Average Speed Cameras - A9 Dunblane to Inverness
Discussion
Coming to an A9 near you soon :
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-is...
Given the recent threads on the A9 and it's many issues, not sure that this approach actually helps. While they are looking for solutions ahead of (if ever) expanding the bloody road they really need to address driver stupidity, bunching up, truck speeds. Sad they focus on speed as the issue.
If it came with a guarantee that mobile speed cameras would be removed then I think it could help.
Lets face it, at many times its difficult to get to near the speed limit rather than exceeding it, other than for some quickish overtakes which, as long as you don't see a scamera as you pull out, then should be able to be completed and you will still be within the average speed for that section of camera.
The cynic in me would say that these were to provide revenue to fund the dualling (ignoring the argument of who actually gets the money) but I am yet to hear of anyone getting a fine for the A77 SPECS so maybe they do work??
Would be very interesting to obtain an analysis of say the last 2 years accident statistics and establish how many of these were down to speeding? Surely this info must be available somewhere?
Lets face it, at many times its difficult to get to near the speed limit rather than exceeding it, other than for some quickish overtakes which, as long as you don't see a scamera as you pull out, then should be able to be completed and you will still be within the average speed for that section of camera.
The cynic in me would say that these were to provide revenue to fund the dualling (ignoring the argument of who actually gets the money) but I am yet to hear of anyone getting a fine for the A77 SPECS so maybe they do work??
Would be very interesting to obtain an analysis of say the last 2 years accident statistics and establish how many of these were down to speeding? Surely this info must be available somewhere?
The question is - how many of the A9's accidents are caused because people were exceeding the speed limit, and how many were due to muppetry/general lack of observation?
I don't want the muppets' eyes fixed on their speedo in a long queue of cars who are petrified to overtake.
This is a ridiculous idea.
I don't want the muppets' eyes fixed on their speedo in a long queue of cars who are petrified to overtake.
This is a ridiculous idea.
Craigie said:
If it came with a guarantee that mobile speed cameras would be removed then I think it could help.
Lets face it, at many times its difficult to get to near the speed limit rather than exceeding it, other than for some quickish overtakes which, as long as you don't see a scamera as you pull out, then should be able to be completed and you will still be within the average speed for that section of camera.
The cynic in me would say that these were to provide revenue to fund the dualling (ignoring the argument of who actually gets the money) but I am yet to hear of anyone getting a fine for the A77 SPECS so maybe they do work??
Would be very interesting to obtain an analysis of say the last 2 years accident statistics and establish how many of these were down to speeding? Surely this info must be available somewhere?
I worked with an idiot who was done in the A77, never realised they were average. :sLets face it, at many times its difficult to get to near the speed limit rather than exceeding it, other than for some quickish overtakes which, as long as you don't see a scamera as you pull out, then should be able to be completed and you will still be within the average speed for that section of camera.
The cynic in me would say that these were to provide revenue to fund the dualling (ignoring the argument of who actually gets the money) but I am yet to hear of anyone getting a fine for the A77 SPECS so maybe they do work??
Would be very interesting to obtain an analysis of say the last 2 years accident statistics and establish how many of these were down to speeding? Surely this info must be available somewhere?
What a way to encourage the tourism industry in the Highlands.
All I can see this doing is worsening the convoys forming behind HGVs trundling along at 40, where the driver of the Honda Jazz immediately is so petrified of temporarily exceeding 60 to complete a safe overtake that they just don't bother.
Or drivers setting the cruise to 62~ and falling asleep.
All I can see this doing is worsening the convoys forming behind HGVs trundling along at 40, where the driver of the Honda Jazz immediately is so petrified of temporarily exceeding 60 to complete a safe overtake that they just don't bother.
Or drivers setting the cruise to 62~ and falling asleep.
mcgandalf said:
And how much is this going to cost? Installation, calibration, implementation?
Funded by Wee Eck's credit card I presume?
How do they propose digging up the whole 136 mile stretch to install the wretched things without severely affecting traffic flow?
