BEWARE...New digital speed cameras on M4
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Having read This Iand driven past them yesterday I am convinced that Scud-U-Like is correct an thatthis is a hoax. The cameras are nothing more than CCTV cameras located on every other sign.
I wouldnt put it past someone in Government to have started the rumour though.
Speed doesnt kill, its the numpty behind the wheel that kills. Its time to stop persecuting the motorist and start catcching real criminals.
I wouuldnt mind if there had been an increase in Bobbies on the beat bcause of these camera, but there isnt.
Any PPruners in Oxfordshire who have seen the mass on inappropriate and quite frankly dangerous new speed limits may be interested to know that the Council officer in charge of putting these in doesnt drive and is only pushing ahead with it to meet a Government target on Accident reduction that Oxon dont have to meet because they were well below the national average. Oh and the Police are not happy with these new limits either.
I wouldnt put it past someone in Government to have started the rumour though.
Speed doesnt kill, its the numpty behind the wheel that kills. Its time to stop persecuting the motorist and start catcching real criminals.
I wouuldnt mind if there had been an increase in Bobbies on the beat bcause of these camera, but there isnt.
Any PPruners in Oxfordshire who have seen the mass on inappropriate and quite frankly dangerous new speed limits may be interested to know that the Council officer in charge of putting these in doesnt drive and is only pushing ahead with it to meet a Government target on Accident reduction that Oxon dont have to meet because they were well below the national average. Oh and the Police are not happy with these new limits either.
Beags - all but one of those speed cameras on the A40 between Burford and Cheltenham don't actually work. Someone has been pushing them off the upright so the only thing they can take a picture of is a speeding hedgehog in the ditch.
I tip my hat to the man.
But you are quite right. They seem to have places each camera on the only safe overtaking stretch every 10 miles or so.
On an otherwise fairly winding road there develops a stream of cars behind - often as not - a horse transporter. Up comes a decent straight, the white lines indicate an opportunity to pass, the road is clear, one stirs ones BMW straight six into action...
Halfway through or just into the manouver all hell brakes loose as the poor driver spots markings on the road! There then follows an almighty dither whereby he decides whether to pull back in (hazardous), floor it an hope there's no film, or - worst of all - overtake at 62mph with white knuckles praying no other car comes around the bend.
I cannot believe the police places those cameras there. Its idiocy that will kill someone in a head on one of these days.
And yet every Sunday night around Cheltenhams mighty one way system I see the same Citroen Saxo VTRs (bespoilered, lowered and jam packed with teenage slack jawed insolence) belting around 30/40 mph zones at well over 60. In the dark. At pub chucking out time.
Yet where is plod?
Every Monday morning he's there tutting at the wreckage of another Vauxhall Nova embedded in the street furniture. Yet every Sunday night he's nowhere to be seen.
WWW
I tip my hat to the man.
But you are quite right. They seem to have places each camera on the only safe overtaking stretch every 10 miles or so.
On an otherwise fairly winding road there develops a stream of cars behind - often as not - a horse transporter. Up comes a decent straight, the white lines indicate an opportunity to pass, the road is clear, one stirs ones BMW straight six into action...
Halfway through or just into the manouver all hell brakes loose as the poor driver spots markings on the road! There then follows an almighty dither whereby he decides whether to pull back in (hazardous), floor it an hope there's no film, or - worst of all - overtake at 62mph with white knuckles praying no other car comes around the bend.
I cannot believe the police places those cameras there. Its idiocy that will kill someone in a head on one of these days.
And yet every Sunday night around Cheltenhams mighty one way system I see the same Citroen Saxo VTRs (bespoilered, lowered and jam packed with teenage slack jawed insolence) belting around 30/40 mph zones at well over 60. In the dark. At pub chucking out time.
Yet where is plod?
Every Monday morning he's there tutting at the wreckage of another Vauxhall Nova embedded in the street furniture. Yet every Sunday night he's nowhere to be seen.
WWW
WWW - do keep schtum about those wretched Plodcams! Or doubtless some do-gooder tree-hugging fluffy bunny will tip off the local council who will send out a man and a thousand cones to repair the ba$tard things......
