M4 / M5 Gatsos are now live - beware!
Discussion
adz9 said:
Hey guys!
Sorry to bring this up again. I was just wondering if any of you know anyone who has been prosecuted by these cameras near the M4 J19?
I drive this section regularly and recently have seen them flashing away merrily. Today I went through Eastbound. Starting the gantry section at J20 each gantry was set at 60mph. I slowed to this and carried on through the section.
A few gantries before the M32 turn off at 19 the gantries went to 40mph but I did not notice this as I went under the FIRST of these. In my rear view mirror I saw several flashes so it was not only me.
Do you think I'll be ok? Surely they have to give you a gantry or so notice before slamming a camera there?
As an aside to the camera flash. I regularly pass through the managed motorway section of the M42 and the signs are much easier to read, compared to the new ones on the M5. I'm not sure why but I had real trouble making out the speed numbers earlier this week 60 on the 1st lot then down to 40 eventually, the same as you experienced. But I had to be closer than I'd have liked to identify the change, despite trying to see it.Sorry to bring this up again. I was just wondering if any of you know anyone who has been prosecuted by these cameras near the M4 J19?
I drive this section regularly and recently have seen them flashing away merrily. Today I went through Eastbound. Starting the gantry section at J20 each gantry was set at 60mph. I slowed to this and carried on through the section.
A few gantries before the M32 turn off at 19 the gantries went to 40mph but I did not notice this as I went under the FIRST of these. In my rear view mirror I saw several flashes so it was not only me.
Do you think I'll be ok? Surely they have to give you a gantry or so notice before slamming a camera there?
TDIfurby said:
Someone in my work who is pally with someone in Brizzle police/traffic was told they are "live but not live" - so essentially will flash, but basically won't collar you. That was fairly recently, so who knows when they will actually be live eh?! 
I think you may be badly informed. My wife got flashed just before Xmas by one of the new gantry cameras between the M32 and the M5 and has just completed the speed awareness course to prove it!Keep it stiff said:
I think you may be badly informed. My wife got flashed just before Xmas by one of the new gantry cameras between the M32 and the M5 and has just completed the speed awareness course to prove it!
That might tally up as I think said contact spoke in the late Autumn sort of time. Maybe that prompted the switch to get flicked. 
adz9 said:
This was definately one of the gantries with it on. I believe 3 before the M32. Hopefully indont get anything like you!
How long ago was it you got flashed Lancer?
Adz did you receive a NIP in the end?How long ago was it you got flashed Lancer?
Just got stung cruising through at a touch over 80mph on a deserted motorway at 11pm. No variable speed limit displayed either, signs were totally off. Will feel pretty hard done by if I receive a NIP. The bum twitching begins for the next two weeks I guess.
Be careful guys!
I know someone that was flashed (March 12th) and hasn't recieved anything in the post yet, I suppose it could have been lost in the post though, although unlikely.
It was the same gantry, M4 east bound before the M32 slip road, where they reduce the limit to 40 on the last gantry or so after having been through the rest of the section at 60. Nasty little trap, and completely pointless in terms of traffic management.
Somebody else who travels that section every day says they're always flashing, so if they are live they will be raking in a small fortune.
I noticed on one of the signs on the M5 while coming back from Birmingham the other day, that it says "Variable speed limit going live in spring 2014" or similar, so perhaps they went live on March 21st?
It was the same gantry, M4 east bound before the M32 slip road, where they reduce the limit to 40 on the last gantry or so after having been through the rest of the section at 60. Nasty little trap, and completely pointless in terms of traffic management.
Somebody else who travels that section every day says they're always flashing, so if they are live they will be raking in a small fortune.
I noticed on one of the signs on the M5 while coming back from Birmingham the other day, that it says "Variable speed limit going live in spring 2014" or similar, so perhaps they went live on March 21st?
The b
d things on the stretch of the M4 between the M32 & the M5 were lighting up like fking Christmas trees last night.
Luckily, after my run in with plod on Saturday, I stayed exactly on the speed limit & watched as all the muppets tanking down the M4 towards Wales got ttter by the cameras!
d things on the stretch of the M4 between the M32 & the M5 were lighting up like fking Christmas trees last night.Luckily, after my run in with plod on Saturday, I stayed exactly on the speed limit & watched as all the muppets tanking down the M4 towards Wales got t
tter by the cameras!When the ridiculous waste of space gantries were being built, I used to wonder how they were going to get the money back, I think they cost in the region of 70 million pounds. I used to think nobody is going to be stupid enough to be caught by these.
