News - Average speed cameras proposed for all UK motorways

[MonkeyL]

The speeding up and slowing down is largely as a result of poor driver skills, people who pull out into the inside lane at 60mph regardless of whether there is space, while making no effort to maintain lane flow result in major slamming on the brakes and should not be on the motorway at all.

Adding average speed cameras would make my and many others' daily commute untenable unless the limit were increased considerably.

[scaryjim]

... it is still one stealth tax if you ask me.

Being punished appropriately for breaking the law is a stealth tax? Sounds more like an idiot tax to me (c.f. National Lottery).

Adding average speed cameras would make my and many others' daily commute untenable.

I don't really see how you can claim that with any more certainty than someone can take the opposite view: i.e. you won't actually know until it's been tried (I won't even get started on living sufficiently far from your work that you have to use motorways as part of your daily commute...).

The only times I've driven through areas with average speed cameras have been at roadworks, but at every set the traffic actually flowed steadily at the stated speed. I also used to live in Birmingham and found the variable, camera-enforced section of the M42 to generally flow pretty smoothly (although I didn't use it *very* often) in comparison to other sections of motorway around Birmingham.

[Azurael]

My experience of driving in SPECS controlled sections of motorways is that peoples attention drifts, they start weaving, drive nose-to-tail and I can't really see how this proposal would cause the roads to be any safer, but then again the government never really THINKS before they do anything. Form what I recall, when they were justifying the fairly regular mobile camera placement on the M4 between Swindon and Membury based upon some wonderful accident statistics, including amongst other utterly-non-speed-related offences two suicides off bridges along the route?!

Anything to bring in a few quid when the coffers are empty, eh...

[Arthran]

THe ammount of people whining and moaning about an attempt to ENFORCE AN EXISTING LAW really does make me sick and worried about the future of this country.

Whether you like it or not, 70 is the limit on motorways and dual carrageways. The ammount of times i've been given abuse for driving at the limit and not getting out of the way of some prat behind who wants to do 90+ are uncountable.

From my personal experience i have found that driving down the A14 people act like idiots and brake suddenly near all the standard camera's, yet the moment i get up into cambridgeshire and hit the average camera's, suddenly everybody drives at the limit and the road becomes alot smoother and traffic flows easier.

i honestly dont care hwo they do it, but if they can get the average idiot to actually obay the speed limit, i'll be a happy chappy.

As scaryjim has said earlier, it takes seconds to check your speed, if that (unless your driving a hyundai matrix with the speedo in the middle of the car instead of infront of you). Sticking to the limit isnt hard at all.

Personally i think the law that says you have to advertise camera's should be scrapped, all speed camera signs should be replace with speed limit signs. And all of the "de-restricted" speed signs should be replaced with the real speed. Might help the unwashed masses realise that "de-restricted" doesnt mean do what the hell you like!

So in princaple im for the idea, in reality i cant see it being a good use of money as it would cost far too much to implement,

[dangel]

What makes me sick and worried is the idea that averaging cameras are a perfect solution - i'm with the 'rather have people driving safely and looking out the window' crowd tbh. The idea that getting everyone doing 70mph will make everyone's driving magically better is farcical - and from my personal experience of driving on the A14 speed is the least of our problems. The truth is any automated system is at best a single point check and a poor replacement for true driver education by a traffic officer. Speed cameras are perhaps the worst measure (especially on motorways in fact) of 'safe' driving - they ignore nutters diving between lanes, the distance the car in front (personally I think this far more important that ANYTHING else), the use of mobile phones, people having a cup of tea and reading the paper etc etc etc..

Same old same old really. I'm sure this thread will resurface shortly.

[floppybootstomp]

THe ammount of people whining and moaning about an attempt to ENFORCE AN EXISTING LAW really does make me sick and worried about the future of this country.

Whether you like it or not, 70 is the limit on motorways and dual carrageways. The ammount of times i've been given abuse for driving at the limit and not getting out of the way of some prat behind who wants to do 90+ are uncountable.

So that's you is it? You're the one deliberately holding me up, forcing me to overtake on the inside and generally acting like a self-righteous moron?

Your thought bubble says 'I am staying at 70, it is the law.'

You, my friend, cause accidents.

There are sometimes legitimate reasons for exceeding the speed limit. You may even have emergency services without sirens & lights trying to get somewhere quickly (albeit rarely) and there's you, toodling along like a slug in the fast lane, determined to be an unpaid upholder of the law by blocking everybody else who wants to, in your eyes, break the law.

I do not speed in built up areas, when it's raining, snowing, icy or when common sense dictates it is bang out of order to exceed the speed limit.

But when I know it is safe to exceed speed limit, I do. On major roads and motorways, mostly. Have regularly driven when working away from redcar and surrounding areas to Greenwich in the evening. M1 at a steady 100mph, shaves at least 30 minutes off drive time. And Greenford to Greenwich, North Circular, up to 100mph, slow for Speed cameras, loud music, feels good.

And yes, I slow down for speed cameras, I know them all round here, what do you expect me to do? get nicked?

This is certainly a divisive subject isn't it? It may go some way to explaining road rage.

I detest those who use mobile phones when driving whilst some here think it's perfectly ok. I think it's ok to speed sometimes whilst others obey the law to the letter.

Interesting.

[floppybootstomp]

I'm sure this thread will resurface shortly.

Yep