The great speed camera debate.

I always ride to the conditions of the road, never speed (VT will back me up on this) but always keep an eye out for cameras.

Northants seems to have more forward facing cameras than gatsos so its not so much of a problem for bikes.

I still think its just a revenue thing though.
When the police were allowed to keep the revenue from the speed cameras, more of them went up

theirs a forward facing one by me which flashes me regular hehe, bet they got loads of pictures of the front of me.

Originally Posted by kwak zzr

theirs a forward facing one by me which flashes me regular hehe, bet they got loads of pictures of the front of me.

Theres 3 just outside coventry all within 2 miles of eachother that used to go off daily when I was commuting through there.
Dont know why as I wasnt speeding officer....

Originally Posted by kwak zzr

theirs a forward facing one by me which flashes me regular hehe, bet they got loads of pictures of the front of me.

Eeek I'd be carful matey.
Remember in the news when that guy got caught doing a wheelie through a forward facing cam.
You can still be caught but that's just advice.

Camaras as said you only get caught if your not paying attention.
When you see the signs just slow down.

There is one on the route I take to the Cat & Fiddle you come around a left hand bend and onto an open stretch. The trees have grown so much that it is fully covered over at the back and can only be seen from the opposite direction

I'll admit they've worked where they have put them up round here but we don't have lot. The A9 has a few but it doesn't slow anyone down or stop the fatalities.
i have no problem with them but they should use the money to get more officer and education and implmentation of other pilot measures - but that my day job!

best way to slow people down is speed humps.
Speed bumps slow down everyone but they cost and dont generate.
Same goes with the single flow narrow points.

In part of my job I design residential housing estates, and by law we now have to design a road so that 30mph is damn near impossible be it thru corners or speed humps we've got to look after the kiddies. Footpaths are designed to encourage people to park on them, thus making the road narrower and slowing traffic down even further.

There are ways to slow people down that still cost the offender money if they fail to comply but the fat cats would get sod all for installing them. That is all.

Originally Posted by leedsmatt7

best way to slow people down is speed humps.
Speed bumps slow down everyone but they cost and dont generate.
Same goes with the single flow narrow points.

In part of my job I design residential housing estates, and by law we now have to design a road so that 30mph is damn near impossible be it thru corners or speed humps we've got to look after the kiddies. Footpaths are designed to encourage people to park on them, thus making the road narrower and slowing traffic down even further.

There are ways to slow people down that still cost the offender money if they fail to comply but the fat cats would get sod all for installing them. That is all.

Well can you use more chicanes than speed bumps? Anybody else noticed how much more you spend on shock absorbers, coil springs, drop links, etc? And you just get idiots trying to get back up to 30mph between each bump, and if like me you don't, everyone behind starts going all road rage on you 'cos your too slow.

Originally Posted by -Ralph-

Well can you use more chicanes than speed bumps? Anybody else noticed how much more you spend on shock absorbers, coil springs, drop links, etc? And you just get idiots trying to get back up to 30mph between each bump, and if like me you don't, everyone behind starts going all road rage on you 'cos your too slow.

lol, the amount of times I've been asked that same thing. Thats not up to me or my employer unfortunatly its up to the council which the development will be in and to the developer them selves. A speed hump costs a lot less than a build out.
Personally I prefer developments in Calderdale, their council utilise the square speed humps, ideal if your on a bike and fine if your in a car and know where the wheels line up to 30/35mph no trouble they basically enforce the speed limit. The massive channel to channel humps realistically have you reduced to 20mph which means lots of people hitting the brakes and Yorkie Chris, Dizzyblonde etc will all testify they have a lot of hills in Calderdale and in winter those hills get icey (not good for the heavy braking).

[northwind]

Originally Posted by Jabba

My own view is that they divert a driver's attention from the road ahead onto his/her speedo. Studies have shown that the average driver (i.e. most of us, no matter how good we think are!) diverts his/her eyes to the sppedo three times during time it takes to pass the markings on the road. That can't be right. Or safe.

The problem here is people's attitude to speed. If you treat the speed limit like a target and HAVE to drive everywhere at 70mph, then you spend a lot of time looking at your speedo. If you're happy to travel at 65-70mph, that's not a problem. People do look at their speedos too much as they pass cameras, because they're idiots.

Originally Posted by specialone

IMO, they are only there as a cheap alternative to officers on the streets, they do not catch uninsured drivers, untaxed vehicles, drink or drug drivers, illegal drivers etc etc
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You could phrase that "Speed cameras allow forces to dedicate their efforts in other areas such as catching muggers".

But the thing is, it should never be a choice "speed cameras or traffic plod" because speed cameras are self funding. They don't ever take resources away from the forces because they're paid for entirely seperate. Some forces have chosen to diminish their traffic patrols but they didn't have to, they're just doing what they can with their resources.

Got caught recently by a camera doing 35 in a 30 zone in the car. Hands up, my own fault, fair enough. Anyhoo, I was offered a speed awareness course rather than points and duly accepted. Didn't help that I left it well late to get there, so had to take the bike and ride 'spiritedly' to get there on time..... quick tip - arriving to a speed awareness course, in leathers, panting... doesn't go down well

In the course we had a hazard awareness section - look at a picture for 10 seconds and then identify a hazard. I went 2nd and stated the obvious and listened as everyone else went. After the last one, the conversation went a little like this:

Me: 'And not one of you lot spotted the speed camera'
Fellow perp: 'But a speed camera is not a hazard'
Instructor: 'Yes it is because people slam on the brakes to slow down'
Me: 'So, tell me more about these 'safety' cameras'. (the bit I wish I had said)

On the whole though, I have yet to come across blatant money generator static cameras, so have little issue with them.