SPEED CAMERAS

peterbaker

Motorcyclists get hit mostly because they take bigger risks than normal road users.

Number 1:  And this is the biggest risk of all that a motorcyclist takes - They choose to ride a machine that gives them no protection if they or a nearby roaduser makes a mistake.

Number 2:  They generally drive much faster than cars - indeed many choose motorcycles because they can commute faster than in a car.

Number 3:  They generally weave in and out of multi-lane traffic constantly passing through blindspots in the mirrors of fellow roadusers.

That's why they get hurt more often than anyone else.

As for whether I or others who run the gauntlet of these flipping cameras are stupid, well I don't think so.  I do have kids.  I have been caught by speed cameras twice in five years.  On both occasions they were speed cameras I knew well, but I was distracted by some idle thought at the wrong moment.  On both occasions these were cameras set for maximum revenue for a Police Authority and nothing else whatsoever.

The most recent was a couple of weeks ago at that damn camera at the bottom of the M11 southbound.

90% of drivers brake for that camera.  I think I heard that it catches 4000 drivers a day or a week or some crazy number.

It is set for 50 mph which is 20 mph below the normal limit for a wide dual carriageway with no pedestrians within a mile of it.

Tonight I noticed that a massive roadworks sign has been erected in front of it so that it is 80% obscured from view.   There was no reason for the roadworks sign to be sited 5 metres in front of the camera, so someone had deliberately sited it to catch out more drivers.

I don't mind admitting that I do break speed limits particularly on motorways, so I suppose I shouldn't begrudge paying a fine every now and then, but I would rather talk to a traffic policeman who had seen me offend about what I had done, than simply be sent a photo of my numberplate telling me I had been measured doing 61mph on a wide dual carriageway miles from any pedestrian.

In fact the road is so wide there, that I am not even sure Essex Police's M11 camera is in Essex!

alexj2002

Re M42 however, I have used it loads and there are a lot less accidents on it than other motorways (this is just my opinion from hearing travel news over the years), so they must be getting something right. The M4 near Newport in S.Wales however is always having accidents at least one a week if not more, and that's just what I pick up from national travel news when the radio happens to be on. They are getting something very wrong.

The M42 seemingly has had a 50 limit for ages now yet everyone of the times i've been on it the cones have been on the h/s and no-one's been working there (both weekdays and weekends). There are also tens of speed-cameras along the road making everyone stick to them and meaning you could rack up over £1000 in fines and enough points to ban you from driving for years (yet you've only broken the limit once haven't you).

As for the M4 nr Newport - it's because of the Brynglas Tunnel and it's mostly lorries that cause the accidents. Nothing to do with speed.

alexj2002

And another thing bout the M42 why are the speed cameras the same colour as the roadwork signs? And they say they aren't disguising them?

IvanOpinion

And another thing bout the M42 why are the speed cameras the same colour as the roadwork signs? And they say they aren't disguising them?

That is really sneaky if they are starting to disguise roadwork signs as speed cameras ;D

Ivan

Fran

As for the M4 nr Newport - it's because of the Brynglas Tunnel and it's mostly lorries that cause the accidents. Nothing to do with speed.

I think it's everything to do with speed! People are driving too fast along that stretch from the bridge to Cardiff area as there are a lot of turn offs and people make lane changes. It's not just the Brynglas tunnel but all along that stretch that accidents happen. The road has a few bends too and people don't drive slow enough to account for this potentially hazardous stretch.

When I was using that bit of the M4 regularly a couple of years ago in rush hour, the traffic slowed because of sheer volume of traffic but people were driving too close to the vehicle in front and hopping in and out of lanes all the time. (That's not a speed issue but adds to the reasons for accidents on that bit of road.)

scheming_gypsy

If you don't want to get caught by speed camera's then it's simple... go so fast they can't catch you !!

mclaren_2

Also, if you do more than 160MPH, the speed camera, wont detect you

Put the saving tip in yellow for obvious reasons

IvanOpinion

Mclaren

I am assuming that the damage shown in your picture was caused by the deranged vandalism of some ignorant lowlifes.  I wonder how much one of those speed cameras costs the tax payer.  All the police will do is replace it.  I think those responsible for the vandalism of such property should be forced to pay the FULL amount of a replacement.

Ivan

IvanOpinion

OMG, Roll out the flags, put up the bunting, start the fanfares .... The Tories have finally found a policy

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3529864.stm

I wonder if they are doing this because they care or are they doing it simply because they think it will win a few votes ... the cynic in me says the latter.

I still agree with previous posters ... if you are breaking the law then you should expect to pay for it ... and yes I have been caught speeding and had to pay a fine (WHY WHINGE AND GURN LIKE AN OLD WOMAN, I WAS SPEEDING, I GOT WHAT I DESERVED) ... much to my mothers embarassment .. until a few days later she was caught (but the old purple rinse meant she got off with a warning)... boy did I milk that one ;D ;D ;D

Ivan

peterbaker

As a matter of interest, when I passed the speed camera at the bottom of the M11 again yesterday, the large roadwork sign that 80% obscurs the camera from view is still there. I reported it in this thread on 19th July. I noticed no roadworks yesterday.

Is this a case of Essex Police conspiring to deceive and consequently defraud speeding motorists I wonder?