Sandor Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 No, sorry, I, with many other people, cannot tell the difference between 49 and 51mph without looking. an average speed camera won't catch you doing 51mph indeed on most average cameras you a) have to be going a fair amount over the limit, say doing 57mph on a 50mph road and b) go through several of the cameras so it gets an accurate measurement. it won't take your picture on the first camera. generally the cameras are there to catch the absolute lunatics roaring down the road but going a few mph over it through the odd camera isn't going to get you a ticket. that said, reducing the speed is stupid. cars are a lot safer now than in the 70's...so why is the speed limit 20mph down? seems impossible to reconcile. That is a myth and shouldn't be trusted. Some local authorities will allow 10% extra, some will allow a couple of mph extra, some will allow 0.1mph extra, others will allow nothing extra. Assuming you're OK doing 32 in a 30 might work some of the time, but it won't work for a lot of cameras.Of course, you have to bare in mind that most car speedos aren't accurate. They're designed to err on the side of caution. So, if you're speedo says you're doing 33mph, you probably are actually only doing about 30mph - which will be fine for any speed camera that is set to flash at 30. there are fairly loose tolerances built in to them. it takes into consideration that not every car on the road will display speed the same. you might think you're doing 30mph on your clock but you might be doing 31 or 32. thats not unreasonable. therefore you won't get the cameras blasting you for doing 32. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
what Posted March 11, 2009 Author Share Posted March 11, 2009 an average speed camera won't catch you doing 51mphindeed on most average cameras you a) have to be going a fair amount over the limit, say doing 57mph on a 50mph road and b) go through several of the cameras so it gets an accurate measurement. it won't take your picture on the first camera. generally the cameras are there to catch the absolute lunatics roaring down the road but going a few mph over it through the odd camera isn't going to get you a ticket. It was only an example. At the end of the day, there will be a speed where you don't get flashed and a speed 1mph more where you will. Even if you know what the exact figures are, you can't tell the difference between, say, 36 and 37mph without looking at the speedo constantly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StealMySoda Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 well slower speed limit means more angry people on the road, causing more accidents Great drivers aren't always the smartest people. Nor the opposite way round :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob.derosa Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 The government will be chucked out before this is on the statute books, no worries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mouldy Punk Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 there are fairly loose tolerances built in to them. it takes into consideration that not every car on the road will display speed the same. you might think you're doing 30mph on your clock but you might be doing 31 or 32. thats not unreasonable. therefore you won't get the cameras blasting you for doing 32. Most, if not all car speedos err on the side of caution and display a lower speed than the car is actually doing. The only way the speedo would show a lower speed is if the owner had made some sort of modification (like different sized wheels) and hadn't had the speedo re-calibrated. Legally, the speed cameras aren't required to give you any wiggle room at all. The law says you can't do any more than 30mph in a 30mph limit. It is perfectly reasonable and legal for the speed camera to flash at 30.0000000...1 mph. Some camera's in some areas of the country are quite lenient and do offer the 10% wiggle room, others might offer a lesser degree, others will offer none at all. There's absolutely no guarantee what camera allows for what. Even if you don't get hit by a camera doing 2mph over the limit one day, you might the next if it has been recalibrated. For those of you who are wondering where I know this all from; My mum is a CPS lawyer and hates working the traffic courts because of the number of people who read stuff on the internet and think they have a defence. So, I'll summarize some points that I can remember at this late hour; 1. Speed cameras aren't legally required to give any leeway on the speed they flash at. A lot of them give a lot less than the popular 10% rumour, a lot give no leeway. Similarly, saying "I was only 1mph over the limit" isn't a defence. If the limit is 30, 31 is illegal regardless of how accurate you think your speedo is. 2. Saying the speed camera is wrong isn't a defence. The speed camera will have been calibrated a lot more recently and a lot more accurately than your car speedo and if the need arises, piles of paper work can be provided to prove that. Ehh...mind's gone to jelly, can't remember anything else my mum always rants about. I'm going to bed :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pilsbury Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 Most, if not all car speedos err on the side of caution and display a lower speed than the car is actually doing. The only way the speedo would show a lower speed is if the owner had made some sort of modification (like different sized wheels) and hadn't had the speedo re-calibrated. Think you confused yourself there! Speedos are allowed to over-read by law, but, not under-read. So, if it's not accurate (which it never really will do, although it can be pretty close) it will read a higher speed than you are doing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Topham Hatt Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 on my car ive set an audible warning when i go above 70mph, which is fine for the motorways, but the other roads i cant set a speed limit or anything....best solution is for cars to be more intelligent, and warn drivers of changing speed limits, like in the news mercedes :) (Y) I have always thought this would improve my driving, but no way would I want someone speaking to me. See, I like trains and perhaps the roads could learn a lot from railways. When approaching a speed restriction, IE - one that is slower than the current, the train cab creates a warning sound which has to be acknowledged/cancelled. This could be brought into cars, so when you approach a speed restiction, then there is a metal something (on railways it's a magnet) in the road to create the warning sound. Perhaps not go as far as having to cancel it though, but a simple "bing" would draw my attention to an approachng speed limit. My ford focus already has a sound as it tells me the speedometer is corrected (after all the dials falling to zero). Although this may actually help me slow down on roads as I know I drive too fast on country roads. Motorways and large A roads however, I like to travel at speed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeroday Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 Meh, if someone wants to speed, they will. Speed up when there are no cameras, slow down when there are. Now GPS and other gadgets can warn you if there is a speed camera, so this law means **** all to people who want to speed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurë Veteran Posted March 12, 2009 Veteran Share Posted March 12, 2009 THE government is to cut the national speed limit