Use of mobile speed cameras getting silly on motorways

[verytalldave]

Public admission of an offence such as speeding and arguably dangerous driving, is not entirely a sensible idea I would have thought. Even though we hide behind a cloak of relative anonymity using a forum name, its still not something I would feel entirely comfortable with.
Maybe I am being simply a tad paranoid.....................

 

[Baron_Samedi]

Wouldn't be the first time someone had their collar felt after posting on't internet....

 

[tlbham]

Nice to see a proper discussion going on - I love a good debate. Guess some of us will have to agree to disagree on this one.

Let me just make it clear though...I'm not trying to say "all speeding is good" or saying there should be no policing of motorways whatsoever.

The main point I wanted to make is my belief that mobile cameras would be a lot more effective in cutting deaths and injuries, if posted in built up areas instead. Dispute (and in some entertaining replies above, convincingly disprove!) my other points, but I don't think my main point is as easy to argue against.

 

[flango]

I reckon the M40 probably has the highest average speed of any UK motorway.
QUOTE]

The motorway with the highest average speed in the UK by a mile is the M74
Strategic Transport Projects Review Report 1: Review of Current and Future Network Performance | Transport Scotland

 

[G-Force]

I gotta agree with you their Iain.

Im my fairly limited experiences of driving on most of our major motorways (except M74-M6) the 74 does tend to get more like whacky races than most.......however...IMO the M6 toll road for the first 6 months was absolutley crazy....especially late at night...i remember cars screeched up to the pay point and burnt rubber away!!!!!! it really was like a pit lane.
I was on it 2 months ago and it had calmed down a bit.

I must admit that getting a bit older i have changed my view on speeding and still would agree that the limit should be raised on motorways (weather/time permiting) and reduced about towns. I do despise the fact that drivers "seem" to be picked on regularly and Brown and his think tank continually up fuel prices for everything else except fixing knackered roads, and we keep getting brain-washed about global warming....

Green people seem to be pulling all the strings just now and we are gonna soon be taxed to fart!!!! The only thing stopping us from solving our "fuel/energy crisis IS the tree huggers!!....Stop wasting OUR money on all these multi-million pound wind farms that will never be economically viable and re-fuel our nuclear power stations and get on with it..
Think i better get a Magners.........

 

[219]

I think tlbham is making a good case for reducing speed limits, not raising them!

Taking each one...

radial tyres - been around for at least 30 years...

Longer than that ! Continental introduced a special radial tyre for the W113 230SL when it was introduced in 1963

-ABS - been around for around 25 years

Bosch ABS as we now know it was introduced on the 450SEL 6.9 around 1974 ; Dunlop had the Maxarret system on the Jensen FF in the mid 1960s . Mercedes-Benz allow all other manufacturers to use ABS under free licence .

-disc brakes - been around for at least 40 years

Introduced on the Jaguar D Type mid 1950s , MB 300SL roadster had them around 1961 , my 1963 220S has them

-centre brake lights - hmmm most are fitted too low to do any good

Hella introduced the first high level brake lights in 1975 with a PAIR mounted high in the rear windscreen so following drivers could see them through - I still have my original pair from then , currently in my W126 .

Separate light , away from other lights in a cluster are more visible to following traffic .

-modern asphalt - when did it change?

Recently developed 'carpet coats' have brought in low coefficients of friction in wet weather responsible for many crashes , but are cheaper to apply than traditional 'Tarmacadam' . 'Shellgrip' was developed in the 1960's and is still very good .

-central reservation barriers - updated recently but around for at least 30 years

Yes . Traditional 'Armco' type barriers started going up in the 1970's . Wire rope barriers in last 10 years or so

-good drainage - debatable that road maintenance has improved this

No , many roads flood - climate change could arguably have made this problem worse .

-improved driver training - this is better off in the jokes section

Could be ?

By this logic we should be allowed speed limits of 125mph!

But as stated already, the essential component, the human has not been upgraded and reaction times are the same, perhaps even blunted by the modern technology that insulates the sensibility from the potential of harm...

 

[219]

Probably because a significant amount (from experience) a majority, travel at speeds above the posted limit.



You were lucky, on the trip to a GTG in Gaydon last xmas I has BMWs flashing me when passing lorries in L2 when I was doing 70mph. People even towing caravans were passing me. I find it a road that high speed seems to prevail, despite limits being clearly advertised. Although with me its now a case of "pot, kettle, black"

On the trip in question , set out early morning and drove at a steady 70 , sharing the driving with my sister , I'd have to say the majority were obeying the speed limits . Only a small number passed us , even on quiet roads , and then only doing slightly higher speeds - that was over a round trip of something like 800 miles .

In times gone by I think there were more people willing to risk going faster , but with lasers and average speed cameras being so prevalent these days most people do keep to the limits .

 

[219]

Nothing sums up my feelings about the above better than this...
YTMND - WRONG!

Whilst I cannot claim to have friends and family that are entirely representative of the population, I'd say 90% of them regularly exceed 80. If you have a law which the majority of people disagree with, should it be there?

YTMND ?? - sorry , not familiar with that acronym .

I do a fair amount of motorway driving and reckon the majority of drivers these days do keep close to the speed limits .

On the majority of shorter journeys , speeding saves very little time , increases stress levels , uses more fuel and increases the level of damage/injury in the event of a mishap . Not to mention the risk to licences and consequently livlihoods .

 

[tlbham]

YTMND ?? - sorry , not familiar with that acronym .

I do a fair amount of motorway driving and reckon the majority of drivers these days do keep close to the speed limits .

