Vanishing speed cameras

[obi_waynne]

They seem to be decommissioning speed cameras down our way now. I wonder if they find it hard to maintain them or are they losing the road safety argument.

Are they disappearing in your area?

What are your thoughts on average speed cameras through road works?

 

[adam1983]

I am against speed cameras and happy that they are starting to disappear. They are a waste of time if you ask me as people will generally just slow down for the cameras and that is it. The danger with that though is people are so worried about them and getting caught that they spend more time looking at their speed than the road.
Average speed cameras through road works are fair enough so long as road works are actually taking place. The amount of times I have driven through and there are no workers there is unreal. I remember driving on the M1 many years back at 1 in the morning and being the only car for miles and was forced to travel at 50 for about 10 miles. Not one of my best memories

 

[Yugguy]

There's three of them on the A45 on my way to work. One of them has a bag on it saying Out of Use and one of them is burnt out. I guess the council hasn't got the money to fix them.

 

[Rudders666]

I don't know about speed cameras disappearing but where I live (just off the M1) they're replacing all the central reservation so from Wakefield to Leeds is all average 50mph speed cameras. I don't mind the ones that are now on the M62 that are variable speed. What I don't get is how people think that they can bomb along in the average speed camera zone and then slow down for the cameras. AVERAGE....SPEED...! People don't seem to realise that they'll still get points and a fine for doing this. At least I hope they do or that'll really be vexing

 

[T9 man]

Still plenty of them here in London unfortunately! My speed camera detector does not shut up from the moment I leave home to the moment I arrive at the office :sad2:

 

[obi_waynne]

More missing cameras down here! They seem to be giving up?

 

[T9 man]

Indeed, thus leaving a load of silly one metre spaced white lines all over the damn road

 

[HDi fun]

I am against speed cameras and happy that they are starting to disappear. They are a waste of time if you ask me as people will generally just slow down for the cameras and that is it. The danger with that though is people are so worried about them and getting caught that they spend more time looking at their speed than the road.
Average speed cameras through road works are fair enough so long as road works are actually taking place. The amount of times I have driven through and there are no workers there is unreal. I remember driving on the M1 many years back at 1 in the morning and being the only car for miles and was forced to travel at 50 for about 10 miles. Not one of my best memories

Swindon, Oxon (not really my area but I do travel round there quite requently) abandoned them a couple or more years back but accidents rates did increase notably. Or so it is reported anyway. I believe Swindon is now re-instating cameras.

I agree with the above; to a point. I find many people who are not aware of the speed limit, nor their own speed and are not really looking ahead at all. They notice a camera and bury the brake pedal needlessly. They do not understand that you cannot be fined for driving at 40mph in a 50mph limit. Perhaps some awareness would help!! Sadly these people are clinically stupid, and stupid is hard to fix.

Personally I have no problem with speed cameras as long as they are not cynically placed and the speed limits are not cynically applied by the authorities.

There is a perfect and undefeatable means to avoid being issued with a speeding ticket. My secret

 

[RobBentley]

There's a couple of cameras round here that have vanished... but I have noticed an influx of motorway cameras. Maybe they're just moving to the easy target of the motorways?

 

[HDi fun]

There's a couple of cameras round here that have vanished... but I have noticed an influx of motorway cameras. Maybe they're just moving to the easy target of the motorways?

Quite possibly true since it makes for easier targets, especially so when it comes to variable speed limit areas. I think though that there is still a degree of 'slack' in these areas. The usual ACPO guidelines are 10% + 2mph. This is probably much lower than what's applied in reality.

 

[old-git]

It is interesting that the perception is still that the cameras are placed purely for revenue collection. If people took the time to read the rules and regulations regarding the location and installation of safety cameras they may realise that cameras aren't sited just to generate revenue. There is usually strong local pressure from residents for a camera to be installed due to either real or preceived dangers to pedestrians and drivers. However, the criteria for siting a camera are pretty strict and I had to refuse many applications, even at sites where I thought they would do a job.

Of course, nothing is perfect, and some cameras get sited at inappropriate sites due to political pressure that overrules the guidelines that road safety officers work to. At the end of the day, officers have to obey their political masters.

 

[turbonutter69]

Speed camera's don't bother me at all. There are signs to tell you the road has a camera.

"OG, does the sign not have to be up x amount of time before they actually install the camera?"

Plus they've painted them all yellow. You can see them a mile off.
It's plain ignorance if people are getting caught by them. Paying attention goes a long way here.

 

[old-git]

Speed camera's don't bother me at all. There are signs to tell you the road has a camera.

"OG, does the sign not have to be up x amount of time before they actually install the camera?"

Plus they've painted them all yellow. You can see them a mile off.
It's plain ignorance if people are getting caught by them. Paying attention goes a long way here.

As far as I can remember (it is over 4 years since I retired ) ths signs went up shortly before the camera.

If you can't see the camera, warning signs and road markings then you are not concentrating enough and should consider changing to public transport.

 

[turbonutter69]

I agree with this.
I once read some years ago, that they have to have the signs up 6 months before installing the camera.
Like I say it was some years ago, so it may have changed now.
Although there are the speed camera signs on my road and they have been there over a year, yet no camera's have emerged?

As far as I can remember (it is over 4 years since I retired ) ths signs went up shortly before the camera.

If you can't see the camera, warning signs and road markings then you are not concentrating enough and should consider changing to public transport.

 

[HDi fun]

As far as I can remember (it is over 4 years since I retired ) ths signs went up shortly before the camera.

If you can't see the camera, warning signs and road markings then you are not concentrating enough and should consider changing to public transport.

Agreed and I hope you don't include me in your generalisation any more than I include you in mine

 

[old-git]

No generalisation made, as far as I can see.

I agree with this.
I once read some years ago, that they have to have the signs up 6 months before installing the camera.
Like I say it was some years ago, so it may have changed now.
Although there are the speed camera signs on my road and they have been there over a year, yet no camera's have emerged?

I am not aware of any legislation requiring a 6 month gap. After 6 months drivers would assume that cameras weren't going to be put up!

Cameras can be permanent or mobile, so you may just have missed the mobile unit when it was there.

 

[old-git]

Agreed and I hope you don't include me in your generalisation any more than I include you in mine

No generalisation made, as far as I can see.