However, I can now see how the trap works, by lowering the last couple of gantry limits pointlessly to 40 when traffic is flowing fine at 60, then they can catch whole swathes of traffic at a time. Yes the limit is displayed, but many drivers just aren't expecting the drop down to 40 when the traffic is flowing fine at 60. I can see drivers concentrating at sticking to 59mph being caught by the bucket load.
I would guess revenue will be in the region of 2 to 3 million pounds a month.
However, I can now see how the trap works, by lowering the last couple of gantry limits pointlessly to 40 when traffic is flowing fine at 60, then they can catch whole swathes of traffic at a time. Yes the limit is displayed, but many drivers just aren't expecting the drop down to 40 when the traffic is flowing fine at 60. I can see drivers concentrating at sticking to 59mph being caught by the bucket load.
I would guess revenue will be in the region of 2 to 3 million pounds a month.
deeps said:
When the ridiculous waste of space gantries were being built, I used to wonder how they were going to get the money back, I think they cost in the region of 70 million pounds. I used to think nobody is going to be stupid enough to be caught by these.
However, I can now see how the trap works, by lowering the last couple of gantry limits pointlessly to 40 when traffic is flowing fine at 60, then they can catch whole swathes of traffic at a time. Yes the limit is displayed, but many drivers just aren't expecting the drop down to 40 when the traffic is flowing fine at 60. I can see drivers concentrating at sticking to 59mph being caught by the bucket load.
I would guess revenue will be in the region of 2 to 3 million pounds a month.
bugger my No plate fell off officer. Whats the damage on this now a days? £60 or have they added point too? just a thought However, I can now see how the trap works, by lowering the last couple of gantry limits pointlessly to 40 when traffic is flowing fine at 60, then they can catch whole swathes of traffic at a time. Yes the limit is displayed, but many drivers just aren't expecting the drop down to 40 when the traffic is flowing fine at 60. I can see drivers concentrating at sticking to 59mph being caught by the bucket load.
I would guess revenue will be in the region of 2 to 3 million pounds a month.
fatboy69 said:
The bd things on the stretch of the M4 between the M32 & the M5 were lighting up like fking Christmas trees last night.
Luckily, after my run in with plod on Saturday, I stayed exactly on the speed limit & watched as all the muppets tanking down the M4 towards Wales got ttter by the cameras!
Cheers mate d things on the stretch of the M4 between the M32 & the M5 were lighting up like fking Christmas trees last night.Luckily, after my run in with plod on Saturday, I stayed exactly on the speed limit & watched as all the muppets tanking down the M4 towards Wales got t
tter by the cameras!haha!
Meldonte said:
Just got stung cruising through at a touch over 80mph on a deserted motorway at 11pm. No variable speed limit displayed either, signs were totally off. Will feel pretty hard done by if I receive a NIP. The bum twitching begins for the next two weeks I guess.
In fairness, "a touch over 80mph" is at least 15% over the speed limit when there's clear markings showing speed cameras in operation. It can't be more than 3 miles, so dropping to 70mph will only lose you about 20 seconds. If you don't think 15% is much over, just think how outraged you'd be if fuel went up 21p/litre...Travelling along the m5 today just before the cribbs junction a very dull 50mph sign flashed up with traffic doing 70-80 hopefully it didn't look like it flashed me although the other 3 lanes were like disco strobe lights. What is the point no warning before hand, no 60 shown on other boards previously. Grrrrr!
Carbonraider said:
What is the point
To slow down fast moving traffic that's approaching congestion, to allow the congestion to clear slightly, before the traffic being slowed arrives. Avoiding stop/start situations that are very inefficient and cause more delay than is necessary.I do agree that the signs on the M5 are not as good as the ones on the M42 though. I don't know what the difference is but they are much harder to read clearly.
I was wondering what would happen if you got flashed in one of the lanes where the sign isn't lit up. For example northbound on the m5 before junction 16 there are at least two signs that don't work where as they work in all of the other lanes. I wonder what the legalities would be if you were caught in one of these lanes.
Also on Friday night I think they forgot to turn them off as it was 12.30am, no traffic, me and about 5 other cars going southbound and yet the signs were all on at 60 showing congestion use hard shoulder, then just before the cribs turn off they dropped to 50. It was absolutely remarkable, no reason for it at all.
Also on Friday night I think they forgot to turn them off as it was 12.30am, no traffic, me and about 5 other cars going southbound and yet the signs were all on at 60 showing congestion use hard shoulder, then just before the cribs turn off they dropped to 50. It was absolutely remarkable, no reason for it at all.
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