rcooke25552 Posted November 11, 2014 Report Share Posted November 11, 2014 Not that iv been speeding so please don't start that one, just to set things straight. But travelling back from London to Manchester yesterday evening and I sat on the m25 doing 30-40 in the variable, but once I cleared that and was on the m40 I started to wonder, even with the sign off do these cameras still clock cars travelling in excess of 70?? There was a real mix of people just flying through them, cars slamming on for each gantry and then people sitting at 70 all the way through. Tin hat on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdsallpl Posted November 11, 2014 Report Share Posted November 11, 2014 I believe all the gantries on all the motorways are controlled by the highways agency. They all have the equipment to read the registration of each vehicle and track it for average speed across their complete network. I was at a Highways agency meeting a few years when this was discussed. At that time I came away with the perception that although it was available there was some issue with funding between the Highways agency and the Police constabularies, so weren't actually used for average speed checks at that time. Of course, it may be different now and they have sorted the finance side out. The bottom line is the equipment and capability is in place and has been for a few years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V8 90 Posted November 11, 2014 Report Share Posted November 11, 2014 My understanding of the ones along the M62 is that they adjust with the speed limit as indicated on the gantrys - I too have seen them flash numerous times. Of course I could be wrong but I don't chance it anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisheruk Posted November 11, 2014 Report Share Posted November 11, 2014 In the same way that speed cameras are now part of life, cruise control is becoming increasingly standard equipment on modern vehicles and many sat navs have accurate real-time speed displays. We really have less excuse to speed and IMHO there really is no need to. As someone who drives an average 25000+ miles a year I know that if I want to keep driving I stick to the limits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blunderbuss Posted November 11, 2014 Report Share Posted November 11, 2014 (edited) I don't think cruise control is particularly safe for most of the time on Britain's overcrowded motorways. Drivers need to be alert and responsive and in my view "driver aids" like cruise control encourage a "mind in neutral" attitude. The less a driver physically has to do, the more detached and remote from the process of driving he becomes. The answer to safer roads is not ever stricter speed limits and more in car technology, its better driver training and alert, considerate drivers. Edited November 11, 2014 by Blunderbuss Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chady Posted November 11, 2014 Report Share Posted November 11, 2014 (edited) Sorry but I have to agree with the above to some extent. Cars are getting to comfy. Edited November 11, 2014 by chady Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brett1985 Posted November 11, 2014 Report Share Posted November 11, 2014 cruise control is great, and has its uses. but as blunderbuss has quite rightly stated, it does breed complacency. that being said,i took a new Audi A6 from cornwall to heathrow last month and it was fitted with a heads up display, adaptive cruise and lane assist. it was an absolute pleasure to drive! the heads up display meant that your eyes didnt leave the road, adaptive cruise meant that i could set it at 70 and pretty much not touch the pedals and if the car started to wander towards the outside of the lane i was in it would correct itself. the wonders of modern technology! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keg Posted November 11, 2014 Report Share Posted November 11, 2014 I use the M25, M40 and M62 weekly, doing around 40k miles a year and at no point have i been flashed or caught when the overhead variable speed limits are switched off. As fister has pointed out, not all gantries have them. but the gantry cameras are speed cameras, not average speed cameras. If they are not indicating a speed then they are switched off. You can generally see if there is a camera as you drive towards a gantry, you can see the big grey box, normally allowing enough time to brake if needed. The gantries on the M25 have speed cameras, the cameras that the HA use to track vehicles are CCTV which are standard on most of the motorway network. Blunderbuss has got it right about it not being speed but training and driver awareness. Fisheruk, you must see this on your travels, people get into the middle lane and switch off, no awareness of what is around them, no checking before they move lanes. Cruise has its uses, especially in the 50 limits that dominate most motorways at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentalmac Posted November 11, 2014 Report Share Posted November 11, 2014 Our work BMW's have that LIM button on the steering wheel, it's a cool function actually. You press it on and use the toggle wheel thing to set what limit you want as a speed limit and it doesn't let you go past it. To turn it off and be normal unlimited is easy, just press the button again on your steering wheel. I use this on all average camera areas and variables so that I can't go over the limit. I do turn it off when it becomes back to normal however. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdsallpl Posted November 11, 2014 Report Share Posted November 11, 2014 Our work BMW's have that LIM button on the steering wheel, it's a cool function actually. You press it on and use the toggle wheel thing to set what limit you want as a speed limit and it doesn't let you go past it. To turn it off and be normal unlimited is easy, just press the button again on your steering wheel. I use this on all average camera areas and variables so that I can't go over the limit. I do turn it off when it becomes back to normal however. I have the same on my mercedes. Set it at whatever speed you want and you can't speed. Excellent in towns and restricted speed areas. Set at 30 and you know you can't have a lapse and get caught for speeding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
islandgun Posted November 11, 2014 Report Share Posted November 11, 2014 I have the same on my mercedes. Set it at whatever speed you want and you can't speed. Excellent in towns and restricted speed areas. Set at 30 and you know you can't have a lapse and get caught for speeding. I had a similar thing on my Austin A30 you just put your foot flat down and it never got above 40mph ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentalmac Posted November 11, 2014 Report Share Posted November 11, 2014 I have the same on my mercedes. Set it at whatever speed you want and you can't speed. Excellent in towns and restricted speed areas. Set at 30 and you know you can't have a lapse and get caught for speeding. Yea, that's the one - good function that. It's much safer than sticking cruise control on, especially as there are so many numpties who flout any highway codes on multi lane average speed checks, end up having to brake quite a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsorense Posted November 11, 2014 Report Share Posted November 11, 2014 I have cruise control and an adjustable speed limiter as above, but I rarely use the limiter as it still appears to allow the engine to rev higher than normal at a given speed so I assumed it would be worse for fuel economy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentalmac Posted November 11, 2014 Report Share Posted November 11, 2014 I have cruise control and an adjustable speed limiter as above, but I rarely use the limiter as it still appears to allow the engine to rev higher than normal at a given speed so I assumed it would be worse for fuel economy? Never realised that, will test it out when next on a long trip, I claim back the fuel off the company so don't really notice or worry about how much I use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keg Posted November 11, 2014 Report Share Posted November 11, 2014 Cruise control is worse for MPG than a right foot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerSim Posted November 11, 2014 Report Share Posted November 11, 2014 I had a similar thing on my Austin A30 you just put your foot flat down and it never got above 40mph ! LOL! - my A35 was similarly equipped!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamster Posted November 11, 2014 Report Share Posted November 11, 2014 I have cruise control and an adjustable speed limiter as above, but I rarely use the limiter as it still appears to allow the engine to rev higher than normal at a given speed so I assumed it would be worse for fuel economy? You need to be careful with speed limiters, cheaper systems will work perfectly well on flat roads but will not reduce the speed of a car on long downward slopes where the car gathers momentum and will easily exceed lowish limits, more sophisticated systems will self brake to avoid this. Good cruise systems are the same in that they will self brake where needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildrover77 Posted November 12, 2014 Report Share Posted November 12, 2014 I thought I had got caught on the m62. A few weeks ago. The variable speed limits were not in use, I though that meant the cameras were switched off. One camera flashed. Looking on the net isome sites suggest when the speed limit signs are not in use the cameras enforce the national speed limit, others say he cameras are only used to enforce the variable speed limit. I got nothing through the post so can only assume the latter was correct, I won't be taking the risk in future and will stick to 80 showing on the car speedo, which equates to about 72 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildrover77 Posted November 12, 2014 Report Share Posted November 12, 2014 In the same way that speed cameras are now part of life, cruise control is becoming increasingly standard equipment on modern vehicles and many sat navs have accurate real-time speed displays. We really have less excuse to speed and IMHO there really is no need to. As someone who drives an average 25000+ miles a year I know that if I want to keep driving I stick to the limits. As some one who averages 60,000 miles of year I would suggest that avoiding speeding times is not down to equipment and technology but good driving. You need 100 % concentration at all times placing particular emphasis on being aware of the speed limit of the particular section of road you are on. It also is invaluable to observe the road well in front allowing you to spot hazzards(speed cameras) in good time and check your speed, adjusting if required. Driving the mileage I do keeping up this level of concentration after early starts and late finishes is very difficult and it is only through good luck that I have only one speeding fine in 5 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted November 12, 2014 Report Share Posted November 12, 2014 How long will it be before they can limit the max speed on your car automatically from the gantries? it cant be that far off and it would be a very good thing actually. Driving round the M25 and down the M4 as I do regularly the traffic moves quicker when its all going at the same speed and not surging and braking all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildrover77 Posted November 12, 2014 Report Share Posted November 12, 2014 How long will it be before they can limit the max speed on your car automatically from the gantries? it cant be that far off and it would be a very good thing actually. Driving round the M25 and down the M4 as I do regularly the traffic moves quicker when its all going at the same speed and not surging and braking all the time. I think it is more likely they will simple monitor your driving by satellite and send you a bill every month listing your infractions and fines. Much more lucrative, all in the interests of road safety of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted November 12, 2014 Report Share Posted November 12, 2014 I thought I had got caught on the m62. A few weeks ago. The variable speed limits were not in use, I though that meant the cameras were switched off. One camera flashed. Looking on the net isome sites suggest when the speed limit signs are not in use the cameras enforce the national speed limit, others say he cameras are only used to enforce the variable speed limit. I got nothing through the post so can only assume the latter was correct, I won't be taking the risk in future and will stick to 80 showing on the car speedo, which equates to about 72 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted November 12, 2014 Report Share Posted November 12, 2014 Yes, I believe that they are set to flash at 90mph, I have certainly seen them flashing when the variable speed limits are not showing, so be careful..! Cat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted November 13, 2014 Report Share Posted November 13, 2014 (edited) 90mph hmmm how do you know this A few months back I was in Brierly and on my way home I put my foot down a bit as the roads were quiet, after a fair few miles I noticed as I approached the monitoring gantry cameras they were turning to face me, after the next one done the same,the next gantry after a message flashed up telling me to watch my speed as I approached it. Thought if I dont a patrol car will be sent out Made me slow down for a good bit. Figgy Edited November 13, 2014 by figgy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildrover77 Posted November 13, 2014 Report Share Posted November 13, 2014 Yes, I believe that they are set to flash at 90mph, I have certainly seen them flashing when the variable speed limits are not showing, so be careful..! Cat That would explain why it flashed then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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