Traffic Data recording strip thingys

[MilnerR]

While driving up the A6 through hazel grove and stockport (heading into manchester) i've noticed that before each speed camera (on this stretch of road they are placed about every 200 yards!) there appear to be 2 strips and a recording box of the type you usually see on country roads to record traffic levels/average speed etc. These are right before each of the cameras (the recording gubbins in each case is padlocked to the camera stancheon). Is this an attempt to collect data showing that speed cameras reduce speed by placing them right before the cameras? Seems odd that there are so many recording devices (at least 5 or 6) in such a short space.

[parrot of doom]

Like this?



They're for data collection. My advice is to leave them alone - people attacking them just arouse suspicion.

[MilnerR]

Wasn't thinking of attacking them!!
Never seen so many of them in such a short space and directly in front of cameras. I've seen them out in the middle of nowhere presumably measuring road usage average speed. But never so many in a major town.

[JMGS4]

As you know that Gatsos are only piggy banks for the Revenooers, they are obviously counting the traffic density to be able to place the electronic highwaymen where they will earn the most Revenoo....
cynical? Moi?

[tvrgit]

sounds like before and after statistical type monitoring - ie to see if they have actually reduced speeds?

A bit more thorough than "put the camera up and take the money"...

[M@H]

I thought they were the Truvelo system..? Could be wrong.

[tvrgit]

M@H said:

I thought they were the Truvelo system..? Could be wrong.

Simple counter boxes. You are!

[TripleS]

tvrgit said:

M@H said: I thought they were the Truvelo system..? Could be wrong. Simple counter boxes. You are!

Yes, I have been assured by my local contact in NYCC that these things are simply for counting the passage of vehicles. He knows my philosophy with regard to speed and he assures me they are nothing to do with speed checking. So far so good.

On the other hand we have had suggestions (by 'gone' I think) that some versions of this apparatus do monitor traffic speeds, so I am still somewhat confused and a bit wary.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

[MilnerR]

It struck me as odd that these "counter" boxes were positioned directly in front of the many camera there are through hazel Grove and stockport.





These are some of the cameras but at the moment they have counting boxes attached to them.

My theory is they do monitor speed and this is a good way to "prove" to the local busy bodies that the cameras they demanded have lowered speed! You could get the same effect positioning them 5 yards from junctions
I could be totally wrong though

[docjan]

Theyre bean counters, cant measure speed... its probably just more convenient to house them next to a camera rather than some random unprotected place.

[AlexH]

docjan said:

Theyre bean counters, cant measure speed... its probably just more convenient to house them next to a camera rather than some random unprotected place.

The single ones can't measure speed, but the ones in pairs do, although not for enforcement purposes.

[DeltaFox]

www.metrocount.com/products/roadsideunit/index.html

[tvrgit]

They can be set to measure speeds, but they cannot RECORD the individual speeds of vehicles - what you get is, for example, 120 traveling between 20 and 25 mph, 170 between 25 and 30, 180 between 30 and 35, etc etc...

so they may well be monitoring the before and after effects of the speed cameras (as I said yesterday)

[streaky]

tvrgit said:

They can be set to measure speeds, but they cannot RECORD the individual speeds of vehicles - what you get is, for example, 120 traveling between 20 and 25 mph, 170 between 25 and 30, 180 between 30 and 35, etc etc... so they may well be monitoring the before and after effects of the speed cameras (as I said yesterday)

Calculating the percentile for compliance purposes? Some hope! - Streaky