RE: Sign of the Times
Wednesday 2nd April 2003
Sign of the Times
ABD calls for cameras to be replaced
Discussion
I support this research.
There's one not far from my home, when entering a 30mph from a 50mph. I've got to say that most people do slow down when it flashes at them.
Ok you will always get the idiots trying to set it off anyway but with a bit of proper policing around the site (every now and then) surely this keeps the risks to a minimum.
Why can't common sense be applied more often?
There's one not far from my home, when entering a 30mph from a 50mph. I've got to say that most people do slow down when it flashes at them.
Ok you will always get the idiots trying to set it off anyway but with a bit of proper policing around the site (every now and then) surely this keeps the risks to a minimum.
Why can't common sense be applied more often?
Saw one of these on Newton Park Road(??)this morning. (South of Four Lane Ends, Newcastle).
It was flashing 3* or some such. Thought "whats that sign", looked down at speedo "EEEk". Slowed down for the camera down the road (which I knew about). Slowed down earlier so it worked. Now as I have been worried about my speedo accuracy, if i pass it at a speedo reading of 70 and look at the sign........
It was flashing 3* or some such. Thought "whats that sign", looked down at speedo "EEEk". Slowed down for the camera down the road (which I knew about). Slowed down earlier so it worked. Now as I have been worried about my speedo accuracy, if i pass it at a speedo reading of 70 and look at the sign........
The A338 north of Salisbury has load of these flashing things and they do seem to work but they are a tad sensitive. e.g. if you are 50ft from the 30mph limit and doing 31mph (on your way down from 60mph), they start flashing.
I think they would be better placed a few hundred metres inside the restricted limit to remind people who have missed the non-flashing sign.
Also, the sharp bend signs are slightly distracting. I know there is a sharp bend ahead, I was busy planning my route around it when I was distracted by a
off big flashing sign.
Of course, we could just educate drivers to look at normal road signs.
Ian A.
I think they would be better placed a few hundred metres inside the restricted limit to remind people who have missed the non-flashing sign.
Also, the sharp bend signs are slightly distracting. I know there is a sharp bend ahead, I was busy planning my route around it when I was distracted by a
off big flashing sign. Of course, we could just educate drivers to look at normal road signs.
Ian A.
The government want 2 things...
1) Money.
2) More people off the roads.
Speed (sorry safety) cameras achieve this. Electronic signs don't.
I think that makes it speed cameras win. And stay. And multiply.
I hate reading these speeding/gassing pages (although I can't help myself). Reading all the common sense that won't ever happen and all the politically correct crap that is going on just makes me want to leave this country fast.
These work very nicely - there's been one installed in a village near me for quite some time.
The road goes from a very straight, open NSL into a 30mph village with a narrow high-street that people park on. Used to be a couple of accidents a month where people would still be carrying 40-45 then be faced with a parked car or oncoming traffic.
The sign was placed about 150m into the 30 zone, and about 100 before the narrow bit. Used to be set off all the time in the first few months, now I hardly ever see it lit up. Accidents are now rare, everyone's happy and no-one had to get an SP30 to achieve it.
All with a flashing sign that costs a fraction of a GATSO with no significant costs. They just make sense.
The road goes from a very straight, open NSL into a 30mph village with a narrow high-street that people park on. Used to be a couple of accidents a month where people would still be carrying 40-45 then be faced with a parked car or oncoming traffic.
The sign was placed about 150m into the 30 zone, and about 100 before the narrow bit. Used to be set off all the time in the first few months, now I hardly ever see it lit up. Accidents are now rare, everyone's happy and no-one had to get an SP30 to achieve it.
All with a flashing sign that costs a fraction of a GATSO with no significant costs. They just make sense.
IPAddis said: Of course, we could just educate drivers to look at normal road signs.
Ian A.
I try. I try. As an Observer for the IAM I am often astonished at how few signs drivers seem to actually take in....and how much that changes after a few weeks of practice.
There again - I like these illuminated signs. Particularly the ones that warn you about sharp corners if you arrive near one too quickly.
It is absolutely amazing - but many drivers don't actually know that the more black and white chevrons there are the tighter the corner will be!!!!
