Average Speed Cameras (UK)

I had always assumed that the bunches of little yellow cameras on gantries overhanging the road in the ‘Average Speed’ check areas operated for the entire length of the speed check distance and the cameras simply aggregated number plates and time of observation from across the entire width of the road being monitored and calculated any speeding violations at any point along the checking distance.

I’ve been told that a couple of things that I would appreciate confirmation or refutation from someone who really knows.

1. The cameras only communicate between two consecutive camera points. So whereas I previously thought if you’re on a 60mph stretch and you average 55mph between camera-1 and camera-2 and then figure you can average 65mph between camera-2 and camera-3 and you’ll still be within the overall 60mph ‘on average’ over the entire section, in fact, I’ll get done for speeding in the second section even though my average overall is within the limit.

2. (Really have trouble believing this one). Each set of cameras for each lane ONLY monitor that lane. So if you’re in the inside line in one section and the switch to lane2 or 3 before the next camera set, it’ll identify as a new plate and not be able to tie you up with your time at the previous camera.

Apparently no speed cams are currently functional in Northamptonshire.

Fines from these cameras go to central government, but maintenance and management costs of these cameras were met by the County Council. The same one which has just has a £30 Million budget cut from the central government that used to get their speed cam revenues. LOL.

Bring on anarchy.

I also have it on good authority that your listed 1 and 2 above are correct. Cameras only operate between two points and are lane specific but whether this is definitely true I have not dared to try and prove.


Paul

Car Park Cams

Not at all on topic but related to these outfits that fine you when parking on motorway service areas.

Within the last 18 months (a friend) was parked up at a service area...had a bit of a kip and went over the 2 hr free parking.

Next thing he gets a fine notification through the post which was a pretty official looking document. On closer inspection it was in fact an invoice. So he checked up online in various forums and discovered that if he did nothing about it in terms of paying up, that the fine would increase and after that a final reminder on the increased amount. He then went on to read, that if he did nothing about making payment or indeed engaging with them at all, they would stop chasing for it. So, thats what he did...nothing at all.

Everyone has seen the govt signs on the motorways...don't drive whilst tired. So the natural thing to do is pull over at a services and have a kip right ! How are these companies that operate so called private car park areas ever going to enforce a fine, when it is such an easy defence. Just following the govt advice m'lud. Honest !

The answer is, they will never bring a prosecution because they only need to lose 1 case...and all their revenue stream will be gone forever.

So....never pay one of these craftily disguised invoice fines....and snooze well.

I had no idea that these things even existed. Not sure if we have these in America.

this is pretty crazy. i feel like if we had these in america everyone would try and race and test these out.

That's a comforting thought.

Perhaps in America the penalty for speeding isn't life imprisonment.

haha. just a $200 or more ticket.