Electronic 'Slow down' signs

talksalot81

This is a prime example of stupidity with public money. I have seen quite a few of these things about, they measure the speed of the traffic, if it is too fast, it displays a 'slow down' message and the correct speed limit. However, they are un-monitored and absolutely nobody pays any attention to them! We live opposite stormont where and have one on each side of the road. We can see one of them out our window and it is very rarely not displaying a message - basically just when there is no traffic present!

So we have the pointless 'safety' measures which will have cost significant money in the initial purchase and are further using up electricity day and night for absolutely no good.

zorber

dont knock them, i actually do look at them when they flash and check my speed, normally i find i am doing the speed limit any how and it does seem all the ones in my area seem to be set to the speed limit, this i see as pointless as the impact of these signs are then lost as you stop checking your speed as they are always going off.

The ones in my area are solar or wind powered so the electricity is not an issue.

Easymoney

talksalot81 wrote: »

This is a prime example of stupidity with public money. I have seen quite a few of these things about, they measure the speed of the traffic, if it is too fast, it displays a 'slow down' message and the correct speed limit. However, they are un-monitored and absolutely nobody pays any attention to them! We live opposite stormont where and have one on each side of the road. We can see one of them out our window and it is very rarely not displaying a message - basically just when there is no traffic present!

So we have the pointless 'safety' measures which will have cost significant money in the initial purchase and are further using up electricity day and night for absolutely no good.

I agree with you to a point, yes the location of the signs outside Stormont is a waste. Town planners and roads service dont have a clue here in Norn Iron.

(What are you going to do about that Paisley and McGuinnes)

Am I correct in thinking that stretch of raod used to be 40mph?

They would have been better placed at the bottom of the carriageway as you approach Dundonald from Ards.

Statistically they do prove to be effective, I knew of two separate fatalities on the Saintfield road to Carryduff. It is a significant black spot, although in one of the accidents, speed was a major issue, the other we were never quite sure as to what happened.
There is a 50mph slow down sign located there and rightly so.

You take you life in your hands each time you pull out of Brackenvale service station

BigMummaF

Hi. We have a local stretch of road that, in one direction, goes from a 30 to 60 for approx 1/4 mile. It then changes to a 50 because of an offset crossroads BUT they've stuck a couple of these cameras either side telling you to slow down! I've come through doing 35 to see how slow they are set, & the damned things still light up.
Why don't they just set the speed limit to xmph for that stretch & be done?
Same area different road, limit is 30 & they light up at 27mph....it makes me curse every time!

Bigcammy

I normally find these signs useful, as it reminds you if you're going too fast and i've seen plenty of people slow down as they realise they are going too fast, but not the Stormont ones, that stretch of road shouldn't really be 30mph.

As for Brackenvale garage, is it me or has that garage deteriorated badly. It used to be fresh and tidy, now it's haphazard and messy, in my personal opinion of course!

Easymoney

BigMummaF wrote: »

I've come through doing 35 to see how slow they are set, & the damned things still light up.
Same area different road, limit is 30 & they light up at 27mph....it makes me curse every time!

Yes they will try your patience, it's referred to as character building.

You'll probably find that your speedo is out, incidently something you could use to argue your case in court.........that your speedo wasnt calibrated.

Do you have SAT NAV? this will show your speed, although sometimes it will need to average out the speed for a few seconds to allow sat signals to register.

marcais

It seems they can't win with some people.

If they put up speed cameras they would be accused of doing it as part of a money-making scheme. If they try something that doesn't raise any revenue then it's a money-and-time-wasting effort.

talksalot81

I dont object if they were to put up cameras which flashed and sent out tickets. But these devices are no real incentive to slow down, I see it for hours every day and people do not slow down for them - it is a wide straight road and the police are never ever there - why slow down?!

I do not care if money is made of lawbreaking motorists, I have never complained about that!

You can 'win' in my book if you have a system which discourages people from speeding. Whether that means penalty points, or fines or both, I do not care. But the system in place is no more effective than having an old man shaking a stick and holding up a speed limit sign!

motorguy

marcais wrote: »

It seems they can't win with some people.

If they put up speed cameras they would be accused of doing it as part of a money-making scheme. If they try something that doesn't raise any revenue then it's a money-and-time-wasting effort.

Any time one of those flashes up my speed at me, i think 'phew that could have been 3 points on my licence'.

BUT, have to agree with the OP, on that particular stretch of road they're fairly pointless.

Its a bit like the boucher road stick to the speedlimit there - 30 mph - and you're likely to get dozed off the road by other motorists.

IvanOpinion

There used to be 2 outside Bangor .. the one heading to Belfast seems to have gone (not that it ever worked for more than a few hours at a time) and the one heading towards Bangor does not seem to work .. I even sped up yesterday to see if it would kick in.

Generally a better idea than fines. My pet hate though is all the B&W camera signs being planted on roads .. they are big signs .. would it be asking too much to put the allowed speed on these signs as well, at least then you can check. If you are in an area you are not familiar with then the camera sign reminds you but you have no idea what speed you should be doing.

Ivan

motorguy

Thats so true Ivan. If they want people to stick to the speed limits they should make it clear what they are.

I got caught doing 40mph on the boucher road a few years ago. I actually saw the speed camera, checked my speed at 40mph and thought i was fine. They pulled me in and did me as its a 30. Why i asked? because its within the city limits and there are pedestrian footpaths on either side. When was the last time anyone EVER walked down the boucher road!!!

Yes, money would be better spent marking clearly the speed limits in a lot of areas - but hey, that doesnt generate any revenue does it?