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speed cameras on A149


newf

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just because the speed limit on single carraigeways for cars is 60mph do not mean that you are obliged to drive to the limit

With respect, that is a common misconception. Unlike the rivers, if the traffic and weather conditions on roads are suitable, you should be doing the speed indicated for that road for your class of vehicle and not 10 to 15 mph under it. Not my rules but those set out by the DVLA. I worked as a driving instructor for a while and test candidates would fail instantly if they didn't do the correct speed for the road and conditions...I believe the official category of fail was "not making normal progress".

How often have we been stuck behind the oblivious berk who insists on doing 40 mph on a delimited single carriageway road? That in itself can lead to people taking silly risks to get past the 'moving violation' due to frustration.

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Unfortunately no place in law even though it should be, unless there is a minimum speed restriction on the road.

It would be classed as being aware and considerate to others and that is not going to happen with the 40 mile an hour brigade who feel that they should be able to impose their time table on others.

Someone mentioned earlier in this thread that people should should plan their journey. How?

You can work out how long it should take using road speeds, then what do you put on? on a decent length journey you have now way of knowing how many times and for how long you will be obstructed by people with no urgency to get anywhere and no understanding of why others would need too.

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  • 1 month later...

Just to resurect this thread, I have travelled along this stretch of road 3 times in the last fortnight, and each time seen a Highway Maintenance vehicle attending one of the cameras with a technician working on the innards of the electrical cabinets. Could it be these cameras are actually being made operational now?

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Just to resurect this thread, I have travelled along this stretch of road 3 times in the last fortnight, and each time seen a Highway Maintenance vehicle attending one of the cameras with a technician working on the innards of the electrical cabinets. Could it be these cameras are actually being made operational now?

I travelled down there today Mark,the engineers were working on the cameras

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Hi Roy

I guess if you call doing fifty in a sixty limit, throwing out the anchors down to forty / fortyfive mph when a camera is sighted better or even good driving then I have to beg to disagree. It has curbed the lunatic fringe on the whole I agree, apart from the ocaisional leary bike but I believe the already poor standard of driving is now worse as a direct result of these pathetic waste of resourses camers.

I don't normally enter these kind of discussions but the complete waste of money these cameras represent REALLY annoys me, especially when you look at the state of some of the roads in the area, holes big enough to throw a motor bike rider off never mind a push bike. Just unbelievable.

OK rant over.

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Accurately observed, Barry. It says little for the standard of driving generally that motorists appear to have little or no idea at all of how these cameras work - if indeed they are now working.

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"Whether such cameras serve their purpose or not is something that could be debated forever"

well then I'll just repeat two comments already posted on this thread:

Newf's opening post on this thread contained the following sentence in his reply from NCC: "This 12km stretch of road had a bad accident record, with 127 casualties including nine fatalities and 18 serious injuries since 2003. "

and from my last post:

Then maybe the fact that the new experience of there being no fatal accidents on there since they only looked like they were working will continue.

It looks a bit like QED to me, (so far anyway...) :)

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Strowager, I made no comment as to which side of the fence I sat in terms of camera deployment. I just make the point that it is a poor show when drivers have to be policed that closely - and I agree they do need to be. We seem to live in a world where the breaking of regulations is seen as the norm - speeding traffic, speeding boats etc. etc.

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Sorry, Soundings.

I get a little depressed whenever that section of road is discussed and when some people start moaning about cameras being a con and not solving anything. They look as though they have solved the problem there. I wonder how many People are still alive now, specifically because those particular cameras went up there. :)

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  • 1 month later...

Just a note for all those who use the A149 between Potter Heigham and Wroxham, that the average speed cameras now seem to be operational. Over the past few weeks there has been activity at the cameras every time I have travelled along that stretch of road, but finally a new sign has gone up stating they are operational. I wonder if the article i nthe EDP spurred this on?

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Anybody more switched on than me, pun not intended, correct me if I’m wrong. Average speed cameras do just that, they take the average speed of a vehicle between the first and last camera, or do they take the average between say any three cameras.

If it is indeed the first option I would think probably 90% of traffic would miss out because they would turn off before the complete set was covered, either to Tesco, Sutton Staithe Hotel, Ricco’s yard or North Walsham as I do.

Most other sets of average speed camera zones that I have come across are set on motorways where most traffic stays on for the duration .

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They take the average between any two sequential cameras. The word "average" is used because between those two cameras, the vehicle may have not stayed at a constant speed, so halfway at 60mph and halfway at 30mph would be recorded as 45mph.

They're not like Gatsos, and don't use radar to measure approaching speed, they recognise the number plates in the image and record the exact time, and then compare it with exact time that the number plate passes the next camera.

They are also the "latest type" that can catch motorcycle rear number plates as well.

