Avarage Speed Camara's

[skymastor]

Now then,

Whilst driving through the roadworks on the M1 at Luton yesterday, I gazed up at the average speed camera's and wondered!

I have read threads and seen on many web pages peoples experiences of their dealing's with being flashed or caught speeding. Does anyone actually know anyone or have heard of anyone who has been caught speeding by these camera's? Does anyone have any details?

Interested to know...

Thanx..

 

[AFCNEAL]

Yep - they're real all right. SPECS are very accurate so there's not always a setting above the posted speed and are virtually undefendable. There is a belief that by changing lanes you can dodge the reading, but no-one ever seems to have claimed to do it!

 

[BTB 500]

I don't actually know anyone who's been done by SPECS though (loads of people who've been GATSOed) ...

Whenever I drive through a SPECS zone there are loads of cars flying past, way over the limit.

 

[amwebby]

The same allowance as Gatsos applies, speed limit + 10% + 2 mph

 

[KillerHERTZ]

You cant get flashed by them as they work via infrared.

Change lanes between them

 

[robert.saunders]

SPECS camera's are always paired; problem is you don't know which camera is paired to which.

Say you have a 2-lane dual carriageway with 20 cameras - 10 per lane, over the enforced distance. Camera 1 in lane 1 may be paired with camera 14 in lane 2, camera 2 with camera 5 etc etc. Try lane swapping - you may be lucky

That's how it works, complete random placement. According to my sources in Cambs Safety Partnership anyway, thanks to my line of work & associated contacts in Traffic Management

 

[television]

I find it easier these days to slow down and go at the limit

 

[robert.saunders]

Makes sense to me

 

[Carrotchomper]

Yep, it's far more stressful. Save the hooning for the country roads where you KNOW there's no room to stick a van/horsebox on the verge!

 

[DieselE]

Makes sense to me

And me. SPECS zones are the one area where I regularly use the speed limiter feature. Wouldn't be without it.

 

[robert.saunders]

Yes, I miss the limiter, cruise isn't the same in those situations

 

[television]

When you do keep to the limit,maye just a touch over, I hate the tail gaiters who sit so close to make you feel bad or chicken for keeping to the limit

 

[DieselE]

When you do keep to the limit,maye just a touch over, I hate the tail gaiters who sit so close to make you feel bad or chicken for keeping to the limit

Agreed. Especially when it's a 44T Scania that's filling your rear view mirror.

 

[BTB 500]

I always use cruise control (rather than the limiter) in SPECS zones, probably because I'm normally going through them when traffic is light. I find most people drive well under the limit, often slowing down for each gantry as well

But as mentioned I always see at least half a dozen vehicles rocket past, seemingly ignoring the limit.

 

[TonyVianoAmbiente]

When you do keep to the limit,maye just a touch over, I hate the tail gaiters who sit so close to make you feel bad or chicken for keeping to the limit

I find a touch on the brake pedal with the left foot (while maintaining speed) tends to concentrate their minds. Just enough to switch on the brake lights, but without slowing down.

If that doesn't work, reduce your speed by 5 mph.

 

[6CylinderMerc]

I read somewhere that the lane changing thing works between the first & last camera, i.e. as long as you pass the last camera in a different lane to that which you passed the first one, then it cannot calculate your speed. Makes sense to me

Personally, I try to stick to the limit passing these cameras but there's always a time when you accidentally stray too fast....

 

[KillerHERTZ]

Surely they cannot calculate if you change lanes as each lane can be totally different distances on a large 1mile bend for example?

The 'inner' lane will be vastly shorter than the 'outta' one?

 

[skymastor]

Mmm.. Slightly gone off topic here! I was actually wanting to know if anyone had had heard of anybody being fined by these systems?

I notice that the comments have wandered into giving explanations on how the system may operate and how to circumvent it.

Many years ago I used to work with these systems in there infancy for totally different reasons! and I fully understand how the system operates and it is computer based. From my knowledge, they may be a slight chance that the cameras may miss a reading of your plate if you move across lanes in the target area. However, the system is active enough to alter the target zone to grab the plate whilst you do this. If the systems are identical to what I have worked with (which I'm sure they are!) then all the camera's are controlled by a computer system so linking certain camera's to lanes is irrelevant. All the system needs is a capture from one point to the next to work out your average speed!

But going back to my original question, because of the way this technology operates coupled with my knowledge of this, I do have my doubts in how the system enforces the law and I have never heard of ANYBODY being fined by it.

So, anyone know anybody who as?

 

[BTB 500]

Nope. As stated, I don't personally know anyone who's been done by SPECS.

 

[robert.saunders]

All the system needs is a capture from one point to the next to work out your average speed!

But going back to my original question, because of the way this technology operates coupled with my knowledge of this, I do have my doubts in how the system enforces the law and I have never heard of ANYBODY being fined by it.

So, anyone know anybody who as?

The point is, no-one driving knows which camera is linked to its pair. On the A14 in Cambs they do not all talk to each other, they are only paired independently.

As for convictions, I will find out on Monday