speed cameras - Page 3 - General running

Last Man Standing

24/01/2005 at 14:50

Jumpin - sure was in Warwickshire.

I agree about enforcement in built up areas - in all seriousness, I'm very careful and law abiding in 30/40/50 limits, also in motorway traffic works. Mobile phones bug me too, I drive about 35k a year and sometimes the car resembles a mobile office but I've got a handsfree kit so why can't every one else buy one and use it?! If I'm in a hire car and don't have handsfree, then I don't answer the phone.

Mutters.

24/01/2005 at 15:06

I know we all speed,i do to but if i get caught i put it down to my own stupidity, pay up and shut up. Its all the folk that moan, as if it came as a suprise that you get fined for speeding, no one even the police agree with the spots that speed cameras are put, the obviouse places are accident black spots and out side schools, but they very rarely are.
When they make cars that have speed limiters that restrict the top end speed in built up areas it may stop a lot of the problems.
Its people using the wrong lanes on motorways that realy gets up my nose.
"im doing 70 so i can sit in the second lane and not move" Even if lane one is empty.
God its hard being perfect...

ed_m (a.k.a. ultra bunny)

24/01/2005 at 15:22

"When they make cars that have speed limiters that restrict the top end speed in built up areas it may stop a lot of the problems."

when? thats easy peasy to do now.

manufacturers will only do it if theres a demand, which there isn't... or if the government/EU legislates for it.. and what government who wants to stay in power beyond the next election is going to legislate for it?!

Waapster

24/01/2005 at 15:47

I reckon the biggest change will come about from digital photo technology getting cheaper and cheaper in price. Eventually every lamppost will contain a speed camera, liked to a central database. It will be possible to lose your licence on a trip to the local newsagent.

AND they can introduce this incrementally, avoiding the general election meltdown...

Last Man Standing

24/01/2005 at 15:55

Big Brother is Watching!

They'll put speed cameras on every lampost and then they'll put cameras to watch the cameras in case they get vandalised (they already do that in some places).
Not sure they will put cameras on every lampost to catch the muggers & rapists & drug dealers though. Personally I think all people should be bar-coded on the forehead at birth, that way they could put readers all over the place and know exactly where everyone is!

JJ Flash

24/01/2005 at 15:57

They just have to track your mobile phone....

ed_m (a.k.a. ultra bunny)

24/01/2005 at 16:15

"They just have to track your mobile phone...."

which is technically illegal at present isnt it?

Waapster

24/01/2005 at 16:16

Bar-codes not needed. Facial recognition technology can already do this.

There is a camera outide East Ham station which checks every person coming out against a CD rom database of wanted persons, supplied by the police each month. If a wanted person is spotted by the camera it sounds an alarm in the Council CCTV control room and they can track the person's movements and inform the police. This has been going for at least the last 5 years. I don't know where else they are in use, but I've seen this one myself.

Waapster

24/01/2005 at 16:17

outside

JJ Flash

24/01/2005 at 16:21

"which is technically illegal at present isnt it?"

Tell that to the CIA. I am sure they are watching me. They know where I keep my jelly babies. Keep them away! Keep them away!

Waapster

24/01/2005 at 16:24

Newham Council

Last Man Standing

24/01/2005 at 17:33

Waapster - good job you have an unrecognisable face then!

Tracking of mobile phones isn't quite as accurate as 'they' would like you to believe. It can get your position down to being within a certain 'cell' or micro-cell but it can't determine if you are 'in the back alley behind number 53' in some cases cells can occupy several square miles. There are so-called experts who claim they can do exactly this and track you to within a few feet but, in my professional opinion, these guys are sharlatans, the methods they use are subject to too many variables beyond their control.

Duck Girl

pirate

24/01/2005 at 18:02

Just dont have a mobile!

MartinH

24/01/2005 at 18:25

There are a number of observations I would make.

Firstly, we live in a supposedly unified Europe, so why is it possible that I can (and do) legally trundle around at speeds double that national spped limit in England that would have me on the front page of the newspapers in England?

If the British government is so worried about the safety of the population why does it not make smoking illegal rather than trying to stir up a lame moral majority against speeding?

