Speed Cameras on M25

[Alex_225]

More of a general discussion from spending an annoyingly long time on the M25 in the last few days.

What I noticed was how people panic when the reduced speed limit signs appear and in turn hit the brakes. Obviously combine that with the fact that people don't leave the required distance from the car in front and it all seems a bit hazardous. I keep left and keep my distance so tend to observe things unfolding ahead or in another lane but I could imagine these maybe contributing to an accident. Driving too close combined with an overreaction to the reduced speed limit for fear of a fine isn't ideal.

I noticed there were various flashes of speed cameras going off on both sides of the motorway and in turn whenever the speed limit sign changed, people immediately reacted for fear of being caught over the limit.

I 100% appreciate the need for varying the speed limits at given times, especially when there are hazards or closed lanes. I tend to just ease off the accelerator to bring me down to the necessary speed but most people don't. I also think that if someone passes under a gantry and the sign changes just as they're underneath they brake quite hard.

Maybe I'm just reading into it too much but wondered what other people thought?

[Alex_225]

HantsRat said:

Flashing people and slamming on brakes is not needed and frankly dangerous. They do use common sense and the camera's do have a window of approx 1 min before they activate after a limit change.

The trouble is this is exactly what people do because there's a fear that as if they're wafting along at say 75mph, which lets be honest a lot of people do, rightly or not. Then a sign suddenly flashes up saying 50 or even 60, they will brake hard to get down to that speed for fear of a ticket. I wholeheartedly agree this is dangerous but people react before thinking as they think, "Sh*t I don't want a ticket" more than "I better not brake sharply at this speed".

I think it's the consistency of the common sense that would appear to vary a bit on the M25. I have driven home from junctions 18 to 7 at 10pm on a Sunday evening on many occasions. See the speed limits dropped so dip down to 50 or even 40mph to spend 10 minutes trickling along a near empty motorway, only for the speed limit to go back to 70mph and having seen absolutely no reason for it at all! No lane closure, no incidents etc. Just like the signs had been left on by mistake.

Out of interest, are different sections of the M25 controlled by different authorities?

[Alex_225]

ashleyman said:

So you're saying people should brake slowly and get NIP's for speeding instead of brake hard and drive at the legal speed limit?

Haha no not at all, of course not.

Those are the only two options though is what I mean and neither of them are really great for the motorist be it safety of their hard earned cash!

[Alex_225]

covboy said:

I think he's saying people should look further ahead than the end of their bonnets and adjust their driving accordingly

There is definitely that, if only people thought about maybe reading the road rather than simply reacting to the car in front!

My general understanding of motorway driving is that if you keep a sensible distance and read the road accordingly, you can adjust speeds without braking at all. Obviously you don't avoid all braking but if I'm sitting at 70mph and see a reduced speed limit, I should be able to simply come off the throttle and slow to 60mph and in most cases that works.

But say I'm sitting at 70mph and I'm moments away from passing under a gantry and it suddenly displays 60 or 50mph, if I don't brake quickly I'm going to pass under there at 64/65mph and as much as you'd hope there's a grace period, I have no idea what that is so risk receiving a fine/points. Many drivers aren't simply driving at 70mph though and they're also not keeping the correct distances so the sudden braking caused by the unknown grace period when the sign changes could be far more problematic.

Yes I know, people are idiots and should be keeping distances etc. but the average driver doesn't do that they simply react.

Probably an obvious statement but with the misunderstanding of what grace periods drivers have with these varying limits I can't help thinking that they are just a piggy bank raking in the fines and although I wholeheartedly agree that there are times that speed limits do need adjusting, I don't think it's entirely safe springing it on a driver and causing a sudden panic.

What would make sense is using dot matrix signs on the gantries that indicate a 10 second count down to a speed limit change '60mph in 10, 9, 8 etc.' Would certain minimise that sudden braking. Might also be a sh*te idea haha

[Alex_225]

4040vision said:

When the signs change you get 1 minute before any enforcement so why panic?

Probably because the general public don't know that mate.

I don't consider myself to be the fountain of all knowledge nor am I ignorant to these things but I've only heard of this 1 minute window on here.