People breaking average speed limits on M-ways - how?

Horizon81

Having witnessed the same behaviour, I just think that a large proportion of the popluace is plain stupid. Or perhaps they take a simplistic view and think the 'average speed' camera measures your speed as you pass the cameras (e.g. pass one at 45mph and pass one at 55mph) and it takes the average of 50mph - and they assume you can go like a bat out of hell inbetween.

Prothet_of_Doom

arcon5 wrote: »

Not correctly, but accurately. It's not difficult to accurately estimate someone's speed.

Ah Yes. thanks. There is a pedantic nature to your personality, is there not ?

ianders

How far apart are the cameras? Is it possible they leave at the next junction before going through the next camera therefore making it impossible for them to calculate average speed?

BillTrac

There will usually be a camera on any exit/slip roads to ensure the average covers the whole stretch.

Also it was mentioned up-thread about lane cameras and whether changing lanes helped. Originally the cameras were dedicated to an individual lane but this was addressed several years ago. Now all cameras are 'interlinked ' and software can track vehicles across all lanes. Makes me smile when cars make obvious lane changes at camera locations.

Some drivers seem to think that it's the average across the whole of the system, but it's actually across each camera to camera stretch.

Ezmondino

And sometimes I believe it's not camera to camera. It's any pair of cameras.
So, it can be 1st camera to 3rd camera, or 2nd to 5th camera, and so on.

bob_a_builder

re M25

if this is to be believed, some will be working soon

http://www.elmbridgeguardian.co.uk/news/10935576.M25_speed_cameras_to_be_switched_on_in_Surrey/?ref=var_0

Nearly_Old

BillTrac wrote: »

Also it was mentioned up-thread about lane cameras and whether changing lanes helped. Originally the cameras were dedicated to an individual lane but this was addressed several years ago. Now all cameras are 'interlinked ' and software can track vehicles across all lanes. Makes me smile when cars make obvious lane changes at camera locations.

Some drivers seem to think that it's the average across the whole of the system, but it's actually across each camera to camera stretch.

Almost correct:
Although the original cameras could generally cope with a single lane (hence 2 or more cameras at each location) all the times from different cameras could be used. The problem was in the original SI (Statutory Instrument) that authorised the use of average speed cameras as that refered to "exceeding the posted limit in a lane". The correction was to amend the SI to remove the reference to "in a lane". So in the early days changing lane could work as long as you knew which cameras were live.

In the latest systems one camera can cover 3 lanes but generally 2 cameras are used at each location. Theoretically any pair of cameras can be used but this would generally not apply as photographic evidence is required and this is generally not installed at every camera location.

nonnatus

I took a trip "Oop Norf" last week and had my first experience of the M1. I was a complete idiot. I saw all the people in the slow lanes sticking to 50, I was aware of all the signs requesting I stick to 50, I noted all the speed cameras.


And yet...


There were LOADS of people bombing along in the fast lane, so I thought maybe they knew something that I didn't. Maybe it was an "open secret" that the Cameras were all switched off on a Sunday or something?? I joined the cars and maintained a steady 70 to my destination.


A week later, I have received a Notice of Intended Prosecution from Derbyshire Police. I assume all of us in the Idiot lane received the same notice. Fortunately, the Notice states I was doing 58mph in a 50mph zone. It could have been MUCH worse.


I've returned the notice and await my punishment. My licence is clean and has been for 25 years - so that's going to change!


In answer then to the OP - it's pure STUPIDITY that leads to people exceeding the 50mph checks. And maybe a bit of arrogance (along the lines of "it'll never happen to ME")

BeenThroughItAll

taxiphil wrote: »

It did cross my mind, but are that many people really that stupid?

Yes, they are. You only have to spend five minutes reading the MSE 'Loans' forum to see that.

Aretnap

BillTrac wrote: »

There will usually be a camera on any exit/slip roads to ensure the average covers the whole stretch

Usually but not always - my commute on the A14 takes past a single camera, and my junction comes before the second camera.

On the odd occasion I may have overtaken people who were sticking to the 70 limit. :cool: