Safe Speed Forums

yet another idea first seen (by me at least ) in France...
<flying pig mode on>Next you'll be using their speed limits <flying pig mode off>

This is much better than irrelevant blanket limits.

They have something similar called a Watchman camera also, which is linked to VAS - if you trigger the VAS then pass the camera without slowing down, it takes a picture which is then used to issue a warning. No fines are generated.

What an excellent idea! Finally, rather than just fining speeding motorists they're actually TELLING people they're breaking the limit! I hope the system is successful and introduced instead of scameras.

I wonder how long before drivers get too used to it and start ignoring it though?

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Science won over religion when they started installing lightning rods on churches.

Surely if the limits are sensibly set and sensibly enforced AND relevant to the situation (e.g. people can see that there is a risk present due to roadworks engineers milling around / schoolchildren walking to school) then compliance will be extraordinarily high.
And over time society may develop more respect for the road management authorities and their advice / signs.

There will always be the crazy/criminal element in society that do their own thing. Leave them to the police.
This looks to me like a chance to grab back the baby that was being thrown out with the bathwater by blanket, over-cautious, revenue-generating, lowest-common-denominator mentality limit setting.

Look at this...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/5245664.stm

Ok, who's going to post this information into the "SafeSpeed in the news & media" topic?

If speed cameras are as accurate as a flashing speed display near me then we're all in for it. Struggling uphill on my pushbike the sign told me that I was doing more than 30mph and that I should slow down!

I'll do that.

It's taken from the following Safe Speed PR, issued at 03:06 this morning:

PR339: Road works speed cameras to be replaced

news: for immediate release

The Times today reports that speed cameras in roadworks are going to be
replaced with vehicle activated signs. Safe Speed has long been warning that
speed cameras increase danger because they distract drivers and emphasize the
wrong safety factors.

While this is a move in the right direction, it does not come with the required
admission from Department for Transport (DfT) that speed cameras have
comprehensively failed as a road safety intervention.

Research, commissioned by the Highways Agency and uncovered by Safe Speed using
the Freedom of Information Act, warns that fixed speed cameras are associated
with a 55% increase in injury crashes at motorway road works.

Paul Smith, founder of the Safe Speed road safety campaign
(www.safespeed.org.uk) said: "Speed cameras don't work, and I'm very relieved
to hear that we will not be using them as often in the future. However, part of
the problem is an excessive degree of focus on numerical vehicle speed and it
seems we will have to wait some more before Department for Transport wakes up
to reality."

"I am quite sure that Department for Transport is now aware of the failure of
their policies but are refusing to admit it. This is an appalling state of
affairs - people are dying on our roads simply because ministers are not
prepared to admit their mistakes."

"We will not get road safety back on track until all the speed cameras are
scrapped."

<ends>

Notes for editors
=================

The Times article:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0, ... 68,00.html

Safe Speed web page regarding roadworks safety research:
http://www.safespeed.org.uk/trl595.html

Previous Safe Speed PRs concerning road works and speed cameras:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SafeSpeedPR/message/80
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SafeSpeedPR/message/158
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SafeSpeedPR/message/188

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

Hi all - I've been reading the forum avidly for the last 2 days - this is my first post.

Unfortunately no lessons learnt - just down the road between J3 & 5, they've completed the roadworks and removed the 50mph Gatsos they had every few yards.

What have they done? Hidden literaly dozens of them in the overhead gantries behind the speed limit signs.

I came off this road fuming because I had been so aware of driving much less safely given the time I spent watching my speedo, just in case I drifted over. I didn't like doing it - but what choice is there?

When will they learn?

Hi Graeme, allow me to be the first to welcome you to this temple of intelligent road safety debate.

Hi, Graeme - I'll be the second!

A village near where my cousin lives in Warks has a dinky little sign at each end displaying the 30 limit that turns into a 'smiley' or a 'frowney', depending on your speed as you approach it. Rather twee, but very effective, IMHO.

_________________
Aquila



Licat volare si super tergum aquila volat...

The Watchman systems have been operational for a period of 5 years now and the latest figures released by the local authority shows a reduction of 73% for seriously injured and killed over a 4 year peiod.
That looks like its working!