SPECS Average speed cameras
Discussion
Two questions, if I may,
1. Do SPECS cameras monitor / enforce your speed between each gantry or over the total stretch? Reason I ask is that this morning I went through one section of gantries out of 20 or so on the M3 slightly faster than i should have.
2. What's the highest speed that you or someone you know uses on cruise successfully without getting a ticket? 56mph indicated / 54mph actual is the highest i've dared so far and does not produce tickets.
1. Do SPECS cameras monitor / enforce your speed between each gantry or over the total stretch? Reason I ask is that this morning I went through one section of gantries out of 20 or so on the M3 slightly faster than i should have.
2. What's the highest speed that you or someone you know uses on cruise successfully without getting a ticket? 56mph indicated / 54mph actual is the highest i've dared so far and does not produce tickets.
As I'm aware, they only monitor average. You're a lucky son of a 
Can't answer the second part, I cruise with the throttle at 50 real speed through that section.
EDITED:
One section huh? Wait. You don't know which are tied to which. Did you change lanes though? If you did, you're unlikely to have anything to worry about due to technical limitations.
Can't answer the second part, I cruise with the throttle at 50 real speed through that section.
EDITED:
One section huh? Wait. You don't know which are tied to which. Did you change lanes though? If you did, you're unlikely to have anything to worry about due to technical limitations.
Edited by Solocle on Wednesday 7th June 12:35
The short answer to both questions is "who knows?" or "it varies".
Longer answers -
1 - SPECS cameras are capable of recording average speeds between any two cameras within the series. Which ones are live and which the speeds are monitored between is anyone's guess. They only measure average speed between two points though and not the instant speed at any one point (unlike GATSOs, etc.).
2 - They are probably set to ACPO guidelines of limit + 10% +2mph (therefore 57 in a 50). They could be set higher or lower though.
Longer answers -
1 - SPECS cameras are capable of recording average speeds between any two cameras within the series. Which ones are live and which the speeds are monitored between is anyone's guess. They only measure average speed between two points though and not the instant speed at any one point (unlike GATSOs, etc.).
2 - They are probably set to ACPO guidelines of limit + 10% +2mph (therefore 57 in a 50). They could be set higher or lower though.
C70R said:
Why on earth do people feel the need to try and 'game the system' with the extra couple of mph? What's the mental block with just sitting at the posted limit?
I don't think it's that. When you're doing 50mph, indicated on your speedo, you're actually doing a few mph less. So, when on a motorway, to make the best use out of the 3 lanes and to be able to overtake slower traffic safely and efficiently, you want to know what you can push it to without receiving a bking.That's certainly my frustration with these "Smart" motorway systems, which is a rather ironic name for it, if you ask me. There's also a lack of information from the powers-that-be, who decided that this would be a good idea in the first place.
Solocle said:
One section huh? Wait. You don't know which are tied to which. Did you change lanes though? If you did, you're unlikely to have anything to worry about due to technical limitations.
That was solved a very, very long time ago. Quite capable of monitoring through multiple lanes these days.Edited by Solocle on Wednesday 7th June 12:35
culpz said:
C70R said:
Why on earth do people feel the need to try and 'game the system' with the extra couple of mph? What's the mental block with just sitting at the posted limit?
I don't think it's that. When you're doing 50mph, indicated on your speedo, you're actually doing a few mph less. So, when on a motorway, to make the best use out of the 3 lanes and to be able to overtake slower traffic safely and efficiently, you want to know what you can push it to without receiving a bking.That's certainly my frustration with these "Smart" motorway systems, which is a rather ironic name for it, if you ask me. There's also a lack of information from the powers-that-be, who decided that this would be a good idea in the first place.
I wonder how much earlier those people doing 56.5mph think it will get them to their destination.
C70R said:
Why on earth do people feel the need to try and 'game the system' with the extra couple of mph? What's the mental block with just sitting at the posted limit?
Because then people wouldn't be able to come on to forums telling us how they were speeding and asking "how long do I have to wait to find out if I've been caught" and then tell us all that the cameras should be out catching murderers and rapists and not hounding quite innocent motorists.Stoofa said:
Solocle said:
One section huh? Wait. You don't know which are tied to which. Did you change lanes though? If you did, you're unlikely to have anything to worry about due to technical limitations.
That was solved a very, very long time ago. Quite capable of monitoring through multiple lanes these days.Edited by Solocle on Wednesday 7th June 12:35
By all means set your cruise at 50 but please stay in lane 1 except when overtaking. Too many times I have to sit behind a road block consisting of vehicles all doing 50 in lanes 1, 2 and 3. It's frustrating and can lead to drivers doing stupid things when they're approaching their junction but are effectively boxed in.
I use the M3 section all the time and go through the whole section with my cruise control set to 58mph, which is accurate to 1mph. If there is a good mix of drivers doing between 50 and 58, it actually flows quite well and there are less silly lane changes being made than when I see the '50 max.' brigade out there.
