Discussion
I drove through Doncaster, where the Gatsos are painted orange, and they aren't that much easier to spot. They looked as if someone had done it in a real hurry, and I thought it was a wanton act of vandalism by mindless yobbos trying to ruin the safety of our democratic society. Still, they do look er, horrific, but maybe they'll put flowers and lace doylies on them next....
I think painting them DOES help....the whole point, originally anyway, of speed cameras was to slow people down in 'accident blackspots.' Therefore, the more you notice them, the more likely you are to slow down, the less likely to get 'done' and the less likely to have an accident. All cynicism about government misuse aside, I dont think ANYONE thinks thats a bad idea...
They've just fiddled around with a roundabout on the A414 coming out of St Albans, and added one of those amusing electronic boards.. which flashes 'slow down' if you approach abover 50mph - and to be fair it definitely slows people down. Seeing as I saw a big accident there the day before yesterday, however, it doesnt seem to have worked out that people crash at this particular roundabout cos they're utterly bloody incompetant (rant over!)
N
quote:Does it bollicks they used to have one just north of Fareham in Hampshire at the start of a village. Good idea in theory however in practise it became a mecca for every max power in the south to see who could get the highest score !!!!
They've just fiddled around with a roundabout on the A414 coming out of St Albans, and added one of those amusing electronic boards.. which flashes 'slow down' if you approach abover 50mph - and to be fair it definitely slows people down. N
quote:Presumably the crash happened when a driver was startled by a huge board flashing at him, and distracted him from driving....
They've just fiddled around with a roundabout on the A414 coming out of St Albans, and added one of those amusing electronic boards.. which flashes 'slow down' if you approach abover 50mph - and to be fair it definitely slows people down. Seeing as I saw a big accident there the day before yesterday,
Just a little advice re these signs and GATSO's for that matter, occasionally we set up laser/radar just after them in some of our accident blackspots. A couple of years ago I remember potting a woman just after the GATSO, interesting reply "well I don't know how you got me cause I slowed down for the camera" ,Maybe it was cause you put yer foot down again when you got past it.
Totally agree about making the things visible. I came down the M11 this morning (daft I know) and there are loads of cameras scattered around the contra-flow at Stanstead. A fine idea as a pile-up in a contra-flow can be a nasty mess.
Strangely all the N'bound camera had to be visible as they were in the central reservation watching over lane 3 N'bound and the contra-flow lane N'bound. The S'bound ones watching over lanes 1 and 2 S'bound were well hidden: two behind great big motorway signs, and one behind a bush which, strangely enough, was the only un-cutback one for hundreds of yards.
So tell me. Are the police, who I presume were responsible for sighting these, more interested in catching people out, or deterring would-be speed merchants in a dangerous and crowded contra-flow? I.e save lives (potentially) or buy a nice new camera?
And excuses about connection to electricity doesn't wash as they each had their own generators.
Sorry to rant, but well placed, effective cameras at dangerous places that deter speeding I applaud. This cynical entrapment pisses me off and is IMHO indefensible. But I bet someone will try :-)
Im not sure about tempory camera sites but as far as i am aware the local council has the job of picking the camera sites.
There are some new cameras in bolton and the speed limit has been droped from 70 to 50. One of the cameras is hidden directly behind a sign that doesnt have anything on it! If you didnt know it was there you would never see it...
Think its about time these blatant abuses of cameras were photographed and placed on the web - named and shamed if you like.
A url like http://www.cashcowcameras.com or suchlike would be good. Everyone send in pictures with a location, the local council is named and shamed as it is shown to care more about camera _revenue_ than _safety_.
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