Smart Motorway Cameras....

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DSB SL AMG

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They do work then, never quite understood idiots pushing me from behind when i have cruise set at limit, then they clearly go over the limit:crazy:, bet they are not smiling few days letter when the post arrives:rolleyes::doh:

Apparently covered on the One Show tonight 7pm BBC1...making lots of revenue for Mrs May...

Smart motorways catch more than 1,000 speeding drivers a week - BBC News
 
There's a big thread on Pistonheads regarding this. The overhead cameras on the gantries have been abandoned in favour of the new HADECS jobbies which sit on shelf on a pole near some gantries. These also monitor the NSL and appear to be set at 100mph.
 
I'm not sure the smart speed control is close to optimal. Often after miles of 40mph and stop starts, the problem is simply a stopped vehicle on the hard shoulder. Grrrr. What a waste of so many drivers time - and hence when aggregated to the economy and citizen happiness!

Once a motor-bike driving colleague fell out with me over me being forced to speed up to overtake vehicles going just under the speed limit. As I see it, is perfectly reasonable to go as fast as the speed limit allows, without having to break it, because some impatient driver behind you is tailgating/flashing you, so they can go on their merry way ignoring the consequences to other road users. In the UK those drivers tend IME to very often be driving BMWs, 3 series or higher. In Belgium its surprisingly small cars which speed by as you exit the fast lane.

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They've spent 2 years so far converting 14 miles of the M3 near us to 'smart' configuration, at a cost of £129 million. They'll want to get that back ASAP in fines ...
 
I get a lot of friends moaning about roadworks and the speed limits, but I then ask them if they'd feel comfortable doing 70mph in the narrow lanes with the same volume of traffic in the daytime. They soon stop moaning
 
Interesting. On Friday afternoon at about 16.00 I was coming home from Doncaster (in a BMW 320, having arranged a new car for a colleague). I found that all along the M62 where the variable speed limits are, we were all more or less doing those speeds, no problems. However, as soon as we passed the "variable speed limit ends" sign, there were frequent slows more or less to a stop.
 
They do work then, never quite understood idiots pushing me from behind when i have cruise set at limit, then they clearly go over the limit:crazy:, bet they are not smiling few days letter when the post arrives:rolleyes::doh:

Apparently covered on the One Show tonight 7pm BBC1...making lots of revenue for Mrs May...

Smart motorways catch more than 1,000 speeding drivers a week - BBC News

It might be a good idea to move out of their way if possible.

It might be that they are aware of some tolerance built in to the speed limit and also that their (or your) speedo could be over-reading.
 
Having travelled a fair bit over the weekend on a variety of motorways, one thing I notice is how many reduced speed limit sections are in force when there is no evidence of anything.

It's a shame they can't switch them off a bit more quickly when not required.
 
"The government says they are used to improve capacity, not generate revenue" .. that's one hell of a lie I have read in a long time (maybe read few during Brexit campaign).. this is all about charging motorists and getting more money out of them.. I have seen stretches on M1 where speed limit has been set to 40 or 50 where you can easily go 70 no problem yet a limit has been set with all vehicles tailgating creating an artificial chaos... And what p** me off more are the drivers who choose the fast lane (right most) to follow the speed limit! Then they dont even stick to speed limit but will go further slow! Yes there are cameras and yes the limit is 50 but for God sake don't start policing the motorway and take the 2nd or 3rd lane. If someone wants to do 60 and wants to go a bit faster then let them do it...they will be caught eventually if they break the limit so there is no need for you to police it! :wallbash:

I have driven cars in various countries including US/Canada/UAE/Saudia etc. and I find British motorways extremely painful to drive just because some idiot will take the fast lane and will drive on 60 (thinking he/she is doing the best thing by following rules) or you will have this money grabbing "smart motorways" to add salt to your wounds...Policing should be done to get "bad drivers" not "fast drivers".. rarely you will see an accident happen because of a fast driver, it happens because of a bad driver driving on 50 not using his head on fast lane and then people over taking him/her using 2nd lane!


This country need less cameras not more! we have had enough survelliance already! for such a small country to have million cameras is a joke..I have driven some 2000 Km in Saudia in a day and didn't get as much tired as I normally do get driving from SE to Leeds! (which is 300 miles).

