just what we need......." Yellow vultures"
just what we need......." Yellow vultures"
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robinh20mrv

Original Poster:

586 posts

225 months

Monday 12th April 2010
quotequote all
'Yellow Vultures' to target speeders

Published Date: 11 April 2010
By David Leask
ROAD safety chiefs have signalled a huge roll-out of average-speed cameras across Scotland after research showed they led to a dramatic fall in speeding offences.
Sources close to Transport Scotland, the agency responsible for trunk roads, yesterday said they were calculating costs and identifying potential sites for the technology, which the police regard as life-saving.

The case for more Yellow Vultures

as they are nicknamed – has been given a boost by a steep drop in their price. A single set of average-speed cameras used to cost £1 million but now they can be bought up for as little as £200,000.

There are currently two Vulture systems in Scotland, on the A77 from Glasgow to Ayr, where systems are designed to keep speeds down to 50pm on a 32-mile stretch of the once notorious road, and on the A80.

Roads thought most likely to be among the first to get new average-speed cameras include stretches of the A82 from Glasgow to Fort William, the A1 from Edinburgh to Berwick, the A9 from Perth to Inverness, the A90 north of Aberdeen and the A72 in the Borders.

Transport Scotland has signalled it favours more of the cameras, which are designed to catch motorists who try to get round the current single cameras by braking on approach.

The second group of average-speed cameras were installed on the A80 last November.

Before they went up, police were snaring up to 100 drivers a day for failing to slow down for the roadworks. More than 600 were reported to the procurator-fiscal on serious speeding charges in the six months up to November. Since then, only 26 have been caught speeding by the cameras.

Jim Dale of the Scottish Safety Camera Programme, "We are working with Transport Scotland to look at criteria that would allow us to make a business case for more."

Time to get the thermite and tires out guys.........



Andrew[MG]

3,348 posts

221 months

Monday 12th April 2010
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Have there been any incidents of these type of cameras being vandelised? It seems that people have just accepted them weeping

slipstream 1985

13,481 posts

202 months

Monday 12th April 2010
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if i want to sit at 80mph and im forced to do 50mph for 5 miles i then do 110mph for 5miles to make up for it.

im for this ONLY if they ares used WHEN roadworks are actually being carried out. then they should be removed

KB_S1

5,967 posts

252 months

Monday 12th April 2010
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Very interesting use of terminology.

Big fuss made how they have reduced speeding.
Nothing about improvements to road safety record.

Who me ?

7,455 posts

235 months

Monday 12th April 2010
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robinh20mrv said:
'Yellow Vultures' to target speeders



Roads thought most likely to be among the first to get new average-speed cameras include stretches of the A82 from Glasgow to Fort William.



Time to get the thermite and tires out guys.........
AYE -the wilds of Glencoe can be a lonely lonely place in the middle of winter ,Loch Lomondside and Rannoch moor - not nice places to be at night - especially if you're a SPECS installation - then again ,wonder if the kit's been tested in sub artic conditions ,with masses of rain and Stags in Rut ,never mind highlanders in anger .Then again -there's not much topsoil to bury cables in -so cable "faults "/equipment failures might prove "expensive".Equipment can be alarmed - but how keen will Police forces be to attend .

Craigie

1,232 posts

202 months

Monday 12th April 2010
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The first post here is the first time I have seen actual figures being quoted for SPECS cameras catching people.
I am still very cynical about the A77 and A80 cameras as I am not convinced they are live. I have never heard directly, or indirectly, of anyone who has been caught by them?

robinh20mrv

Original Poster:

586 posts

225 months

Tuesday 13th April 2010
quotequote all
[quote=Who me ?]
robinh20mrv said:
'Yellow Vultures' to target speeders



Roads thought most likely to be among the first to get new average-speed cameras include stretches of the A82 from Glasgow to Fort William.



Time to get the thermite and tires out guys.........
AYE -the wilds of Glencoe can be a lonely lonely place in the middle of winter ,Loch Lomondside and Rannoch moor - not nice places to be at night - especially if you're a SPECS installation - then again ,wonder if the kit's been tested in sub artic conditions ,with masses of rain and Stags in Rut ,never mind highlanders in anger .Then again -there's not much topsoil to bury cables in -so cable "faults "/equipment failures might prove "expensive".Equipment can be alarmed - but how keen will Police forces be to attend .
My thoughts exactly.......

840ciSport

51 posts

197 months

Tuesday 13th April 2010
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I have used the A77 regularly for the past year and have stuck to the limits enforced by the 'vultures'........... I too have often wondered if the cameras are 'live' as, in the 50 zone, sitting @ 48ish in the inside lane, I'm caught and passed by following traffic and traffic which sits in outer lane are regularly doing 60mph plus ! the national speed limit zone, dual carriageway with permanent division between carriageways meaning 70mph limit, sitting between 60/65mph the traffic again catches and passes me in inside lane and the outer lane are mostly doing mid 80's at a guess !!!!
There is of course the 'urban myth' of the cameras not being linked to each other meaning exiting the controlled zone in the opposite lane than you entered it in, the camera then has a 'in' time but not an 'out' time. I asked a mate, traffic cop, and he said he wouldn't like to test the theory of switching lanes !


