Dodgy Speed Limits

minxorcist

Recently I was driving on the M25 just gone past the Swanley junction going toward the A2, and the speed limit dropped to 60, so I slowed down to 60. Then ahead, they were changing from 60 to 40, then back up to 50 in a matter of seconds. I got flashed as I went through one set displaying 40 (I was doing around 45, and slowing - not just becase the camera is there). I was livid, as you can imagine!
What made it even more annoying was the fact that the traffic was running clear with no queues whatsoever.
Should I ring the ticketing unit and moan, or wait untill I get something in the post? How can they set a speed camera when they change the speed limit spontaniously? So annoyed! Has anyone here experienced anything similar?

forgotmyname

Yes, roadworks on the M6.

50mph in the roadworks, overhead signs 40mph, then overhead sign shows national speed limit, as the lorries to my left speed up a gap opens and the sign at the side of the motorway says 50mph.

Due to the slow bunched up traffic it would be easy to miss the 50mph sign after the overhead ones said national limit applies.

daveyjp

minxorcist wrote: »

Recently I was driving on the M25 just gone past the Swanley junction going toward the A2, and the speed limit dropped to 60, so I slowed down to 60. Then ahead, they were changing from 60 to 40, then back up to 50 in a matter of seconds. I got flashed as I went through one set displaying 40 (I was doing around 45, and slowing - not just becase the camera is there). I was livid, as you can imagine!
What made it even more annoying was the fact that the traffic was running clear with no queues whatsoever.
Should I ring the ticketing unit and moan, or wait untill I get something in the post? How can they set a speed camera when they change the speed limit spontaniously? So annoyed! Has anyone here experienced anything similar?

There is a period between the limit changing and the camera becoming operative so you can’t get a ticket if it changes while you are passing.

If you were doing 45 when it had been showing 40 for a while you may get some post, just wait a couple of weeks and see if anything arrives.

There were probably no queues because the speed was being varied, thats the point of the system.

Don’t assume the problem is where you are, it could be some miles ahead and by the time you reach it the traffic has been managed so the problem has gone.

Car_54

forgotmyname wrote: »

Yes, roadworks on the M6.

50mph in the roadworks, overhead signs 40mph, then overhead sign shows national speed limit, as the lorries to my left speed up a gap opens and the sign at the side of the motorway says 50mph.

Due to the slow bunched up traffic it would be easy to miss the 50mph sign after the overhead ones said national limit applies.

AFAIK there must be two terminal signs for a speed limit to be valid (possibly with some exceptions).

It sounds as though you saw the one on the left and missed the one on the right!

waamo

Ringing the ticketing office to moan will get you absolutely nowhere.

System

minxorcist wrote: »

Recently I was driving on the M25 just gone past the Swanley junction going toward the A2, and the speed limit dropped to 60, so I slowed down to 60. Then ahead, they were changing from 60 to 40, then back up to 50 in a matter of seconds. I got flashed as I went through one set displaying 40 (I was doing around 45, and slowing - not just becase the camera is there). I was livid, as you can imagine!
What made it even more annoying was the fact that the traffic was running clear with no queues whatsoever.
Should I ring the ticketing unit and moan, or wait untill I get something in the post? How can they set a speed camera when they change the speed limit spontaniously? So annoyed! Has anyone here experienced anything similar?

No idea why you're livid because you got flashed, you drove past a clearly displayed 40 limit at 45MPH. The limit applies from the sign, not past it when your car has finally slowed down to 40MPH.

Whilst you couldn't see an issue immediately around you it doesn't mean there wasn't one a mile or more further up the road. I know that when there has been an accident they're clearing on the M1 around Nottingham which has been reported on the traffic news they've dropped the speed down as far back as Sheffield 30 miles up the road and by the time you've got to Mansfield its been lifted and with no queues in sight because they had dissipated by the time we got there which was the whole point of lowering the speed that further back. If I'd gone off what I'd just seen in my immediate surroundings I'd have thought it was pointless too.

They can set a speed camera where they change the limits like that because its no longer the 1990s and there has been this thing called technological process. The cameras get a signal to change to a set speed just after the signs change - I believe there's a delay of 60 seconds or so from the speed limit changing to the camera being active at the new limit.

You could ring the ticketing office and moan but you'd just be sounding like yet another idiot incapable of driving past a 40MPH sign at 40MPH or below.