N.B: one of the comment below on that BBC thread perfectly summarize my point above:

829. Posted by shelliest

on 4 hours ago I came onto the m25 from the M1 at 2.20am a few weeks ago and I was the only car for a good 10min and yet 50mph variable speed limit was on and even better it said congestion slow down...I probably saw 30 to 40 cars and lorries between the M1 Junction and the A3 where I came off.....not about the revenue my foot!!!!!
 
Having travelled a fair bit over the weekend on a variety of motorways, one thing I notice is how many reduced speed limit sections are in force when there is no evidence of anything.

It's a shame they can't switch them off a bit more quickly when not required.


Exactly my point..
 
They do work then, never quite understood idiots pushing me from behind when i have cruise set at limit, then they clearly go over the limit:crazy:, bet they are not smiling few days letter when the post arrives:rolleyes::doh:

Apparently covered on the One Show tonight 7pm BBC1...making lots of revenue for Mrs May...

Smart motorways catch more than 1,000 speeding drivers a week - BBC News

You should take the left most slow lane and let others take whatever speed they like! You could then set cruise to 20 if you wish..
 
"The government says they are used to improve capacity, not generate revenue" .. that's one hell of a lie I have read in a long time (maybe read few during Brexit campaign).. this is all about charging motorists and getting more money out of them.. I have seen stretches on M1 where speed limit has been set to 40 or 50 where you can easily go 70 no problem yet a limit has been set with all vehicles tailgating creating an artificial chaos... And what p** me off more are the drivers who choose the fast lane (right most) to follow the speed limit! Then they dont even stick to speed limit but will go further slow! Yes there are cameras and yes the limit is 50 but for God sake don't start policing the motorway and take the 2nd or 3rd lane. If someone wants to do 60 and wants to go a bit faster then let them do it...they will be caught eventually if they break the limit so there is no need for you to police it! :wallbash:

I have driven cars in various countries including US/Canada/UAE/Saudia etc. and I find British motorways extremely painful to drive just because some idiot will take the fast lane and will drive on 60 (thinking he/she is doing the best thing by following rules) or you will have this money grabbing "smart motorways" to add salt to your wounds...Policing should be done to get "bad drivers" not "fast drivers".. rarely you will see an accident happen because of a fast driver, it happens because of a bad driver driving on 50 not using his head on fast lane and then people over taking him/her using 2nd lane!


This country need less cameras not more! we have had enough survelliance already! for such a small country to have million cameras is a joke..I have driven some 2000 Km in Saudia in a day and didn't get as much tired as I normally do get driving from SE to Leeds! (which is 300 miles).

N.B: one of the comment below on that BBC thread perfectly summarize my point above:

829. Posted by shelliest

on 4 hours ago I came onto the m25 from the M1 at 2.20am a few weeks ago and I was the only car for a good 10min and yet 50mph variable speed limit was on and even better it said congestion slow down...I probably saw 30 to 40 cars and lorries between the M1 Junction and the A3 where I came off.....not about the revenue my foot!!!!!

Oh dear.
 
I get a lot of friends moaning about roadworks and the speed limits, but I then ask them if they'd feel comfortable doing 70mph in the narrow lanes with the same volume of traffic in the daytime. They soon stop moaning

Sorry I might disagree...If everyone drives 70-80 then soon there will be no traffic.. you see traffic because they have all been "slowed down" ..

So many times on M4 I found the fast lane coming to a gridlock before J4b as if there is a traffic light on it... even though there are 4 lanes...after crawling for 10-15 minutes you will find that there was no accident, no speed limit yet it was slow. To find out why read my rant in above post.
 
dad4geer said:
Sorry I might disagree...If everyone drives 70-80 then soon there will be no traffic.. you see traffic because they have all been "slowed down" .. So many times on M4 I found the fast lane coming to a gridlock before J4b as if there is a traffic light on it... even though there are 4 lanes...after crawling for 10-15 minutes you will find that there was no accident, no speed limit yet it was slow. To find out why read my rant in above post.

Next time I'm travelling through the stretch I'm thinking of I'll take a photo, I wouldn't want to be going down the narrow lanes at 70mph. Even at 40 you could literally light a truck drivers cigarette he's that close
 

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