new aproach to speeding ?

Author
Discussion

ledger

Original Poster:

1,063 posts

290 months

Friday 9th August 2002
quotequote all
Near my house the council (?) have fitted a new piece of kit, it's a screen that flashes your speed if you are exceeding the 30mph limit.

It's located on a rather nasty blind S bend which starts at the brow of a hill and ends in a mini roundabout (next to a pub so lots of "happy" people stumbling out into the road at night). There's also a concealed entrance to a train station half way through it. Anyway my point was that it would appear to be an ideal location for a money generator (sorry GATSO), but instead they have chosen to give you a warning.

Could this possibly be a change in philosophy from my local council ?, has anybody else seen these in their area ?.

mondeoman

11,430 posts

273 months

Friday 9th August 2002
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I quite like those things - make you think about wot your doing rather than pick your pocket.

Only problem is that people get used to them after a while and ignore them, so the council has to think of something new and eyecatching!

plotloss

67,280 posts

277 months

Friday 9th August 2002
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There used to be one of these when you entered the Hyde Park Corner underpass at the bottom of Park Lane. Its a dual carriageway so trying to get the sign into 3 figures is seen as a challenge by many...

Matt.

Nacnud

2,190 posts

276 months

Friday 9th August 2002
quotequote all
There's one on the North side of Bath. It's set to flash at a stupidly low speed. I've set it off with my slightly optimistic speedo indicating a shade under 30 mph.

It's always flashing - I completely ignore it now.

niggle

600 posts

273 months

Friday 9th August 2002
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Yep, they have sites for them scattered around Fife at the entrances to some of the villages.

On a few occassions, I've also seen the plod waiting at the other side for those stupid enough to ignore it.

CB-Dave

1,002 posts

267 months

Friday 9th August 2002
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There was one of those things on a recently-dropped-limit road near me, wondered what it was when I first went past it (flashing 47mph in a 40, thinking it was still a 60mph road... hmm). I went back only to see it had been 're-located' by some kids! (no doubt taking pride of place in one of their bedrooms!)

Good idea though, is this 'sensible' speed management now?

dennisthemenace

15,605 posts

275 months

Friday 9th August 2002
quotequote all
quote:

There's one on the North side of Bath. It's set to flash at a stupidly low speed. I've set it off with my slightly optimistic speedo indicating a shade under 30 mph.

It's always flashing - I completely ignore it now.



Ive been past that one when i was working round there a few months ago told me to slow down when i was reversing

king arthur

6,961 posts

268 months

Friday 9th August 2002
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There used to be one on the A4008 between Sudbury and Alperton in NW London, it was there about two months before it got replaced by a Gatso...

I see loads of smashed up cars along the side of that road, intrigued to know if they are all the result of sleep-drivers crashing into them late at night.

wot323

10 posts

268 months

Friday 9th August 2002
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They've just installed a a couple of these on the main drag from Thorpe park towards the M25. Although they've not turned them on yet it looks like one of them is also going to display your number plate.

THey probably haven't turned it on yet cos they can't get it working properly.

superlightr

12,900 posts

270 months

Friday 9th August 2002
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Excellent. At last a place you test your lazer jammer equipment and anti flash/camera number plates....

How do they work to read the number plate, is it video or something else?? maybe the lazer jammer wont work.

funkihamsta

1,261 posts

270 months

Saturday 10th August 2002
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Wouldn't you just be tempted to blat past it several times to cross check your speedo, then do a final run to see if it can display 3 figures?!

philshort

8,293 posts

284 months

Saturday 10th August 2002
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There's one of these just outside Rugby, in one of those NIMBY villages that likes to think the main road is there for their convenience only.

Its a 40 limit (though they have been pushing for 30 for years) and the damn thing flashes at you all the time. "Check your speed - 40". Crawled past it a 20 behind a tractor once - yup, it flashed.

It takes a lot of restraint not to exceed 40 now, I feel goaded by this thing every time I pass it.

I'm hoping the village will be flattened by the new airport, that'll sort 'em out.

smeagol

1,947 posts

291 months

Saturday 10th August 2002
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There is one in Donnington Village and I think its excellent. I was test driving the mini and lit the sign up having come down the hill from a NSL. "fair dues" from me and I slowed down. If it had been a gatso people would slap on the anchors and cause accidents. The light system can be used before you get to the dangerous area and allows people to slow down at proper rates making a much safer road. I think the're a very good idea.

miniman

26,290 posts

269 months

Sunday 11th August 2002
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There used to be one near me in Bathford and a couple of days after it was removed... unmarked camera cars appeared on a daily basis.

Sounds to me like testing the water to get a good idea of possible revenue.. ahem, I mean "safety issues".. before spending on enforcement

Richard92c2

464 posts

270 months

Monday 12th August 2002
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quote:

're-located' by some kids! (no doubt taking pride of place in one of their bedrooms!)



I Wonder what speed they would be checking! ..

Ok, I know I'm sick! Don't mock me ...

tvr_nut

390 posts

281 months

Monday 12th August 2002
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There was a mobile one of these on the A565 dual carriageway, where a 30mph limit was set on a contraflow. Found it useful to calibrate my speed (Lexus showing 32on the clock, detector said 28; Griff was way out, as usual!).

After a few days it stopped working (generotor out of gas?), and sat there for the next few weeks. People still slowed down for it, and then welly'd it as they went past the workmen, for whose protection the 30 limit was set - DOH!

Roop

6,012 posts

291 months

Monday 12th August 2002
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There's one of these on the way into Bishop's Cleeve in Cheltenham. Flashes up Slow Down and shows a sharp bend sign. Funt to try set it off.

charltm

2,102 posts

271 months

Monday 12th August 2002
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Since it is a good place for a warning, it is clearly not a good place for a revenue generation machine - they are only ever located in places where high speeds are safe; otherwise, they wouldn't make too much money out of all the sensible motorists.