80mph speed limit = average speed cameras

[pistolp]

Saw an article in the times this morning about the fact that ministers are planning on going ahead with 80mph speed limit on motorways. I wish they wouldn't as this inevitably means more average speed cameras on motorways - as the article suggests. I know that this isn't the first article like this but it does concern me. I don't like going really fast on motorways (largel due to points/penalties not safety) but certainly I have been in the 90-100 range since I started driving. If I had to stick to 80 I think I would just give up on nice cars and buy a diesel box. It is also nice to occasionally go up to 120 for short bursts when circumstances allow, such as at night or when its especially quiet. Don't get me wrong, it's not the centre of my driving pleasure but it is nice to sometimes make progress. I am just really concerned about AvSC and us all dawdling along like drones......
Thoughts? I guess it is inevitable and really sad.

[Captain Muppet]

Either don't speed or avoid the roads with speed dectection on them. Either option is easy.

I'm using a combination of the two, depending on how lucky I feel (6 points so far)

Edit to add - if I have cruise control then I'm happy on roads with average speed cameras. On cars without it it can be tedious, so I choose routes to avoid it.

[RizzoTheRat]

I tend to use cruise control on the motorway most of the time, makes for a much more relaxing drive and I've not worrying about looking out for cameras.

[nagsheadwarrior]

I dont think its going to happen any time soon due to the enormous initial expense of cameraring the whole Motorway network and the vote losing public outcry.

[Watchman]

www.revolving_reg_plates.com

[XitUp]

Buying a nice car then moaning that you can't use it on the motorway seems daft to me. Motorways are not fun, at any speed.

[louiebaby]

In the UK, South of about Penrith, there are few places where you would be able to sit above 80mph for a long stretch, without driving like in inconsiderate moron. (During normal hours of use, anyway.)

At the age of 31, I'm finding myself quickly drawn to a 70mph, cruise control, and a decent podcast. Motorways are not the place for driving like your arse is on fire. Tracks are. Motorways are for moving a lot of vehicles long distances, quickly, efficiently and safely.

Maybe 70 mph is a bit slow, and 80mph would be fine where conditions allow, but anything more is not really sensible.

[Jamie VTS]

louiebaby said:

In the UK, South of about Penrith, there are few places where you would be able to sit above 80mph for a long stretch, without driving like in inconsiderate moron. (During normal hours of use, anyway.)

At the age of 31, I'm finding myself quickly drawn to a 70mph, cruise control, and a decent podcast. Motorways are not the place for driving like your arse is on fire. Tracks are. Motorways are for moving a lot of vehicles long distances, quickly, efficiently and safely.

Maybe 70 mph is a bit slow, and 80mph would be fine where conditions allow, but anything more is not really sensible.

[Baz Tench]

There will be very little/no revenue from long-term average speed cameras, so I can't see it going ahead.

[themanwithnoname]

louiebaby said:

In the UK, South of about Penrith, there are few places where you would be able to sit above 80mph for a long stretch, without driving like in inconsiderate moron. (During normal hours of use, anyway.)

At the age of 31, I'm finding myself quickly drawn to a 70mph, cruise control, and a decent podcast. Motorways are not the place for driving like your arse is on fire. Tracks are. Motorways are for moving a lot of vehicles long distances, quickly, efficiently and safely.

Maybe 70 mph is a bit slow, and 80mph would be fine where conditions allow, but anything more is not really sensible.

You are me AICMFP.

Seriously though. This is the post that makes sense.

[jbi]

Indeed... there is no money for average cameras.

If they go ahead with them, than they will have automatically invalidated their argument for cutting services elsewhere.

[louiebaby]

Baz Tench said:

There will be very little/no revenue from long-term average speed cameras, so I can't see it going ahead.

There will be from fuel sales if people start driving at 80mph though.

[DanDC5]

louiebaby said:

There will be from fuel sales if people start driving at 80mph though.

The vast majority sit at 80mph+ now anyway so that strikes me as a non argument.

[RizzoTheRat]

People's motorway cruising speeds seem to have come down a lot over the last year or two, presumably due to increasing fuel prices. It also seems to vary quite a bit with road. If I sit on the M3/A303 at 70mph I find I'm overtaking way more cars than overtake me, but on the M4 and M40 it's the other way round.

[MagicalTrevor]

I'd assume they'd simply fit average speed cameras at all motorway junctions and service stations?

[crocodile tears]

themanwithnoname said:

louiebaby said:

In the UK, South of about Penrith, there are few places where you would be able to sit above 80mph for a long stretch, without driving like in inconsiderate moron. (During normal hours of use, anyway.)

At the age of 31, I'm finding myself quickly drawn to a 70mph, cruise control, and a decent podcast. Motorways are not the place for driving like your arse is on fire. Tracks are. Motorways are for moving a lot of vehicles long distances, quickly, efficiently and safely.

Maybe 70 mph is a bit slow, and 80mph would be fine where conditions allow, but anything more is not really sensible.

You are me AICMFP.

Seriously though. This is the post that makes sense.

Really?

There are plenty of places during normal traffic you could sit at 80 for an extended period of time..

Worse still just because in heavy traffic isnt not sensible I see plenty of people use the motorways cruising at 100+ at night

[Viper_Larry]

Not so much the average speed cameras as the threat of zero tolerance. Currently the Police work on Limit + 10% + 2mph = 79mph before you're likely to get stopped. I've since read that they'll enforce 80mph strictly which basically means we'll all be driving at the same speed we do anyway now

[Twincam16]

Viper_Larry said:

Not so much the average speed cameras as the threat of zero tolerance. Currently the Police work on Limit + 10% + 2mph = 79mph before you're likely to get stopped. I've since read that they'll enforce 80mph strictly which basically means we'll all be driving at the same speed we do anyway now

Exactly, but there will be benefits to that, in that rather than people cruising at 80, then slamming on their brakes the minute they see a police car/speed camera/HATO car/Motorway Maintenance truck/cheeky builder's hack with flashing lights and yellow chevrons, thus threatening a huge accident, they'll just continue at 80.

TBH, I'd prefer 80mph with average speed cameras to variable limits and scameras hidden behind gantries. At least with average speed cameras they won't fine you for temporarily breaching the limit overtaking a truck.

[jbi]

Viper_Larry said:

Not so much the average speed cameras as the threat of zero tolerance. Currently the Police work on Limit + 10% + 2mph = 79mph before you're likely to get stopped. I've since read that they'll enforce 80mph strictly which basically means we'll all be driving at the same speed we do anyway now

I can see a zero tolerance approach initially, but after some time reverting back to the current method of enforcement.

[louiebaby]

crocodile tears said:

There are plenty of places during normal traffic you could sit at 80 for an extended period of time..

Worse still just because in heavy traffic isnt not sensible I see plenty of people use the motorways cruising at 100+ at night

To address your first point:
In the text you made bold, I clearly state above 80mph. For clarification, I mean significantly above. I consider 90mph to be significantly more than 80mph. Even on three lane stretches, when two lorries start "elephant racing" this can cause the rest of the traffic to bunch up, so soon defeats any benefit of going at 90mph versus 70mph.

To address your second point: