RE: PH Blog: let's talk about SPECS
Discussion
I bung my cruise on at about 56mph. Problem is, and especially in the roadworks around Toddington, you get severely harrassed by HGV's. I've been boxed in with one in front, one to the right and one behind trying to bash my back doors in.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, if normal 70mph traffic is only safe at 50mph, then why the hell is HGV traffic not restricted to 20mph less than their normal limit? They should be doing 30mph through roadworks as an HGV up the chuffer is going to be a sight more painful than a Smart car.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, if normal 70mph traffic is only safe at 50mph, then why the hell is HGV traffic not restricted to 20mph less than their normal limit? They should be doing 30mph through roadworks as an HGV up the chuffer is going to be a sight more painful than a Smart car.
Reardy Mister said:
I've blasted through loads of these, especially the one at the top of the M3 at the M25, heading south. Ive literally done 80 straight through it and heard zip, zilch, nada.*
I drive through this every day. While I would like to share various pearls of wisdom relating to how to defeat these cameras, most days I am lucky to average 25 mph through this stretch 
The M4 near Newport had specs for ages due to road works. Always led to traffic build up as faster traffic bunched up on arriving at the specs 50mph zone. They have removed the specs now and traffic flow is much better and safer due to less induced congestion. I use my satnav to get accurate speed and use limit + 10% to leave a margin for error (no extra 2 mph). Why the need to be "on the edge of the limit" as this makes you look at speedo too much instead of the road? Accelerating out of the zone is much better feeling than being on edge through the zone. I have also checked speedo reading against the speed indicator signs that flash up my speed and found speedo reads 4 mph high at 40 mph - the 10% error used. If you build a kit car the IVA test for speedo must reveal it reads never low but can be +10%.
I got nailed twice by the specs in the M1 roadworks several years ago, both at 58MPH. Couldn't tell you what the speedo was reading as I couldn't remember how I was driving on the dates they caught me- fair cop no arguements. Cruise through all at 57 leptons now without issue.
For those who want to do 50 on the dot, please move over. Thanks.
For those who want to do 50 on the dot, please move over. Thanks.
If you are not driving a car with cruise control average speed checks are dangerous in themselves. So many times I have had to make a sudden 'input' because I have been 'speedo watching', the only times I have come close to having an accident in recent years are in average speed controls
I'm a terrible wimp about getting points so I'm uber cautious - but for me it is sat nav to show true 50mph (that is 53 on my speedo) and cruise control set - i've specced that on every car for 15 years now (just for convenience)and can't imagine life without it. I've always imagined my chances of a smack are at my highest at this point cos frankly after 30secs my brain has switched off - or is this me learning how 99% of motorists drive!!
has anyone ever known anyone ever get done by these camera? whats with the new gantry not eh m25 - gatso? only some of them seem to have cameras and only some of the have white line on the road?... the worst thing about all these camera is that the uk general public are not informed properly.
I heard on the news that the M62 cameras have made a gazillion pounds this year, so they must be working. Seems crazy not to switch them on... So much easy revenue being missed by the council/govt and we know they aren't ones to miss such an opportunity.
What annoys me tho is the muppets who, once in the specs zone feel it's ok to pull out to lane 3 and then sit there at 49mph indicated and overtake absolutely nothing, only to pull back in again 15 miles later when the roadworks end. f
kwits. Here is a clue.... When the traffic behind you stretches as far as you can see and your lane in front is clear for miles, with the previous traffic being merely tiny dots on the horizon, then it is YOU that are holding people up. Move!!
Rant over, feel better now I got that out.
What annoys me tho is the muppets who, once in the specs zone feel it's ok to pull out to lane 3 and then sit there at 49mph indicated and overtake absolutely nothing, only to pull back in again 15 miles later when the roadworks end. f
kwits. Here is a clue.... When the traffic behind you stretches as far as you can see and your lane in front is clear for miles, with the previous traffic being merely tiny dots on the horizon, then it is YOU that are holding people up. Move!!Rant over, feel better now I got that out.