The overtaking danger you describe is precisely what I've encountered.
The A40 should be widened to dual carriageway standard all the way from Oxford to the M5. But the bicycle-brained woolly-hats in dubious charge of the Oxfordshire road planning would have a fit of the vapours if anyone dared to suggest it......they prefer to waste more money on their stupid 'cycle paths'. Have you ever seen anyone cycling on the A40 cycle paths west of Eynsham, WWW?
The overtaking danger you describe is precisely what I've encountered.
The A40 should be widened to dual carriageway standard all the way from Oxford to the M5. But the bicycle-brained woolly-hats in dubious charge of the Oxfordshire road planning would have a fit of the vapours if anyone dared to suggest it......they prefer to waste more money on their stupid 'cycle paths'. Have you ever seen anyone cycling on the A40 cycle paths west of Eynsham, WWW?
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Interesting comment from M o t F but there is a system in existance which uses CCTV cameras to automatically record details of vehicles being driven through the cameras field of vision, then it scans the index number through the PNC, comes up with all details of the registered owner if the vehicle is taxed etc... It was proposed at the time of the trial that it would be used to detect and convict speeding drivers!! This system was being shown to the Surrey Police in Guildford nearly three years ago!!
Before I get a flood of remarks to the negative, they can use the already in situ CCTV cameras to do the same... In extreem cases only at the moment.
They know the distance between cameras, all they do is time the errant driver between said cameras and after some simple maths.. Hey presto you have the vehicles average speed!!
The Same principle that VASCAR and PILOT works on except that that they use Mk1. eyeball instead of cameras for target aqusition.
Now we all should be worried!!
Before I get a flood of remarks to the negative, they can use the already in situ CCTV cameras to do the same... In extreem cases only at the moment.
They know the distance between cameras, all they do is time the errant driver between said cameras and after some simple maths.. Hey presto you have the vehicles average speed!!
The Same principle that VASCAR and PILOT works on except that that they use Mk1. eyeball instead of cameras for target aqusition.
Now we all should be worried!!
Last edited by Divergent Phugoid!; 27th Oct 2003 at 04:28.
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BEags - OCCs Highways policy is one of those things that puts me off visiting the family - it is such a God awful place to drive around now.
The proliferation of 50mph limits on good, 60mph+ roads is nothing more than a cynical, money grabbing ploy.
Changing tack, I gather that the congestion charge in London is losing money. I understand they wanted a 5-10% reduction in traffic but as it has fallen by 15%+ they are not taking enough money to pay for collecting it!
Poor old Ken, his stealth tax is costing him money (less for the one-legged, lesbian, single mothers theatre groups, then).
The proliferation of 50mph limits on good, 60mph+ roads is nothing more than a cynical, money grabbing ploy.
Changing tack, I gather that the congestion charge in London is losing money. I understand they wanted a 5-10% reduction in traffic but as it has fallen by 15%+ they are not taking enough money to pay for collecting it!
Poor old Ken, his stealth tax is costing him money (less for the one-legged, lesbian, single mothers theatre groups, then).
The 'time between two points' method was attempted by some zealous new OC Plods at Scampton (long before it became part of Learning Command or had the Pink Tarts in residence). He stationed one of his acting corporals at a suitable spot on the main drag,with instructions to raise his hand when a car went past. OC Plods, being more important and thus more capable of working things mechanical, would then start the stopwatch. As the car got to him, if the time was less than a certain number of seconds, he would do his "Right, chummy, you're nicked. Bang to rights" thing.....
Well, he'd forgotten 2 things. Firstly, 2 can play at that game and secondly, that there were a number of aircrew mates on the station. So one day, when Starsky and Hutch were doing their arm waving and stopwatch bit, there was the roar of a high perfrmance engine and a squeal of tyres as some aircrew mate set off past Plod-who-waved.....then there was another screech as he braked down to barely walking pace, passing Plod-with-watch at precisely the correct time to be spot on the limit. The Stn Cdr allegedly got to hear of it, thought it was an excellent wheeze and told OC Plods to stop ar$ing about and to do something useful!