On the majority of shorter journeys , speeding saves very little time , increases stress levels , uses more fuel and increases the level of damage/injury in the event of a mishap . Not to mention the risk to licences and consequently livlihoods .

I was just jesting with the YTMND thing - was a link to a guy saying "WRONG" - made me laugh anyway. Judging by the time you've put into the point-by-point rebuff earlier, I appear to have annoyed you. I genuinely didn't mean to do that - apologies if that was the case.

I'd point out however, that my original post re: ABS, etc. made reference to 'widespread' use of those things. As an example, I'd guess ABS has only become the norm for all new cars in the last 15 years.

Fully agree speeding is pointless on shorter journeys - as a rule, I never speed on pupose in town.

 

[kay7]

hmm...i keep reading about speeding cameras around here. Strange! n`ver had a speeding fine coz i drive within the limit, always! This is UK ! No ifs...no buts...
Respecting the law is stupid !? Since when !?

In Europe, never seen a Uk car driving accordingly to limits( too slowly most of them ). Why !? Im doing around 35-50k miles/year in Uk and Europe so i know what is driving. And im not a truck driver.
In 12 years of driving : 1 accident( not my fault ), 2 parking tickets( 1 in london, 1 in New York on a rented car). Not bad, eh ?


Drive safe within speed limits !

 

[raymont]

i drive within the limit, always!

In all those years and miles you have never, ever exceeded any speed limit?

You have never failed to notice a speed limit sign? (How would you know?). You have never, ever crept over the indicated speed limit by 2miles perhour?

I'm afraid this type of statement has, IMHO, very limited credibilty.

Now, if you'd said you try your very best to never exceed the limit and that you believe that for most of the time you achieve this, and that you are willing to accept the penalty for any speed violation, no matter how small, then that would have some credibilty.

 

[andy_k]

You have never, ever crept over the indicated speed limit by 2miles perhour?

Has anybody ever had a speeding ticket for driving at an indicated 2mph above the speed limit?

 

[raymont]

Has anybody ever had a speeding ticket for driving at an indicated 2mph above the speed limit?

The poster claimed to to have never exceeded the speed limit - ever. A claim I find it hard to believe. That was the point of the 2mph figure.

I didn't say anyone had received a ticket for this excess speed. I suspect they haven't, but I could be wrong.

 

[kay7]

In all those years and miles you have never, ever exceeded any speed limit?

You have never failed to notice a speed limit sign? (How would you know?). You have never, ever crept over the indicated speed limit by 2miles perhour?

I'm afraid this type of statement has, IMHO, very limited credibilty.

Now, if you'd said you try your very best to never exceed the limit and that you believe that for most of the time you achieve this, and that you are willing to accept the penalty for any speed violation, no matter how small, then that would have some credibilty.

Thanks so much for your friendly post . Exceeding speed limit is one thing ...getting fined is another, right?
Try to find a statistic regarding english drivers ( no offence to anyone)
"IMHO" not included in my post. In fact, if you don`t wanna believe it ...don`t .
I`m cool and keep my speed within limits in uk. can`t wait to move out of uk next october

Regards

 

[219]

Judging by the time you've put into the point-by-point rebuff earlier, I appear to have annoyed you. I genuinely didn't mean to do that - apologies if that was the case.

I'd point out however, that my original post re: ABS, etc. made reference to 'widespread' use of those things. As an example, I'd guess ABS has only become the norm for all new cars in the last 15 years.

Fully agree speeding is pointless on shorter journeys - as a rule, I never speed on pupose in town.

No , I wasn't in any way annoyed , no offence whatsoever taken , nor was my reply meant to be a 'rebuff' - simply adding information to your earlier post as I guess a lot of people don't realise how early a lot of features became available .

 

[flango]

South and West Yorkshire police have the best policy they openly advertise they dont use mobile speed cameras on motorways :bannana: but boy do they have some trick unmarked cars

 

[davidjpowell]

South and West Yorkshire police have the best policy they openly advertise they dont use mobile speed cameras on motorways :bannana: but boy do they have some trick unmarked cars

Unlike Humberside, or whatever they are called now, who use mobile bikes and are quite happy to shoot across the motorway to the other carriageway. At least the trick unmarked cars drivers can decide the merits on stopping someone....

 

[flango]

Unlike Humberside, or whatever they are called now, who use mobile bikes and are quite happy to shoot across the motorway to the other carriageway. At least the trick unmarked cars drivers can decide the merits on stopping someone....

Yes Humberside are quite nasty when it comes to deploying stealth, and the M180 is usually littered with mobile cameras, speed guns from the Police points and as you say the bikes.

However although they used to claim to be the smartest force in the country all that ended a good few years ago when they thought they were oh so smart by buying a pair of escort cosworths, both cars had blown engines within 2 days, the force fitted brand new replacement cosworth units and put them out on the road again, in less than 48 hours both engines blown again. Massive battle rages between Humberside and Cosworth. Cosworth Chief Engineer disptched to look at the problem which it took him 2 seconds to work out. They had fitted the front strobes and sirens in the front air intakes blocking air flow and overheating the engines, ever since that incident all traffic cars are now fitted out by Fords Special Vehicles Unit.

 

[Chattonmill]

Northumbia Police advertised the fact that they had just bought an Escort Cosworth.....it was stolen not long after delivery

 

[JumboBeef]

Some drivers don't help themselves.

A few days ago, whilst at work I was driving on a blue light run at about 40 - 50 in a 30. I overtook one car, which decided to follow me, keeping up with me. We turned a corner............and there was a camera van. They will not be interested in me, but matey behind will soon, I'm sure, get something through the post.

No doubt that driver will go around moaning about scamera vans ......