Speed camera information for drivers on M6, M56, M60 and M62

Interesting comments folks,
However in Notts the Traffic dept got reduced by 50 odd to bolster up lcal cops to deal with burglaries, violent crime etc.
With that happening camera's seemed to breed in all the hotspots.
I totally agree with driving to the conditions (Steve and John refer to this), and another good point made is that of training after passing the basic test.
I also smile when people complain of getting done for speeding or other traffic offences. The law in this area seems quite clear cut to me, so why moan?

I would like all areas where a speed limit is imposed to have regular repeater speed limit signs at the side of the road. I would also like to see positive action to ensure that speed limit signs are not hidden by trees and bushes.

When on unfamiliar roads, driving at 30 in a 40mph area just in case it is a 30 mph limit is a burden to all traffic as well as being embarrasing.

Derek

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I also smile when people complain of getting done for speeding or other traffic offences. The law in this area seems quite clear cut to me, so why moan?

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Clear cut as in inflexible?

Yes. I'm lucky so far, my licence is clean, but I'd object to being penalised for exceeding the speed limit on an open straight road, a road that doesn't have a history of accidents while boy racers continue to take corners too quickly (still possibly within the speed limit) with front fog lamps blazing away - this is an offence that is never penalised and is dangerous because it makes speed and distance of the offending vehicle difficult to perceive.



Regards,

Steve.

Plod: Have you any idea what speed you were doing sir?

Good driver: 85 in a 70 in clear conditions officer. I hold up my hands! I don't think it was dangerous though.

Plod: No your driving was spot-on except the speed. You kept your distance, moved back to the inside lane after each overtaking manoevre, used your mirrors and indicators each time you changed lanes - more than I can say for some of the other idiots who, whilst driving more slowly than you were tailgating other vehicles in the middle lane before moving out and cutting up vehicles in the outside lane including you. You handled that one very well, btw.

Good driver: Are you going to do any of them?

Plod: No, too much paper work.

Good driver: What about me? You've admitted that I posed a danger to no-one.

Plod: You were still breaking the law so here's your fixed penalty notice. My job is done.



Regards,

Steve.

Steve,
Until the law changes then we are stuffed.
The speeding offences are supposed to be preventative - not reactive. In other words regardlesss of how late you are/how well you can drive etc you don't go above the limit set.

I do see your point re motorways - the limit was set when vehicles were not designed etc to cope with such speeds. But I built up areas I don't agree. If anything I agree with others re a potential reduction.
Also, If you get stopeed for speeding, dependant on location/time of day-night etc may that not lead to the drink/drugged driver mentioned?

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I know I'm a brilliant driver who can handle a car. Of course accidents don't happen to me I can handle them.

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Well Tom, if the first were true then you certainly wouldn't be saying the second.
As you're new to driving get yourself onto a course where you can find out the limits of both yourself and your car safely. Once you know those limits you will also hopefully know not to go near them on public roads.
As for the incompetent drivers you may meet along the way, the best way to deal with them is by making allowances in your driving not only for any mistakes you may make but for the mistakes of others as well.

isn't that an RX8?

Alex said "My cars computer tells me I average 11mph on a good day"

You are Michael Knight and I claim my £5.

Matthew
Who had his licence revoked this morning so can't speed even if he wanted to

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Originally posted by Tom Alves:
John, you're an Australian so you might'nt get irony when you see it .

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I think you're confusing Australians with Americans. Don't worry, I did realise you weren't talking about yourself. The advice still stands though. There's always more to learn.

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Until the law changes then we are stuffed.

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So you agree that the law needs to change regarding motorways and good dual carriageways?

I agree with you about built-up areas, btw. I rarely speed in built up areas except late at night and only once I'm well away fom the drunken pedestrian zone (i.e: the vicinity of nightclubs/takeaway outlets) even then I'm talking no more than about 10mph over.

I nearly ran into a stag on Cannock Chase about two hours ago. I was doing 45 in a 60 zone because deer have a poor knowledge of the Green Cross Code and tend to demolish cars on impact.



Regards,

Steve.

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Matthew
Who had his licence revoked this morning so can't speed even if he wanted to

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I didn't know you drove Matthew. Pray tell, have you been a naughty boy?

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Also, If you get stopeed for speeding, dependant on location/time of day-night etc may that not lead to the drink/drugged driver mentioned?

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Andy,

The problem is that drink drivers tend to drive by the book (apart wandering across the road a bit and over-compensating for obstacles). They are annoyingly slow and all-too-frequently I tend to get stuck behind them - at this time of year in particular.

They are still a menace though because their reaction times are poor and they are unpredictable.

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I would like all areas where a speed limit is imposed to have regular repeater speed limit signs at the side of the road. I would also like to see positive action to ensure that speed limit signs are not hidden by trees and bushes.

When on unfamiliar roads, driving at 30 in a 40mph area just in case it is a 30 mph limit is a burden to all traffic as well as being embarrasing.

