Speed cameras M1 & M25

I have a cunning plan so as to not get caught by theses very naughty cameras .................. drive within the relevant speed limit (y)

And set your GPS to chime when at the limit...
 
Of course there is one solution to the problems created by no 10% lèeway to the 70mph limit and to accidents being caused by concerned drivers watching the speedo rather than the road - drive at 60mph! The 70mph limit is a maximum speed when safe to do so, not a target. By travelling at 60 or just a little over so as not to upset lorry drivers even if the speed drifts up a little no ticket should come through the post.
 
How do you do this to deal with the varying speed limits of the SMART motorways?

In those cases I set my brain to 'Don't ever let the b'stards be in a position to send me a ticket' mode... has worked for me up to now :)
 
How do you do this to deal with the varying speed limits of the SMART motorways?

I use cruise control. When I worked I was often up at 5-6am and on the motorway ASAP. At that time of day the motorways were empty and it was all too easy to fly past long lines of empty roadworks at speed, forgetting the odd cameras. Setting cruise control solved the problem for me.

Smart motorways means my pressing buttons to adjust the varying speed, but that's not very taxing.
 
If yo don’t have cruise control or speed alerts and your speedo is difficult to read quickly there are alternatives. There are various Heads Up Devices (HUD) that might help, some include speed alarms too. I have not needed or tried one but if you are worried about keeping to speed limits perhaps there are some practical solutions.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2cv
How do you do this to deal with the varying speed limits of the SMART motorways?

I see little problem with smart motorway speed limits, they are very clearly posted and it is easy enough to reset cruise control and speed alerts. I have more difficulty with A and B roads where limits can change every half mile 60, 40, 50, 30 etc, often with repeat warnings spaced too far apart.
 
In 99.9% of speeding offences I'm willing to bet that no one is killed, seriously injured, slightly injured, offended or even aware of the incident, they are victimless, but the clean up rate for the police is probably 99.9%. I'm also willing to bet that in 100% of cases of murders, rape, assault, burglary and fraud there is a victim and in some cases the clean up rate by the police is probably 20% and sometimes not investigated at all. The stats may be wrong but I still make the point.
 
In 99.9% of speeding offences I'm willing to bet that no one is killed, seriously injured, slightly injured, offended or even aware of the incident, they are victimless, but the clean up rate for the police is probably 99.9%. I'm also willing to bet that in 100% of cases of murders, rape, assault, burglary and fraud there is a victim and in some cases the clean up rate by the police is probably 20% and sometimes not investigated at all. The stats may be wrong but I still make the point.
I am willing to bet that the number of drivers detected going over the limit is minute compared to the number who do so on any given day. I would bet good money that off duty Police Officers, Magistrates, Judges, Camera Van operators and many more involved in the detection and prosecution of speeding offences exceed the limit sometime on their journey.
 
In 99.9% of speeding offences I'm willing to bet that no one is killed, seriously injured, slightly injured, offended or even aware of the incident, they are victimless, but the clean up rate for the police is probably 99.9%. I'm also willing to bet that in 100% of cases of murders, rape, assault, burglary and fraud there is a victim and in some cases the clean up rate by the police is probably 20% and sometimes not investigated at all. The stats may be wrong but I still make the point.

Victimless? Not in my opinion.

Statistics on reported road casualties in Great Britain for the year ending June 2018 shows, there were:

  • 1,770 reported road deaths.
  • 26,610 people killed or seriously injured.
  • 165,100 casualties of all severities
Obviously not all accidents are caused by speed but it is certainly a factor in far too many. Speed cameras are only needed because we are not very good at obeying this bit of law. Law enforcement it firstly about deterring offences and then prosecuting those that break the law. Fortunately most of us will never contemplate murder or rape and this requires an entirely different type of policing. I don’t find comparing clear up rates for different types of crime the least bit relevant in this discussion about speed cameras, though like most I wish they were higher.
 
I am willing to bet that the number of drivers detected going over the limit is minute compared to the number who do so on any given day. I would bet good money that off duty Police Officers, Magistrates, Judges, Camera Van operators and many more involved in the detection and prosecution of speeding offences exceed the limit sometime on their journey.

On a speed awareness course, the instructor said the same, also admitting that he occasionally exceeds the speed limit.

On motorways and a roads, I try to aim for 5mph below the speed limit which seems to work for me, I am no boy racer any more that's for sure and the economy benefits are fantastic.

What does bug me though is the amount of time I have to concentrate on the signage as it changes for different sections of road. For example, travelling down the A9 through Scotland yesterday, some stretches were 60, then 50, then 50 for HGVs but 60 for everybody else, then 70 on dual carriageways, then 50 on dual carriageways, even a stretch of roadworks where no signage was apparent at all.

At one point Julie shouted 'watch your speed' and I hit the brakes as we approached the speed camera, I then said "but I was only doing 55", she had thought it was a 50 limit but that was only for 7.5tonne and above (experimental limit).

I'm getting much better at not speeding. Through built up areas I tend to stay in 3rd gear rather than changing up and this helps as you want to keep the revs down whereas in 4th or 5th your speed easily creeps up. I also have the GPS set to beep at the speed limit, unfortunately on mine it tends to beep when you are 2-3 mph over the limit. Perhaps time for a more advanced GPS.
 
There was talk some time ago about declaring speed awareness courses to your insurance company, otherwise you were in breach of contract.

Not sure if this ever became law?
 
There was talk some time ago about declaring speed awareness courses to your insurance company, otherwise you were in breach of contract.

Not sure if this ever became law?
An applicant is required to answer any question truthfully on an insurance application or in the event of a claim the insurer could refuse to pay. If the insurer asks if you have attended or are waiting to attend a course then you should declare it otherwise not.
 
News from France where some feel speed cameras are solely a revenue-generating measure which takes money from the poor. It couldn't happen here could it? The enforcement has to be perceived as being proportional for cameras to be supported by the population. I believe that if the UK Police used them to enforce at exactly the speed limit action as per France could very well be repeated here.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-46822472
 
News from France where some feel speed cameras are solely a revenue-generating measure which takes money from the poor. It couldn't happen here could it? The enforcement has to be perceived as being proportional for cameras to be supported by the population. I believe that if the UK Police used them to enforce at exactly the speed limit action as per France could very well be repeated here.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-46822472

Could be a bit tricky sabotaging to the ones on the motorway gantries, which are the ones reputed to be set to zero tolerance. I think I might just try to not set one off.
 

Users who viewed this discussion (Total:0)

Back
Top