NIP m25 variable 50. Bugger.

[richardrsc]

Nooo. Come home today to two letters.

The first one contains my replacement driving license as I've moved house - it has 0 points on it for the first time in years as they've all come off. Yay.

Next letter is a NIP for the heinous crime of doing 62 in a variable 50 on the m25. Probably one of those variable 50's they put up when it's all clear to confuse people. Bah.

As much as I expect to have to pay up like normal, despite doing nothing in the least bit unsafe (surely going under 80 is within the spirit of the law on a variable limit?), I was just wondering if there are any good wheezes to get out of these at the moment?

I suspect I'm guilty as charged, but tbh I didn't notice a flash - I do tend not to stamp on the breaks for no good reason on the motorway though, particularly if there are cars behind me. Is there any leeway between when the signs go on and when they become active?

[anonymous-user]

richardrsc said:

Probably one of those variable 50's they put up when it's all clear to confuse people. Bah

A bit left field and I'll probably get flamed

Maybe the 50's are put up automatically worked out by the MIDAS loops in the road surface (or being the M25 the new laser measurement devices) and algorithmic mathematics to smooth the traffic flows down to keep traffic flowing steadily rather than the stop/go phantom queues of the old days as they know what is happening a couple of miles ahead out of your field of vision

There again i could be talking complete bks

[Phatboy317]

speedyguy said:

A bit left field and I'll probably get flamed

Maybe the 50's are put up automatically worked out by the MIDAS loops in the road surface (or being the M25 the new laser measurement devices) and algorithmic mathematics to smooth the traffic flows down to keep traffic flowing steadily rather than the stop/go phantom queues of the old days as they know what is happening a couple of miles ahead out of your field of vision

There again i could be talking complete bks

I'd be very interested to see the mathematics

[Jbliss]

it doesnt work though. There are still random traffic jams, often worse because of the temporary limit. People hit the brakes when they get to a gantry now which is more dangerous.

[Sheepshanks]

speedyguy said:

Maybe the 50's are put up automatically worked out by the MIDAS loops in the road surface (or being the M25 the new laser measurement devices) and algorithmic mathematics to smooth the traffic flows down to keep traffic flowing steadily rather than the stop/go phantom queues of the old days as they know what is happening a couple of miles ahead out of your field of vision

So they're about traffic management then, and nothing to do with safety?

[SVTRick]

I am sure your east European friend was driving that day .........

[Cooperman]

You may well be invited to do a speed awareness course at 62 in a 50. So probably no points.

[FurryExocet]

Sheepshanks said:

So they're about traffic management then, and nothing to do with safety?

The variable limits are for both. They are supposed to slow the traffic down when they detect congestion up ahead, it's meant to help with traffic flow.

It's also there for safety during incidents or road works

[V8 Fettler]

richardrsc said:

Nooo. Come home today to two letters.

The first one contains my replacement driving license as I've moved house - it has 0 points on it for the first time in years as they've all come off. Yay.

Next letter is a NIP for the heinous crime of doing 62 in a variable 50 on the m25. Probably one of those variable 50's they put up when it's all clear to confuse people. Bah.

As much as I expect to have to pay up like normal, despite doing nothing in the least bit unsafe (surely going under 80 is within the spirit of the law on a variable limit?), I was just wondering if there are any good wheezes to get out of these at the moment?

I suspect I'm guilty as charged, but tbh I didn't notice a flash - I do tend not to stamp on the breaks for no good reason on the motorway though, particularly if there are cars behind me. Is there any leeway between when the signs go on and when they become active?

Where on the M25 were you captured?

[Devil2575]

Phatboy317 said:

I'd be very interested to see the mathematics

Why? You probably wouldn't understand it and start waffling about how you'd have missed the traffic jam altogether if you'd been going faster...

[MarshPhantom]

On Radio 4 yesterday that convictions for speeding on motorways are up 25% in the the last 12 months due to increase use of gantry cameras on the new smart network (most of the M25 and much of the lower end of the M1).

I'd always been under the impression that the gantry cameras only worked when the signs were displaying a limit of lower than 70, but apparently some police forces are using them to enforce the 70 limit.

They didn't say where this way happening.

[Tribal Chestnut]

Enforcement of a speed limit? Scandalous!

[Magic919]

There's a short period of non-enforcement between the signs coming on, or changing, and enforcement. At least a minute from what I recall.

[MarshPhantom]

Tribal Chestnut said:

Enforcement of a speed limit? Scandalous!

Yes, they're a bunch of s.

[2013BRM]

We use an executive limo company to ferry us to and from LHR, 2 of their guys have been caught already. It seems both occured when it went to 50 quite suddenly from 70. The majority of times I've used it I've been gridlocked under gantry signs telling me not to exceed 40 or 50, I can't see how they have made the road safer by throwing rapidly changing speed limits into the mix

[Tribal Chestnut]

MarshPhantom said:

Yes, they're a bunch of s.

[loafer123]

2013BRM said:

We use an executive limo company to ferry us to and from LHR, 2 of their guys have been caught already. It seems both occured when it went to 50 quite suddenly from 70. The majority of times I've used it I've been gridlocked under gantry signs telling me not to exceed 40 or 50, I can't see how they have made the road safer by throwing rapidly changing speed limits into the mix

Surely going from 60 to 30 is extremely common - why are they struggling with 70-50? Poor observancy?

[Davidonly]

Sheepshanks said:

speedyguy said:

Maybe the 50's are put up automatically worked out by the MIDAS loops in the road surface (or being the M25 the new laser measurement devices) and algorithmic mathematics to smooth the traffic flows down to keep traffic flowing steadily rather than the stop/go phantom queues of the old days as they know what is happening a couple of miles ahead out of your field of vision

So they're about traffic management then, and nothing to do with safety?

In theory its about traffic management and sometimes emissions.. But the the license points are issued for safety reasons (or serious liability risk in the case of no insurance). Therefore the increasing use of cameras that function for reasons other than safety and that can ultimately deprive uk citizens of their driving license (due to potentially dangerous behaviour) must be questionable at least? Lots of serious inconsitency around automated speed enforcement and limit setting these days.

[Monkeylegend]

This should put to bed the myth that these cameras are for show only.

[2013BRM]

loafer123 said:

2013BRM said:

We use an executive limo company to ferry us to and from LHR, 2 of their guys have been caught already. It seems both occured when it went to 50 quite suddenly from 70. The majority of times I've used it I've been gridlocked under gantry signs telling me not to exceed 40 or 50, I can't see how they have made the road safer by throwing rapidly changing speed limits into the mix

Surely going from 60 to 30 is extremely common - why are they struggling with 70-50? Poor observancy?

Well, when a 60 goes to 30 you can see the signs, build up of housing, city/town limits etc. On a motorway when all the traffic is moving at around 70, the road ahead is clear and the Gantry signs inexplicably change you have no warning at all and compound that with closely bunched traffic you don't really stand a chance. If anyone should be able to deal with it these guys should, they are professionally trained drivers, there cars are tracked for speeding and their remit is to deliver their customer unruffled