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Derek,

I totally agree, and why can't the cameras (GATSOs) themselves, as well as being painted bright reflective yellow, also show the speed limit on the back of them?

Regards,

Steve.

[This message was edited by Steven Toy on SUNDAY 07 December 2003 at 03:58.]

Steven -- I have been driving for nearly 20 years.

My license has been revoked because the DVLA seems to have lost the information from my doctor confirming that although I have Diabetes I am not likely to fall into a coma on the M1.

Matthew

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So you agree that the law needs to change regarding motorways and good dual carriageways?

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Not really, until people learn the other aspects of motorway driving properly - lane discipline, distance between the car in front and you etc. And how would you determine a speed limit on motorways depending on time of day/traffic flow? People have enough problems recognising what the limits are now nevermind introducing more restrictions/variations.

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The problem is that drink drivers tend to drive by the book (apart wandering across the road a bit and over-compensating for obstacles). They are annoyingly slow and all-too-frequently I tend to get stuck behind them - at this time of year in particular.

They are still a menace though because their reaction times are poor and they are unpredictable.

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If you can predict the local drink/drugs driver by this method you need to let the local cops know!
Seriously driving is a divided attention task, and introducing drink/drugs to this means drivers concentrate on keeping cars in a straight line etc, and forget the things like wearing a seat belt/indicating/ going to fast-slow for the speed limit set etc. This is because the gross-motor skills employed with driving take over brcause the brain is not able to process the other divided attention tasks per se...
This is akin to walking - when sober you can keep in a straight line and take in other things happening a round you. When drunk you are lucky to be able to keep the line straight and the pace constant, nevermind note what else is happening around you.
So Steve the local plod 'should' be interested in your driver going too slow as well as the ones driving erratically.

Speed limits in built up areas are too high for the most part whereas those on motorways are too low. This doesn't factor in the piss poor standard of driving in the UK (I can't speak for other countries).

Even a 20mph limit doesn't entilte you to drive at 20. It's merely the speed above which you will be nicked - if you get court.

I've done advanced driving courses. It has taught me how to drive better - but has it made me a better driver? Of course not. It doesn't work like that because I'm just as capable of making a mistake as I ever was when I'm tired distracted or irritated.

We are all bad drivers some of the time. Speed doesn't have much to do with it in absolute terms but inappropriate speed is commonly a factor in bad driving. Too fast and too slow.

I think that UK speed limits and their methods of enforcement have little to do with helping us avoid accidents - but that's the law and we all know how to stay within it.

Just my £0.02

Harry

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Originally posted by mike lacey:
The Kings Road in Reading is usually full of slow moving traffic. There is a Bus pull in at one end, big yellow lines etc. This pull in frequently has parked in it a Police van with speed camera in it.

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Correct - up near the college.

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Originally posted by mike lacey:
In 5 1/2 years on working in The Kings Road, I never saw a single accident.

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Are you SURE you worked on Kings Road? I lived there from 1997-2000 (in the house right opposite the pelican crossing by the main college campus - yep - the house that looked like it was about to fall down (rented flat!). I heard about 6 crashes during my time, got photos (from 3 floors up - good vantage point) of 2 of them - shunts and bumps - and had to walk around a blood/skull/brainmatter puddle that used to be a motorcyclist while walking home from work once (I almost literally stood in it - his remains (he died instantly - after going in one side of a Volvo and half out the other side) barring this puddle had just been taken away when I got there, and I saw the remains of the Volvo being put on the recovery truck. I'd imagine there were a lot more crashes I didn't see...

And then there's always the tossers who think it's their right to jump those aforementioned pelican lights - hope that guy's Merc needed a new door when I kicked it with my toe-tectors that time the bastard nearly ran me down (I was halfway across on green man).

__________________________
Make your choice, adventurous Stranger;
Strike the bell and bide the danger
Or wonder, till it drives you mad,
What would have followed if you had.

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Anyway, you could start with Roadcraft

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And I wonder just how many of those with strong opinions here have read it?

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So it's not so much me I need to worry about on a clear road but me meeting incompetent drivers who can't deal with my startling ability.

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But Tom, startling ability in a driver is the ability to deal with others incompetence

It's all in your driving plans; What you can see, what you can't see, and what you can reasonably expect to happen.

These days reasonable expectation involves astonishingly unreasonable behaviour by just about everyone else.

Andy.

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Exactly, one of the reasons I don't have a car down here

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I can't remember the last time I actually went out for a drive and actually enjoyed it.

There's no doubt the south east is getting far worse and my recent jaunt to the rural surroundings of Wigan (well, close to anyway!) made me realise that there's some much more pleasant areas on the planet.

In fact the only thing that's returned some joy to my daily travels is a new in-car CD player that plays mp3's, allowing me my own little radio station on the move, without the banal chat or adverts

Andy.