Mobile Speed Cameras Along M40
Discussion
Having just bought a property in the Cherwell area I have been driving up most fridays/saturdays for the last few weeks. Over a period of 5-ish round trips I have seen at least 3-4 mobile vans sat on bridges. At all times the roads have been relatively quiet, beautifully sunny and with the M40 being a fairly open road easy to cruise along at 80mph without a care in the world.
What annoys me is the fact that these Vans seem parked for nothing more then a money grabbing exercise. Fair enough they may catch the odd numptie doing 100+, but what about the schools zones, increased kids playing in the streets and everyone out enjoying the sunshine. Is catching the odd guy doing ''dangerous'' speeds on no doubt one of Britain's safest roads really the best use of them!? If it was an accident black spot fair enough, but these cameras are situated in areas where I fail to see how an accident could be created short of sleep/drink/dangerous manoeuvre.
Preaching to the converted I know, but it really rattles my cage. Who runs these cameras in the Oxford area?
What annoys me is the fact that these Vans seem parked for nothing more then a money grabbing exercise. Fair enough they may catch the odd numptie doing 100+, but what about the schools zones, increased kids playing in the streets and everyone out enjoying the sunshine. Is catching the odd guy doing ''dangerous'' speeds on no doubt one of Britain's safest roads really the best use of them!? If it was an accident black spot fair enough, but these cameras are situated in areas where I fail to see how an accident could be created short of sleep/drink/dangerous manoeuvre.
Preaching to the converted I know, but it really rattles my cage. Who runs these cameras in the Oxford area?
Edited by Andehh on Thursday 2nd May 20:29
Yep, the general public 'support' scams (according to some surveys) and most often the media talks about reducing child deaths in 30 zones in relation to the 'speeding problem': BUT the deployment on motorways is of zero benefit to the risk the 'supportive' public believes speed scams can help reduce. Guess where the income is generated tho?
This is one of the pillars of corruption and bulls
t upon which the speed scam industry is built.
This is one of the pillars of corruption and bulls
t upon which the speed scam industry is built.Andehh said:
Having just bought a property in the Cherwell area I have been driving up most fridays/saturdays for the last few weeks. Over a period of 5-ish round trips I have seen at least 3-4 mobile vans sat on bridges. At all times the roads have been relatively quiet, beautifully sunny and with the M40 being a fairly open road easy to cruise along at 80mph without a care in the world.
That's why they are there.Andehh said:
What annoys me is the fact that these Vans seem parked for nothing more then a money grabbing exercise. Fair enough they may catch the odd numptie doing 100+, but what about the schools zones, increased kids playing in the streets and everyone out enjoying the sunshine.
They do catch people at 100+ and those above 78 ish.
School zones and where kids play are generally areas where people drive carefully and not many are above the speed limit. No need to enforce where people drive carefully and slowly.
Andehh said:
Is catching the odd guy doing ''dangerous'' speeds on no doubt one of Britain's safest roads really the best use of them!? If it was an accident black spot fair enough, but these cameras are situated in areas where I fail to see how an accident could be created short of sleep/drink/dangerous manoeuvre.
Those manoeuvrings do cause collisions and if they are at high speed then the damage and injury potential gets worse as the speed increases.
Andehh said:
Preaching to the converted I know, but it really rattles my cage. Who runs these cameras in the Oxford area?
Thames Valley Police.It rattles your cage because you want to be able to exceed the speed limit and you don't want the police to enforce it. Ask yourself this: Why would the police enforce the speed limit where people drive carefully and generally below the speed limit?
The police enforce the law. They do this more effectively where people break the law. You are now somewhat deterred from driving up the M40 at speed that are likely to get you a ticket. Remember this; they enforce on any road in the Thames Valley area; now where will you feel safe at speeds above the limit?
You know it makes sense.
Don't always assume that the "Scamera" parked on the bridge is infact a "Scamera".
It could be a mobile ANPR. Whatever it is, it slows people down. As a regular user of the M40 in Oxfordshire, some people treat some stretches of it like a private test track. If the placement of that van makes people slow down or hopefully maybe even think that they've been caught, then just by being there has served a purpose.
It could be a mobile ANPR. Whatever it is, it slows people down. As a regular user of the M40 in Oxfordshire, some people treat some stretches of it like a private test track. If the placement of that van makes people slow down or hopefully maybe even think that they've been caught, then just by being there has served a purpose.
I live near the M40 and a stretch I use often if from Jnc 5 to Jnc 2. It has had more fatalities on that stretch than any piece of road in the area.
The worst part is from 4-3. The section goes down hill to the Loudwater flyover, lost count of the number of accidents there. It's very easy for the speedo to creep up on that section. So saying the M40 is a safe road, in my opinion is untrue. Using it quite often you do see a lot of crazy people doing ridiculous speeds along there.
