Why Do People Hate Stealth Speed Cameras?

sillygoose

I was on the M42 today which I use a lot. Its was fairly busy but none of the variable limit gantries were in operation.

Except as I went down the 'ramp' section that connects into the M6 Toll there is a gantry near the bottom which is one with the cameras on and it was solitarily set to 50 mph, for no reason causing some drivers to slow up quite hard, the next gantry was back to national limit (off). The traffic on this stretch was light having lost most cars at the M6 exit and there was no delays or hazards ahead. As a regular I am used to these shenanigans.

I have no doubt this is simply a cynical attempts at money making from the unwary lulled into a false sense of security by all the other gantries being off.

And no wonder cameras make money when the concentration levels of many drivers to their surroundings is terrible from what I see.

There is a 40 mph section of roadworks on the M5 around J4. There are signs every few hundred feet for over a mile warning the inside lane is for J4 ONLY. Without fail every time I drive it I see several vehicles making desperate swerves across the hatching as they suddenly realise their lane is turning off the motorway. What are they doing in those cars other than driving?

Norman_Castle

jaydeeuk1 wrote: »

I hate stealth cameras because they stop me driving to my ability and road conditions. .

As the cameras simply force you to stick to speed limits surely its the speed limits you hate.

Skintski

The specs (average) cameras are a good idea and they do seem to actually slow people down. The worst thing about normal cameras is that people slam the anchors on when they see them which causes problems for the drivers behind.

At least with specs, if you find you have drifted over the limit you get the chance to put it right, the normal cameras judge you in a split second which doesn't seem terribly fair since it's easy it make a error and drift over these days.

dunroving

rca779 wrote: »

We have a few 20mph speed limits locally. Now I have no problem with this, I can fully understand why. BUT the problem with 20mph speed limits is that as a motorist you spend more time looking at your speedo to make sure your under the limit than at the actual road.
I have cruise control on my car, but this only works from about 28mph. If I had a 20mph button on my car, like the F1 drivers have for the pit stops, I would be more than happy.
As it is, I believe that 20mph are more dangerous because a drivers concentration is taken off the road and onto their speedo

sillygoose wrote: »

I was on the M42 today which I use a lot. Its was fairly busy but none of the variable limit gantries were in operation.

Except as I went down the 'ramp' section that connects into the M6 Toll there is a gantry near the bottom which is one with the cameras on and it was solitarily set to 50 mph, for no reason causing some drivers to slow up quite hard, the next gantry was back to national limit (off). The traffic on this stretch was light having lost most cars at the M6 exit and there was no delays or hazards ahead. As a regular I am used to these shenanigans.

I have no doubt this is simply a cynical attempts at money making from the unwary lulled into a false sense of security by all the other gantries being off.

And no wonder cameras make money when the concentration levels of many drivers to their surroundings is terrible from what I see.

There is a 40 mph section of roadworks on the M5 around J4. There are signs every few hundred feet for over a mile warning the inside lane is for J4 ONLY. Without fail every time I drive it I see several vehicles making desperate swerves across the hatching as they suddenly realise their lane is turning off the motorway. What are they doing in those cars other than driving?

A study was published a year or two ago, showing that the number of distractions to drivers is much higher than just a few years ago. They focussed on the number of street signs, but to that I guess you can add variable speed limits, in-car gadgets, buttons, controls, etc. Not to mention numpty pedestrians in some built-up areas, who seem intent on getting themselves run over.

Stoke

My problem with Speed Cameras in general is that I don't believe, in the majority of cases, that they're increasing the safety of the roads or the drivers. There's a road near my house that is a 30MPH that I've seen people drive as fast as 80MPH down. No speed cameras on it, not even average... why? Because it's not a busy road, no money to be made.

Instead, they put average speed cameras along the A500, a fairly safe road so long as everyone is moving and catch commuters doing 55 in a 50 zone (which is already too slow as it is)

Mercdriver

Stoke wrote: »

My problem with Speed Cameras in general is that I don't believe, in the majority of cases, that they're increasing the safety of the roads or the drivers. There's a road near my house that is a 30MPH that I've seen people drive as fast as 80MPH down. No speed cameras on it, not even average... why? Because it's not a busy road, no money to be made.

Instead, they put average speed cameras along the A500, a fairly safe road so long as everyone is moving and catch commuters doing 55 in a 50 zone (which is already too slow as it is)

It would be very unlikely to be catching them doing 55 in a 50 since ACPO enforcement doesn't start until 57....

motorguy

Mercdriver wrote: »

It would be very unlikely to be catching them doing 55 in a 50 since ACPO enforcement doesn't start until 57....

Apparently the +10% + 2mph is not an absolute but a discretionary, so i wouldnt be relying on it.

wiltsguy_2

i try, and mainly succeed at sticking to the limits, but i agree it is very distracting to keep looking at your speedometer to ensure that you are sticking to the limit.

I find that drivers that drive below the speed limit are more dangerous than 'speeders' as you can see the frustration in the drivers built up behind them.

And don't get me started on the fools that stay put in the middle lane at 70mph and think that this is how you are supposed to drive....

molerat

About 3 years ago they reduced my local ring road from 40 / 30 / 40 to 30 all along. Whilst the workmen were out changing the signs they had a camera van tucked away on one of previous 40 areas. In the interests of road safety or cash generation ?

peachyprice

robbies_gal wrote: »

i hate the average speed cameras-theyre putting another stretchof the a13 on average of 50 which is just not necessary

That has to be the most ridiculous speed limit on a stretch of road ever. I can't for the life of me see why that wide, open, straight stretch of road needs to be 50.