[TodmordenLad]

Half of UK road speed cameras are switched off

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-4186913...ws/uk-41869134

Blimey, now they tell us!?

[Kyuuseishu]

Double digits active in counties where they have triple digits in total. Who is going to risk testing it out?

Even though they say this, the fact that some are on means people will still be cautious going through them. All off in North Yorkshire though...

[willjames]

Probably too expensive to maintain. But as you say, you never know so can’t chance it.

When I did I driver awareness course earlier this year (instead of taking points) the instructors told me that they can only place speed cameras in accident black spots or where accidents have occurred...might be true but I call bullshit on that one, the reason they all sprung up in my opinion is for cash collection. For clarity, I agree they do have a place (where warranted) but the sheer numbers can’t be just at accident blackspots?

[dazwhite]

Originally Posted by willjames

Probably too expensive to maintain. But as you say, you never know so can’t chance it.

When I did I driver awareness course earlier this year (instead of taking points) the instructors told me that they can only place speed cameras in accident black spots or where accidents have occurred...might be true but I call bullshit on that one, the reason they all sprung up in my opinion is for cash collection. For clarity, I agree they do have a place (where warranted) but the sheer numbers can’t be just at accident blackspots?

I was told something similar but it's a load of bull. They also insisted they were called safety cameras

[Ajs_435d]

I got done by a temporary one near road works so that's the above comments debunked, it's true some appear off as my snooper 4zero doesn't go off.

[Kal101]

Originally Posted by willjames

Probably too expensive to maintain. But as you say, you never know so can’t chance it.

When I did I driver awareness course earlier this year (instead of taking points) the instructors told me that they can only place speed cameras in accident black spots or where accidents have occurred...might be true but I call bullshit on that one, the reason they all sprung up in my opinion is for cash collection. For clarity, I agree they do have a place (where warranted) but the sheer numbers can’t be just at accident blackspots?

Originally Posted by dazwhite

I was told something similar but it's a load of bull. They also insisted they were called safety cameras

Having seen the locations of some of the speed sorry safety cameras I’d have to agree with the calling bullshit on that one.

More about revenue , otherwise why turn them as they’re not economically viable.

Best I used to see was driving down a 40mph and just before it changed to an urban clearway and after passing through a built up area is where the milking sorry safety vans would sit.

[Hooded]

I've known for a while that almost all fixed speed cameras in the West Midlands are switched off.

There's a few new average speed cameras in the Birmingham area but not much else apart from camera vans.

[Danny Fireblade]

Yeah, but half of them are switched on.

People are always so negative. 😂

[JNW1]

Originally Posted by Kyuuseishu

Double digits active in counties where they have triple digits in total. Who is going to risk testing it out?

Even though they say this, the fact that some are on means people will still be cautious going through them. All off in North Yorkshire though...

But that article is talking about fixed cameras and to be honest I'm not sure we've ever had any of those in North Yorkshire to switch off - can't think of any near where I live (Harrogate area).

Conversely, there's an ever increasing fleet of mobile camera vans and they are a problem. Not only are there more and more of them but they often sit in places where the nature of the road makes it tempting to speed even though there's no history of accidents; net result is lots of NIP's being issued (as a quick look at the log on the North Yorkshire Police website will confirm).

[Tengocity]

If they're just to raise revenue then why don't they have them switched on?

Sounds like they don't even pay for themselves in revenue.

[JNW1]

Originally Posted by Tengocity

If they're just to raise revenue then why don't they have them switched on?

Sounds like they don't even pay for themselves in revenue.

The mobile ones in North Yorkshire certainly do and that's why their fleet of vans has continued to increase! Presumably they'll eventually reach a point where it won't be cost effective to add any more but sadly they don't appear to have reached that stage yet.

However, the thing I find interesting is there's no evidence to support the theory these vans contribute to road safety in terms of reducing either fatalities or serious injuries; as far as I can see the published statistics for North Yorkshire show no real improvement in that regard since all these mobile cameras were introduced. Perhaps if they sited them exclusively at accident blackspots - instead of where they have the highest chance of catching people speeding but where there's no danger - they might be more effective?

[evdok]

Originally Posted by Ajs_435d

I got done by a temporary one near road works so that's the above comments debunked, it's true some appear off as my snooper 4zero doesn't go off.

Thinking of buying Snooper 4ZERO Elite, do you recommend it?

[Ajs_435d]

Originally Posted by evdok

Thinking of buying Snooper 4ZERO Elite, do you recommend it?

Yeah it's a little over zealous but does everything you need, free GPS updates for life and can be tailored to your requirements.

My last speeding fines have been on unknown roads so this will help.

[JNW1]

Originally Posted by evdok

Thinking of buying Snooper 4ZERO Elite, do you recommend it?