Is that not the benefit of these camera - don't need to dig up roads to fit sensors etc they are just mounted and "wirelessly" controlled between them?Funded by Wee Eck's credit card I presume?
How do they propose digging up the whole 136 mile stretch to install the wretched things without severely affecting traffic flow?
Craigie said:
the benefit
Craigie said:
Is that not the benefit of these camera - don't need to dig up roads to fit sensors etc they are just mounted and "wirelessly" controlled between them?
Time spent closing off stretches of carriageway to install the cameras in the verge?For 136 miles - target completion date summer 2014? That will be some disruption.
It's rare that you can get much above the speed limit on the A9 anyway. If it stops the tres sneaky speed traps catching folk at about the only places that they can pass then I'm all for it.
How far are the average speed cameras spaced? It is quite hard to be sufficiently over the speed limit to get a ticket if they are quite far apart.
How far are the average speed cameras spaced? It is quite hard to be sufficiently over the speed limit to get a ticket if they are quite far apart.
ViperPict said:
It's rare that you can get much above the speed limit on the A9 anyway. If it stops the tres sneaky speed traps catching folk at about the only places that they can pass then I'm all for it.
How far are the average speed cameras spaced? It is quite hard to be sufficiently over the speed limit to get a ticket if they are quite far apart.
Will they be at the start & end of each bit of dual carriage way? The cynic in me says they will.How far are the average speed cameras spaced? It is quite hard to be sufficiently over the speed limit to get a ticket if they are quite far apart.
I predict many drivers will end up overtaking very slowly as they won't go above 60 and end up on the wrong side of the road for much longer rather than overtaking as quickly as possible and returning to the left. This could actually increase head on collisions!
Either that or there will be long long queues stuck behind the trucks doing 40mph as they won't overtake for fear of speeding.
Either that or there will be long long queues stuck behind the trucks doing 40mph as they won't overtake for fear of speeding.
Ads17 said:
Either that or there will be long long queues stuck behind the trucks doing 40mph as they won't overtake for fear of speeding.
This - pretty much exactly what the A77 south of Ayr is like.I left Girvan one Sat night heading north, there was a Sainsbury's wagon with a few cars behind it ahead of me, decided there was no point joining the back of that lot so stopped for some sunset pics of Ailsa Craig. Was stopped for maybe 10 mins. Caught up with pretty much the lot of them somewhere between Maybole & Ayr. Basically I'd start allowing at least 3 hrs for the Perth - Inverness transit in daytime once these go in.
Ads17 said:
I predict many drivers will end up overtaking very slowly as they won't go above 60 and end up on the wrong side of the road for much longer rather than overtaking as quickly as possible and returning to the left. This could actually increase head on collisions!
Either that or there will be long long queues stuck behind the trucks doing 40mph as they won't overtake for fear of speeding.
Agreed. I drive the a9 regularly and I can see this causing problems. Personally I'm happy to work within the 60mph average limit, having spent a long time with 9 points driving prudently but taking every safe overtaking opportunity I found it didn't affect journey times much - often I kept pace with people doing 80-90 mph who couldn't overtake for toffee. But if large queues build up it'll screw everybody over, especially if people are snail racing in the dualled sections because the are scared of the cameras. Either that or there will be long long queues stuck behind the trucks doing 40mph as they won't overtake for fear of speeding.
Edited by clunkbox on Friday 26th July 16:55
coldsnap said:
Isn't it the single carriageway that is the issue?
I think it's the transition from dual to single carriageways which is a large part of the issue. For example at Luncarty, just north of Perth, is the first place where you go down from dual to single, and almost without fail there will be some sort of incident there every week end in summer. But I've never seen any problems on the Dunblain to Perth section, which is all dual carriageway.ianrb said:
But I've never seen any problems on the Dunblain to Perth section, which is all dual carriageway.
There's a few risky right turns on the section south of Perth but most of them are pretty sensibly mitigated - I know there are fewer Gatso cameras now than there used to be but the ones that are left appear to be on the approach to some of the poorer junctions.Gassing Station | Scotland | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff