M1 Speed Cameras Nottingham

[flango]

The cameras where up on the northbound section two weekends ago when I drove up.

Was dark on Friday when we came up 11pm so wouldn't have noticed them,I presume they are going to operate exactly the same as the variable speed section on the M42 past Birmingham, which Is why I'll probably switch over to the A1

 

[PXW]

If the area is an average speed area, with camera's measuring anyone doing more than a 50 mph average speed, then the implication must surely be that the speed limit is higher than 50MPH?

No. The limit is 50mph - for example, at roadworks etc. The enforcement is by measuring average speed over a distance. Whilst you MAY be able to do more and get away with it by doing less at other points, at the points where you are doing over 50mph you are still breaking the speed limit.

The average speed camera is merely a means of enforcement of the limit, not the limit itself. There may well be other means of enforcement - police cars come to mind - and if you are stopped doing a spot 70mph in 50mph roadworks it is no defence to say that you were planning to do 30mph for the other half of the roadworks to compensate!

 

[TonyVianoAmbiente]

I think that's right - variable speed limit areas are controlled by a series of spot speed cameras, not by average speed cameras, so in theory you can speed up between gantries. I guess the deterrent is that you don't know which gantry has a camera, unless you are a frequent user of the road or a Mercedes driver (in which case you will naturally be well above average as a driver and will be able to spot the cameras in advance)

Unfortunately, you are quite wrong. Average speed cameras are emphatically **NOT** a set of "spot speed cameras", because on their own they cannot measure your speed ...

Average speed cameras work on the basis of number plate recognition. The first camera recognises your number plate and the exact time you passed. The second and subsequent cameras do exactly the same.

Your speed is calculated between any and all the cameras that recorded your numberplate by calculating the time it took your car to cover the accurately pre-measured distances between any two of the set of cameras. The whole thing is quite precise.

If you pass one individual camera at well over the limit, nothing bad will happen as long as your *average speed* between that camera and the next is below the posted limit. So you would need to drive well below the limit until passing the next camera to get your average speed down.

The average speed is calculated measured between all sets of cameras that recognised your number plate.

The cameras don't flash. They have infra-red illuminators that give them perfect visibility of your numberplate at night.

It is clear from this thread that average speed cameras are not well understood. They are already almost universal for motorway reconstruction projects but are now being installed on roads that are not under reconstruction.

Anyone who treats them as a set of "spot speed cameras" has a high risk of receiving a fixed penalty, or worse.

 

[Ian_Mac]

Unfortunately, you are quite wrong. Average speed cameras are emphatically **NOT** a set of "spot speed cameras", because on their own they cannot measure your speed ...

Average speed cameras work on the basis of number plate recognition. The first camera recognises your number plate and the exact time you passed. The second and subsequent cameras do exactly the same.

It doesn't say Average speed cameras are a set of spot speed cameras it says variable speed limit. Big difference.

 

[Ian_Mac]

duplicate

 

[dtldesign]

Its great when they put those, 'not in use' signs up...
Would you really trust them?
But judge even though I was speeding there was a sign saying the camera wasnt working...

 

[Dieselman]

How on earth does a thread about the new M1 speed cameras manage to run to 26 posts..and counting?

New cameras, watch your speed...End..!

 

[Dieselman]

Duplicate post.

 

[moonloops]

ha! the irony of a double post 28 posts and counting

 

[st4]

How on earth does a thread about the new M1 speed cameras manage to run to 26 posts..and counting?

New cameras, watch your speed...End..!

It is so easy on a Mercedes. Not only do they give you cruise control to stop you speeding, but also a speed limit device which you can use.

I am no stranger to speed, but driving fast should be about having fun, and I cannot see a thrill about going down the M1 10mph faster than you are meant to.

 

[davidjpowell]

20 mph over say 5 hours, is nearly 1.5 hours saved for instance. When I choose to go faster on the motorway it's to save time. Motorways are probably where I am at my worst.

I rarely drive fast for fun on any road anymore, in fact I can't remember the last time I drove for fun.

 

[c2raig]

I use this section of the M1 regularly (or at least I did, on my frequent Paris-Newcastle runs). Now I fly. British roads depress me far too much. I used to travel all over the UK, and in the last four years I've seen the British road network fall into decline to the point where I don't want to use it anymore. Also, the equivelant flight for me is a damnsight cheaper than driving, even if you include 30€ a day to park in CDG airport.

This means when I'm in the UK I'm driving for pleasure only. The Mercedes is my UK car, the Mondeo lives in France.

 

[PXW]

Unfortunately, you are quite wrong. Average speed cameras are emphatically **NOT** a set of "spot speed cameras", because on their own they cannot measure your speed ...