As they are tied in to central computers via broadband links, they also may use the same "ANR" (auto number plate recognition) software as roving police cars. If so, they can record the use of any vehicles that are stolen, untaxed, uninsured, or without current MOTs.

And a bl**dy good job too, if they are...... :)

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Have to say I am much more in favour of average speed cameras than gatso's but even so they should be contained to the small area that has a proven reputation for serious accidents.

Would be a lot better if they also banned HGV's using the outside lane anywhere they are used with national speed limits on dual carriageways and prosecuted all those driving substantially under the speed limit, all these people do is cause everyone else to close up on the vehicle in front, creating dangerous driving conditions.

Fed up of driving through average speed camera zones for miles and miles at 10 or 20 mph below the speed limit.

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As was stated much earlier in the thread, this stretch of road has cost several lives in recent years, so anything to help reduce that must be a good thing (and I believe still NONE recoded since the cameras were installed even though they weren't "live"). However, they do cover two different speed limits (50 & 60mph) along different sections of the road, so why did I have to follow someone at 45 mph along the entire stretch yesterday??

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Have to say I am much more in favour of average speed cameras than gatso's but even so they should be contained to the small area that has a proven reputation for serious accidents.

Would be a lot better if they also banned HGV's using the outside lane anywhere they are used with national speed limits on dual carriageways and prosecuted all those driving substantially under the speed limit, all these people do is cause everyone else to close up on the vehicle in front, creating dangerous driving conditions.

Fed up of driving through average speed camera zones for miles and miles at 10 or 20 mph below the speed limit.

As was stated much earlier in the thread, this stretch of road has cost several lives in recent years, so anything to help reduce that must be a good thing (and I believe still NONE recoded since the cameras were installed even though they weren't "live"). However, they do cover two different speed limits (50 & 60mph) along different sections of the road, so why did I have to follow someone at 45 mph along the entire stretch yesterday??

Yes, the very frustrating side effect of some people that can't control their minimum speed either . :)

In theory, ANR and average speed camera technology could also spot and provide evidence of most of the things that Senator has mentioned....

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Sorry Mark, but because they wanted to drive at 45 miles per hour :-). I live in a small country lane where even the speed limit of 30mph is too fast. Drivers though ignore the "drive in accordance with the conditions" rule and if challenged say - I'm not speeding. I am sort of in favour of minimum speeds on certain roads like motorways but worry that rivers will just use this as an excuse to drive faster than the conditions dictate.

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I find it very hard to believe that average speed cameras are being installed on roads that in anything short of snow , ice or extremely heavy rain would not be suitable for the minimum speed limit. I can't comment on the road here as I have not knowingly ever driven along it but I assume that if it has enough traffic on it to warrant cameras then it would be suitable to drive at the limit in all but the very worst conditions.

Those that choose to drive too slowly are inconveniencing all other road users and if they have reached the standard where driving in line with road conditions is beyond them it has to be questioned whether they should be driving at all? The question has to be asked that if they weren't there would the same accidents caused by overtaking still happen?

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We all have our opinions and I disagree. There are many reasons why a driver might want to drive slower. In any event what do you see as the minimum speed 60 in a 60 limit. 45 in a 60 limit. The road in question drifts between 50 and 60; I tend to stay at 50 or thereabouts because my car is economical at that speed. I would resist fiercely anybody trying to make me do otherwise. On a motorway things might be different but they are built for speed - but not when it is wet, snowy, misty etc.

But that is just me and my opinion. This could get very emotive so I'll shut up now

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Guest DAYTONA-BILL

Minimum speed on a motorway should be 60 mph. If ANYBODY feels uncomfortable at that speed, GET OFF THE ROAD two gunstwo guns . I used to regularly drive on the M25 and found numerous drivers driving along in the 3rd of 4 lanes at sometimes less than 55 mph completely oblivious to the fact that they are holding everybody up. My personal opinion is it`s NOT speed that is dangerous, but dangerous drivers. We all hear about padestrians being run over in the road by a vehical travelling at say 10 mph over the limit, but the padestrian SHOULD`NT be in the road. Other things that NO camera (static, gatso, or average speed cam) can pick up, and that`s drunken drivers, cars with bald tyres, drivers under the influence of drugs, unlicensed or unqualified drivers etc etc. However, with regular police patrols and routine spot checks, these sort of things WILL be drastically reduced. As a result of the "Big brother is watching you" tactic, these sort of occurances have more than quadrupled in the last 10 years, and it`s purely down to the lack of regular police patrols and spot checks. Hardly any police forces now have motorcycle patrol officers in their traffic divisions, so what you get is boy racers, or criminals escaping in high powered getaway cars being hoipelessly persued by beat officers in Astra diesels. Rant over. Regards ........... Neil.

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