has anyone actually ever been convicted by an average speed camera?

[Welshbeef]

4key said:

Welshbeef said:

frankly there are not many if any 5 mile sections of average speed.

You've never had the pleasure of the A13 have you

Nope

[Welshbeef]

HurdyGurdy said:

Speeds are sometimes brought down to avoid traffic 'bunching' in roadworks and also to give the contractors a chance if they need to leave the roadworks and join the traffic flow.

I find that I spend more time watching the speedometer than watching the road though.

This is where adaptive cruise control comes in very handy.
Also in my car you can set speed limit alarms for these situations. That said touch wood in all my lifetime of driving I've never been caught (and I do drive to conditions if you know what I mean.) a guesstimate I'd say I've driven at least 350,000 miles. Nor have I ever had any points and three accidents all minor and all third party hit me.

[4key]

Welshbeef said:

4key said:

Welshbeef said:

frankly there are not many if any 5 mile sections of average speed.

You've never had the pleasure of the A13 have you

Nope

I just had a look because I wasnt quite sure myself. http://goo.gl/maps/mYwhn over 7 miles of between 50 and 40mph average speed camera with 99% of it on nice new dual carriageway with 3 lanes each side, no houses and huge pedestrian walkways that noone ever walked on. I've never been able to figure it out.

[Kong]

Does anyone know if they only measure your average speed through each 'section' of SPECS or do they do it from start to finish of the entire camera zone?

I like to pull alongside a lorry on principloe so the camera doesn't see me entering a section. But I still don't speed just incase the average is over the whole distance.

[Welshbeef]

4key said:

I just had a look because I wasnt quite sure myself. http://goo.gl/maps/mYwhn over 7 miles of between 50 and 40mph average speed camera with 99% of it on nice new dual carriageway with 3 lanes each side, no houses and huge pedestrian walkways that noone ever walked on. I've never been able to figure it out.

In this instance I have assumed overall average speed of 45mph.
Over 7 miles doing 70 v 45mph it's a difference of 3min 30seconds or if you rather the chap doing 70mph could have travelled 3.85miles further over the time it takes to do 7 miles at 45mph average speed.

When you look at things in this light it really does highlight that when all is said an d done there is very little in it time wise overall journey. Annoying for sure.

[4key]

Oh no, I agree that the travel time doesnt matter in any of these circumstaces as regardless of the speed limit it will still be quicker than walking. The thing is that they are now popping up in places that they are not warranted with deliberately low speed limits. The A13 isnt far off the best type of dual carrigeway design possible, with a 50mph limit on it and the A127 has been national speed limit until they decided to put up miles and miles of 50mph average speed cameras just because.

I've seen it in numerous places around the country and most of the time they seem to be doing it under the guise of lower speeds make the traffic flow faster for the few hours of rush hour, but then everyone else is screwed at off peak times doing 40/50mph on what is easily a 70mph road. Rather than think that they are an acceptable thing in roadworks it makes everyone hate the things regardless.

[Globs]

Welshbeef said:

4key said:

I just had a look because I wasnt quite sure myself. http://goo.gl/maps/mYwhn over 7 miles of between 50 and 40mph average speed camera with 99% of it on nice new dual carriageway with 3 lanes each side, no houses and huge pedestrian walkways that noone ever walked on. I've never been able to figure it out.

In this instance I have assumed overall average speed of 45mph.
Over 7 miles doing 70 v 45mph it's a difference of 3min 30seconds or if you rather the chap doing 70mph could have travelled 3.85miles further over the time it takes to do 7 miles at 45mph average speed.

When you look at things in this light it really does highlight that when all is said an d done there is very little in it time wise overall journey. Annoying for sure.

The issue is not really of journey time, it's of concentration and fatigue. Sticking at 50mph is at the same time boring while requiring huge concentration - more so on empty wide roads and long distances. After a few miles of 50mph dual carriageway in Norfolk I recall feeling extremely tired at the end. Then I came across a traffic jam and it became evident I wasn't the only one who felt that wave of sleepiness at the limit end, as we slowly passed the ambulance, fishing out the body of some poor sod who had nodded off and smashed head first into a fat pillar of one of the large signs.

And yes - fatigue kills many more people than 'speed' - pointless limits for decent roads can be deadly.

[SilverWraith]

Welshbeef said:

4key said:

Welshbeef said:

frankly there are not many if any 5 mile sections of average speed.

You've never had the pleasure of the A13 have you

Nope

How about the almost permanent roadworks on the M1? Currently the Junction 10-13 improvements (that's a 20 mile stretch). These roadworks have been ongoing for many years varying from the M25 junction up to Jn 13 for various widening/improvement schemes. We just avoid it at all costs now.

[crostonian]

So a workman hit at 50 will survive and one at 70 won't?

[Ozzie Osmond]

charltjr said:

Looking out for speed cameras is part of basic hazard awareness. If your driving is impaired by looking out for them then you can't be looking out for other things at the side of the road either.

I guess we have to assume your Mum & Dad like to have you tucked up in bed before it gets dark....