Discussion
Say you have a bit of road that you really enjoy, and they put SPECS on it to prevent a bit of fun. Well here's how to sort it out legally.
Easy solution: drive under first SPECS camera. Stop for a while, have a cuppa/smoke. Then back in the car/bike & off you go as normal. After a 10 minute break, it won't matter how fast you go, your average speed will be much lower than the limit... thus lives have been saved, and everyone is happy, especially the bunny-wunnies.
Sooooooo easy, even easier than slowing down for ordinary gatsos.
Easy solution: drive under first SPECS camera. Stop for a while, have a cuppa/smoke. Then back in the car/bike & off you go as normal. After a 10 minute break, it won't matter how fast you go, your average speed will be much lower than the limit... thus lives have been saved, and everyone is happy, especially the bunny-wunnies.
Sooooooo easy, even easier than slowing down for ordinary gatsos.
That's what we do when speeding along French toll roads. Stop to refuel/buy a Jambon Baguette and your average speed does not even register on the scale. I know they don't measure your speed in this manner any longer, but it makes me feel safer 
This is hard to do when the specs are on say 2-3 miles of plain 3 lane M6 with nowhere to stop/pull off.
This is hard to do when the specs are on say 2-3 miles of plain 3 lane M6 with nowhere to stop/pull off.
FunkyNige said:
Then back in the car/bike & off you go as normal.
If you're on a bike then you're immune from SPECS (as I belive they're forward facing).
But they're usually in pairs, one looking each way along the road. Without some firm evidence that the ones for the other side of the road won't read your rear plate, I'd be inclined to treat them with caution.
Doesnt this totally defeat the point though ?
You'll get to your destination at the same time you would if youd done the speed limit through the specs.
If your only motive is to go fast on a SPECs road and beat the limit then fine but if like most i suspect use "speed" to reduce journey times a bit this wont work by stopping.
(or am i missing something here?)
You'll get to your destination at the same time you would if youd done the speed limit through the specs.
If your only motive is to go fast on a SPECs road and beat the limit then fine but if like most i suspect use "speed" to reduce journey times a bit this wont work by stopping.
(or am i missing something here?)
lbir2 said:
Doesnt this totally defeat the point though ?
You'll get to your destination at the same time you would if youd done the speed limit through the specs.
If your only motive is to go fast on a SPECs road and beat the limit then fine but if like most i suspect use "speed" to reduce journey times a bit this wont work by stopping.
(or am i missing something here?)
I don't drive fast for the purpose of saving time - well hardly ever. I do it when I feel like it because it feels natural, appropriate and safe, and I enjoy trying to make a good job of it.
May I suggest that doing it in that manner is safer than doing it because you feel you need to get somewhere in a hurry, and are therefore under some kind of pressure.
Best wishes all,
Dave.
TripleS said:
Doesnt this totally defeat the point though ?
You'll get to your destination at the same time you would if youd done the speed limit through the specs.
If your only motive is to go fast on a SPECs road and beat the limit then fine but if like most i suspect use "speed" to reduce journey times a bit this wont work by stopping.
(or am i missing something here?)
I don't drive fast for the purpose of saving time - well hardly ever. I do it when I feel like it because it feels natural, appropriate and safe, and I enjoy trying to make a good job of it.
May I suggest that doing it in that manner is safer than doing it because you feel you need to get somewhere in a hurry, and are therefore under some kind of pressure.
Best wishes all,
Dave.
I quite agree.
If my only motive was to get to my destination fast then I'd hop on the motorway.
Instead, I avoid them at all costs and take the fun way - especially at the weekends when the 'Numpty Quotient' seems to increase hugely on the motorways. Still, the bonus is that they leave me the left lane all to myself.
The SPECS system over the Thelwall Viaduct on the M6 uses 4 cameras in each direction AFAICR. The way to beat it it to briefly nose right up behind a van or lorry as you go under each of the cameras. and your plate cannot be seen.
Not that I'd suggest you try this or anything, of course...!
Not that I'd suggest you try this or anything, of course...!
Yes, each SPECS camera is set up to target one lane (usually lane 3), so driving at 100mph in an empty lane 1 is safe - unless they do what they did on the M6 some time ago where they had 3 pairs of cameras (over a 6 mile stretch between two junctions), and each pair targeted a different lane.
This was during a lot of roadworks where there was a 40/50mph limit (can't remember which) to 'protect the workmen' - but have you seen how many of these 'workmen' speed through their own roadworks? If they don't care about their colleague's safety then why should we?
This was during a lot of roadworks where there was a 40/50mph limit (can't remember which) to 'protect the workmen' - but have you seen how many of these 'workmen' speed through their own roadworks? If they don't care about their colleague's safety then why should we?
cdp said:
So do SPECS cameras use the actual limit as a threshold or set below it to take into account roundabouts, junctions or whatever? (Sometimes it would be impossible to average the limit without exceeding it).
I normally go through SPECS with my speedo showing 10% higher than the posted limit and I've never had a ticket, so I guess I'm well within the tolerance for the camera.
I'd guess that the cameras allow for the usual 10%, plus your average speed reads 5-10% over anyway! SO that in a 50 limit you would have to be showing at least 60 on the clock to get worried.
Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff