Accident by Camera
Discussion
Driving out of Tunbridge Wells on the A26 on Sunday night, I came past the nusery under the railway bridge and checked by speed ready for the camera.
However found speed was in fact reduced to 0 as three cars heading southbound had managed to hit each other right by the camera! Seemed to only be bent metal.
My suspicion is that just beyond the camera is a turning and I suspect the first car stopped to turn off, the second and third cars didn't.
In any event any chance they were distracted by the camera?
However found speed was in fact reduced to 0 as three cars heading southbound had managed to hit each other right by the camera! Seemed to only be bent metal.
My suspicion is that just beyond the camera is a turning and I suspect the first car stopped to turn off, the second and third cars didn't.
In any event any chance they were distracted by the camera?
I know this scamera well, and I've seen a few panic breaks near it. People dawdle along, fixating on their speedo's.
When they eventually look up, (once past the scamera) they're ontop of a right turn junction, and if anyone's turning right and waiting for oncoming traffic, they're probably already wedged into their bumper
Still, at least no-one does 32mph on that road. That would be incredibly dangerous!
How long before there's a sign on that site, with details of all the 'casualties in the past few years' ?
When they eventually look up, (once past the scamera) they're ontop of a right turn junction, and if anyone's turning right and waiting for oncoming traffic, they're probably already wedged into their bumper
Still, at least no-one does 32mph on that road. That would be incredibly dangerous!
How long before there's a sign on that site, with details of all the 'casualties in the past few years' ?
Raify said:
I know this scamera well, and I've seen a few panic breaks near it. People dawdle along, fixating on their speedo's.
When they eventually look up, (once past the scamera) they're ontop of a right turn junction, and if anyone's turning right and waiting for oncoming traffic, they're probably already wedged into their bumper
Still, at least no-one does 32mph on that road. That would be incredibly dangerous!
How long before there's a sign on that site, with details of all the 'casualties in the past few years' ?
Ah but think of all the MILLIONS of accidents that would have occured if that camera hadnt have been there...
Yeah righto!
Why is our government an expert on predicting things that never happen....
james_j said:
edc said:
So had they been going over 30 the impact could be much more severe?
So if the camera wasn't there and the drivers were concentrating on real hazards, there would have been no impact irrespective of the speed at which they were travelling?
But as another thread by Tonyrec mooted, drivers do not concentrate all the time. Sometimes (as in Tonyrec's thread) it takes a camera to 'wake' a driver up.
The thing is the drivers crashed with the camera in situ. Had they been 100% aware then as you suggest then there would be no incident. What is there to suggest that they would not have crashed without the camera, albeit at a higher speed perhaps?
Here's the thread referenced www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?f=10&h=0&t=132733
>> Edited by edc on Wednesday 3rd November 15:18
Streetcop said:
any chance cars 2 and 3 couldn't stop in the distance they could see to be clear.... 
Whilst I accept that being distracted by a speed camera or indeed anything else is hardly an excuse for driving into the back of whatever is in front, the speed camera will be causing people to take their eye of the road. With a side turning immediately after the camera this is obviously not a good point to take eyes off the road, particularly given peoples lack of willingness to indicate their intentions these days.
This camera also says has a sign in front of it stating that it has saved 19 casulties in the last three years. None of the casulties presumably were saved by moving the pelican crossing from its position immediatley round a blind bend, so motorists have a chance to see it and slow. None of these casulties were saved by the fencing erected to prevent pedestrians crossing on the blind bend, none of these casulties were saved by the new anti-skid surfaces laid.
Whats needed is proper research into why accidents happen, raher than blaming it on speed.
This spee camera
edc said:
edc said:
So had they been going over 30 the impact could be much more severe?
So if the camera wasn't there and the drivers were concentrating on real hazards, there would have been no impact irrespective of the speed at which they were travelling?
But as another thread by Tonyrec mooted, drivers do not concentrate all the time. Sometimes (as in Tonyrec's thread) it takes a camera to 'wake' a driver up.
The thing is the drivers crashed with the camera in situ. Had they been 100% aware then as you suggest then there would be no incident. What is there to suggest that they would not have crashed without the camera, albeit at a higher speed perhaps?
Here's the thread referenced www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?f=10&h=0&t=132733
>> Edited by edc on Wednesday 3rd November 15:18
The point is, is that cameras are causing bad drivers to crash.
I would suggest that they would be less likely to crash had there not been a camera because their slamming on brakes (even when under the limit) would be much less likely to have occurred. (I've seen this happen many times.)
Maybe, but if they were driving quickly would they be aware enough or have enough time to brake for those cars indicating to turn right? If 2 cars behind are going to run into the back of a car cos one slammed on the brakes for a camera then why aren't they going to do the same when/if the driver slams on the brakes to stop for the car ahead?
safespeed said:
Seen this?
<a href="http://www.safespeed.org.uk/speedo.html">www.safespeed.org.uk/speedo.html</a>
Sure scares the hell out of me.
I agree 100% - this thought has occurred to me on more than one occasion. I guess the lentilists would say well if you drove everywhere at just below the speed limit you'd get used to the right speed and would have to check less.
More sensible would have been to have moved the crossing at this TW location. It's in a stupid place, always has been. I wonder if the accidents recorded there also include the number of times the bridge has been struck? Nothing that the scamera's going to change there! Anyone know how you can find out what the recorded accidents are in detail?
>> Edited by S Works on Thursday 4th November 15:34
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