How effective are these devices at giving advanced warning of things like mobile cameras on rural roads? I've always thought that by the time you get an alert you've probably been pinged and hence the only real defences are illegal (i.e. a jammer or Lobb's false plate solution!).

[TodmordenLad]

Originally Posted by JNW1

How effective are these devices at giving advanced warning of things like mobile cameras on rural roads? I've always thought that by the time you get an alert you've probably been pinged and hence the only real defences are illegal (i.e. a jammer or Lobb's false plate solution!).

They?re not - my Snooper device only alerts you to fixed cameras

[Ajs_435d]

Originally Posted by JNW1

How effective are these devices at giving advanced warning of things like mobile cameras on rural roads? I've always thought that by the time you get an alert you've probably been pinged and hence the only real defences are illegal (i.e. a jammer or Lobb's false plate solution!).

It seems to be fair distance to fixed ones, of course if you suspect a mobile one you'd have to slam the brakes on if your going at silly speed I doubt it's enough distance.

[Ajs_435d]

Originally Posted by TodmordenLad

They?re not - my Snooper device only alerts you to fixed cameras

You must not have a 4zero then.

[JNW1]

Originally Posted by Ajs_435d

It seems to be fair distance to fixed ones, of course if you suspect a mobile one you'd have to slam the brakes on if your going at silly speed I doubt it's enough distance.

Sort of scenario I'm thinking of is a relatively quiet rural A-road, you're not going silly speeds but are doing (say) 75mph. You come over a crest and on the other side there's a camera van; you see it and brake but in all probability it's too late by then and they've got you.

Question is, what advanced warning would the Snooper give in those circumstances; is it reliant on other cars going past the van and picking-up a signal as they get pinged? If so presumably you're stuffed if the road's quiet as potentially there are no other signals for it to pick-up!

[MarkG_M5Comp]

Originally Posted by JNW1

Sort of scenario I'm thinking of is a relatively quiet rural A-road, you're not going silly speeds but are doing (say) 75mph. You come over a crest and on the other side there's a camera van...

...or there's someone who come off their bike, or someone with a puncture or something else...

Doing 75mph you just killed them all and ruined the rest of your life. I 'safety van' is the least of your issues.



But seriously, I'm just making the point that this sort of stuff happens every day and I'm sure our 'plod' members have had enough clearing up after the mess. I'm no fan of cameras and mobile vans but I don't get the argument that we all need devices to stop us getting caught; if speeding in the wrong place/conditions then 'we' are just the people that should be rehabilitated surely?

[JNW1]

Originally Posted by MarkG_M3CP

...or there's someone who come off their bike, or someone with a puncture or something else...

Doing 75mph you just killed them all and ruined the rest of your life. I 'safety van' is the least of your issues.



But seriously, I'm just making the point that this sort of stuff happens every day and I'm sure our 'plod' members have had enough clearing up after the mess. I'm no fan of cameras and mobile vans but I don't get the argument that we all need devices to stop us getting caught; if speeding in the wrong place/conditions then 'we' are just the people that should be rehabilitated surely?

Who said anything about speeding in the wrong place or with the wrong conditions? The issue with a lot of these mobile vans is they're not placed in accident blackspots - which personally I'd fully understand and support - they're often in locations where there's no safety issue and as a consequence people are tempted to speed. The consequence of that is it leaves the feeling these devices are more about raising revenue than they are about contributing to road safety; as I said in a previous post, there's no evidence the increase in vans where I live has contributed anything to reducing fatalities or serious injuries, it's just increased the number of NIP's and people attending SAC's.

I'd also argue it's perfectly possible to be driving in an inappropriate way but within the speed limit just as it's perfectly possible to be driving in an appropriate way but over the speed limit (my definition of appropriate being what's safe as opposed to what's technically legal).

However, if you're one of those who thinks there's some sort of "rightness" to all our speed limits - and therefore dutifully comply at all times - that's fair enough. Not sure I see the point in buying an M3 CP if that's the case though!

[MarkG_M5Comp]

Originally Posted by JNW1

Who said anything about speeding in the wrong place or with the wrong conditions?

Over the brow of a (blind) hill at 75mph is the wrong place

Originally Posted by JNW1

However, if you're one of those who thinks there's some sort of "rightness" to all our speed limits - and therefore dutifully comply at all times - that's fair enough. Not sure I see the point in buying an M3 CP if that's the case though!

You got me wrong - I'm definitely not advocating following all speed limits all the time but I absolutely don't advocate bitching and moaning if caught when not following the rules....

[dazwhite]

Originally Posted by Ajs_435d

You must not have a 4zero then.

I have a 3Zero and its alerts you to fixed cameras via a database and speed traps, but only by detecting that someone has a fix on you when its probably too late. The main issue I've found is the continual false alarms or warnings you don't want!