Speeding through average speed camera zones - What gives?

[jshell]

poing said:

might have missed a few details, it doesn't appear a single person here has been caught speeding in one of these zones.

Missed mine.

[Vipers]

Havnt been caught speeding since 1974 in a military vehicle.

Just don't want to chance giving my money to this bloody government.

If it says 50 I stick on the cc to 50, easy. Some of you say 55, does it really reduce your travel time.......

[V8RX7]

Vipers said:

If it says 50 I stick on the cc to 50, easy. Some of you say 55, does it really reduce your travel time.......

Yes by 10%

[Synchromesh]

3xpendable said:

Going 70 through a 50 zone is breaking the law in exactly the same way as assaulting someone, burglary or theft is.

It's not really though is it? It's breaking the law the complete opposite way, in that assault, burglary and theft always have a victim, but speeding very rarely does.

[GC8]

Terminator X said:

Steady 55 on the speedo for me, no ticket ever. Wouldn't risk it any higher personally.

TX.

A real 56mph will never see you penalised. Most cars are driving at 10mph below this, and even the drivers who think that theyre quick, are still getting in the lorrys way...

[John D.]

Depends how accurate your speedo is for a start. I do 60 on the clock through these zones (as long as there isn't someone doing 48 blocking my way!). Never had a speeding ticket in my life.

Admittedly I don't drive on motorways regularly any more. Used to do M1 from M25 to Luton every week day 5yrs ago. Lots of 50 zones. Never had an issue and nor did a work colleague who assured me he did 70 on the clock!

[3xpendable]

Synchromesh said:

It's not really though is it? It's breaking the law the complete opposite way, in that assault, burglary and theft always have a victim, but speeding very rarely does.

And by your own words, it's still breaking the law.

law
lɔː/
noun
noun: law; noun: the law

1.
the system of rules which a particular country or community recognizes as regulating the actions of its members and which it may enforce by the imposition of penalties.

So that's how you're justifying it right? I tell you what, when you next get a NIP and end up in court, tell the judge that argument and come back here and tell us how you got on, It would be a good laugh thats for sure.

[BogBeast]

I tend to monitor my smartphone GPS in these situations, fixing my cruise speed to 53 and ignoring the speedo which always reads low.

It occurred to me that I don't actually know that my GPS is accurate - Assuming it has a good number of satellites to reference, is it reasonable to assume that it is accurate down to sub 1mph?

[Bonefish Blues]

BogBeast said:

I tend to monitor my smartphone GPS in these situations, fixing my cruise speed to 53 and ignoring the speedo which always reads low.

It occurred to me that I don't actually know that my GPS is accurate - Assuming it has a good number of satellites to reference, is it reasonable to assume that it is accurate down to sub 1mph?

I do too, and also assume so.

[mgtony]

sicasey said:

No sign of man nor shovel on the M1 last night for many miles.

Most average speed zones are through roadworks where the lanes have been narrowed or coned off hard shoulders, but there is a huge section of the M1 southbound around Northampton where there is nothing happening. Full motorway open, no works, no narrowing, no coned off areas.
The occasional 50mph repeater so peoples going through at regular speeds oblivious to the average speed cameras.

[Vipers]

V8RX7 said:

Vipers said:

If it says 50 I stick on the cc to 50, easy. Some of you say 55, does it really reduce your travel time.......

Yes by 10%

Your right, and I realise that what I said wasn't what I was thinking, of course it reduces your time, I was thinking your overall journey. Anyway carry on chaps.

[AlexS]

Revisitph said:

I understood that the overhead gantry variable speed limit (not average limit) cameras were active when a variable limit was in place but were not when nothing was illuminated i.e. when the 70mph limit was in force. Source of information was the news about a police chief a few months ago, complaining about budget cuts and threatening to switch on the cameras continuously (so at 70 when no variable limit displayed) as a necessary money raising measure.

Ah! my memory isn't that bad: here it is (also articles in the Wail on the same topic) http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/cars/article-33...

The ones around Bristol on the M4/M5 VSL sections are certainly active, even when the limit is 70. A friend of mine was caught the other week doing 83 when in a 70 zone.

[WD39]

BogBeast said:

I tend to monitor my smartphone GPS in these situations, fixing my cruise speed to 53 and ignoring the speedo which always reads low.

It occurred to me that I don't actually know that my GPS is accurate - Assuming it has a good number of satellites to reference, is it reasonable to assume that it is accurate down to sub 1mph?

Phone? Driving? Hand held..Illegal, other types..Silly.

[Synchromesh]

3xpendable said:

And by your own words, it's still breaking the law.

law
l??/
noun
noun: law; noun: the law

1.
the system of rules which a particular country or community recognizes as regulating the actions of its members and which it may enforce by the imposition of penalties.

So that's how you're justifying it right? I tell you what, when you next get a NIP and end up in court, tell the judge that argument and come back here and tell us how you got on, It would be a good laugh thats for sure.