from 60mph to 50mph on most of Britain’s roads, enforced by a new generation of average speed cameras.The reduction , to be imposed as early as next year, will affect two thirds of the country’s road network. Drivers will still be able to reach 70mph on motorways and dual carriageways and 60mph on the safest A roads. Jim Fitzpatrick, the roads minister, defended the plan, which will be the most dramatic cut since 1978, when the national speed limit was reduced from 70mph to 60mph. I wonder if "two thirds" is a reasonable measure of the effects of this. Cities, towns, some A roads, motorways, dual carriageways will not be affected. That leaves mostly rural roads.. the sort that have twists and turns, no barriers, lack of maintenance. The sort you often wouldn't drive that fast down anyway, the sort where driving too fast is the main way to write off your car quickly and efficiently. “There will be some in the driving lobby who think this is a further attack and a restriction on people’s freedom,” he said. “But when you compare that to the fact we are killing 3,000 people a year on our roads, it would be irresponsible not to do something about it. I’m sure that the vast majority of motorists would support the proposals.” Enough said. The majority of people are too focused by their own concerns to put the safety of others, even themselves, first. Being late, their phone, having fun... I see people run red lights daily at a local junction at rush hour... if people can't obey the easiest rule of waiting at a red light then why does anyone think they can be trusted to pick a safe speed? Not only that but many people are very naive, they don't realise just how fast 60 or 70 is. And that's why you still get people wrapping their cars round trees. Sure cars are getting safer, but people still die. The fact of the matter is this: speed DOES kill. It makes would could have been a minor accident far more serious and the faster you are going the harder it is to avoid accidents - you have less time. It's basic maths and physics that the faster you drive the more risk you are taking. On a well maintained, flat and straight motorway with good brakes and eyesight, it's not so bad. On a twisty, potholed, narrow road it's another story. I don't know why everyone is crying about it."oh noes they are spoiling my fun". If you want to drive fast then go to a track day. Who cares about leaving the house five or ten minutes earlier? Seriously, will it really hurt you to drive at 50 rather than 60 on some roads..? I hope they review roads individually rather than have a blanket approach, and I think far more intelligent things could be done (such as curfews on young drivers), but honestly...being alive or driving too fast.. I know which I prefer.. the nastiest accidents I know of happened on rural roads and motorways... I heard that speed cameras are set to speed limit + 10% + 2mph. Unless you can find an official website or document somewhere that supports that, I wouldn't trust it. You can't expect them to take them down whenever there's no workers, they'd be pretty busy. Plus the speed limits are also there because the carriageways are often narrower when there's roadworks under way. On the M6 they use digital signs, I don't see why they can't change those on the fly. Surely it could be done via software without even requiring a human other than for the initial set up or changes to schedules. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mouldy Punk Posted March 13, 2009 Share Posted March 13, 2009 Think you confused yourself there!Speedos are allowed to over-read by law, but, not under-read. So, if it's not accurate (which it never really will do, although it can be pretty close) it will read a higher speed than you are doing. I think you're right, I did confuse myself. Like I said...I was tired :laugh: You knew what I meant though, that's the main thing (: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orange Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 Very STUPID! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
|Rapture| Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 They make you too self-conscious of your speed, so you're paying more attention to the speedo than the road. This... The fact of the matter is this: speed DOES kill. It makes would could have been a minor accident far more serious and the faster you are going the harder it is to avoid accidents - you have less time. It's basic maths and physics that the faster you drive the more risk you are taking. On a well maintained, flat and straight motorway with good brakes and eyesight, it's not so bad. On a twisty, potholed, narrow road it's another story. The government's own statistics prove that the biggest cause of accidents on our roads is drivers failing to look properly. Speeding is singled out because it's easy to detect, prove and prosecute. Any decision to change speed limits and install speed cameras is driven by money and is not a honest effort to improve the safety of our roads. But don't take my word for it, you can find the most recent government report here http://www.dft.gov.uk/162259/162469/221412...55/rcgb2007.pdf Causes of accidents start around page 39. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoJo Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 No, sorry, I, with many other people, cannot tell the difference between 49 and 51mph without looking. You don't get points for going 1mph over. It's around 5 or 6 I believe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnthonySterling Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 This...The government's own statistics prove that the biggest cause of accidents on our roads is drivers failing to look properly. Speeding is singled out because it's easy to detect, prove and prosecute. Any decision to change speed limits and install speed cameras is driven by money and is not a honest effort to improve the safety of our roads. But don't take my word for it, you can find the most recent government report here http://www.dft.gov.uk/162259/162469/221412...55/rcgb2007.pdf Causes of accidents start around page 39. Great post, and a point well made. Well worth your 1,000th post. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
what Posted March 15, 2009 Author Share Posted March 15, 2009 You don't get points for going 1mph over. It's around 5 or 6 I believe. Ok, try reading the post I made after that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussiefloyd_fan Posted March 18, 2009 Share Posted March 18, 2009 would they still catch you if you stopped at the side of the road for 10 minutes and drove through at 100mph later? :D yes they tested on mythbusters you would have to go about 278 miles per hour 447 Km h to go through un seen.... still i think it sucks. what next the put a speed limit on the autobahn to 50kmH? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
what Posted March 20, 2009 Author Share Posted March 20, 2009 You UKians need to sign this :) http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/noNSLreduction/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sethos Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 Just wait, in just two years there's no point of a car any more - They will have us driving around at walking pace all over the world. :ninja: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pilsbury Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 what next the put a speed limit on the autobahn to 50kmH? Most of the Autobahn already has speed limits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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