Getting worried - Scamera van

[vxdave]

Hi Folks,

Went down the M6 Toll the other day at 1 in the morning, going quite fast.

Went round a corner and there was a van on the hard shoulder with its hazards on.

How this may sound silly but i'm really worried it was a scamera van. I can't sleep!

Does anyone know of any vans on the toll? At this time in the morning? Remember it was on the hard shoulder with hazards on. Surely this is not allowed?

Would be grateful if someone could put my mind at rest.

Cheers.

[gh0st]

I dont think even they would be so stupid as to put a camera van on a hard shoulder.

Then again if there is cash involved...

Do you have a better description?

[gopher]

Whislt I do not know the road living as I do in south Wales have had experience with various scameras and must admit I have not come across those sort of low down tactics (I don't think they work well at night, the mobile ones).

I would feel pretty safe if they were on the hard shoulder, they like the bridges - it gives them a better view of the carnage they helping to stop

cheers

Paul

[destroyer]

vxdave said:

Hi Folks, Went down the M6 Toll the other day at 1 in the morning, going quite fast. Went round a corner and there was a van on the hard shoulder with its hazards on. How this may sound silly but i'm really worried it was a scamera van. I can't sleep! Does anyone know of any vans on the toll? At this time in the morning? Remember it was on the hard shoulder with hazards on. Surely this is not allowed? Would be grateful if someone could put my mind at rest. Cheers.

The van was probably a Highways Agency quick response vehicle dealing with some hazard or problem on the motorway.

H&S prevents hard shoulder enforcement as well as not having an operator stupid enough to volunteer for it.

[vxdave]

blimey, that was fast. Thanks for the responses. Will sleep easy tonight.

[hornet]

This raises an interesting point. The growth in mobile speed traps is causing people to suspect EVERY parked up van they see as being a possible trap. That surely has huge negative safety implications?

If I'm driving along on a motorway or NSL dual carriageway and I see a van parked up on a bridge, I'm instantly nervous, regardless of the speed I'm doing. I find myself trying to work out what the van is, glancing at the speedo repeatedly, even looking in the rear view mirror after I've gone under the bridge to see if I can make out anyone manning a trap. I don't do it deliberately either, I'm doing it out of HABIT. Arguing that "well if you're not speeding it won't be a problem" holds no water here either - most of the time I KNOW I'm not speeding, yet I still catch myself doing it. The ever increasing fear of prosecution for even a minor transgression is buggering with my ability to pay attention to the ROAD, which is surely where the bulk of my attention needs to be? If we're talking safety...

[gopher]

hornet said:

This raises an interesting point. The growth in mobile speed traps is causing people to suspect EVERY parked up van they see as being a possible trap. That surely has huge negative safety implications? If I'm driving along on a motorway or NSL dual carriageway and I see a van parked up on a bridge, I'm instantly nervous, regardless of the speed I'm doing. I find myself trying to work out what the van is, glancing at the speedo repeatedly, even looking in the rear view mirror after I've gone under the bridge to see if I can make out anyone manning a trap. I don't do it deliberately either, I'm doing it out of HABIT. Arguing that "well if you're not speeding it won't be a problem" holds no water here either - most of the time I KNOW I'm not speeding, yet I still catch myself doing it. The ever increasing fear of prosecution for even a minor transgression is buggering with my ability to pay attention to the ROAD, which is surely where the bulk of my attention needs to be? If we're talking safety...

July 16th last year (brothers birthday that swhy the date is memorable) Driving to work on the m4 - no scamera at usual location so traffic gets back to usual speed (50-60 inside - 60-70 middle - 70-80 outside) (yes I know they are overtaking lanes) sudden brake light in all three lanes - assume accident and go into accident mode (I'm safe enoungh to stop whats the guy behind/beside me doing?) come to near stop - artic's on the hard shoulder - vans in the reservation - and all this because? - Scamera van on unusual bridge. - No I did not see a collision, but there was massive potential.

[KITT]

hornet said:

If I'm driving along on a motorway or NSL dual carriageway and I see a van parked up on a bridge, I'm instantly nervous, regardless of the speed I'm doing.

I know exactly what you mean! Even if I know I'm not speeding, I still tense up and worry about it! Silly I know but that's just they way things are now