Edited by Paul O on Tuesday 15th May 20:18
Edited by Paul O on Tuesday 15th May 20:20
I'm currently couriering (Is that even a word?) so encounter SPECS on a daily basis.
I have a healthy fear for acquiring any more points as my licence has only just been cleansed of those it held before so I normally aim to keep it under an indicated 55 on the speedo.
It is quite clear to me that the HGVs are happy to sit at their 56mph limiters though, which just causes congestion as they have to enter the middle lane to pass the people doing an indicated 50mph, absolute waste of time. Don't even get me started on the bloody matrix signs...
I have a healthy fear for acquiring any more points as my licence has only just been cleansed of those it held before so I normally aim to keep it under an indicated 55 on the speedo.
It is quite clear to me that the HGVs are happy to sit at their 56mph limiters though, which just causes congestion as they have to enter the middle lane to pass the people doing an indicated 50mph, absolute waste of time. Don't even get me started on the bloody matrix signs...
I drive on a regular basis through all these cameras in my lorry. Most of the time the traffic moves quite freely and i can drive at 56 speedo mph which is about 54 sat nav mph.
The only annoying thing for me is when someone in front is driving at 50 speedo mph in the middle lane and doesn't bother pulling back into the 1st lane.
I'm not the kind of driver to bully people back into the clear left hand lane but they do wind me up.
At the same time I can understand people that do drive at 50 mph as that is what we are supposed to do and how much difference can it really make to drive 4mph quicker for a few miles. Not THAT much really.
The only annoying thing for me is when someone in front is driving at 50 speedo mph in the middle lane and doesn't bother pulling back into the 1st lane.
I'm not the kind of driver to bully people back into the clear left hand lane but they do wind me up.
At the same time I can understand people that do drive at 50 mph as that is what we are supposed to do and how much difference can it really make to drive 4mph quicker for a few miles. Not THAT much really.
I posted this in a thread about the A3 Hindhead tunnel when it opened last year:
Tunnel is 1.1miles, the distance between cameras is a little more than this, but let's just use 1.1miles to be safe.
Speed Limit is 70mph.
The time taken to travel 1.1miles at 70mph is 57seconds.
So, as you go into the tunnel, open the windows, turn the CD player down, hit "next track".
Have all the fun you like, but make sure you don't reach the end of the tunnel before the CD track time gets to 0:57s.
You could use this with any SPECS cameras but you need to know the accurate distance between them. Best way is to log their positions on a GPS then use sometihng like google earth to calculate the distance.
Tunnel is 1.1miles, the distance between cameras is a little more than this, but let's just use 1.1miles to be safe.
Speed Limit is 70mph.
The time taken to travel 1.1miles at 70mph is 57seconds.
So, as you go into the tunnel, open the windows, turn the CD player down, hit "next track".
Have all the fun you like, but make sure you don't reach the end of the tunnel before the CD track time gets to 0:57s.
You could use this with any SPECS cameras but you need to know the accurate distance between them. Best way is to log their positions on a GPS then use sometihng like google earth to calculate the distance.
I currently slog through about 20 miles of 50 limit on the M62 twice a day - will have been this way for about 2 years by the time they finish the 'managed motorway' works so I've gotten used to it!
According to the local press, 11 thousand drivers were ticketed on this stretch in 2011.
I've been told the cameras are now all-digital and calculate the average between the 1st and last cameras you pass.
According to the local press, 11 thousand drivers were ticketed on this stretch in 2011.
I've been told the cameras are now all-digital and calculate the average between the 1st and last cameras you pass.
LexiconUK said:
I currently slog through about 20 miles of 50 limit on the M62 twice a day - will have been this way for about 2 years by the time they finish the 'managed motorway' works so I've gotten used to it!
According to the local press, 11 thousand drivers were ticketed on this stretch in 2011.
I've been told the cameras are now all-digital and calculate the average between the 1st and last cameras you pass.
