Speed cameras. At what point is it stalking? Follow

These are just showing up in england apperently. I'd suspect we might see them here in the U.S. sooner than later. I don't like speed cameras anyways. I think that the whole U.S. traffic ticket system is really nothing more than a revenue generation scheme and not focused on safety at all. In some cases lowering the speed limit increases accidents, due to increased driver frustration and related agressive driving, along with speed induced conjestion. I'd much rather see a much longer, more in depth driver training program such as Germany has currently and no speed limits on the major highways than speed cameras, but these really take the cake in my oppinion.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/6743003/Average-speed-cameras-installed-in-neighbourhoods-for-the-first-time.html

Average speed cameras installed in neighbourhoods for the first time
A new generation of average speed cameras that will police 20mph zones in residential areas are to come into force in the New Year after they were approved by the government.

By Richard Alleyne, Science Correspondent
Published: 6:00PM GMT 06 Dec 2009

The cameras, which link wirelessly to each other, are capable of tracking vehicles for up to 15 miles whichever route they take over a wide area.

Traffic managers throughout the country see them as a way of restoring calm to Britain’s neighbourhoods without resorting to intrusive calming devices such as road humps and chicanes.

The new "time over distance" devices are also seen as a way of dealing with the problem of motorists braking when they see a camera then accelerating once past it.

They are already used in motorways where despite catching far fewer speeders than traditional speed cameras, they have dramatically reduced casualties.

The first residential average speed cameras in 20mph zones will be installed next month after they were approved by experts at the Home office.

Research from the Department for Transport indicates that a cut in speed to 20mph has a dramatic impact in making areas more friendly to cyclists and pedestrians.

One in 40 pedestrians struck by a car at 20mph dies, compared with one in five at 30mph.

Portsmouth became the first city in Britain to introduce a blanket 20mph limit on residential roads last year, York, Norwich and eight London boroughs, including Islington, have announced plans to follow suit.

Extensive 20mph zones have also been introduced in Edinburgh, Newcastle upon Tyne and Hull. In total, there are more than 2,000 20mph zones.

Transport for London will install the cameras in Camden, Southwark and Waltham Forest, while Portsmouth and Norwich have also expressed an interest.

The cameras — called Specs3 — will be fitted at entry and exit points in residential areas and on busy roads. They read number plates and record the time as each car passes.

Critics point out that even these new cameras will not deter motorists from indulging in short bursts of speed, because they will still average less than 20mph when stops at junctions, lights or in traffic are taken into account.

On main roads the average speed cameras issue fewer tickets than conventional Gatso cameras, which measure speed over only a few yards, according to the manufacturers.

In the past year, the number of speeding tickets exceeded 1.5m for the first time, twice the number issued in 1997 when Labour came to power. They raised £88m from motorists in one year and have raked in £1 billion over the past decade.

Average speed cameras have proved effective at persuading people to keep within the limits. Nearly 100 have been installed at roadworks — typically on motorways — and accident black spots, and according to data collected from five active camera sites, 99.4 per cent of drivers obey the speed limits.

The number of motorists killed and seriously injured after the cameras have been introduced falls by nearly two thirds on average.

A spokesman for the Home Office confirmed that the new cameras had passed laboratory tests for effectiveness but said they had yet to be officially given the green light.

We've had them here for about 9 months. They are mainly around school zones, but there are 2 cameras at a fairly busy traffic light that's no where near a school. I've seen it take a picture of someone running the red light a few times. The flash is bright as hell, haha.

Most people are unhappy about them, but they don't bother me.

Hope they had the sense to come from behind.

We have them everywhere in Australia. You don't have speed cameras in America?

I know they're there, but I really don't pay attention to them much. And I only know of one camera that a lot of people are unhappy about here (it sits at the bottom of a pretty steep hill, people say it's almost impossible to do the speed limit down that hill; whatever, I do it just fine). I'd say they'll be popping up more and more in the states.

I go the speed limit in the majority of places. I do not fear the cameras.

Now, if they put these cameras on interstates and limited access roads, it'd be cruel. But on any other grade of road, I would rather slow down and not hit anyone and not get hit in return.

My only fear from this kind of measure is that young drivers learning to drive in 20mph zones will be afraid of motorway driving. A link from a horrid paper ..


We need to introduce motorway/Dual Carraigeway A road lessons as standard

Edited, Dec 8th 2009 12:29am by GwynapNud

I don't see what this has to do with enforcing speed limits, unless you're suggesting doing 50 in a 20 will build the skills vital for freeway driving.

Don't worry Tirith.
I understood the words, but it made fUck-all sense.

Shut up. The only reason I feel confident while driving in rush hour traffic is because I ran over some children in a school zone.

I don't understand why they don't just build road to detect and destroy anything moving too fast across it's surface.

Cheetahs beware.

Depends if you subcontracted it under the DoD's orbital weapons program.

I think you misunderstand me. I have a few reasons to prefer cameras to speed humps, and discomfort/annoyance is the least of my worries.

-Speed bumps/humps have the potential to slow response times of emergency service vehicles. Cameras don't.
-Speed bumps/humps have an additional maintenance cost. Cameras pay at least part of their own upkeep with the issuance of citations.
-Speed bumps/humps can cause damage/wear to vehicles that have to travel over them repeatedly. It's minor, but it is still a concern.


That first one is the big one for me. When it comes to privacy in a public area or safety, I'd prefer the safety. I expect privacy in my own home(and to some degree this would extend to my yard if I lived in a house instead of an apartment), and enough privacy in my vehicle to be able to hold a conversation without anyone listening in. Beyond that, I'm really not all that worried about privacy when in a public place. Except maybe restrooms.