Re: warning speed camera

" dojj" mumbled:

Nah, that wasn't the theory behind it. The idea (a well researched and proven one) is that slower traffic has fewer sudden holdups caused by a sudden application of the brakes at speed cascading back down the road to create a jam.

The variable speed limit appears to have worked very well on the M25...when it's in operation traffic flows far better in my experience than it used to before.

In message , Guy King writes

Agreed, I'd rather crawl around at 30-40mph than spend hours at a standstill.

In message , Phil Wattis writes

Not that old tosh again. Monitoring your speed is part of driving. If you can't monitor your speed and remain observant to your surroundings, you shouldn't be on the road.

Sorry I would have to disagree. I don't feel a need to look at my speedo very often at all as I feel I can safely judge what speed is appropriate for a given condition without feeling the need to assign a numerical value to it. My only exception to this is when I feel I am in danger of being penalised because I'm not obeying the pre-defined limit (eg. speed camera or copper in the vicinity).

I've been scared witless by people who are unable to judge a suitable speed for given conditions. For example there have been a number of ocassions I have been doing 30-40mph on the motorway due to extreme fog or hail or (insert hazardous weather condition here), whilst cars have come whistling past and dangerous - but no doubt legal - speeds.

Phil.

I've got no doubt it happens but a couple of points, firstly your speedo probably over reads anyway. Slightly over on your speedo and your true speed may be within the limit.

Secondly, assuming that you really do only drift over the limit "occasionally", you have got to be very very unlucky if you are passing a camera/speed trap at the time.

In reality if you got nicked in a 30 zone for example, taking into account the tolerance of the camera and your own speedo error, your speedo would be showing closer to 40.

In message , Phil Wattis writes

"Safely judge"? I'm glad you brought that up because we are getting to crux of the argument.

People say that accidents aren't caused by excessive speed. I'd agree with that in many cases but one thing you can say is that in most cases

Now you are telling me that we can trust drivers to use their own judgement to set their own speed limits? That's why speed limits are in place. Drivers have shown over the decades that their own judgement is flawed.

I'm sure that's the case for some of them as it is for the rest of us. I'm not saying that everyone has poor judgement but enough of us do to make it necessary to legislate to take account of it.

In message , Steve Parry writes

I'm not sure what point you are trying to make. We were talking about monitoring your speed while remaining observant.

Parry

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of us.

us do to

Ah so its because you think a large enough proportion of society are numptys ....

So given I've been riding at "making progress speeds" for over twenty years and have yet to kill anyone does that mean I can use that experience as a defence against conviction ;o)

Not everything the Governement does is good you know!

The ultimate response to speed is IF the Governement were serious about speed and not merely happy to take the income generated from the fines then they would enforce restrictors to be fitted to all vehicles .... they're not 'cos they're more than happy to take the stealth tax that minor transgressions take.

Interestingly though when one of them gets nailed they wheedle out of it ....

Parry

...

ever

the

about

the point I am making is everyone has at some point exceeded a speed limit, assuming you too are guilty then you would have to admit your guilt to the police for punishment

You can't state that categorically.

Why? Is there a requirement to do so?

lots of Pauls inane drivell

Congratulations you win the "warning speed camera" post for Government propaganda droid.

Those with closed eyes will never see, those with closed hearts will never feel, those with closed ears will never hear .... but they don't have try to impose with their gobs!

That's about the size of it.

You are confusing experience with good judgement. There are a lot of experienced numptys out there. I've not killed or injured anyone yet and I've been on the road (bikes and cars) since 1976. It doesn't mean I won't in the future.

There's not a lot this Government does that is good but that's another matter.

That might come in the future when the technology gets cheaper,

Power corrupts. It happens everywhere. Its not right though.

In message , Steve Parry writes

Whatever.

Very poetic but you seem to forget that its those whinging about getting nicked for speeding that are most adept and vocal with their gobs.

It would be a good experiment if the government, as six month trial, removed speed limit restrictions on designated stretches of road. Then see if it makes the slightest bit of difference to accident figures.

Better still, switch off all speed cameras for six months and see if it alters the number of road deaths.

Of course though, this will never happen, because:

2/ It would never get passed the consideration stage, as it would be assumed that such a trial would cost lives.

They should trial it. The government could save more lives by simply banning smoking for example than they could ever hope to save through

Phil.

Now that's an interesting point.

WHY can't we have cameras that detect tailgating?

OK, it would take several cameras, maybe, but why do they say it "can't" be done?

Given the road surface presents a fairly uniform colour, and the technology exists to identify Car A and Car B by their number plates, and tell their speed by radar, and the gap between them by means of timing, and video the whole lot... *why* don't we have cameras that look out for tailgating?

Paul Giverin mumbled:

He's right, they are.

"Andrewr At Work" mumbled:

And what criteria would the police use and how would they prove this to a lay jury?

(SNIP)

Such a device does exist - it's called "Marom".