M1 Variable Speed Limits

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Quite right, maybe we should all travel everywhere at 30mph?

Very few people are capable of travelling anywhere at 30 mph these days. It's much more difficult than doing 90 on a motorway.


iirc, no-one has been caught by the M25 cameras in over a year now. I've travelled the M1 a couple of times in the last month and noticed little regard for the enforced limits, and not seen a camera flash

Not all cameras flash:-

Truvelo Speed Cameras

Truvelo system is steadily becoming more common and some parts of the UK now predominantly use this type of camera. Three white lines are painted just ahead of the Truvelo camera and there are strips in the road that register the speed of the passing vehicle and trigger the camera.By using an infra-red flash, the Truvelo camera avoids the flash that the rear Gatso cameras produce when a photograph is taken. This means that the driver doesn't see a flash but the camera can take a photograph of the driver, as well as the front of the vehicle.
 
Not all cameras flash:-

Truvelo Speed Cameras

Truvelo system is steadily becoming more common and some parts of the UK now predominantly use this type of camera. Three white lines are painted just ahead of the Truvelo camera and there are strips in the road that register the speed of the passing vehicle and trigger the camera.By using an infra-red flash, the Truvelo camera avoids the flash that the rear Gatso cameras produce when a photograph is taken. This means that the driver doesn't see a flash but the camera can take a photograph of the driver, as well as the front of the vehicle.

They don't use these on the motorway.

AFAIA, all motorway cameras flash.
 
There's something very un-British about the Truvelo. It is quite easy to site so that you don't see it until it is too late, particularly in 30 mph areas. At least a Gatso gives you a sporting chance of spotting it and slowing down in time...

On any of my bikes, on the other hand, I'm all in favour of Truvelos; no front number plate, and a full-face helmet, do not make it easy to ID a bike or rider....
 
There's something very un-British about the Truvelo. It is quite easy to site so that you don't see it until it is too late, particularly in 30 mph areas. At least a Gatso gives you a sporting chance of spotting it and slowing down in time.

And you can play flashcan with a Gatso...

On any of my bikes, on the other hand, I'm all in favour of Truvelos; no front number plate, and a full-face helmet, do not make it easy to ID a bike or rider....
 
They don't use these on the motorway.

AFAIA, all motorway cameras flash.


No. As stated earlier, SPECS don't.

Don't know about the others.
 
There's something very un-British about the Truvelo. It is quite easy to site so that you don't see it until it is too late, particularly in 30 mph areas.

It's called a deterrent effect.
 
I've seen the M1 gantry cameras flash. Not at me, you understand, but on the other side of the road.
 
Seemed like an appropriate time to resurrect this thread.

Took our son and his wife to Gatwick this morning, leaving at 05:00. Joined the M1 at J18 straight into 50 limit with right lane coned off, both sides, with average speed cameras. This went on for mile after mile after mile, so long that I lost count of how many miles it went on for. Nobody was working of course!

By the time we broke free of the 50 limit, it was but a few miles 'till we were into the variable speed limits which, of course, were set 60/50/40 mph, in no particular order, despite the trafic being light and free flowing.

It seems that the M1 is no longer a motorway. I can legally drive faster on the country lane down the road than I can on 3/4/5 lane so-called motorway.

Since you started ranting and must already know of the roadworks and variable limits on the M1, why didn't you take the M40?
Warwick to Gatwick and you didn't use the M40...you must be joking, or making your rant up.
 
Since you started ranting and must already know of the roadworks and variable limits on the M1, why didn't you take the M40?
Warwick to Gatwick and you didn't use the M40...you must be joking, or making your rant up.

I think the OP's post is about the fact that there seems to be no rhyme or reason to the variable speed limits imposed on motorists driving on the M1 between junctions 8 and 10.

How he came about to be on the M1 is a different matter.

As for his second journey, I would hazard a guess that it takes some time to place several miles of cones... hence this was probably done in advance to accommodate for anticipated roadworks.
 
"Originally Posted by JohnEBoy
They don't use these on the motorway.

AFAIA, all motorway cameras flash."

"No. As stated earlier, SPECS don't.

Don't know about the others."


Spot on. SPECS are entirely passive; they don't actually measure the speed of an individual car, they just record the passing of a registration number. It's the interval between one camera and the next (or several more) recording the same number that allows the system to calculate speed.
 
The M1 variable speed limit cameras most definitely do flash - I presume they are not SPECS then.
 
SPECS are (usually - there may be others...) the oblong boxes with the hooded lenses, usually painted yellow, mounted on gantries sticking out over each side of the carriageway from the verge, found in temporary roadworks. They've been around a long time, so something better is no doubt in the pipeline, if it's not already in use somewhere. They're basically the same as ANPR cameras, but put the data to a different - simpler - use.
 
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"For road safety reasons, the Police would be unlikely to state the spe*cific cam*era locations."

Ah yes, "road safety" reasons. That's what they're for.

I don't agree with or like speed cameras.

However, the reasoning is sound in this case. Do we really want people driving at whatever speed they want only to slam on the anchors at the last second for the known cameras on a motorway?

Just think about that outside lane conga line and the wave effect of harsh braking; net result might be collisions but will result in stationary traffic in outside lane……IMO, of course.
 
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Well if everyone knew where they were located they would not generate any £££££££££.

Tony.
 
Since you started ranting and must already know of the roadworks and variable limits on the M1, why didn't you take the M40?
Warwick to Gatwick and you didn't use the M40...you must be joking, or making your rant up.

What a charming person you are!

According to G Maps -

Rugby to Gatwick airport via M1/M25 - 126 miles
Rugby to Gatwick airport via M40/M25 - 138 miles

And there are considerable road works in this area that make the trip from here to the M40 a pain.

And, no I didn't know the extent of the 50 mph zone south of here.

And, no I haven't made this up nor am I ranting. I'll leave those things to you!
 
It's the interval between one camera and the next (or several more) recording the same number that allows the system to calculate speed.

Which of course makes a mockery of the type who exceeds the limit then slows down to pass by the cameras. They apparently think that it's the speed recorded past the camera that matters.

I don't agree with or like speed cameras.

I have objections to those cameras which record an instant, because in my opinion there are legitimate safety reasons for exceeding a speed restriction in certain circumstances, but average speed cameras are a different matter. Anyone caught by them deserves what's coming to them.

Well if everyone knew where they were located they would not generate any £££££££££.

Tony.

At the risk of being repetitive there's a way around that. To avoid fattening the exchequer drivers are at liberty to modify their behaviour accordingly.
 
I have objections to those cameras which record an instant, because in my opinion there are legitimate safety reasons for exceeding a speed restriction in certain circumstances, but average speed cameras are a different matter. Anyone caught by them deserves what's coming to them.

Couldn't agree more :thumb:
 

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