Back to Oxfordshire - and interesting to note that the yet-to-be opened new roads around Brize village and Witney both have nannying 50 mph limits......
Well, he'd forgotten 2 things. Firstly, 2 can play at that game and secondly, that there were a number of aircrew mates on the station. So one day, when Starsky and Hutch were doing their arm waving and stopwatch bit, there was the roar of a high perfrmance engine and a squeal of tyres as some aircrew mate set off past Plod-who-waved.....then there was another screech as he braked down to barely walking pace, passing Plod-with-watch at precisely the correct time to be spot on the limit. The Stn Cdr allegedly got to hear of it, thought it was an excellent wheeze and told OC Plods to stop ar$ing about and to do something useful!
Back to Oxfordshire - and interesting to note that the yet-to-be opened new roads around Brize village and Witney both have nannying 50 mph limits......
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Beags
Now that depends upon what speed the road was designed for. However why they couldnt have designed them to be decent 2 lane dual carriageways beats me.
If the cameras on the M4 were the money grabbing type whould they not be yellow and be surrounded by bloody great signs in line with Govt Policy?
Yep they are money grabbing, but thetre is little point in having them everywhere without warning. There would be no-one left on the road to be had by them then.
Besides all cameras of this nature that I have seen in the last 2 years have been bright yellow with those little white lines surrounding them.
Now that depends upon what speed the road was designed for. However why they couldnt have designed them to be decent 2 lane dual carriageways beats me.
If the cameras on the M4 were the money grabbing type whould they not be yellow and be surrounded by bloody great signs in line with Govt Policy?
Yep they are money grabbing, but thetre is little point in having them everywhere without warning. There would be no-one left on the road to be had by them then.
Besides all cameras of this nature that I have seen in the last 2 years have been bright yellow with those little white lines surrounding them.
Before "Ze Germans" get here
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jam packed with teenage slack jawed insolence
You have mentioned before about your spanish driving licence. I am in a similar position, however I recall my father being caught in the UK and having not a Uk licence, the foreign office sent the fine across the waters and demanded payment, I realize that this would still avoid the points, but still the fine? Has it happend yet? So if you were caught is it feasible that you would be tracked to your Spanish address? It wasnt a very seious offence ar anything, but it was followed up none the less. Also, I know there are plans to harmonize EU law to stop people being banned in one country and getting a licence elsewhere and generally evading the law.
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I think you'll find those cameras on the A40 ar all active even if pulled over!!
Went to BZZ to meet one of our palnes and the detector was showing 4-5 bars of activity when passing them!!!!
Forewarned is forarmed
VEEPS
Went to BZZ to meet one of our palnes and the detector was showing 4-5 bars of activity when passing them!!!!
Forewarned is forarmed
VEEPS
The fines still find there way over seas but as the DVLA have no rights to put points on another countries license you don't get points.
From what I can gather it is likely that the police force in question simply won't bother. It requires a tiny amount of extra admin to process a standard SP40 to a foreign driver. As it is discretionary for them to do it they tend not to be bothered - I am informed. Most forces have contracted out the detection and fine demanding activity. Said civilian contractor is on a tight margin and chasing down a foreigner would bust his budget.
Doubtless in the future they will harmonise it all to hell but for now it seems somewhat viable.
WWW
From what I can gather it is likely that the police force in question simply won't bother. It requires a tiny amount of extra admin to process a standard SP40 to a foreign driver. As it is discretionary for them to do it they tend not to be bothered - I am informed. Most forces have contracted out the detection and fine demanding activity. Said civilian contractor is on a tight margin and chasing down a foreigner would bust his budget.
Doubtless in the future they will harmonise it all to hell but for now it seems somewhat viable.
WWW
One of the more sensible ideas to come out of Brussels is the idea for a standard European credit card sized driving licence. Doubtless this would contain a chip - hence multi-licence holding would probably be no longer possible?
The way things are going, Plodcams will one day spot you speeding, uplink the information to a Eurocomputer which will sniff out your licence, fine you and apply the points automatically anywhere in President Tony's Euroland.