SPECS works by averaging your speed between a pair of gantries. That could be the very first and last gantry in the section or it could be ANY pair within the section. They can re-configure it fairly easily so the pairs change from week to week. So if you have already gone past 6 gantries at 50 and then speed up to 70 between the next two gantries, then drop back to 50 again there is a chance you will be nabbed.
Interestingly, there was a FOI request from someone a while ago asking how many motorists had been issued with tickets in the M3 SPECS section. The request was declined. This hasn't been the case with other SPECS networks so it's difficult to say why they don't want anyone to know how many people have been caught in that section, but maybe an answer would indicate what trigger speed is set or how many/few gantries are actually live.
I use the M3 section all the time and go through the whole section with my cruise control set to 58mph, which is accurate to 1mph. If there is a good mix of drivers doing between 50 and 58, it actually flows quite well and there are less silly lane changes being made than when I see the '50 max.' brigade out there.
SPECS works by averaging your speed between a pair of gantries. That could be the very first and last gantry in the section or it could be ANY pair within the section. They can re-configure it fairly easily so the pairs change from week to week. So if you have already gone past 6 gantries at 50 and then speed up to 70 between the next two gantries, then drop back to 50 again there is a chance you will be nabbed.
Interestingly, there was a FOI request from someone a while ago asking how many motorists had been issued with tickets in the M3 SPECS section. The request was declined. This hasn't been the case with other SPECS networks so it's difficult to say why they don't want anyone to know how many people have been caught in that section, but maybe an answer would indicate what trigger speed is set or how many/few gantries are actually live.
FurtiveFreddy said:
By all means set your cruise at 50 but please stay in lane 1 except when overtaking. Too many times I have to sit behind a road block consisting of vehicles all doing 50 in lanes 1, 2 and 3. It's frustrating and can lead to drivers doing stupid things when they're approaching their junction but are effectively boxed in.
I use the M3 section all the time and go through the whole section with my cruise control set to 58mph, which is accurate to 1mph. If there is a good mix of drivers doing between 50 and 58, it actually flows quite well and there are less silly lane changes being made than when I see the '50 max.' brigade out there.
SPECS works by averaging your speed between a pair of gantries. That could be the very first and last gantry in the section or it could be ANY pair within the section. They can re-configure it fairly easily so the pairs change from week to week. So if you have already gone past 6 gantries at 50 and then speed up to 70 between the next two gantries, then drop back to 50 again there is a chance you will be nabbed.
Interestingly, there was a FOI request from someone a while ago asking how many motorists had been issued with tickets in the M3 SPECS section. The request was declined. This hasn't been the case with other SPECS networks so it's difficult to say why they don't want anyone to know how many people have been caught in that section, but maybe an answer would indicate what trigger speed is set or how many/few gantries are actually live.
To be perfectly honest, given the speed that I see some go through the M3 roadworks I am not convinced that they are on at all.I use the M3 section all the time and go through the whole section with my cruise control set to 58mph, which is accurate to 1mph. If there is a good mix of drivers doing between 50 and 58, it actually flows quite well and there are less silly lane changes being made than when I see the '50 max.' brigade out there.
SPECS works by averaging your speed between a pair of gantries. That could be the very first and last gantry in the section or it could be ANY pair within the section. They can re-configure it fairly easily so the pairs change from week to week. So if you have already gone past 6 gantries at 50 and then speed up to 70 between the next two gantries, then drop back to 50 again there is a chance you will be nabbed.
Interestingly, there was a FOI request from someone a while ago asking how many motorists had been issued with tickets in the M3 SPECS section. The request was declined. This hasn't been the case with other SPECS networks so it's difficult to say why they don't want anyone to know how many people have been caught in that section, but maybe an answer would indicate what trigger speed is set or how many/few gantries are actually live.
Dakkon said:
To be perfectly honest, given the speed that I see some go through the M3 roadworks I am not convinced that they are on at all.
Well, that did occur to me given the FOI refusal...Even when someone passes me at 60-65, I tend to catch up with them again when they hit a solid wall of 50'ers further up the road.
FurtiveFreddy said:
Well, that did occur to me given the FOI refusal...
Even when someone passes me at 60-65, I tend to catch up with them again when they hit a solid wall of 50'ers further up the road.
They are on... https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/245970/resp...Even when someone passes me at 60-65, I tend to catch up with them again when they hit a solid wall of 50'ers further up the road.
HantsRat said:
FurtiveFreddy said:
Well, that did occur to me given the FOI refusal...
Even when someone passes me at 60-65, I tend to catch up with them again when they hit a solid wall of 50'ers further up the road.
They are on... https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/245970/resp...Even when someone passes me at 60-65, I tend to catch up with them again when they hit a solid wall of 50'ers further up the road.
This is the one I was referring to:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/m3_fines_3?...
FurtiveFreddy said:
That's quite an old request and only for a short section.
This is the one I was referring to:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/m3_fines_3?...
That's a bit of a stupid request as they have asked for data from areas that different forces cover. Surrey won't have info on Hampshire and vice versa. This is the one I was referring to:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/m3_fines_3?...
I can confirm they are 100% live and working.
Edited by HantsRat on Wednesday 7th June 16:45
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