The worst part is from 4-3. The section goes down hill to the Loudwater flyover, lost count of the number of accidents there. It's very easy for the speedo to creep up on that section. So saying the M40 is a safe road, in my opinion is untrue. Using it quite often you do see a lot of crazy people doing ridiculous speeds along there.
pitmansboots said:
Thames Valley Police.
It rattles your cage because you want to be able to exceed the speed limit and you don't want the police to enforce it. Ask yourself this: Why would the police enforce the speed limit where people drive carefully and generally below the speed limit?
The police enforce the law. They do this more effectively where people break the law. You are now somewhat deterred from driving up the M40 at speed that are likely to get you a ticket. Remember this; they enforce on any road in the Thames Valley area; now where will you feel safe at speeds above the limit?
You know it makes sense.
Are you just trying to wind people up top get a response or are you in some way affiliated with the government/police?It rattles your cage because you want to be able to exceed the speed limit and you don't want the police to enforce it. Ask yourself this: Why would the police enforce the speed limit where people drive carefully and generally below the speed limit?
The police enforce the law. They do this more effectively where people break the law. You are now somewhat deterred from driving up the M40 at speed that are likely to get you a ticket. Remember this; they enforce on any road in the Thames Valley area; now where will you feel safe at speeds above the limit?
You know it makes sense.
You know what the OP is saying makes sense! The cameras have been given the name safety cameras, but they make this road no more safe than it was before they were.
pitmansboots said:
They do catch people at 100+ and those above 78 ish.
School zones and where kids play are generally areas where people drive carefully and not many are above the speed limit. No need to enforce where people drive carefully and slowly.
Yes, from a business (ie drafting people onto speed awareness courses) point of view it makes absolutely no sense to position mobile units in areas where people usually obey the limits - far better to have them on the motorways at a quiet time of day when traffic is bowling along at a speed which until recently seemed set to become the new motorway limit.School zones and where kids play are generally areas where people drive carefully and not many are above the speed limit. No need to enforce where people drive carefully and slowly.
iamAlegend said:
Are you just trying to wind people up top get a response or are you in some way affiliated with the government/police?
You know what the OP is saying makes sense! The cameras have been given the name safety cameras, but they make this road no more safe than it was before they were.
Put speed cameras where people don't speed; they don't catch any speeders, speeders are happy.You know what the OP is saying makes sense! The cameras have been given the name safety cameras, but they make this road no more safe than it was before they were.
Put police behind desks, they can catch very few criminals there, criminals are happy.
Put store detectives in the back room of shops making te tea, shoplifters are happy.
I think it's you that's the wind-up merchant...or have I got that wrong.
It seems the cameras have slowed the OP down, job done there; if others do the same, which they will, the M40 is a safer place.
Deva Link said:
pitmansboots said:
They do catch people at 100+ and those above 78 ish.
School zones and where kids play are generally areas where people drive carefully and not many are above the speed limit. No need to enforce where people drive carefully and slowly.
Yes, from a business (ie drafting people onto speed awareness courses) point of view it makes absolutely no sense to position mobile units in areas where people usually obey the limits - far better to have them on the motorways at a quiet time of day when traffic is bowling along at a speed which until recently seemed set to become the new motorway limit.School zones and where kids play are generally areas where people drive carefully and not many are above the speed limit. No need to enforce where people drive carefully and slowly.
Perhaps it's being kept up someone's sleeve after the poor council results.
iamAlegend said:
Are you just trying to wind people up top get a response or are you in some way affiliated with the government/police?
Being fairly new here I guess you've not come across PMB before. Best to just ignore him whenever he pops up on any thread like this. And, in answer to your question, yes.stemll said:
iamAlegend said:
Are you just trying to wind people up top get a response or are you in some way affiliated with the government/police?
Being fairly new here I guess you've not come across PMB before. Best to just ignore him whenever he pops up on any thread like this. And, in answer to your question, yes.Alternatively, you could try to find a fault in his logic. That's not quite so easy. I'm not saying it's impossible, but it won't be easy. Might be more productive to discuss ways in which some speed limits could be raised.
It would somehow feel better if the limits where either ruthlessly enforced, or not enforced at all.
I got done many years ago by an unmarked car in North Wales. Easy to avoid that in future, I've just never been back to North Wales. Maybe that's what they wanted.
I also got done more recently by tripod mounted camera 'hidden' off to the side of a motorway bridge. I was bowling along on pretty deserted road on a summer's evening at 85. It wasn't on the M40 but I've seen the same set-up there, nearer the Midlands end though.
That scared me as it made me realise just how easy it was to be caught. So I now drive that road at 70, when most other traffic is flashing past me at far greater speeds.
Same happens in inappropriate 30's. Easy to get done at a low speed (my daughter got done for 36 last year). I set cruise (if the road is clear) or the speed limiter (if it's busier) at a shade over 30 so as not to be ridiculous about it, but still get people either pressing against my backside (which doesn't bother me) or recklessly overtaking, usually showering my car in stones from the middle of the road and then disappearing into the distance.