As I said, it's still breaking the law. Doesn't mean it's 'wrong' though does it. Plenty of limits are inappropriately low (e.g. I dunno, 50 limits on empty motorways in the dead of night). Would I think someone was a bit silly for not sticking to a limit which was so blatantly enforced? Probably. Would I get some perverted sense of satisfaction from knowing they'll receive points and a fine for it? Absolutely not, I'm not that sad.

FWIW I've never been caught speeding. Guessing you have and you're still a bit sore

[3xpendable]

Synchromesh said:

As I said, it's still breaking the law. Doesn't mean it's 'wrong' though does it. Plenty of limits are inappropriately low (e.g. I dunno, 50 limits on empty motorways in the dead of night). Would I think someone was a bit silly for not sticking to a limit which was so blatantly enforced? Probably. Would I get some perverted sense of satisfaction from knowing they'll receive points and a fine for it? Absolutely not, I'm not that sad.

FWIW I've never been caught speeding. Guessing you have and you're still a bit sore

While I agree with your comment that some speed limits are innapropriate in some areas, Whether or not a law is 'wrong' is only your opinion. There are plenty of people in prison or similar for breaking laws while they didn't consider their actions wrong. As I said before, use your argument in a court of law and you'd be laughed out of the room.

AAaaand there goes the PH usual stance of assuming personal information about a poster. As have you, I have a clean licence and have never been caught speeding either. So no, I'm not sore, but evidently you can't have a rational debate with someone who differs from you opinion.

Eyeroll.

[DaveCWK]

You can do a true 56 through the ones on the M3, every day for years, and you won't get fined.
To someone religiously sticking to 49/50 on their car speedo of indeterminate accuracy, it probably would look like those passing at 56 do know something they don't.

I suspect the units for prosecution are 10% + 2 + A little bit more due to being 'average'.
I'd be interested in hearing if anyone has actually been prosecuted for travelling at 57 in a SPECS 50.

[Shakermaker]

I haven't been caught speeding going through any average cameras, and no, I haven't always stuck to the posted limit.

My controversial attitude to the situation is this:

Going a bit faster saves me time. Time is more valuable to me than money. If I were to get caught (and I was once, over 10 years ago, by a roadside officer doing a very naughty speed) then its just the cost of saving all that time in all my years of driving.

Basically, the fine and the potential impact on my licence, are not significant enough for me to be put off from doing it.

Now, I would never blast through these roadwork areas at a silly speed and whenever there are workmen present then it is usually very clear given the hi-vis jackets, floodlighting and machinery with flashing lights all over, but when they are empty, I'll push it a bit.

I did like the system I saw when I was in Miami - there was a big sign saying "FINES DOUBLED WHEN WORKFORCE IN ROAD" which I think was quite good.

[Synchromesh]

3xpendable said:

While I agree with your comment that some speed limits are innapropriate in some areas, Whether or not a law is 'wrong' is only your opinion. There are plenty of people in prison or similar for breaking laws while they didn't consider their actions wrong. As I said before, use your argument in a court of law and you'd be laughed out of the room.

AAaaand there goes the PH usual stance of assuming personal information about a poster. As have you, I have a clean licence and have never been caught speeding either. So no, I'm not sore, but evidently you can't have a rational debate with someone who differs from you opinion.

Eyeroll.

Sorry if you took offence - I was just trying to lighten the tone a bit with the last comment. Appreciate this argument will probable entrench us further in our own views rather than convince each other of anything, but hey-ho, that's forum arguments for you

But yes, I think SOME speed limits are wrong for the conditions. Take an NSL SC that we've both of merrily pottered down at 60mph...then the next day the council puts up up 40 signs (as has happened to quite a few good roads near me). Does that suddenly mean all those people who used to drive legally at 60mph were dangerous, or that anyone who now does 41mph is?

This will probably be interpreted as me claiming 'all speed limits are wrong so I speed everywhere' which, given my aforementioned driving record, clearly isn't the case.

My original point was about laughing at others' expense in cases when, while technically breaking the law, they're not really putting anyone in danger. I just don't see the need for that. If someone doesn't want speed I can totally understand that, but I think we need to be more tolerant of those who want want to drive faster than us, and not take it as a personal affront. Goes back to the whole "anyone going slower than me is a dawdler, and anyone going faster than me is a lunatic" thing. Sounds a bit silly when it's written like that, but I'm sure it's what some on here actually think.

[3xpendable]

Fair enough, thanks for taking the time to clarify.

[speedking31]

DaveCWK said:

I'd be interested in hearing if anyone has actually been prosecuted for travelling at 57 in a SPECS 50.

Colleague of mine, twice a fortnight apart, approximately 9 pm on a quiet M6. He is what I would call a slow driver, keen to maximise mpg as he travels down south for work. Cruises at 56 mph give or take a couple of mph. Didn't make any adjustment for the 50 mph average speed section.