A9 average speed cameras
Discussion
Aren't they introducing the 50mph rule for trucks at the same time? It's just a ridiculous way to go about things but very typical of the current Scottish government; 'ooh look, no-one has responded positively to our proposal...let's do it anyway'. People are already braking and sitting at 45mph and at times, especially near Dunkeld/Birnam the speed gets down to 35-30mph as everyone is now driving bumper to bumper. They've even got them on the few overtaking sections of dual lane. How in God's name is that supposed to help?! All it now means is that the slowest car will be the pace setter and, unless you feel like working your way through a line of 200 cars and trucks sitting nose to tail, you now have to do their speed. And that includes hitting the brakes for the Gatso's despite them only actually doing 45mph as it is. I can see it taking longer to get to Ullapool at the end of this year than it did before they upgraded the A9 to bypass all the villages on the way up. The reality is that speed isn't the issue, but tiredness, ill tempers, bad driving and impatience are. These things aren't going to be helped by a few SPECS and will now probably be worse as everyone looks at their speedo constantly rather than at the road for hazards. Crazy.
Exactly - the whole 'speed kills' message just brings so many people to the conclusion that keeping to the speed limit makes you safe - regardless of whether you're looking at your speedo half the time, or driving within a few metres of the vehicle in front.
From anecdotal evidence I get from all the news reports on accidents, it seems that people on the wrong side of the wrong, either because of badly judged overtaking or confusion as to which side of the road is the correct one, are the biggest cause of the A9's serious accidents
From anecdotal evidence I get from all the news reports on accidents, it seems that people on the wrong side of the wrong, either because of badly judged overtaking or confusion as to which side of the road is the correct one, are the biggest cause of the A9's serious accidents
On a recent drive on the A9 from Inverness to Perth I noticed that many drivers appeared to be driving as if the cameras were active which was causing more than the average long slow moving convoys of vehicles.This was then resulting in more than the average number of kamikaze overtakes that I normally witness.
So if my observations are anything to go by, when the cameras are actually in operation they will not only make the journey longer but also more dangerous.
So if my observations are anything to go by, when the cameras are actually in operation they will not only make the journey longer but also more dangerous.
I usually avoid the A9 but had to drive down it last weekend and I rarely got above 50. Huge tailbacks resulting in folk getting frustrated and doing dodgy overtakes. Ended up at a standstill for an hour due to a multiple vehicle accident, luckily no-one seriously hurt though. Then to top off my journey a guy managed to flip his car onto it's roof on the M90!
Was on A9 yesterday for a short time noticed the camera around the Carrbridge area and as we got on to the dual everyone went haywire trying to overtake but as usual one at front sat there result.. convoy on dual then all back to 50 ish on road . This when it comes will be the norm... Just rubbish especially when the trucks will be allowed to do 50 not that they are doing that at the the moment lol
Sure this was raised earlier 
Anyway, they ain't gonna dual the A9 now that the average speed cams are doing such a sterling job at slowing the traffic to safe levels EVEN BEFORE THEY ARE ACTIVE.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-is...
"Transport Minister Keith Brown said: "The A9 Safety Group is clear that average speed cameras are effective in saving lives and this is backed up by the facts"
You get what you vote for. Numpties. Dangerous numpties.
PS Notice the way the European Region has been quietly added in there between member for and party. Just you wait, next year a lot of people are going to get a shock when applying for planning permission and find out that the first shift to euro regional administration are the planning departments, all done on the quiet...
Anyway, they ain't gonna dual the A9 now that the average speed cams are doing such a sterling job at slowing the traffic to safe levels EVEN BEFORE THEY ARE ACTIVE.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-is...
"Transport Minister Keith Brown said: "The A9 Safety Group is clear that average speed cameras are effective in saving lives and this is backed up by the facts"
You get what you vote for. Numpties. Dangerous numpties.
PS Notice the way the European Region has been quietly added in there between member for and party. Just you wait, next year a lot of people are going to get a shock when applying for planning permission and find out that the first shift to euro regional administration are the planning departments, all done on the quiet...