Average speed cameras work on the basis of number plate recognition. The first camera recognises your number plate and the exact time you passed. The second and subsequent cameras do exactly the same.

Your speed is calculated between any and all the cameras that recorded your numberplate by calculating the time it took your car to cover the accurately pre-measured distances between any two of the set of cameras. The whole thing is quite precise.

If you pass one individual camera at well over the limit, nothing bad will happen as long as your *average speed* between that camera and the next is below the posted limit. So you would need to drive well below the limit until passing the next camera to get your average speed down.

The average speed is calculated measured between all sets of cameras that recognised your number plate.

The cameras don't flash. They have infra-red illuminators that give them perfect visibility of your numberplate at night.

It is clear from this thread that average speed cameras are not well understood. They are already almost universal for motorway reconstruction projects but are now being installed on roads that are not under reconstruction.

Anyone who treats them as a set of "spot speed cameras" has a high risk of receiving a fixed penalty, or worse.

Unfortunately, you are quite wrong . That wasn't what I said - please read the original post properly.

In another post I have explained how average speed cameras work - but the point being discussed here was that the gantry cameras in VARIABLE speed limit areas are not average speed cameras.

It's also not necessarily the case that you can pass one individual average speed camera at well over the limit and be OK - that will only work if you know which cameras are paired with which (and many/most roadworks have multiple sets) and you know how far it is between the cameras and you can do the necessary mental arithmetic whilst concentrating on the road....

Personally, I always use the car's speed limiter when going through average speed check areas.

 

[Stratman]

The cameras confer no magic properties on a speed limit. If the limit is 50 mph then exceeding it is an offence, whether or not there are cameras present. The cameras are merely enforcement aids, just differing in how they measure your speed.

After all, the limit still applies on roads with no cameras at all does it not?

 

[st4]

20 mph over say 5 hours, is nearly 1.5 hours saved for instance. When I choose to go faster on the motorway it's to save time. Motorways are probably where I am at my worst.

I rarely drive fast for fun on any road anymore, in fact I can't remember the last time I drove for fun.

You are right, and even factor in a 20min roadside stop and I sgaved 3hours off a run to Torquay from Clydbank, in otherwords, as the NSL driver was arriving in Brum, I was at the other end of the M5 to them.

Sadly I do less fun driving, but still enough to warrant having the car I have. If I did not drive for fun or find driving fun, I would have a "snot box".

You've inspired me, i am off for a fun wee drive right now. Be back in 40mins

 

[mikell]

I'd not been on the M1 for some time, so I was surprised to see 'Variable Speed Camera' signs on all the newer sections. This forum seems to be the only one discussing the issue sensibly, so although I drive a Ford Focus, I've joined!

Since I had no idea wether the cameras were actually working when no speed restriction was displayed, I emailed the Highways Agency asking whether they were switched off when no speed was displayed, they replied today with this:

" I can confirm that the speed cameras in the gantries on sections of managed motorways are only active if a speed limit is showing. If there is no speed limit showing on the gantry then the national speed limit applies and the cameras are not active.

Kind regards,

​

Jon Allen
Highways Agency Information Line"

I hope this helps,

Mike



​

 

[Stratman]

That's want they want you to think

 

[thebook]

If they operate in the same manner as the variable ones on the M25, they are 'on' all the time, but can only be enforced when the lanes are subject to variable limits.

I was flashed on the M25 at Heathrow doing a little more than 70 (it was about 02:00 in the morning) but the variable limit was off. I heard nothing more about it and was was not prosecuted.

 

[John]

If they operate in the same manner as the variable ones on the M25, they are 'on' all the time, but can only be enforced when the lanes are subject to variable limits.

I was flashed on the M25 at Heathrow doing a little more than 70 (it was about 02:00 in the morning) but the variable limit was off. I heard nothing more about it and was was not prosecuted.

Yes, I remember someone who knew about those cameras very well but accidentally drove through the first camera gantry back in 1998/1999 whilst not thinking (with a remote controlled camera actually on it - you can tell by the 3 prong aerial to the left of the gantry) at around the same sort of time in the morning at 20mph (+/- 100mph).

Same outcome thankfully.

...er for that person I mean.

 

[Benzmanc]

I think that's right - variable speed limit areas are controlled by a series of spot speed cameras, not by average speed cameras, so in theory you can speed up between gantries. I guess the deterrent is that you don't know which gantry has a camera, unless you are a frequent user of the road or a Mercedes driver (in which case you will naturally be well above average as a driver and will be able to spot the cameras in advance)

It's really easy to tell which gantries have cameras fitted. You just look to the right at the other carriageway, none on that side means none on yours.

Daz