Motorway Speed Cameras To Be Rolled Out

Motorway Speed Cameras To Be Rolled Out

Author
Discussion

CAFEDEAD

222 posts

116 months

Sunday 18th January 2015
quotequote all
MMC said:
Thing is, we're using speed limits now to do a job for which they were never intended: censored
Spot on.

But I'm at a total loss as to what we can do about it.

Edited by Big Al. on Monday 16th February 18:03

MMC

341 posts

270 months

Sunday 18th January 2015
quotequote all
I know that here in Oxon the council certainly felt the resistance when some of us concertedly opposed a raft of new 50mph limits. Basically, the only way one can change a councillor's mind is by making him or her think they'll lose votes - or look stupid in the local media. And it's about presenting the case for reasonable limits - at the moment, the only voices in road safety are about lower limits, more controls and more fines.

Guybrush

4,358 posts

207 months

Sunday 18th January 2015
quotequote all
Willy Nilly said:
MMC said:
Thing is, we're using speed limits now to do a job for which they were never intended: censored
common sense
Yes, common sense has been eroded and I now rarely see it anywhere there are weasely public servants trying to exercise ever more control.

A recent study (from The Telegraph) which helps to reinforce the fact that speed limits are nearly all stupidly low:

SPEEDING 'ROUTINE FOR MAJORITY OF DRIVERS'
By Peter Woodman, Press Association Transport Correspondent
More than four in five motorists break speed limits, a survey today showed.

As many as 82% of drivers admitted to sometimes or frequently exceeding the limit, the poll by YouGov and insurance company Admiral found.

For male drivers, the figure was as high as 86%, while 78% of women motorists owned up to speeding.

Based on responses from 3,280 drivers, the poll also revealed:

:: Only 27% think speed cameras improve road safety;
:: Just 18% reckon more speed cameras should be installed;
:: 14% have been caught speeding in the last year;
:: only 30% say the speed limit should be 20mph on residential streets;
:: 71% think the speed limit should be 80mph or higher on motorways.

Admiral managing director Sue Longhorn said: "I'm surprised so many motorists admit to speeding. Our research suggests it's not just commonplace, but routine
for the vast majority of drivers. What's not surprising is the percentage that get caught speeding with so many breaking the speed limit.

"Speeding is such an emotive issue for motorists, and one area where they feel the Government interferes too much. Our research illustrates just how disliked
speed cameras are and how suspicious motorists are about the motives of police forces who install them. It would seem that most people think enough is enough."

She went on: "Many councils are introducing 20mph speed limits in more residential areas and this is already commonplace near schools. Our research suggests this might not be such a popular move, but in order to keep motorists onside, maybe they should consider raising the speed limit on motorways to 80mph when conditions are good."


Jasandjules

69,998 posts

230 months

Sunday 18th January 2015
quotequote all
Guybrush said:
Admiral managing director Sue Longhorn said: "I'm surprised so many motorists admit to speeding. Our research suggests it's not just commonplace, but routine
for the vast majority of drivers. What's not surprising is the percentage that get caught speeding with so many breaking the speed limit.
Which means that the limits are too low and the law is unjust. Because the Majority exceed the limit.

turbobloke

104,144 posts

261 months

Sunday 18th January 2015
quotequote all
Esseesse said:
An infuriating leading poll in that article...

Q. Are 'stealth cameras' on motorways a good idea?

- Yes: efforts should be made to target those who exceed the speed limit
- No: I doubt they'll have an impact on slowing drivers down
- Not sure

Where's the option for "No: Drivers don't need to slow down"?
Typical!

Even so the poll isn't showing much support for more motorway cameras(abbreviated options to Yes No Dunno).

Yes 12.85% (1,571 votes)

No 83.86% (10,249 votes)

Dunno 3.29% (402 votes)

Which is good to see, as data from the Transport Research Laboratory show that motorway speed cameras have a detrimental effect on safety (TRL 595).