I've nothing against sensibly placed Plodcams in built-up areas. But revenue grabbers on the open road fankly deserve everything they get...
The way things are going, Plodcams will one day spot you speeding, uplink the information to a Eurocomputer which will sniff out your licence, fine you and apply the points automatically anywhere in President Tony's Euroland.
I've nothing against sensibly placed Plodcams in built-up areas. But revenue grabbers on the open road fankly deserve everything they get...
Just an other digit
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But what can you do when set a bad example by the law itself?
pm 4 October 2003 - A801 (that's in Scotland that is) southbound
dual carriageway 70 mph
McPlod zooms up behind from nowhere and sticks on tail, too close to my mind
one occupant - driver
head resting on hand - so only one hand on steering wheel
mile after mile
finally join the slip for the M8 at J4 and he's past me - at clearly an illegal speed
It's this sort of behaviour that worries me more than the simple money grabbing speed camera tactics.
And what can anyone do about this?
pm 4 October 2003 - A801 (that's in Scotland that is) southbound
dual carriageway 70 mph
McPlod zooms up behind from nowhere and sticks on tail, too close to my mind
one occupant - driver
head resting on hand - so only one hand on steering wheel
mile after mile
finally join the slip for the M8 at J4 and he's past me - at clearly an illegal speed
It's this sort of behaviour that worries me more than the simple money grabbing speed camera tactics.
And what can anyone do about this?
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Just...
In those circumstances, I would take the registration number, make and type, date, time, place etc, maybe if close enough, description of the driver and his number if visable, write a stinking letter to the chief constable in the area you were in, commenting on the poor driving displayed.
I would say that it appeared that the driver was on a mobile phone and mention that in the letter...
The police dont have an exemption to using radios telephones mobiles whilst on the move.. Policy is to stop and use them. Post said letter, sit back and wait for a reply...
As you were in scotland you would need a second person in the car with you for corroboration purposes if you were thinking along the lines of a prosecution against said officer for what you seem to describe is driving with out reasonable consideration for other road users, s3 RTA 1988.
There are too many Police officers blatently flouting regulations because they think they are invincible!! Would be nice to see them selves being policed for a change..
On the odd occasion I use a mobile on the move I use a hands free kit but if I were ever prosecuted, I would mention every occasion where I saw a Police car being driven badly because the driver was on a mobile phone or using his radio!
Its not too difficult to get a prosecution against the police if you know how to go about it...
Blue touch paper lit, retired to a safe distance.... INCOMING!!
In those circumstances, I would take the registration number, make and type, date, time, place etc, maybe if close enough, description of the driver and his number if visable, write a stinking letter to the chief constable in the area you were in, commenting on the poor driving displayed.
I would say that it appeared that the driver was on a mobile phone and mention that in the letter...
The police dont have an exemption to using radios telephones mobiles whilst on the move.. Policy is to stop and use them. Post said letter, sit back and wait for a reply...
As you were in scotland you would need a second person in the car with you for corroboration purposes if you were thinking along the lines of a prosecution against said officer for what you seem to describe is driving with out reasonable consideration for other road users, s3 RTA 1988.
There are too many Police officers blatently flouting regulations because they think they are invincible!! Would be nice to see them selves being policed for a change..
On the odd occasion I use a mobile on the move I use a hands free kit but if I were ever prosecuted, I would mention every occasion where I saw a Police car being driven badly because the driver was on a mobile phone or using his radio!
Its not too difficult to get a prosecution against the police if you know how to go about it...
Blue touch paper lit, retired to a safe distance.... INCOMING!!
Last edited by Divergent Phugoid!; 3rd Nov 2003 at 05:40.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
The Blue posts at the side of the road are indeed traffic flow sensors but they have been used in a murder investigation.
The camera was used to confirm the presence of the suspect's car outside his house when the suspect himself was in Amsterdam setting himself up with a naughty alibi.
The camera could not be used as evidence however as it was not authorised for that purpose. It is questionable if the police should even have been allowed to see it - in law that is.