5 In a Row

2,139 posts

250 months

Tuesday 13th April 2010
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I think the lane switching thing was sorted out a few years ago.
No point in risking it anyway just for a few miles at 10mph more.

Anyway, when will the 'powers that be' address other road safety issues like mobile phone use, tailgating (almost everyone does it now), generally lower driving standards and all the massive potholes that must surely lead to some accidents?

paulqv

3,124 posts

218 months

Tuesday 13th April 2010
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When Will someone in power come clean about the real cost of using the cameras!!
If there is a 32 mile streatch of road and the cameras can calculate speed over that ntire distance then how much processing power is needed? If on the a80 there are 50 cars a minute passing for two hours how many times will these be used? No one ever comments on the costs of running these and what the infrastructure costs are.
More importantly; If they are so good and accurate, why are they not picking up all the stolen uninsured and untaxed cars? they use number plate recognition to work, so why not use them for more serious matters? Simply they cost too much to operate for crime detection

How many people do you see slowing down to some stupid speed as they approach the camera? Say 30 in a 40 on the A80!

This is a classic, 'we hit speed' sanctimonious claptrap piece by morons in authority to keep the idiot masses in perpetual ignorance of real issues.

Rant over!

Paul

840ciSport

51 posts

197 months

Tuesday 13th April 2010
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Two of my pet hates 'tailgating' & 'mobiles' !!!!

Tailgating !!!!!!!

I often wonder when 'normal' cars come up behind me and play 'how close can i get' do they realise that as well as the obvious performance in terms of speed difference between cars that the stopping performance is light years ahead of the even the most modern of mass produced cars/vans !

Mobiles !!!!!!!!!!!!

In a car park outside 'pets @ home' in Oban, popped in for 2mins to get cat food, walking the 10yards back to the car and broke into a sprint to stop a woman in a megane people carrier thing full of kids reversing into my car......I was stood in front of my grille hands thumping on her back window and she still kept coming, albeit slowly, eventually the brake lights came on and the reversing lights went off..........on speaking to her she was unaware of anything behind her when she parked and couldnt steer or change gear as she was on the phone !!!!!!

Whatever happened to womens ability to multitask ??????

I do appreciate that there are moments where both females & males on mobiles have done much worse,
this however is the worst that has happened to me !

ApexJimi

27,130 posts

266 months

Tuesday 13th April 2010
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Does anyone else feel like, and this is the only way I can put this - like the walls are closing in?

Road tax going through the roof

Petrol, by virtue of tax, going through the roof

More specs going up....

Fvcking bds, the lot them.

a11y_m

1,861 posts

245 months

Tuesday 13th April 2010
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ApexJimi said:
Does anyone else feel like, and this is the only way I can put this - like the walls are closing in?

Road tax going through the roof

Petrol, by virtue of tax, going through the roof

More specs going up....

Fvcking bds, the lot them.
My solution could be this: http://www.emigratingtoaustralia.com/main/

Mr Trophy

6,811 posts

226 months

Tuesday 13th April 2010
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It's like that bloody Edinburgh bypass - (no cameras) but 40 MPH. I never see anyone doing any work during the day, just at night. Does my nut in!

ApexJimi

27,130 posts

266 months

Tuesday 13th April 2010
quotequote all
a11y_m said:
ApexJimi said:
Does anyone else feel like, and this is the only way I can put this - like the walls are closing in?

Road tax going through the roof

Petrol, by virtue of tax, going through the roof

More specs going up....

Fvcking bds, the lot them.
My solution could be this: http://www.emigratingtoaustralia.com/main/
Err they're even worse, by all accounts!

Great Pretender

26,140 posts

237 months

Tuesday 13th April 2010
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This isn't good news.

Ironically I fear the enforcement of these so called 'Yellow Vultures' will promote more crime as drivers cotton on the fact that Mr Jones' number plate from round the corner would look great on their own motor...

Moreover, with road policing left to the cameras, motorists will feel more able to flout the laws in order to circumnavigate these draconian measures.

robinh20mrv

Original Poster:

586 posts

225 months

Wednesday 14th April 2010
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Pity we cant have these to sort them out, they will make great targets!!.........

However, we can have 4x4s and chains, or a hook of some sort round the cables smile

Edited by robinh20mrv on Wednesday 14th April 06:08

Mad Jock

1,272 posts

285 months

Wednesday 14th April 2010
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This, I think, says it all really:

Jim Dale of the Scottish Safety Camera Programme, "We are working with Transport Scotland to look at criteria that would allow us to make a business case for more."

Surely, if any reason needs to be given, it should be a road safety case. Making a business case sounds like it is, they're out to make money.

robinh20mrv

Original Poster:

586 posts

225 months

Wednesday 14th April 2010
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That they are, just looking to make more £££££££ *other *uckers.......

5 In a Row

2,139 posts

250 months

Wednesday 14th April 2010
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Surely though if they reaaly wanted to make money the obvious place to put a camera is about 20 yards into a 30mph zone?

I'd say 99% of people enter these comfortably in excess of the limit, even if they then slow down to 30 at some point.