Average speed cameras

[Rtig]

Can average speed cameras on an A road pick up whether the vehicle is a van or car?

I ask this as I followed a Police collision investigation van this morning on the A15 at a steady 60mph through NSL, until we got to the average speed zone and he duly slowed to 50mph. After the average speed he crept back up to 60 through NSL.

[voram]

I would be amazed if an average camera system knows anything other than what time it's seen a particular number plate. There might be Data Protection/privacy issues if they were looking up every number plate that ever passed the camera to see what type of vehicle it was - but I don't know.

If a plate gets pinged by the average speed system the V5 will identify the type of vehicle and the right penalties would be imposed.

Is technical speeding by vans and lorries a significant contributor to UK road casualties? I doubt it. Many will be fitted with limiters and heavy vehicles will be on a tacho.

I expect the rozzers just don't want the embarrassment of a ticket on their company car!

[turbojay555]

Ours local to me don't pick up different limits, can go through them in my work van at 60+ with no come back, although they have been up a fair time now so newer ones might be different.

[J__Wood]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

I thought each 'pair' of cameras operate independently?

Also being average speed cameras is must be dead simple to 'say' you've been speeding?
Get out with their tape measure, say for ease a mile, 1440m at 50 mph (22.352 m/s) 64.42s to cover distance and 160m at 40 mph (17.8816m/s) 8.9477s to cover that part. Mr JW is clocked covering distance in 60 seconds must have been averaging 60 mph, is what I've always worked on...

In road works where there hasn't been any work for many years or where the speed limit is pointlessly kept in place for five miles between roadworks I've always fancied doing 70 for 1/2 distance between cameras and then dropping to 30 for second half as a pair of fingers to the 'man'.

[Somewhatfoolish]

J__Wood said:

I thought each 'pair' of cameras operate independently?

That used to be the case but they can now operate as a network. That doesn't mean they *are* operating as a network, just that they can.

I agree that two that straddle a speed limit change are useless (there's one on the A1 atm in roadworks in Lincs like this, forget where) and my intuition is it can be ignored for that reason but don't blame me if it goes wrong!

[speedking31]

J__Wood said:

In road works where there hasn't been any work for many years or where the speed limit is pointlessly kept in place for five miles between roadworks I've always fancied doing 70 for 1/2 distance between cameras and then dropping to 30 for second half as a pair of fingers to the 'man'.

Then you will have averaged 42 mph and the man will be delighted. You could do 39 mph for an average of 50

[Vanden Saab]

J__Wood said:

anonymous said:

[redacted]

I thought each 'pair' of cameras operate independently?

Also being average speed cameras is must be dead simple to 'say' you've been speeding?
Get out with their tape measure, say for ease a mile, 1440m at 50 mph (22.352 m/s) 64.42s to cover distance and 160m at 40 mph (17.8816m/s) 8.9477s to cover that part. Mr JW is clocked covering distance in 60 seconds must have been averaging 60 mph, is what I've always worked on...

In road works where there hasn't been any work for many years or where the speed limit is pointlessly kept in place for five miles between roadworks I've always fancied doing 70 for 1/2 distance between cameras and then dropping to 30 for second half as a pair of fingers to the 'man'.

I often do this when you get someone doing 45 in a 50, rather than spending time alongside in narrow lanes overtake up to 60 just after the camera then slow down to 40 until they nearly catch up and back to 50.

[oblio]

One question on the average speed cameras: most stretches have several or more gantries. Is the average speed checked between gantries or across the whole of the area covered by the several or more, gantries?

[littleredrooster]

oblio said:

One question on the average speed cameras: most stretches have several or more gantries. Is the average speed checked between gantries or across the whole of the area covered by the several or more, gantries?

It can be any pair, so it may be 1 & 3, or 2 & 5 or 1 & 5 and the pairings can change as often as required. There may be several areas within one scheme.

[oblio]

littleredrooster said:

oblio said:

One question on the average speed cameras: most stretches have several or more gantries. Is the average speed checked between gantries or across the whole of the area covered by the several or more, gantries?

It can be any pair, so it may be 1 & 3, or 2 & 5 or 1 & 5 and the pairings can change as often as required. There may be several areas within one scheme.

Thanks - that's answered that for me

[Mandat]

littleredrooster said:

oblio said:

One question on the average speed cameras: most stretches have several or more gantries. Is the average speed checked between gantries or across the whole of the area covered by the several or more, gantries?

It can be any pair, so it may be 1 & 3, or 2 & 5 or 1 & 5 and the pairings can change as often as required. There may be several areas within one scheme.

It's irrelevant which sets of cameras are paired.

As long as you keep your average speed below the prosecution threshold between each consecutive camera, your average speed can't get any higher.

[I am alright Jack]

oblio said:

One question on the average speed cameras: most stretches have several or more gantries. Is the average speed checked between gantries or across the whole of the area covered by the several or more, gantries?

Are you confusing average speed cameras with smart motorway cameras? I only ask because average cameras are not usually found mounted on gantries.

[slk 32]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

The cameras work in pairs.

I'm guessing that the gap you refer to is the one before Hospital Bridge roundabout where coming over the flyover the limit drops from 50 to 40 just prior to the HB cameras.

It's the same on the other side, I'm guessing that small section in between cameras is not covered although as I use this road every day I'm not brave enough to check!

[J__Wood]

speedking31 said:

Then you will have averaged 42 mph and the man will be delighted. You could do 39 mph for an average of 50

Mea culpa, too early on the wine = speed, distance, time I luv you all, you're my best mate

Edited by J__Wood on Monday 12th July 12:16

[oblio]

I am alright Jack said:

oblio said:

One question on the average speed cameras: most stretches have several or more gantries. Is the average speed checked between gantries or across the whole of the area covered by the several or more, gantries?

Are you confusing average speed cameras with smart motorway cameras? I only ask because average cameras are not usually found mounted on gantries.

No, definitely meant the yellow (mainly) average speed cameras)...its my clumsy use of the word gantries, Sorry!

[I am alright Jack]

oblio said:

I am alright Jack said:

oblio said:

One question on the average speed cameras: most stretches have several or more gantries. Is the average speed checked between gantries or across the whole of the area covered by the several or more, gantries?

Are you confusing average speed cameras with smart motorway cameras? I only ask because average cameras are not usually found mounted on gantries.

No, definitely meant the yellow (mainly) average speed cameras)...its my clumsy use of the word gantries, Sorry!

No worries.

[IJWS15]

Rtig said:

Can average speed cameras on an A road pick up whether the vehicle is a van or car?

I believe they read the registration number so (when linked to the DVLA database) yes they can

[Dave Hedgehog]

littleredrooster said:

oblio said:

One question on the average speed cameras: most stretches have several or more gantries. Is the average speed checked between gantries or across the whole of the area covered by the several or more, gantries?

It can be any pair, so it may be 1 & 3, or 2 & 5 or 1 & 5 and the pairings can change as often as required. There may be several areas within one scheme.

its just software, there is no reason why you could not code it to look at any combination of fixed points

[slk 32]

Whilst that makes sense on some routes it makes no sense on the A316 given the large number of traffic lights / roundabouts

[littleredrooster]

slk 32 said:

Whilst that makes sense on some routes it makes no sense on the A316 given the large number of traffic lights / roundabouts

Its unlikely to have average speed cameras if it has lights & roundabouts. Where are we talking about?