miss a sign if you are paying more attention to where you are actually going in an unfamiliar area.

Secondly, instead of having people buy radar detectors and whatever so they can get around the law enforcement, make it compulsory for every new car to have a "speed warning" device fitted. Through GPS or whatever, make the car "know" what the speed limit is for the road you are on. Have it displayed on the dashboard so that it is crystal clear to the driver. And have a really obvious warning come on if you exceed the limit - a flashing light or better still a buzzer or beep or a recorded voice telling you to slow down or something. That way people would have no excuse whatsoever for exceeding the limit and would deserve everything they got when they are caught.


Finally, if there's one thing worse than people who speed, it's people who sit at ONE speed (usually about 45mph) whatever the limit! I have been overtaken several times in a 40 limit by someone who goes at 45mph through the 40 limit and then sits in front of me, still at 45mph, through the 60 limit that follows it! Or I get stuck behind someone doing 45 in a 60 limit that who goes zooming off into the distance as soon as the limit changes to 40 and I slow down!

trafalgar_2

No Trix I meant I understand the emergency bit and the wish to be there faster

webmasterpolo

There is one of those boards that flashing your speed up at you as you pass near me, and does not have a camera on it. I think it's a stupud idea! You know what speed you are doing - you've got a speedo. All this will do is encrourage kids to race the thing and see who can pass it at the greatest speed! I've seen them do it!

I have a radar detector in my car, l travel over 20,000 miles a year and l cannot afford to lose my license so it was worth the £300 investment. IMHO l think there should be no limit on the motorways, you use them at your risk and that's the end of it. I don't think this will happen in this country but the idea of increasing to 80mph might work - l totally up for this idea as a start.
In built up areas of course have speed restrictions.

I think police should only focus on people who cannot drive, they cause the accidents in the first place, speeding doesn't cause the accident, it is only a secondry factor in determining how bad it is.

For example people who sit in the outside lanes on motorways and hold up traffic, they are breaking the highway code, yet l've never seen them arrested! They are also driving without due care and attention - so can be caught for this - they did not see the empty lane next to them and cause a line of traffic to build up behind them. Wouldn't it be better to pull them than someone doing 80mph in the empty inside lane?

If people drove properly, speed would not be a problem. If they were aware of the traffic around them and the road and the conditions, they could do whatever speed was appropiate.

I'd much rather have speed cameras on a road than speed humps!! - another one of my bid pet hates!

savvy

I think police should only focus on people who cannot drive, they cause the accidents in the first place, speeding doesn't cause the accident, it is only a secondry factor in determining how bad it is.  


If people drove properly, speed would not be a problem.  If they were aware of the traffic around them and the road and the conditions, they could do whatever speed was appropiate.  

Couldn't agree with you more!  The idiotic drivers are the main problem on roads today, I had 4 accidents in 4 years (1 a year), the first was a stupid cow who literally drove into my car as she was trying to park!  I just caught her as I was returning, but the b***h refused to pay up through the insurers!
The second one was when I was waiting behind an estate car at the traffic lights, the lights turned green and he reversed into me!! T**T!
The third was a young bloke on a very nice motorbike, god only knows what he was thinking, but he rode into the back of my car as I was turning off a fairly empty dual carriage way.  The !!!!!! tried to blame me saying I braked suddenly and never indicated, complete opposite to what I HAD done!  Luckily a woman following him was a great witness!
The last one was a complete nutter who literally rammed me into another car on the M6, luckily we were all travelling at the same speed, 70 mph, so the damaged was reduced, unfortunately he drove off and left me with my car written off!  W****R!

Honestly though, all four idiots have cost me a small fortune one way or another  :'(  just because they aren't bloody concentrating!  >:( >:( >:( >:( >:(

Oh and I'd just like to add that not one of those accidents occurred when speeding!!

Tony_H_3

I think there was a report on Sky News from the Department of Transport which actually placed speeding "Use of inappropriate speed for conditions" in 7th place regarding accidents.

More & more proof is being presented which indicates Speeding is a very low cause of accidents, that doesn't detract from the fact that "IF" you are in an accident travelling in excess of 30mph it's most probable that you will substain serious injuries or even death.

The fact that we acknowledge that there are very bad drivers on the road is strength enough to justify the current stance on speed limits, imagine those bad drivers driving even faster.

I will continue to drive at speeds which I consider to be safe for the conditions, this may mean that on occassion I may break the speed limit. If this is the case it certainly wont be excessive..... "Fiat Panda"?!

Raggie

Adding my tupence....

Traf.. and I have been discussing this on the Shop'drop. board... under Radar Detectors.. would like to add.. that your all right....

1) Speed Kills
2) People Speed
3) People Drive Erratic.
4) People break the law.

but on the subject of cameras

Avoiding the issue of a conspiracy theory here.. the Camera are placed in the best position to catch drivers.. and to generate revenue..

They are placed in areas where the natural tendency of the driver is to speed.. now we all drive.. and we all think we are the best driver on the road.. and we pride ourselves on driving to the road conditions.. BUT...

so many cameras.. are located on 3 lane carriage ways.. as the 40MPH zone.. changes to a (badly indicated) 30MPH zone.. ie.. A13 heading out of London.. or on a motorway stretch that comes to an end and switched from 70MPH.. straight to a 50MPH .. M11 into London.. where without any change in road type.. number of lanes. or location of people/houses, an arbitrary change of speed limit is followed by the placement of a camera..for what reason!!!!

Now like others I drive quite a bit.. (40K Miles a year).. and I cover the whole of the UK.. I see so many cameras located in "strange" locations., I start to doubt their purpose.. if it is not revenue..

Just nobody get me on Bus Lanes.. and their cameras… lol

trafalgar_2

"IMHO l think there should be no limit on the motorways, you use them at your risk and that's the end of it. "
Yeah ok :-/


"speeding doesn't cause the accident, it is only a secondry factor in determining how bad it is. "
Don't cut the speed determine who dies( at their own risk of course) :-/

"Wouldn't it be better to pull them than someone doing 80mph in the empty inside lane? "
The speed limit for this country is 70MPH however empty the roads are or what lane your in :-/

"If they were aware of the traffic around them and the road and the conditions, they could do whatever speed was appropiate. "
Appropriate /who decides/ the driver that thinks they can drive faster in certain conditions than the next driver