Safe Speed Forums

Have just returned from visiting family in South Wales. On the way down I was zapped going through the road works on the M42. I was concerntrating on the constant lane changing going on in front of me and didnt see the Gatso until I was going over the calibration lines. Was not going very much over the limit (about 56-58 in 50 limit), the speedo on my bike is notoriously inaccurate so wont know exact speed unless I get NIP.
This has really vexed me because I was riding in a safe manner, watching what was going on ahead and around me instead of watching my speed. There are enough hazards when travelling through roadworks without having to worry about scameras. The scamera that got me was very close to a previous scamera, they are prolific so if you are not a regular on the M42 and are travelling that way in the near future, BEWARE!

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Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.

Indeed, those scameras operate 24/7 even though the speed limit is to "protect the workforce", who knock off no later than 6pm! A lot of heat has been generated in the Birmingham Evening Mail about them, but the operators will not budge, so keep your eye glued to the speedo and set your speed limiter if you have one.

Safe? I don't think so.

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Keep right on to the end of the road ...

Eye glued to the speedo? There was that many drivers chopping and changing lane, its ridiculous! And with so many other drivers more concerned about the scameras than what is actually going on around them? You have to have you wits about you at the best of times but having to concerntrate on the speedo aswell is just pathetic! And they try to say it aint about the money! pah! Pathetic! I would rather face a battle against a fine and points than leave my children orphaned!

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Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.

Check the signs. On the M42 They are notorious for not putting the 50signs up in the right places. They must bag thousands like that. I expect most people take the wrap whithout checking.

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Speed camera policy Kills

The M42 Scameras stink for several reasons...

• EVERY SINGLE ONE is loaded EVERY DAY!!! I have never driven past a camera without my radar detector going off.
  
• The trigger level is only just above the speed limit. I have been flashed THREE TIMES now, whilst travelling at an indicated exact 50mph - the poor sod crawling past me at a few miles per hour more was enough to set it off.
  
• The roadworks have been going on for what must be YEARS - but there are hardly ever any actual workers there. Why can't they just complete the bloody thing?
  
• Only a couple of miles off the M42, around Solihull and Monkspath are several GATSOs in residential areas and 30mph limits - however THEY ARE NEVER LOADED.

The one thing that they are not about is road safety

mb

Well..............its been 14 days and no NIP. Maybe my speedo is over reading but wouldn't have thought it would over read that much, or maybe there are so many people getting caught by these cameras, they can't get the NIP's out in time to everyone .
14 days...........am I safe or can I still expect to get one? The bike is registered to me, has been for over 2 years, so it should come straight here.

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Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.

Close to safe. Their legal obligation is to send the thing so that "in the normal course of post" it will arrive no later than the 14th day after the date of offence.

So just sometimes they will send one out just in time but it gets delayed in the post and turns up a day or two outside.

More worryingly, the law says that "proof of posting is proof of service" - so there are two more things to worry about:

1) They might have sent one and it's lost in the post. No defence.

2) They might not have actually sent one, but recorded that they have. I heard a story where a faulty printer was trashing half the NIPs. The damaged ones were binned, but still recorded as sent.

But the most likely thing is that the camera was out of film, or maybe it was just a dummy flash unit.

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

I think they only flash once when there is no film.

The M42 ones are a nightmare. They are always moving the signs. Its getting harder to tell when you are actualy in the roadworks anymore. I always see them going off when I drive by. Must be a real money spinner.

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Speed camera policy Kills

Thanks guys. So I can relax a bit but not completely.
Gizmo is right about they must be really profitable. They are prolific on that stretch. I think it is quite likely it may have been out of film as they must catch alot of drivers out! Its very busy down there.

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Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.

I agree on the bike front. I ride a Buell X1 Lightning. At some speeds the speedo needle is not readable because of the vibration...

Also it is not anywhere near the line of sight to you have to take your eyes of the road far longer to keep checking your speed. Not a good Idea on a bike when everything else on the road seems to be out to kill you..

Still damn good fun though...

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Speed camera policy Kills

Nice bike the Buell! My speedo also gets unreadable but not till I get to fairly high speeds . Wouldn't have thought it would be so far out at 50 though! Still, live and learn as they say!

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Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.

Hey GSXR, we will have to have a ride out sometime.

Ever get to the Vic in coalville, Or Morcott on the A47 ???

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Speed camera policy Kills