I'd be surprised if the TVLC vans don't cause accidents themselves - in recent weeks I've seen them (possibly the same van) on the M40 north near Oxford and on the A34 South. Both times the vans were off to the side of bridges over bends in the road, out of normal line of sight. So they're not seen until the last minute and people (even those travelling at legal speeds) instinctively slam on their brakes when they suddenly see them.
I got done many years ago by an unmarked car in North Wales. Easy to avoid that in future, I've just never been back to North Wales. Maybe that's what they wanted.
I also got done more recently by tripod mounted camera 'hidden' off to the side of a motorway bridge. I was bowling along on pretty deserted road on a summer's evening at 85. It wasn't on the M40 but I've seen the same set-up there, nearer the Midlands end though.
That scared me as it made me realise just how easy it was to be caught. So I now drive that road at 70, when most other traffic is flashing past me at far greater speeds.
Same happens in inappropriate 30's. Easy to get done at a low speed (my daughter got done for 36 last year). I set cruise (if the road is clear) or the speed limiter (if it's busier) at a shade over 30 so as not to be ridiculous about it, but still get people either pressing against my backside (which doesn't bother me) or recklessly overtaking, usually showering my car in stones from the middle of the road and then disappearing into the distance.
I'd be surprised if the TVLC vans don't cause accidents themselves - in recent weeks I've seen them (possibly the same van) on the M40 north near Oxford and on the A34 South. Both times the vans were off to the side of bridges over bends in the road, out of normal line of sight. So they're not seen until the last minute and people (even those travelling at legal speeds) instinctively slam on their brakes when they suddenly see them.
Edited by Deva Link on Saturday 4th May 13:14
singlecoil said:
Ignore him if all you want to do is join the many here who want to rant about 'scameras' and not being able to exceed the speed limits without being caught.
Alternatively, you could try to find a fault in his logic. That's not quite so easy. I'm not saying it's impossible, but it won't be easy. Might be more productive to discuss ways in which some speed limits could be raised.
The flaw in his logic is the assumption than within the speed limit = careful and exceeding it = dangerous. Alternatively, you could try to find a fault in his logic. That's not quite so easy. I'm not saying it's impossible, but it won't be easy. Might be more productive to discuss ways in which some speed limits could be raised.
Discussing ways of rasing speed limits is fantasy.
singlecoil said:
stemll said:
iamAlegend said:
Are you just trying to wind people up top get a response or are you in some way affiliated with the government/police?
Being fairly new here I guess you've not come across PMB before. Best to just ignore him whenever he pops up on any thread like this. And, in answer to your question, yes.Alternatively, you could try to find a fault in his logic. That's not quite so easy. I'm not saying it's impossible, but it won't be easy. Might be more productive to discuss ways in which some speed limits could be raised.
).The flaw is quite simple to find. More than 70mph on a motorway is not automatically dangerous any more than 30mph outside a school at 3:15 in the afternoon is automatically safe. Blindly assuming that a number on a stick = a safe speed right now or that a machine can judge this is flawed.
Edited by stemll on Saturday 4th May 14:21
pitmansboots said:
iamAlegend said:
Are you just trying to wind people up top get a response or are you in some way affiliated with the government/police?
You know what the OP is saying makes sense! The cameras have been given the name safety cameras, but they make this road no more safe than it was before they were.
Put speed cameras where people don't speed; they don't catch any speeders, speeders are happy.You know what the OP is saying makes sense! The cameras have been given the name safety cameras, but they make this road no more safe than it was before they were.
Put police behind desks, they can catch very few criminals there, criminals are happy.
Put store detectives in the back room of shops making te tea, shoplifters are happy.
I think it's you that's the wind-up merchant...or have I got that wrong.
It seems the cameras have slowed the OP down, job done there; if others do the same, which they will, the M40 is a safer place.
king or dreaming but at or around 70 mph. You are (still) deluded. All you have here is state sponsored bullying of the citizens that pay for it, to conform to an outdated 'specfication'. Saftey on a motorway is related primarily to observation and anticipation. Low speed limits and rigid enforcement diminish both. It's only the 'business plan' related to SAC's that keeps you and your kind going. You have no actual effect on the outcome whatsoever.Dr Jekyll said:
singlecoil said:
Ignore him if all you want to do is join the many here who want to rant about 'scameras' and not being able to exceed the speed limits without being caught.
Alternatively, you could try to find a fault in his logic. That's not quite so easy. I'm not saying it's impossible, but it won't be easy. Might be more productive to discuss ways in which some speed limits could be raised.
The flaw in his logic is the assumption than within the speed limit = careful and exceeding it = dangerous. Alternatively, you could try to find a fault in his logic. That's not quite so easy. I'm not saying it's impossible, but it won't be easy. Might be more productive to discuss ways in which some speed limits could be raised.
Discussing ways of rasing speed limits is fantasy.
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