I feel your pain mate! I drive between J25 and J36 twice a day, nice suprise yesterday to see they have grown even longer! Doing my head in, they are only working about 5 miles of the 50mph limit. According to the local press, 11 thousand drivers were ticketed on this stretch in 2011.
I've been told the cameras are now all-digital and calculate the average between the 1st and last cameras you pass.
i have a problem with lorry drivers (mainly at night for obvious reasons). this has happened a couple of times. if i adhere to the 50mph (a safeish 55) and stick to the 'slow' lane then i inevitably get lorry drivers flashing me. i know my speedo is more or less bang on. the best bet for this is let them pile through at 60+ and just use the middle lane because i don't fancy being dazzled to hell by the end of it. either they know something i don't and i'm too careful or they're just morons. one sainsbury's rapis...lorry driver eventually gave up the flashing and then gave me one last burst as he turned off.
robmlufc said:
I feel your pain mate! I drive between J25 and J36 twice a day, nice suprise yesterday to see they have grown even longer! Doing my head in, they are only working about 5 miles of the 50mph limit.
I've had an e-mail conversation with someone at the highways agency about these... basic response was 'it costs a fortune to set up and then take down roadworks, so we're choosing to run them all at the same time'.Although they drive me insane every time I have to drive through them, his answer was somewhat understandable. My real frustration is how long these schemes seem to take.
mr2j said:
i have a problem with lorry drivers (mainly at night for obvious reasons).
the best bet for this is let them pile through at 60+ and just use the middle lane because i don't fancy being dazzled to hell by the end of it. either they know something i don't and i'm too careful or they're just morons.
Seems as if Lexicon and you need to have a proper chat the best bet for this is let them pile through at 60+ and just use the middle lane because i don't fancy being dazzled to hell by the end of it. either they know something i don't and i'm too careful or they're just morons.
mr2j said:
one sainsbury's rapis...lorry driver
Nice to see you don't tar everyone with the same brush
Another thread that shows what a sad little country the UK has become, I now live on an island (Hvar, Croatia) that has roads that make the Targa Florio as easy as a stock oval, no cameras and the only traffic light is on the Pitve tunnel. You must look at that tunnel driven on Youtube.
Every car should have a head-up-display (HUD) showing true GPS speed and the speed limit on the road 200 metres in front ,from a national daily updated database, I see too many people when I visit the UK who drive with their attention glued on crappy factory speedometers instead of looking at what is outside the car.
Every car should have a head-up-display (HUD) showing true GPS speed and the speed limit on the road 200 metres in front ,from a national daily updated database, I see too many people when I visit the UK who drive with their attention glued on crappy factory speedometers instead of looking at what is outside the car.
MrTickle said:
Jakdaw said:
MrTickle said:
I think you mean 60mph on your speedo before triggering a 50mpg camera?
They have cameras that can measure fuel economy now? I'm fooked...
thats me fooked too then.... the green party come into power, they will have average economy cameras all over the place! Actually, if it's infinite, just do that for one camera, and keep the hammer down for all the others. It still works out as infinite mpg if you factor in the engine off/clutch disengaged camera reading!
jonby said:
I have a pogo gps speed camera unit
through specs areas, it shows your average speed between each camera as well as the speed limit and your current speed
I get great satisfaction, if I've been slowed down by cars in front, to then speed up, over the limit, keeping an eye on my average, maximising my possible speed without triggering the camera. The GPS unit resets average speed at each camera point and actually shows the camera number e.g. 4th of 6, so if you miss a camera through being distracted or blocked from view by na HGV, you can still see the data
Childish but fun
Yes, very good. But what if only cameras 4 and 11 are active?through specs areas, it shows your average speed between each camera as well as the speed limit and your current speed
I get great satisfaction, if I've been slowed down by cars in front, to then speed up, over the limit, keeping an eye on my average, maximising my possible speed without triggering the camera. The GPS unit resets average speed at each camera point and actually shows the camera number e.g. 4th of 6, so if you miss a camera through being distracted or blocked from view by na HGV, you can still see the data
Childish but fun
They're not all hooked up.
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