I was in Bristol over the weekend, so experienced the A9 with these cameras twice over the Dunblane-Inverness stretch. A number of things come to mind. First off, given that the cameras are supposed to act as a 'deterrent' to speeding, why do they have multiple signs informing everyone that they're not active yet? Secondly, the spacing seems fairly random, some are within a couple of miles of one another, others are much further apart. Many have lengths of dual-carriageway between them but are not immediately either side, i.e., significant lengths of both. How do you keep track of your average speed when you've been in a tailback for ages? Do you just go for it when the road opens up?
A couple of the above reflect my lack of understanding of how they work. Is your average speed just measured between pairs or can it be between any pair (thinking of dual-carriageway and open road scenarios again)? Will this mean that the overtaking lanes will be become useless as no-one will want to go much above 60?
It's fairly difficult to average over 60 for a huge length of the road due to traffic but for shorter stretches, surely most cars do?
Thinking it may be a good idea for an app that tracks your speed between each and all of the cameras?
A couple of the above reflect my lack of understanding of how they work. Is your average speed just measured between pairs or can it be between any pair (thinking of dual-carriageway and open road scenarios again)? Will this mean that the overtaking lanes will be become useless as no-one will want to go much above 60?
It's fairly difficult to average over 60 for a huge length of the road due to traffic but for shorter stretches, surely most cars do?
Thinking it may be a good idea for an app that tracks your speed between each and all of the cameras?
They don't cover the dual carriageway sections.
From recent trips on the A9 they seem to be in sections where there are more junctions and that are normally a bit slower. E.g. End of DC north of Perth to past Bankfoot, then around the Dunkeld junctions and up towards the Ballinluig DC. Round the Pitlochry bye-pass bit etc, etc.
From recent trips on the A9 they seem to be in sections where there are more junctions and that are normally a bit slower. E.g. End of DC north of Perth to past Bankfoot, then around the Dunkeld junctions and up towards the Ballinluig DC. Round the Pitlochry bye-pass bit etc, etc.
JM said:
They don't cover the dual carriageway sections.
From recent trips on the A9 they seem to be in sections where there are more junctions and that are normally a bit slower. E.g. End of DC north of Perth to past Bankfoot, then around the Dunkeld junctions and up towards the Ballinluig DC. Round the Pitlochry bye-pass bit etc, etc.
This was my understanding, having driven Perth - Ballinluig and back again last week.From recent trips on the A9 they seem to be in sections where there are more junctions and that are normally a bit slower. E.g. End of DC north of Perth to past Bankfoot, then around the Dunkeld junctions and up towards the Ballinluig DC. Round the Pitlochry bye-pass bit etc, etc.
Was painful coming back down past Bankfoot in a tailback behind a Poundland artic doing 38 on the speedo
The only vehicles which overtook (and mainly at far higher speeds, some into 3 figures) were bikes - are the specs (when eventually operational) still blind to these as they have no front plate???
My understanding is the cameras don't cover the dual carriageways and its only between cameras.
Unfortunately the average speed may have gone down (sometimes to a snails pace)and that is seen as a success by some it hasn't stopped people getting killed. So I think you will find over the years it will get dualed. Present estimate is approx £3bn and the surveying is find so difficult stretches, not to mention a couple of the new Beuly Deny towers in the way thro Drumochter.
Unfortunately the average speed may have gone down (sometimes to a snails pace)and that is seen as a success by some it hasn't stopped people getting killed. So I think you will find over the years it will get dualed. Present estimate is approx £3bn and the surveying is find so difficult stretches, not to mention a couple of the new Beuly Deny towers in the way thro Drumochter.
I drive the A9 daily and on every journey, will see the usual trail of cars plodding along behind a slow moving vehicle.
These convoys go on for mile after mile, frustration and risky overtaking kick in and on numerous occasions, the inevitable accident results.
The Highway Code clearly states ( Using the road, section 169 );
" Do not hold up a long queue of traffic, especially if you are driving a large or slow moving vehicle. Check your mirrors frequently and if necessary, pull in where it is safe and let traffic past"
If this part of the Highway Code was followed and enforced, much of the frustration on the road would be reduced, journeys would be a good deal safer and the perceived need for speed cameras would all but disappear!
