A322 - Illuminated Speed Warning Signs

[jezzaaa]

Chaps - might be a question to our Surrey BiB. Was going down this road on Friday evening from the M3 junction towards Bracknell.....there's the bit directly after the M3 junction....traffic lights, followed by a 50 limit and the road goes down under the bridge and then back up again. Just before you go under the bridge, there's a speed warning thingy that flashed up red with your speed. Is this just a warning, or is it linked to cameras or supervised by Plod?

Cheers,

J.

[wanty1974]

No - these are the new, more effective way to get people to reduce their speed. I'm not aware of any that are linked to cameras, but always beware of plod hiding in a bush nearby!

[outnumbered]

jezzaaa said:

Is this just a warning, or is it linked to cameras or supervised by Plod? J.

These signs are just warnings - and there is research from the TRL that shows they are far more effective than speed cameras in reducing speed at accident blackspots.

Trouble is they don't make any money for the scammers, so in the current Road "Safety" environment, don't expect to see too many of them...

[jezzaaa]

Hi Wanty - thanks for the advice. I know about the permanently sited, illuminated signs that you normally get just inside a 30/40. Big colourful things they are! I'm suspicious about this one though, cos it's just 3 digits in Red with a small sign above - and it shows your speed, rather than flashing the limit at you. Much smaller than the usual ones. And it moves around too - I've seen it put up further down the road, near the roundabout at the other end. Have you seen them elsewhere?

Cheers,
j.

[Dwight VanDriver]

We have the mobile type you refer to north of FiF's god county that are touted about by the local safety committee - L.A and Fire Authority. Whilst not involved in prosecution mode I understand that certain stats are collected and depending on what is found whether or not the area is targetted for the heavy brigade.

DVD

[jezzaaa]

Ok, cool. Thanks DVD. Very interesting! J.

[iaint]

Went past one of these in SE London this weekend in a 30 limit.

Flashed up 29 and alternately and as my speedo was reading ~34 acts as a useful calibration device (assuming it's accurate)!

[Kinky]

wanty1974 said:

.. these are the new, more effective way to get people to reduce their speed ....

Erm .... I drove past it yesterday evening, no other car around me, and I was doing approximately 43MPH.

It flashed me and said I was doing 51

I had to double-check there was no other car on my side and I was all on my lonesome.

I know my speedo will be out by a mile or 2, but not THAT much. And my wheels and pressure-checked-rubber are factory-fit sizes - so can discount them.

I know the limit is 50 there, so going to try and test it this evening.

I must confess I'm not convinced at all.

K

[Moo Moo]

Some parts of the A322 that they have put these on could do with a sign stating what the limit should be. I have been using this road for a year now, and today I find that what I assumed was a 40 is in fact a 30.

[gargamel]

yeah I use this stretch every day

Thing is - its a fifty mph dualled road - the signs tbh are a good idea

BUT the road is then marked at the bends with an advised limit of 40 (ie in an oblong box) so not a speed limit just a guide

The sign boards light up above 40 - its a little confused
to be honest the road is a reasonable gradient, the A30 joins and its a switchback so if it were made a 40 I wouldn't have an issue

no cameras and no mobile sites either

[scudder]

There is one of these things south bound as well - well hidden under the trees in the dark.

The first I knew about it was one dark night - I was in lane 1, a 3 series was passing me doing circa 60 and all of a sudden it starts flashing right in front of me - quite a shock. Hate to think what a simlar incident could do to a nervous/inexperienced motorist.

I can see the thinking behind it and of course it is more welcome than a scamera but the placing of this particular sign, making it all but invisble in hours of darkness is not exactly my idea of a safty measure..