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Thoughts On Speed Cameras


btorz
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My journey to work takes me through one of the most speed camera intensive routes that I know - A12 - Blackwall Tunnel - A2. There must be 10 cameras over a distance of roughly 20 miles. Having regularly observed the behaviour I would like to make a few points:

I know where the cameras are so I ensure that if I have to slow down, it is gradual and normally using the gears on the inside lane so that people can overtake if they want to. Others are not so considerate; heavy sudden breaking, 'undertaking', swerves into other lanes etc. are all dangerous and cause an additional hazard that would not be there if the cameras were absent.

Just checking the speed does not check how people are driving. Every day I see exceptionally stupid driving, frankly, some of it from me when frustration overcomes my desire to be safe. Due to the total absence of police (I can’t remember the last time I saw a patrol car, marked or otherwise), this is doomed to continue.

Conclusion: A road that was previously free flowing has been made dangerous and 'lumpy' by the addition of an excessive number of cameras. Dangerous driving is totally ignored but I bet that the revenue is fantastic (I see several flashes a day on my short journey). Where will the revenue go? More cameras I suspect.

P.S. If anybody has accident stats for this road (before and after the cameras) I would be very interested to hear them.

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My journey to work takes me through one of the most speed camera intensive routes that I know - A12 - Blackwall Tunnel - A2. There must be 10 cameras over a distance of roughly 20 miles. Having regularly observed the behaviour I would like to make a few points:

I know where the cameras are so I ensure that if I have to slow down, it is gradual and normally using the gears on the inside lane so that people can overtake if they want to. Others are not so considerate; heavy sudden breaking, 'undertaking', swerves into other lanes etc. are all dangerous and cause an additional hazard that would not be there if the cameras were absent.

Just checking the speed does not check how people are driving. Every day I see exceptionally stupid driving, frankly, some of it from me when frustration overcomes my desire to be safe. Due to the total absence of police (I can’t remember the last time I saw a patrol car, marked or otherwise), this is doomed to continue.

Conclusion: A road that was previously free flowing has been made dangerous and 'lumpy' by the addition of an excessive number of cameras. Dangerous driving is totally ignored but I bet that the revenue is fantastic (I see several flashes a day on my short journey). Where will the revenue go? More cameras I suspect.

P.S. If anybody has accident stats for this road (before and after the cameras) I would be very interested to hear them.

btorz, slightly :offtopic:

have you noticed - the two cameras on the a406 going east towards ilford have been taken away - and a new one has been put on the elevated section going over barking - that camera doesnt stop flashing - when i first went passed it a few months ago it flashed me :crybaby: - i was certain that i was not going over 50 and was :angry: , but then the next time i went past it it flashed me again :angry::angry: - anyway i keep seening it flash even when there is no cars - there are too many cameras that do this!! I think its to get you to think that there is no film then one day bam!! they will slap a film in it :angry::angry:

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I don't disagree; show me one near a school or on a sharp bend in a side road; I would love to see them. Then count the ones on 6 lane A roads. Which ones make the most revenue as opposed to saving lives?

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i totaly agree with speed cameras outside of schools, hospitals etc but im fed up of being a cash cow to the govenment.

The ones on the A2 are totaly excessive. To make it worse on monday night kent police had their little hit squads out (in adition to their cameras), i turn a quiet corner to find 14, yes 14 police officers making me pull over. They decided to stop and search me, and after having 14 police officers go over my car they decided to give me a lecture on paying road tax etc??? i have a brand new 12 months licence?.

So police the are wasting money paying for 14 officers to waste peoples time on a street corner, so why do we not think that they are making plenty from their cameras!

But with the cameras they have also caused a lot of accidents from what i have seen. i have seen about 5 mini pile ups when someone reacted to a camera on the a2, i used it every day on a bike for about a year. Perhaps the police are trying to make work for themselves?

In conclusion, speed cameras are a good idea, just they were put in the hands of people with ££££ and statistics in their minds. And as we all know statistics can prove anything!! so screw cameras and implement their use properly to protect and not to fleece!

i will get off my soap box now, thank you. lol :whistling:

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I don't understand why specs type cameras aren't used more.

That's something that I have been wondering. SPECS does actually make people drive below the speed limit, without making them jump on the brakes. They've got them on the ring road in Nottingham, and the traffic remains at a constant 40MPH without any heavy braking.

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I don't understand why specs type cameras aren't used more.

That's something that I have been wondering. SPECS does actually make people drive below the speed limit, without making them jump on the brakes. They've got them on the ring road in Nottingham, and the traffic remains at a constant 40MPH without any heavy braking.

Agree!

Get rid of Gatso's and bring in more SPECS.

Ideally....get rid of all Speed cameras :ph34r:

....and only have them at accident black spots and schools/hospitals.

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