Average speed cameras, can you, could you?

[neverraced]

This morning I'm sitting stationery in the long 50mph section on the M4 J13 to J12 musing upon life: so if I'm still for say ten minutes, does that mean I can sit at a stead 70mph and cruise past the exit average speed cameras and still be okay? Or do they have the ability to take a "snapshot" like so-called "normal" speed cameras?

[Drumroll]

My question would be why would you want to?

[neverraced]

As I said, I was just musing over it; let's not pretend that these cameras are there for any other reason than revenue generation, there are literally no personnel there working. That's academic anyway, it's a hypothetical question.

[HantsRat]

Yes

[neverraced]

"Yes" to which question please HantsRat? Only it's quite significant...... ;-)

[AyBee]

As long as there is only 1 camera between you and the NSL, yes.

[anniesdad]

I have no definitive answer to the question myself, but if they are average speed cameras then that speaks for itself? So there is no opportunity for the revenue generators to snapshot a speed at one single camera. Surely that would be the argument you could present to argue against such a contravention?

Fwiw, I got caught doing 57 in a 50 on the M40 a few years back on the average cameras that were there at the time, so I don't take any chances these days as like loads of others I have to drive through them almost daily!

[Decky_Q]

I turn off before the 2nd set of cameras on a DC near me and regularly go past the first one without issue, so it doesn't seem to register anything other than reg and time.

[thescamper]

It depends on which cameras the avg is calculated over, it varies, it might be over the whole stretch, between pairs or any other number of combinations.

[MKnight702]

Decky_Q said:

I turn off before the 2nd set of cameras on a DC near me and regularly go past the first one without issue, so it doesn't seem to register anything other than reg and time.

I do this too, it can be quite funny if you manage to pull an idiot along behind you as you sail past the dawdlers doing 60 in the driving lane, then turn off before the next camera leaving the unsuspecting idiot to carry on.

[dxg]

Relatedly, anyone tried driving between Dundee and Aberdeen recently?


Dear God, it's more dangerous than it was before. Terrible bunching of cars and lots of frustration. Feel sorry for the people without cruise control...

[anniesdad]

dxg said:

Relatedly, anyone tried driving between Dundee and Aberdeen recently?


Dear God, it's more dangerous than it was before. Terrible bunching of cars and lots of frustration. Feel sorry for the people without cruise control...

The bigger safety issue for me is, when in the 50 limits, not being able to accelerate past trucks moving at their maximum of 56 mph. I dealt with a claim where a car was wiped out by one, as he was driving side by side with it and was concerned about exceeding the limit. Narrower lanes warrant lower speeds but maybe 60 would be more appropriate?

[neverraced]

Yes, cruise or limit is my friend too normally. I hate to say it, but they do help the flow of traffic......

[Alex]

It used to be the case that if you were in a different lane at the exit camera, from the lane you were in for the start camera, then they couldn't do you, but I think that loophole has been closed.

[captainaverage]

Average speed cameras work in pairs afaik. For two cameras 50 miles apart in a 50 mph zone, if you take 50 minutes to do the first 25 miles and then 21 minutes to do the second 25 miles, your average speed will be ~42 mph.

[Sk00p]

You'll also find some of them are fake too. Usually spot them due to them being at a wonky, just dump it there angle.

Couple of years back the put a load in some roadworks on the M3 near Basingstoke, none were connected up. Appeared overnight and went just as quick.

[MorganP104]

This reminds me of the time I saw a Porsche 911 weaving in and out of traffic in a 50mph average speed camera zone (on the M1, a few years back), doing about 70-80mph as he went.

Not two minutes later, I saw him pulled over at the side of the road, presumably to take a break in order to reduce his overall speed.

Struck me as being a bit pointless. I do wonder if he got a ticket, or whether the guy got away with it.

[amancalledrob]

I went to Scotland on my bike in 2015 and was pretty disheartened for the first few miles of average cameras on the A9 until I realised they were all front-facing. Felt a lot more relaxed after that and had a really great time

[Testarossa]

I change lanes and tend to hide my plates behind large lorries. Not had a ticket yet but also don't do crazy speeds as there is always traffic and when there isn't, I stick to the limit plus 10%. It would be good to know if hiding your plate works though!

[AdeTuono]

Drumroll said:

My question would be why would you want to?