I am happy to stick to the law but it is getting harder, in some places it’s seems the law is a bit of a secret or even covert – I drive a lot and find I have to default to 30mph regularily in unfamiliar roads as the speed limit is not signposted or in some cases ambiguous. The A259, westbound between Newhaven and Brighton – an unrestricted sign post at an angle contradicts the 40mph limit – how do I stick to a law which is not visible?

If I get hit four times by one of these cameras, I lose my job, my income and so on. The idea that someone is deliberately out to achieve this is the bit that grates the most.

I think visible speed cameras have made driving a lot more chilled as it gives weight to the majority who don’t rag it around recklessly – the idea that speed cameras, covert or not, will affect that minority is frankly childish.

One of the first SPECS systems was put up on the A77 in Ayrshire. A road well known for having a high number of serious road accidents.
The cameras have resulted in a big reduction.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/7063527.stm

And regardlewss of what the stats say the road is far more pleasant to drive now. Everyone drives at the limit whereas before there were many drivers doing 90mph plus.

SPECS? I’m all for them.

On the other hand when any sane person ‘perceives’ the resprayed van to be a disguise to allow the speed (sorry ’safety’) cameras to be more ‘effective’ the response is “No, no you`ve got it all wrong, it`s just that the white vans need cleaning more often so we`ve painted them blue so it cuts down on the water bill, it`s actually greener, for the environment like.”

As for the horse box there`s more the whiff of bull-sh*t about that than horse-sh*t.

It`s another example of the police being pushed into ever more creative ways up getting their stats rate up under pressure from government. The same government that we are told today is routinely reducing 7 year-olds to tears because of all the SAT tests.

About par for the course in Tony Brown/Gordon Blairs world.

“SPECS Speed Cameras

SPECS average speed camera systems utilise state of the art video system with Automatic Number Plate Reading (ANPR) digital technology. Consisting of a minimum of two cameras each fitted with infra red illuminators fitted on gantries above the road, so they can work day or night. SPECS speed cameras work out the vehicles average speed, given the time it takes to drive between the two camera positions.”

Basically you can thrash past the first camera dong 110mph then slow right down to 40 before you hit the next camera so you average speed is 70 or lower.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7048645.stm
http://www.speedcamerasuk.com/SPECS.htm

Something like 80,000 motorists caught the fist day it was introduced on one particular stretch of road.

There’s a saying, ”We make important what we can measure because we can’t measure what’s important”. And for the last decade or so, that’s what’s been happening in this country to the detriment of all other road skills.

Ted says:- “Don’t break the law and there’s nothing to worry about.”

That’s a great sentiment, but if someone goes to Court on a speeding charge, he can almost guarantee that everyone in that room, from the Magistrate down, has broken the Speeding Laws. The defendant is the unlucky one who was caught. And almost certainly he wasn’t driving at an inappropriate speed for the conditions.

I’m not perfect. I speed sometimes. Like most people I exceed 70mph on a quiet motorway. I don’tI exceed 80mph (talking true speed as opposed to indicated here).
Around town? Pretty much at the limit. Speeding only gets you to the next set of lights or slow moving vehicle quicker anyway. Most urban roads have too many hazards to drive safely much above the limit anyway.

If I got a speeding ticket I’d be annoyed at myself, shrug my shoulders, and pay it. Hasn’t happened yet.

Don’t break the law and there’s nothing to worry about.

“This sign is guaranteed to strike fear, loathing or even possibly caution into most drivers,/i>”
Disdain and contempt more like, not your fault but there you go, good post btw.

No points on my License.