It is clear that the government (and I am not being partisan here because i believe any government would behave the same) want us to believe that it cares but is only prepared to do so under circumstances where its revenue is not materially reduced.

If the government was serious about road safety it would do the following:

1. Reduce the speed limit in urban areas to 20mph.
2. Ban Gatso and Radar detectors
3. Invest any funds generated from speeding offences solely into driver retraining and traffic calming.

If the governemt were then serious about not alienating motorists it would:

1. Remove cynically situated speed camera's.
2. For minor offences (say less than 20% over the posted limited) levy a fine only rather than a fine plus points.
3. For minor (but not serious offences) offer points or retraining at the drivers own expense.

As this will never happen I suggest you all visit Germany once a year and get your fast driving out of your system (and boost our tourist income).

drew

24/01/2005 at 20:42

Martin, I was in Germany a few months ago to pick up my wife's new car and was so looking forward to trying it out on the Autobahn. Unfortunately the torrential rain and thunderstorms on the drive back to the ferry ruined my plan.

But my observation was that where there was a speed limit in force, everyone was exceeding it, even in the atrocious weather. A bit like the UK!

I also think that if the government in the UK increased the speed limit dramatically there would be an immediate increase in accidents while people became accustomed to driving faster than they have been in the past.

What have you been up to anway. Not heard from your for a long long time. Still cycling as much or have you been able to start running again?

MartinH

25/01/2005 at 08:07

Hi drew

Unfortunately struggling with injury! The injury that kept me out during 2003 and 2004 finally started getting better towards the end of 2004, then I had a back injury and now another (as yet undiagnosed) knee injury which is also keeping me away from cycling (aaaagggh!). Currently keeping fit with rowing (concept 2) and weight training. Did some MTB marathons in 2004 and would like to do some this year if I can shake of the injury. Have found that I can run two days a week which is enough possibly for a duathlon.

What about yourself?

There are definitely restricted parts of the autobahn (in fact a lot) and German motorways are very bad when visibility is poor (no cats eyes). Camera's are less common here (mainly at road works) and generally there are no points if you are less than 20 kmh over the limit. Where did you pick the car up from?

You are of course right that the big difference between the UK and Germany is that because average speeds are so much higher that people tend to have a better appreciation of speed and therefore will not pull into the overtaking lane without first making bloody sure that nothing is coming.

I have driven legally (late at night on an empty four lane motorway) at 175 mph (not for a long distance) and what annoys me is that the EEC can legislate on the straightness of bananas and whether chocolate can be called chocolate but that can't seem to get any consistency in important things.............not that I am advocating imposing speed limits in Germany!

cougie

pirate

25/01/2005 at 09:58

Probably 'cos no-one is really interested in what chocolate is called so long as it tastes the same. But you tell Germans to stick to 70 or Italians that they have to look at the road in front of them, and there would be uproar.

Last Man Standing

25/01/2005 at 12:38

The Italians would be really messed up if they banned car horns. Think its about time we did exactly that, they only get used to abuse people and spark off road-rage. No one takes any notice if you use them for their intended purpose - to warn other road users you are there. Had to use mine twice in the last 10 days, got one fist and one finger for my troubles! Get rid of them I say!

Mutters.

25/01/2005 at 12:58

Lived in Germany for four years, and its good to be able to drive at speeds above 100 mph, problem is in England there's a lot of folk that cant drive at 30 mph, the standard of driving is poor, especially on the motorways. Lane discipline is something that needs to be observed when driving at high speed, also the Autobahns are less crowded than British roads, and the German motorist does tend to stick to limits when there impossed something we english seem to struggle with. And as i spent 13 years in the fire brigade cutting dead and injured folk out of cars, i have seen what a mess you end up in if it all goes wrong. And think of the poor guy or girl thats gotta tell your parents you wont be needing a present next christmas. Maybe we should all slow down a bit, and stay alive to enjoy our running..

Dustboy

pirate

25/01/2005 at 13:05

Do convictions by speed cameras count as "work returns" for our beloved police force anyone know? More popularly known as "league tables"

Would this account for making up numbers for the end of the month? Bit like car sales, end of the month approaches and you get a deal. End of the month approaches and you get a Kojak with a Kodak?

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