M5 Speed Cameras

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Joined
Oct 8, 2006
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Location
Midlands
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W211 2006 E 320 CDI
I received the following message today. I thought it might be of use to members.

Hi Ian

New SPECS Speed Cameras which were introduced just before
Christmas on the M5 are going 'live' TOMORROW.

They are positioned between Junctions 29 and 31.

The first cameras read your number plate and if you arrive at
the next camera too quickly you will get a £60.00 fine and 3
points onyour licence (or worse if you are going over an
un-disclosed threshold speed).

They do not use film, and so you will not see a flash and
prosecutions are electronically produced because there will
be so many of them that it would require too many people
to process them manually...

And get this...

...there are no warning signs up, and although warning signs
are in the Home Office guidelines their absence will NOT
constitute a defence!

The cameras are installed between M5 J29 Exeter
(Honiton Road) and M5 J31 (A30 interchange)'
 
idouglas@sandiw said:
I received the following message today. I thought it might be of use to members.

Hi Ian,
Thanks for the heads up. Apparently the jungle drums beat quicker in warmer climates :)

I believe there are now roadworks in that vicinity and they are set for 50mph so beware.

Regards,
John
 
It's common for specs cameras in roadworks. Are these ones permanent or temporary?
 
blassberg said:
It's common for specs cameras in roadworks. Are these ones permanent or temporary?
I think we should assume permanent, but does it matter?

John
 
Of course, this could just be along the same lines as the email that went out last year regarding SPECS cameras on the M4...which never materialised.

I'm sure I'll find out at some point this weekend, off to see some friends in Taunton.
 
DolphiN Tech said:
I'm sure I'll find out at some point this weekend, off to see some friends in Taunton.
Hi Dolphin,
In some many words I have said they are there. I don't say that in jest. They are there.

I didn't realise you lived south of Exeter?

Good luck on your journey
John
 
No problem, just make sure you pass the 2nd camera in a different lane to the first one, they can't cope with this apparently. Or, don't speed. ;)
 
LeighW said:
No problem, just make sure you pass the 2nd camera in a different lane to the first one, they can't cope with this apparently. Or, don't speed. ;)
Sounds like an urban myth, a bit like 'you don't get pregnant first time, honest'. I would think that, if it does exist, a little software tweak would soon fix that (changing lanes - not preganancy).
 
glojo said:
I think we should assume permanent, but does it matter?
To me yes. I keep to the speed limits in roadworks as I expect there to be cameras quite reasonably protecting additional hazards.
 
BonzoDog said:
Sounds like an urban myth, a bit like 'you don't get pregnant first time, honest'. I would think that, if it does exist, a little software tweak would soon fix that (changing lanes - not preganancy).
:eek: 'software' and pregnancy (schoolboy giggles):D :devil:

Regards,
John
 
BonzoDog said:
Sounds like an urban myth, a bit like 'you don't get pregnant first time, honest'. I would think that, if it does exist, a little software tweak would soon fix that (changing lanes - not preganancy).


Its not that it doesnt pick it up , it does.

The issue here is that when a new device comes into force , the company who are selling the device it has to be tested and awarded type approval. Seemingly in a motion to cut costs and to get the cameras out as quickly as possible , the SPECS cameras are only type approved for working on one lane.

SO , if you go past one in lane 2 and end up in lane 3 , yes they know your speeding , but it would be unlawful to follow this up.
 
Interesting read and we all bemoan the revenue generated by these and other cameras, but surely it is a sad state when we, so called, reponsible people need to be checked on so we don't break the law. If we did not continue to speed in excess of the loacl posted limit, there would be no need for cameras, but then I suppose threads like these would then also not exist:( :D :D
 
Geoff2 said:
Interesting read and we all bemoan the revenue generated by these and other cameras, but surely it is a sad state when we, so called, reponsible people need to be checked on so we don't break the law. If we did not continue to speed in excess of the loacl posted limit, there would be no need for cameras, but then I suppose threads like these would then also not exist:( :D :D
I understand what your saying but surely there are unnecessary cameras?
I have not seen this particular set of cameras but a number of years ago the M42 was littered with speed cameras for NO reason. On this specific stretch of carriageway All three lanes were open, but there were roadwork cones to the nearside of the hard shoulder. There were NO roadworks, and certainly NO workers to be seen. This was there for many, many months with speed cameras all set at 50mph and yes there were signs warning drivers of the speed limit, but in my personal opinion they were wrong. My wife was about the only person adhering to this farcical limit and I was amazed at the constant flashing of these cameras catching hundreds of law breakers.

The M42 has now changed to a laughable stretch of road which in the rush hour utilises the hard shoulder with an enforced with a much understood 50mph limit.

John
 
glojo said:
Hi Dolphin,
In some many words I have said they are there. I don't say that in jest. They are there.

I didn't realise you lived south of Exeter?

Good luck on your journey
John

Doh, missed that one...shows how awake I am today!

Me? No, don't live south of Exeter, but may well be heading that way at some point over the weekend...have to go to Tiverton services Sat am to drop some stuff off, so may well take a jolly further south for a bit afterwards
 
glojo said:
Hi Ian,
Thanks for the heads up. Apparently the jungle drums beat quicker in warmer climates :)



Regards,
John

Tis true that it's bl***y cold and windy where I am but this bit should have been of interest perhaps. "going 'live' TOMORROW". :)

Goin to stoke the fire now.:cool: :cool: :D :D

Ian
 
idouglas@sandiw said:
I received the following message today. I thought it might be of use to members.

Hi Ian

New SPECS Speed Cameras which were introduced just before
Christmas on the M5 are going 'live' TOMORROW.

They are positioned between Junctions 29 and 31.

The first cameras read your number plate and if you arrive at
the next camera too quickly you will get a £60.00 fine and 3
points onyour licence (or worse if you are going over an
un-disclosed threshold speed).

They do not use film, and so you will not see a flash and
prosecutions are electronically produced because there will
be so many of them that it would require too many people
to process them manually...

And get this...

...there are no warning signs up, and although warning signs
are in the Home Office guidelines their absence will NOT
constitute a defence!

The cameras are installed between M5 J29 Exeter
(Honiton Road) and M5 J31 (A30 interchange)'

There was another thread about this recently. It's quite possible that these cameras are SPIKE not SPEC. They are smaller, so harder to spot, and do not suffer from the SPEC's deficiency in respect of lane changing.

At the moment, the only known way of defeating the new technology is obeying the speed limit.;)
 
DieselE said:
There was another thread about this recently. It's quite possible that these cameras are SPIKE not SPEC. They are smaller, so harder to spot, and do not suffer from the SPEC's deficiency in respect of lane changing.

At the moment, the only known way of defeating the new technology is obeying the speed limit.;)

I don't think "Spike" is operational yet. See info below:


PIPS Technology - SpikeA new type of cheap speed camera could see the number of cameras on the UK's roads soar.

The Home Office is currently deciding whether to approve a new form of average speed camera and motoring groups are concerned that a positive ruling for the new Spike system could see the number of speed cameras rise dramatically.

Unlike gatsos, which are the sort of speed cameras most commonly encountered by drivers, the Spike measures a vehicle's speed over a designated stretch of the road – meaning speeding motorists cannot escape a fine by breaking dangerously at the last minute.

Average speed cameras, known as Specs, already exist, but the current model is extremely expensive, meaning few safety camera partnerships have been willing to install them and only 14 are reportedly in operation across the country.

Costing just £20,000, it is expected that many partnerships will move to install Spikes if they are granted Home Office approval, encouraged by their manufacturer's claims that they can work for 24-hours and perform well in all weather conditions.
Andrew Howard, head of road safety at the AA Motoring Trust, explained that Spikes do have road safety benefits: "The great advantage with these cameras is that you can use them for long, nasty, curly stretches of road, rather than picking up motorists at odd points.

"They are particularly good on single carriageway roads, where people tend to go too fast and drive into trees or become involved in overtaking accidents. So these cameras can cut down on a lot of this behaviour."

However, motoring groups point out that any speed camera, but especially average speed cameras, encourage drivers to focus more on their speedometer and less on the road ahead.

From Mr Howard's comments, it would appear that these cameras could be targeted precisely at the sort of roads that require the greatest attention from drivers, placing a question mark over their road safety claims.

source: http://news.intranetics.co.uk/

Spike_Datasheet.pdf (PDF / 148 KB)
 

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fuzzer said:
Its not that it doesnt pick it up , it does.

The issue here is that when a new device comes into force , the company who are selling the device it has to be tested and awarded type approval. Seemingly in a motion to cut costs and to get the cameras out as quickly as possible , the SPECS cameras are only type approved for working on one lane.

SO , if you go past one in lane 2 and end up in lane 3 , yes they know your speeding , but it would be unlawful to follow this up.
So are the cameras on the gantries over the M25 but you still get prossecuted.

The specs cameras I have seen (a few hundered times) are lane specific and always point at the outside lane. In theory you could speed past in the inside lane and not be caught, although I'll let someone else try that first.
 
glojo said:
I think we should assume permanent, but does it matter?

John

Bit of a harsh response John...bad day ??I would say it matters too. Why do you think it doesnt matter John ?
Pete
(the curious)
 

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