Effect on PIAs Roadworks Open motorway
Analogue speed cameras 55% increase 31% increase
Digital speed cameras 5% increase 7% increase
Police patrols 27% reduction 10% reduction


The tabulated data table depicted above is based around figures in the third section of the report. PIAs are personal injury accidents. Data in the report is given as rate figures expressed in PIAs per million vehicle kilometres with a lower figure representing lower incidence of PIA crashes. Increases and decreases were measured against 'no speed camera' open motorway data.

dandarez

13,304 posts

284 months

Sunday 18th January 2015
quotequote all
MMC said:
I know that here in Oxon the council certainly felt the resistance when some of us concertedly opposed a raft of new 50mph limits. Basically, the only way one can change a councillor's mind is by making him or her think they'll lose votes - or look stupid in the local media. And it's about presenting the case for reasonable limits - at the moment, the only voices in road safety are about lower limits, more controls and more fines.
With councillors like Hudspeth and Nimmo (replace N with a D and it's more accurate!) in Oxfordshire making them look stupid is not hard, they can do that themselves!
One idiot councillor recently said he works 18 hours daily - even weekends! rolleyes

Think before opening gob should be a prerequisite for these people, but no, then Hudspeth followed up by backing said councillor in question and said he also does virtually the same hours.

I assume he's in sleep mode at the moment.

http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/top_news/11680232...

turbobloke

104,144 posts

261 months

Sunday 18th January 2015
quotequote all
dandarez said:
MMC said:
I know that here in Oxon the council certainly felt the resistance when some of us concertedly opposed a raft of new 50mph limits. Basically, the only way one can change a councillor's mind is by making him or her think they'll lose votes - or look stupid in the local media. And it's about presenting the case for reasonable limits - at the moment, the only voices in road safety are about lower limits, more controls and more fines.
With councillors like Hudspeth and Nimmo (replace N with a D and it's more accurate!) in Oxfordshire making them look stupid is not hard, they can do that themselves!
One idiot councillor recently said he works 18 hours daily - even weekends! rolleyes

Think before opening gob should be a prerequisite for these people, but no, then Hudspeth followed up by backing said councillor in question and said he also does virtually the same hours.

I assume he's in sleep mode at the moment.

http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/top_news/11680232...
IIRC Oxfordshire police have a track record of opposing speed limit reductions going back as far as the 90s. Unfortunately the Councillors don't have a track record of thinking before speaking and acting.

funkyrobot

18,789 posts

229 months

Sunday 18th January 2015
quotequote all
Speaking of speed limits, my council have reduced loads around where I live in the last year. I've seen 40mph zones go down to 30mph and and a few nsl 60 mph limits now dropped to 50 mph.

The most recent change has been the road outside our house. It's been dropped from a 40 mph limit to 30. When driving along this road now it seems far too slow. Funny how the article reference above mentions drivers doing a certain speed because 40 mph felt absolutely fine. Also, in the year and a half I've lived here, I have only ever seen or heard of one accident. That was in a part of the road that was already a 30 mph zone anyway.

My commute to work takes me along a road that was dropped to 30 mph from 40 last year. Most of the traffic along this road still does 40 mph. And, bizarrely, people now overtake the cars doing 30. I never saw anyone overtake cars when the speed limit was 40.

I do think the nimby councillors are winning though. I see more and more drivers driving under the limit every day.

MMC

341 posts

270 months

Sunday 18th January 2015
quotequote all
turbobloke said:
IIRC Oxfordshire police have a track record of opposing speed limit reductions going back as far as the 90s. Unfortunately the Councillors don't have a track record of thinking before speaking and acting.
Now ain't that the truth.

turbobloke

104,144 posts

261 months

Sunday 18th January 2015
quotequote all
funkyrobot said:
And, bizarrely, people now overtake the cars doing 30. I never saw anyone overtake cars when the speed limit was 40.

I do think the nimby councillors are winning though. I see more and more drivers driving under the limit every day.
Also, there seems to be a growing perception among the slowest drivers that overtaking is worse than infanticide, discernible from their reaction to being overtaken (safely). These too-slow drivers are a menace, akin to a highway obstruction.

MMC

341 posts

270 months

Monday 19th January 2015
quotequote all
turbobloke said:
Also, there seems to be a growing perception among the slowest drivers that overtaking is worse than infanticide, discernible from their reaction to being overtaken (safely). These too-slow drivers are a menace, akin to a highway obstruction.
Good point. I realised, more than ever, how true this is when I managed to overtake a limit limpet on my Ural 650 motorcycle and sidecar combo. That thing's slower than tectonic plates.

woof

8,456 posts

278 months

Tuesday 20th January 2015
quotequote all
I enjoyed the 4hours of speed kills message from a speed awareness course yesterday.
Perhaps 20% was useful recapping of the highway code. I'd forgotten that lamp posts generally mean 30mph and apparently repeater signs are used on roads to remind us of the speed limit - though in 24hrs I'm still yet to see one.