Observed a lady once. Had to tell her to slow down. And round we went still too fast..but only just thanks goodness..phew! She didn't make that mistake again.....
gilese said: What about the people who know the speed limit and choose to ignore it? Doesn't do much about them.
There will always be those who disagree with the posted limit. Some will disagree and be right that the limit is too low - and a bit silly. Some will be wrong and go barelling into hazards far too fast.
Driver training is the key to ensuring the latter is reduced...as drivers make proper judgements about upcoming hazards and react to them properly.
There will always be those for whom training will make no difference. Perhaps a camera might intimidate them...maybe so and maybe not.
The issue then is where are the cameras placed? Rarely have I seen a brightly painted GATSO placed at the end of the braking area for a hazard - where it would ensure drivers had slowed for the hazard properly. Nope. Where I see them, mostly, is after hazards like 90 degree corners so that drivers coming around too quickly are caught after the dangerous act has occurred.
You can make arguments for both placements easily. I prefer the former. I'd rather prevent an offence or worse an accident from taking place on a hazard by hazard basis than just try to intimidate the dirving population.
Why? Because intimidating them just gives them a bad attitude which IMHO will make things worse.
Sorry about the rant. But to my mind too black and white a view is taken on these "Safety" camers on PH. There's the high horse lot to whom "Speed Kills" is a blind mantra to be repeated ad nauseam as they can't be bothered to apply any intellectual effort to the problem and then there's the "Burn 'em all" lot to whom the freedom to behave how they like on the road is paramount - whilst not necessarily being tempered by a proper concern for other road users.
A more balanced view is required.
Then we should burn the lot.
Don said:
It is absolutely amazing - but many drivers don't actually know that the more black and white chevrons there are the tighter the corner will be!!!!
You've obviously not driven in the North West then. The reason most people ignore the B&W chevrons is that they are not consistent in their warning.
The Snake Pass is my favourite road, however if you don't know the road and drive the corners accoring to the chevrons then it would really make you think that it's the other way round (i.e. less chevrons = tighter). You regularly see one corner with 6 chevrons and you can take it at 60mph (obviously on a NSL road), then you come to another corner with no chevrons and have to slow down to 30mph as it is so tight. Then onto the next one which has 3 chevrons that is equally tight.
In the end you just ignore them and drive to the conditions and visibility.
>> Edited by m-five on Wednesday 2nd April 14:52
So obviously because this government is only interested in safety all the none safe safety cameras will be removed and replaced by the safe speed warning sign's.
Should take a couple of months. Then because there will be less accidents because of the signs insurance will come down aswel and every one will be happy.
Once all that is done they will start building roads with that new surface that saves lives. I cant wait. Its a win win situation.
I wont hold my breath
Should take a couple of months. Then because there will be less accidents because of the signs insurance will come down aswel and every one will be happy.
Once all that is done they will start building roads with that new surface that saves lives. I cant wait. Its a win win situation.
I wont hold my breath
I agree with Don but for one condition. Whilst it may be safe to do 60 mph in a 30mph residential road at 4am it doesn't get away from the fact that a car going at that speed creates so much noise that it'll probably wake up half of the neighbourhood. So it may be safe but highly anti-social. The signs/driver training/risk assessment would have no affect on these people. What's needed is some consideration! I think the problem with people who speed in residential areas is that because their car is quiet on the inside they think its quiet on the outside.
There is one of these 'intelligent' signs in a village near me. Its got 4 strobes. Its bright in daylight and blinding at night - how this is supposed to be safer i don't know as it diverts attention away from the road - made me jump the first time it went off at night. I don't drive with my nose on the speedo - I choose my speed according to many variables so sometimes I set it off. I am aware that the limit is 30 as there are signposts which tell you this and which are perfectly visible to those driving with their eyes open. So in this situation I would say the sign is a waste of money and makes the road more dangerous. You could make a case for them where the limit is not obvious - but in a village?? surely everyone should expect a 30 limit. Oh and yes I do set it off from time to time, so yes I do break the speed limit (shock, horror...). This is for 2 reasons:
1) I tend to look at the road when driving, not the speedo
2) I am not an automaton - I am human. Blind obedience to rules is not a human trait.... I hope.
1) I tend to look at the road when driving, not the speedo
2) I am not an automaton - I am human. Blind obedience to rules is not a human trait.... I hope.
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