M42 Gatsos

[Philrose]

I travel on the M42, everyday, through the NEC/Solihull region with the new traffic control system. I have not seen any of the cameras flash even though there are cars speeding through them. Are they operative without flash. Do you know of anyone who has been caught speeding through this section?

[GasMonkey]

I too use the M42 every day to get on to the M6 Tollbergring. I remember reading in the local paper that the cameras were to be set to whatever the variable speed is.

I read a few weeks later that this wasnt possible and that they were all to be set at 79mph (70 & 10% & 2mph) I have seen people hooning through the cameras without getting flashed.

Do look out for a Silver Skoda Octavia VRS thingy with 2 coppers and vascar BX03 something !

Interestingly I read somewhere that they now have the technology to link the specs average speed cameras, so if you go through two sets say one on the A38 in Derby then on the M1 in Notts, they know the drive times and can prosecute accordingly.

Though the offence for an incorrect number plate is £30 and no points !

>> Edited by GasMonkey on Monday 27th February 22:16

[mrandy]

definate variable speed and they arent gatsos but some ultra techy lazer beam horrid things,two sales guys where i work have been caught by them

[GasMonkey]

Really - Do you know what speed they were doing ?

[egomeister]

mrandy said:

definate variable speed and they arent gatsos but some ultra techy lazer beam horrid things,two sales guys where i work have been caught by them

Are you sure? They seemed to be radar based, given how my radar detector went off when I drove through there

[Zod]

I went down there for the first time last week an dwas amazed at how all the locals hooned along as I kept slowing down when warned by my Road Angel. There must be twenty plus of the diabolical things.

[K321]

what are u seriouis?: i went down the m42 on saturday night, no cars anywhere, as it was 2am in the morning and I was going over the speed limit a tiny bit probably

my friend though went down the m42 at 165mph last year (allegedely) and he never got any cameras, so i thought it was ok to go above 70mph there

>> Edited by K321 on Monday 3rd April 10:36

>> Edited by K321 on Monday 3rd April 10:44

[K321]

i think the cameras are there only when the variable speed limit is on, (highlighted by those big neon signs with speed limit on it)

[CobNut]

Hi,
Just thought I ought to let you know, those are the New digital gatso's the Flash window should be blanked off. And they were activated on the start of April and have 2-4 mph tolerance and are variable speed related!

As of the 1st April 2006 the new digital automated tracking system on the M42 is scheduled to go live.


There are 276 Digital Cameras which have been set to a 2 mph tolerance.
If
you exceed the designated speed limit by this amount, the details of
your
car will be recorded; you will not see any flash as the image is
captured,
but will receive an appropriate penalty fine from the Authorities
through
the post.

www.roadtraffic-technology.com/projects/m42/

[k321]

is that true> i went down the m42 way over the speed limit at 3am on sunday morning the 2nd april and havent heard anything from the authorities--touch wood

however after reading this forum, i always go top speed 77 mph, in the day i travel at 60, and notice that every other car is going slow too........

[MeLLoN Stu]

2mph my arse.

how on earth are they going to proscecute for 2mph excess speed.

[patomlin]

are the speed cameras still only used during variable speed limit times? I went through a couple at 79 and 76mph respectively and want to know whether there's any chance i was caught! cheers

[k321]

from what i can gather, if it says 60 mph on the variable limit, you should go 60 mph, i go on the motorway everyday, and everyone seems to travel at 60 too, so i would guess you should go 60, i went on the m42 at 3am and went far beyond the speed limit and nothing came thru the post, whereas my friend went down there at 165mph and he never got a ticket either

but if it says 60 you should go 60, plus on the m6 u should go 40 as there are specs there

hopefully you wont get a ticket this time

[Flat in Fifth]

Noticed something else about these cameras on Saturday.

Went through the section in the cloudburst conditions where 60 was pushing it and 50 tops was more sensible.

On the other motorways where the signs are controlled by intelligent lifeform, well mainly so, the messages and limits were displayed. On the M42(s) zilch.

Odd, maybe just initiated by traffic volume.

[phulla]

I have driven thru the section of the M42 with variable speed limits, controlled obviously by traffic monitoring morons, since Feb'08 and i have noticed cars and vans drive thru certain gantry's at way over the limit shown and other they hit the limit.

I have noticed that certain gantry's have cameras AND the speed limit boards and some just have the speed limit boards.

I have also seen flash of light on the opposite carriage way at times from these cameras, whether all the cameras are the same or there are a mix, i could not tell you.

I have followed speeding cars under certain speed cameras, at 10mph over the limit shown and nothing! I have driven under those with limits at 5mph above the limit and nothing - i would not try any faster.

One thing i did do was while the limit was set to 60mph i was travelling at around 65mph, then one of the limits was set to 50mph, but by the time i noticed (i didnt slow or brake) i was under, but the next limit was set at 60mph so i suspect it takes an average of your speed over a certain distance and several speed traps speed limit averages.

[mmm-five]

Of the 20 gantries, only about 5 have active cameras on them, and they are only active when the speed restriction are in place.

I normally just carry on through at 70mph (ahem) and then slow down to about 10mph over the posted limit for those that have active cameras on.

I drive the road regularly on my Liverpool-London-Liverpool commute and haven't had any NIPs from them.

[phulla]

I have just got an email from a friend who works for the Highways Agency.

Unfortunately we don't look after the area that those cameras are on, 
but I've spoken to a couple of guys here and they said that they work 
on a 10% tolerance, so you'll be ok at 55mph through there when it's 
a 50mph limit. They work on your average speed, so if you go through 
the 1st camera at 60mph, and then the 2nd at 50mph then your average
will be 55mph so you'll be ok. And yes they do work :(

[mmm-five]

phulla said:

I have just got an email from a friend who works for the Highways Agency.

Unfortunately we don't look after the area that those cameras are on, 
but I've spoken to a couple of guys here and they said that they work 
on a 10% tolerance, so you'll be ok at 55mph through there when it's 
a 50mph limit. They work on your average speed, so if you go through 
the 1st camera at 60mph, and then the 2nd at 50mph then your average
will be 55mph so you'll be ok. And yes they do work :(

But they're Gatsos, not Specs! Didn't think Gatsos were linked at all!

[Sam.F]

Philrose said:

I travel on the M42, everyday, through the NEC/Solihull region with the new traffic control system. I have not seen any of the cameras flash even though there are cars speeding through them. Are they operative without flash. Do you know of anyone who has been caught speeding through this section?

They DEFINITELY operate with flash. Last time I travelled down the M42 I saw 2 drivers on the opposite carriageway getting flashed by the same camera. There are so many cameras on that stretch, I assume the reason you don't see many of them flash is that most are "dummy" units.

[Ry_B]

My mates all rag it through there at near triple figure speeds when the conditions allow and have never heard anything.

I stick to the limit as I don't want to risk it! But I've been in their cars many a time whilst going over 70 through them and they've not heard anything

A rumour is that they are only on when the pathetic speed restrictions are in place!