It was basically all aimed at trying to tell you speed kills and speed causes accidents.

One of the chaps taken it was an former advance driver instructor / chairman perhaps even. He said some sensible things that weren't anything to do with the course and occasionally suggest training and education would bring down accidents but 80% was just nonsense.
No one would have come out of that meeting a better driver and you would think that would be the aim


Esseesse

8,969 posts

209 months

Tuesday 20th January 2015
quotequote all
woof said:
I enjoyed the 4hours of speed kills message from a speed awareness course yesterday.
Perhaps 20% was useful recapping of the highway code. I'd forgotten that lamp posts generally mean 30mph and apparently repeater signs are used on roads to remind us of the speed limit - though in 24hrs I'm still yet to see one.

It was basically all aimed at trying to tell you speed kills and speed causes accidents.

One of the chaps taken it was an former advance driver instructor / chairman perhaps even. He said some sensible things that weren't anything to do with the course and occasionally suggest training and education would bring down accidents but 80% was just nonsense.
No one would have come out of that meeting a better driver and you would think that would be the aim
Can you fail the course?

woof

8,456 posts

278 months

Tuesday 20th January 2015
quotequote all
Esseesse said:
woof said:
I enjoyed the 4hours of speed kills message from a speed awareness course yesterday.
Perhaps 20% was useful recapping of the highway code. I'd forgotten that lamp posts generally mean 30mph and apparently repeater signs are used on roads to remind us of the speed limit - though in 24hrs I'm still yet to see one.

It was basically all aimed at trying to tell you speed kills and speed causes accidents.

One of the chaps taken it was an former advance driver instructor / chairman perhaps even. He said some sensible things that weren't anything to do with the course and occasionally suggest training and education would bring down accidents but 80% was just nonsense.
No one would have come out of that meeting a better driver and you would think that would be the aim
Can you fail the course?
Difficult as you don't have to fill in the booklet that they give you - and then ask for people to fill it in. Must be something to do with people who can't write proper like - so i didn't bother. They also say you have to be pro active and join in but plenty of people didn't say a word.

But 2 people got yellow cards. One for checking her phone (they don't like that) and another for using unacceptable language



Esseesse

8,969 posts

209 months

Tuesday 20th January 2015
quotequote all
woof said:
Esseesse said:
woof said:
I enjoyed the 4hours of speed kills message from a speed awareness course yesterday.
Perhaps 20% was useful recapping of the highway code. I'd forgotten that lamp posts generally mean 30mph and apparently repeater signs are used on roads to remind us of the speed limit - though in 24hrs I'm still yet to see one.

It was basically all aimed at trying to tell you speed kills and speed causes accidents.

One of the chaps taken it was an former advance driver instructor / chairman perhaps even. He said some sensible things that weren't anything to do with the course and occasionally suggest training and education would bring down accidents but 80% was just nonsense.
No one would have come out of that meeting a better driver and you would think that would be the aim
Can you fail the course?
Difficult as you don't have to fill in the booklet that they give you - and then ask for people to fill it in. Must be something to do with people who can't write proper like - so i didn't bother. They also say you have to be pro active and join in but plenty of people didn't say a word.

But 2 people got yellow cards. One for checking her phone (they don't like that) and another for using unacceptable language
Would you fail if you questioned what they're 'teaching' you?

turbobloke

104,144 posts

261 months

Tuesday 20th January 2015
quotequote all
woof said:
But 2 people got yellow cards. One for checking her phone (they don't like that) and another for using unacceptable language
Tsk, definitely not good manners...detention after class?

CAFEDEAD

222 posts

116 months

Tuesday 20th January 2015
quotequote all
woof said:
But 2 people got yellow cards. One for checking her phone (they don't like that) and another for using unacceptable language
rofl

I think it's probably for the best I've never bothered attending such a "course".

woof

8,456 posts

278 months

Wednesday 21st January 2015
quotequote all
CAFEDEAD said:
woof said:
But 2 people got yellow cards. One for checking her phone (they don't like that) and another for using unacceptable language
rofl

I think it's probably for the best I've never bothered attending such a "course".
It avoids 3 points and doesnt' effect your insurance for the time being. Insurance companies are thinking about adding a question into quotes to ask if you have ever attended a driving/speed awareness course.

Everyone is there to avoid 3 points.

carinaman

21,358 posts

173 months

jmorgan

36,010 posts

285 months

Monday 16th February 2015
quotequote all
Election comming.