Motorway Variable speed Limit Signs. How much over can you do?

[tjamesbo]

My experience relates to the M42 Overhead Speed restrictions (red Circled Speed Limit )
Frequently on the M42 when the limit is 60 I am passed by cars doing about 70 never seen any flashes and the practise is VERY commonplace I know the speedo under reads as when i have the sat nav i find I can do about 63 / 64 on the speedo and the satnav gives 60 ( and how accurate are they ?????? ) It used to be a belief that you were allowed 10% over but I have read recently that some cameras ( latest new ones ) are doing people on the M1 ? ( I think ) for doing 72 / 73 and some police forces ( North Wales ) are enforcing the limit rigidly and exactly.
I also know that the cameras ( on the M42 ) are not on all the time so my question is
on various motorways just how fast can you go before your in the "get a ticket zone" or how can you tell if the cameras are On?
Its like the others either know something i don't, or they're all oblivious

 

[clk320x]

Not all the gantries, even those with the white lines drawn have cameras fitted. Those you see speeding through are probably using Waze etc and therefore aware of which gantries actually have cameras fitted...

 

[C240Sport97]

look out for the cameras mounted on the side (hard shoulder) of the gantries .. usually in a pair and painted yellow

 

[clk320x]

look out for the cameras mounted on the side (hard shoulder) of the gantries .. usually in a pair and painted yellow

Hadec units?

 

[tjamesbo]

whoops ,tried to edit, my speedo OVER reads

 

[tjamesbo]

i thought that the variable ones timed you between sections ? ie not " instantaneous speed " cameras i thought they worked like the 50mph average ones you see on yellow poles

 

[clk320x]

i thought that the variable ones timed you between sections ? ie not " instantaneous speed " cameras i thought they worked like the 50mph average ones you see on yellow poles

No that’s only average speed checks.

 

[219]

My experience relates to the M42 Overhead Speed restrictions (red Circled Speed Limit )
Frequently on the M42 when the limit is 60 I am passed by cars doing about 70 never seen any flashes and the practise is VERY commonplace I know the speedo under reads as when i have the sat nav i find I can do about 63 / 64 on the speedo and the satnav gives 60 ( and how accurate are they ?????? ) It used to be a belief that you were allowed 10% over but I have read recently that some cameras ( latest new ones ) are doing people on the M1 ? ( I think ) for doing 72 / 73 and some police forces ( North Wales ) are enforcing the limit rigidly and exactly.
I also know that the cameras ( on the M42 ) are not on all the time so my question is
on various motorways just how fast can you go before your in the "get a ticket zone" or how can you tell if the cameras are On?
Its like the others either know something i don't, or they're all oblivious

As you most probably know , even 1 mph over the posted limit is technically an offence , however it is most unlikely you would be prosecuted for such a small margin .

The ACPO guidelines ( which are only guidelines ) suggest a margin of 10% + 2mph over the limit before enforcement , so in a 70 limit it would be suggested that up to 79 mph would be tolerated , or in the 60 limit you mentioned up to 68 mph .

These are , however , only guidelines and if you catch an officer on a bad day then you could still be ticketed below these speeds .

It's your choice and your licence .

 

[clk320x]

only guidelines and if you catch an officer on a bad day then you could still be ticketed below these speeds

I thought we were talking about speed cameras?

 

[kianok]

I thought we were talking about speed cameras?

Maybe speed cameras have bad days too

 

[clk320x]

Maybe speed cameras have bad days too

Every day is a bad day if you’re a speed camera

 

[PhilLinda]

The answer is probably zero. Presumably the speed limit has been set for a reason

In reality the enforcers have to allow a small margin for variance in speedo calibration [as per @Pontoneer above] and parallax error due to height of driver vs speedo.

 

[clk320x]

The answer is probably zero. Presumably the speed limit has been set for a reason

Can you explain the 70mph limit on a 3-4 lane lit road?

 

[PhilLinda]

Sorry, not my area of expertise. Neither can I explain why it is acceptable to travel 10mph faster on a European motorway at 130kph [80.78mph]. I only wish it was here [emoji853]

 

[clk320x]

Sorry, not my area of expertise. Neither can I explain why it is acceptable to travel 10mph faster on a European motorway at 130kph [80.78mph]. I only wish it was here [emoji853]

Well to be honest, you’re not steering around massive Grand Canyon sized potholes on motorways on the continent

But then again, we don’t pay tolls. My trip to South of France cost me £230 in tolls alone.

 

[Thrash]

My experience relates to the M42 Overhead Speed restrictions (red Circled Speed Limit )
Frequently on the M42 when the limit is 60 I am passed by cars doing about 70 never seen any flashes and the practise is VERY commonplace I know the speedo under reads as when i have the sat nav i find I can do about 63 / 64 on the speedo and the satnav gives 60 ( and how accurate are they ?????? ) It used to be a belief that you were allowed 10% over but I have read recently that some cameras ( latest new ones ) are doing people on the M1 ? ( I think ) for doing 72 / 73 and some police forces ( North Wales ) are enforcing the limit rigidly and exactly.
I also know that the cameras ( on the M42 ) are not on all the time so my question is
on various motorways just how fast can you go before your in the "get a ticket zone" or how can you tell if the cameras are On?
Its like the others either know something i don't, or they're all oblivious

For what it's worth, I've only ever seen people get flashed by the HADECS cameras on the side of the carriageway (on the M42) and as far as I'm aware, they're always on whether theres a speed limit showing overhead or not. Speed cameras UK database only has the 3 banks of HADECS cameras listed, so who knows whether any of the overhead gantries have cameras on.

 

[clk320x]

For what it's worth, I've only ever seen people get flashed by the HADECS cameras on the side of the carriageway (on the M42) and as far as I'm aware, they're always on whether theres a speed limit showing overhead or not. Speed cameras UK database only has the 3 banks of HADECS cameras listed, so who knows whether any of the overhead gantries have cameras on.

Huh?

I can assure you there are still non-hadec cameras operating, and I have seen them flash.

A good example is the smart motorway section of the M4 near Newport, both HADEC and normal gantry mounted cameras operate. (Mounted behind each speed sign) I have seen these flash in my RVM.

If you use Waze you will be alerted to both

 

[Thrash]

Huh?

I can assure you there are still non-hadec cameras operating, and I have seen them flash.

A good example is the smart motorway section of the M4 near Newport, both HADEC and normal gantry mounted cameras operate. (Mounted behind each speed sign) I have seen these flash in my RVM.

If you use Waze you will be alerted to both

I was only referring to the M42.

 

[clk320x]

I was only referring to the M42.

Ah my bad.

 

[219]

I thought we were talking about speed cameras?

We are , but the guidelines are the same , so if there’s an unmarked car ( like the little black Corsa or Skoda Fabia , neither of which you’d give a second glance to , which operate around Glasgow ) then be aware .