The camera was used to confirm the presence of the suspect's car outside his house when the suspect himself was in Amsterdam setting himself up with a naughty alibi.
The camera could not be used as evidence however as it was not authorised for that purpose. It is questionable if the police should even have been allowed to see it - in law that is.
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Can't understand why I can't drive whilst having a conversation over a wireless device whilst holding map in hand. I do this in an aircraft at 50ft solo at 120kts and it is OK - what's the big problem!
HPT
HPT
But how close to the curb are you?
Since 'yoof' appears to have grown up...wrong, make that 'got older' with a mobile phone almost permanently attached to its ear, perhaps talking aimlessly whilst performing other tasks isn't really as much of a problem as some seem to think?
Plod seems to think that 'distraction' caused by pressing buttons on a proper hands-free could also be open to prosecution. So next it'll be adjusting the air-conditioning, turning up the radio, changing a CD - or even talking to a passenger which Plod will frown upon.
Not to mention wearing a loud shirt in a built-up area, walking on the cracks in the pavement - or being in possession of an offensive wife?
No doubt on 1 Dec, Pinky and Perky will be cruising in their nice warm Plodmobile looking for people driving with a hand against an ear. Much easier than catching muggers or other criminals.
Since 'yoof' appears to have grown up...wrong, make that 'got older' with a mobile phone almost permanently attached to its ear, perhaps talking aimlessly whilst performing other tasks isn't really as much of a problem as some seem to think?
Plod seems to think that 'distraction' caused by pressing buttons on a proper hands-free could also be open to prosecution. So next it'll be adjusting the air-conditioning, turning up the radio, changing a CD - or even talking to a passenger which Plod will frown upon.
Not to mention wearing a loud shirt in a built-up area, walking on the cracks in the pavement - or being in possession of an offensive wife?
No doubt on 1 Dec, Pinky and Perky will be cruising in their nice warm Plodmobile looking for people driving with a hand against an ear. Much easier than catching muggers or other criminals.
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Some bloke in a 4x4 (assumption) has been uprooting fixed camera locations quite close to where I live. These are on a six lane wide dual carriageway and the speed limit there is 80kmh so his frustration has some justification. The cameras get repaired, re-erected and within a week they're down again.
Some people collect stamps.
Some people collect stamps.
Dare I say that, really, none of you object to the speed cameras. What you are objecting to is the fact that a) there is a speed limit which you should be obeying, and b) getting caught if you disregard it.
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Triggering a Gatso?
Anyone know a cheap & portable way to send the right doppler shift back to a GATSO to trigger it?
I have always thought generating a few cycling or jogging GATSO pictures would be fun.
An assistant wibbling an thin metal sheet as the photographic models jog or ride past?
I have always thought generating a few cycling or jogging GATSO pictures would be fun.
An assistant wibbling an thin metal sheet as the photographic models jog or ride past?
No, Mighty Gem, what I really object to is the danger Plodcams cause to overtaking vehicles. Say you're behind a lorry stooging along at 50-55 on a normal 60 mph road. Before PLodcams, all you needed to do was to check the road ahead, mirror/signal, then accelearte briskly past until pulling back in front. Yes, you might briefly hit 75 or so, but I'm not saying you should drive consistently above the limit. But nowadays, cars overtake slowly at 60.0 mph for fear of being caught on Plodcams, particularly those positioned in the most revenue-effective spot. So the risk time is now 4 times as long with a 5 mph speed differential as it was previously.....and you might be the person coming the other way who wonders why that d*ckhead overtaking hasn't pulled in.
This part of the world treats motorists like hardened criminals; if Plod's toys are uprooted, few shed many tears........
Plodcams on the open road are symptomatic of a police state; however, to deter hatchback-yoof in built-up areas they do have some merit - better than that other Oxonian landmark, the speed hump!
This part of the world treats motorists like hardened criminals; if Plod's toys are uprooted, few shed many tears........
Plodcams on the open road are symptomatic of a police state; however, to deter hatchback-yoof in built-up areas they do have some merit - better than that other Oxonian landmark, the speed hump!