These convoys go on for mile after mile, frustration and risky overtaking kick in and on numerous occasions, the inevitable accident results.
The Highway Code clearly states ( Using the road, section 169 );
" Do not hold up a long queue of traffic, especially if you are driving a large or slow moving vehicle. Check your mirrors frequently and if necessary, pull in where it is safe and let traffic past"
If this part of the Highway Code was followed and enforced, much of the frustration on the road would be reduced, journeys would be a good deal safer and the perceived need for speed cameras would all but disappear!
I would agree, and to be fair to a lot of the high profile transport drivers they seem to do that. The Tesco's the Morrisons etc. it seems to be a lot of the private ones that don't and they also create mobile roadblocks by getting so close to the back of another lorry that you can't overtake one at a time.
If the HC was enforced it would be a much better road, in all the 10 years I have been driving the A9 Inverness to central belt sometimes 3 times a week in the early days, I think I could probably count on 2 hands the number of traffic cops I have seen
If the HC was enforced it would be a much better road, in all the 10 years I have been driving the A9 Inverness to central belt sometimes 3 times a week in the early days, I think I could probably count on 2 hands the number of traffic cops I have seen
s4avant said:
I drive the A9 daily and on every journey, will see the usual trail of cars plodding along behind a slow moving vehicle.
These convoys go on for mile after mile, frustration and risky overtaking kick in and on numerous occasions, the inevitable accident results.
The Highway Code clearly states ( Using the road, section 169 );
" Do not hold up a long queue of traffic, especially if you are driving a large or slow moving vehicle. Check your mirrors frequently and if necessary, pull in where it is safe and let traffic past"
If this part of the Highway Code was followed and enforced, much of the frustration on the road would be reduced, journeys would be a good deal safer and the perceived need for speed cameras would all but disappear!
Unfortunately there are signs on the A82, LOCH NESS area about letting faster traffic overtake. Might as well site garden Gnomes. These convoys go on for mile after mile, frustration and risky overtaking kick in and on numerous occasions, the inevitable accident results.
The Highway Code clearly states ( Using the road, section 169 );
" Do not hold up a long queue of traffic, especially if you are driving a large or slow moving vehicle. Check your mirrors frequently and if necessary, pull in where it is safe and let traffic past"
If this part of the Highway Code was followed and enforced, much of the frustration on the road would be reduced, journeys would be a good deal safer and the perceived need for speed cameras would all but disappear!
Stwdv said:
I would agree, and to be fair to a lot of the high profile transport drivers they seem to do that. The Tesco's the Morrisons etc. it seems to be a lot of the private ones that don't and they also create mobile roadblocks by getting so close to the back of another lorry that you can't overtake one at a time.
If the HC was enforced it would be a much better road, in all the 10 years I have been driving the A9 Inverness to central belt sometimes 3 times a week in the early days, I think I could probably count on 2 hands the number of traffic cops I have seen
That's a surprise that you say that. I too have been driving the A9 regularly for years, particularly at peak times and more often than not I would spot a traffic car or van at some point, often around Drumochter.If the HC was enforced it would be a much better road, in all the 10 years I have been driving the A9 Inverness to central belt sometimes 3 times a week in the early days, I think I could probably count on 2 hands the number of traffic cops I have seen
It will be interesting to find out how the cameras will work. It's my understanding they will require data to be collected daily from each site which will then be analysed, meaning averages between 2 cameras next to one another and potentially also several sites apart can be calculated..
Inevitably the main road will become a horribly frustrating drive in a never ending convoy whilst the side roads become race tracks.
Mojocvh said:
The cameras are digital, networked and work between "sets" of cameras. Only thing I have never seen disclosed is the "discretion" that is allowed in the timing of registration of number plate info...
So, do "sets" mean only 2 cameras?Or 2 or more cameras over a single carriageway stretch between dual carriageways?
The main reason for these average speed cameras is to raise (revenue
) the single carriageway speed limit for trucks from 40 mph to 50 mph. A pity they didn't follow the England and Wales Law change in January 2015 to increase the truck limit for single carriageways (to keep in step with Euro Regulations) and save the cost of those cameras! (Sarcasm)Gassing Station | Scotland | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff