Why do so many people get caught by speed cameras? After all, they're qute visible in their yellow colour and there are usually advance warnings.
When I got caught exceeding 60 it was by a police officer in a car hidden in a side road and he timed me (with a clock on the dash) between two roadside trees. I'm not making excuses for exceeding the limit, because I knew I was, but at least I didn't just miss seeing a big yellow box on a post because I wasn't paying attention.
Edited by L'escargot on 18/10/2008 at 10:41
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Many of the people who contribute to this site, you would imagine anyway, have a higher than average level of interest in driving. They possibly think harder about it and concentrate more on it than most. Others who are not so interested may not do so.
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And scamera vans are frequently not easily visible or provided with warning signs.
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I daresay the majority of people get caught by an inoccuous looking van with amber lights hidden up a grass verge Snaily rather than bright yellow Gatsos.
Saw a 58 plate silver VW Transporter "Safety Camera Van" the other morning with completely tinted front windows. Setting a good example, no?
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Why do so many people get caught by speed cameras? After all they're qute visible in their yellow colour and there are usually advance warnings.
I don't know. Perhaps they're on the 'phone, and not concentrating.
When I got caught exceeding 60 it was by a police officer in a car hidden in a side road and he timed me (with a clock on the dash) between two roadside trees.
Good grief! When was this?
Edited by Webmaster on 20/10/2008 at 01:02
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Good grief! When was this?
30/3/91 in a car that every police officer wanted to catch speeding ~ red XR3i. Ever since I've bought less extrovert-looking cars.
Edited by Webmaster on 20/10/2008 at 01:02
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After all they're qute visible in their yellow colour and there are usually advance warnings.
Are they quite visible?
www.speedcam.co.uk/gatso.htm
Also, not all are painted yellow.
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There is no longer any requirement to paint them or make them otherwise visible-removed earlier this year.
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because...an enormous amount of people driving around are fairly unaware of their surroundings
hence, shock when someone comes up behind them 'suddenly'; many pedestrian casualty statistics and people whizzing right through highly visible fixed camera sites
and...automatic braking when they see a camera, instead of knowing what speed they're doing and the local limit; not giving HGV's enough room when they need it, e.g. roundabouts; driving into a gap, despite the lack of an exit strategy and thereby causing a blockage; blocking box junctions; unnecessary fog light usage; etc, etc, etc
but i haven't the slightest doubt many of them would be quick to criticise someone overtaking or grabbing a bit more speed on a nice safe open stretch
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because...an enormous amount of people driving around are fairly unaware of their surroundings
Yesterday I was nearly side swiped by someone changing lanes on exiting a roundabout, when I was in the lane they wanted to move into. Last month I was nearly side swiped by someone changing lanes without looking. Last month I nearly had a head on collision with someone going round a blind bend on the wrong side of the road. On each occasion I emergency braked to avoid an accident. I've done some impressive skids.
Something tells me there is some merit in your statement ... There aren't half some dozy twerps about. Well, at least they aren't suffering from sleep deprivation.
But oddly enough I suspect there people are not the type that speed.
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I was on my way back from Edinburgh last week and somebody set off one of the Northbound cameras. What amazed me is that about 50 yards in front of that camera was a scamera van.
That brought about two questions:
a) Why have scamera van and a gatso in that short distance
b) How can you miss both of them!
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Why have scamera van and a gatso in that short distance
To catch those motorists who speed up just after passing the Gatso!
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The scamera van was in front of the gatso - and the gatso flashed as someone went by. So whoever it was might have been done twice in 50 yards!
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Are they quite visible? www.speedcam.co.uk/gatso.htm
Look at some of the angles that those pictures are taken at. Some are taken on the pavement, but if you were on the road (especially in the drivers seat) you would see a lot more. When you're driving you also see things in 3D, you are more likely to see that the things behind the signs are seperate things.
Lets look at the first one... There's a huge camera information sign at the front, surely you can't miss that. If you notice the cones etc. then you may even think that there could be cameras. Maybe they get a workman to walk across the motorway each day to take the sign and camera down?
Picture 2: The camera sign is right in front of the camera, and the speed limit is clearly sign posted
Picture 3: Clearly sign posted limit. Petrol station, cars parked on both sides of the road, theres a bend and it looks like you're just entering a residential area. Would you even want to be doing 30mph here (it's hard to tell what's around the bend at the moment)?
Picture 7: Clearly marked limit, camera sing, yellow box, '30' in the road. There are parked cars and it looks like a built up area, 30mph looks like a good speed.
There's one lower down which has speed cusions too. Are you really going to be doing more than 30mph over speed cusions?
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>> >> Are they quite visible? >> >> www.speedcam.co.uk/gatso.htm >> Look at some of the angles that those pictures are taken at. Some are taken on the pavement but if you were on the road (especially in the drivers seat) you would see a lot more. When you're driving you also see things in 3D you are more likely to see that the things behind the signs are seperate things.
One thing that struck me about the comments was the assumption from the site owner that the speed limit signs were an indication that when you passed them you then had time to slow down... I wonder when he (or she) last read the HC - you are supposed to slow down before the sign so that you pass it at the prescribed speed ffs!
And I agree, P3, the "observations" were in the main rubbish!
Edited by b308 on 21/10/2008 at 12:24
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Why do so many people get caught by speed cameras? After all, they're qute visible
We only tend to notice what we are looking for. If you are looking our for speed cameras you will notice them. If you are concentrating on other things like the traffic around you or are intent on finding the turn off you require you migh not. If somebody asked you if you seen a red mondeo in the last 5 minutes you would problably not have a clue as you were not specifically looking for them even though they are easily visible. The eye and brain do not work like a video camera. Once you are tuned into looking for something you will notice it. If you buy a red mondeo you will notice them every where. If you have 9 point for speeding on your licence you will certainly notice speed cameras.
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If you don't have ANY points, you can probably see speed limit signs:) Most drivers have never reviewed their skills. Present company excepted.
Edited by nortones2 on 20/10/2008 at 20:44
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There is a camera near me which looks grey at night and is not very visible. In daylight it looks the normal yellow colour. It must be different paint as I've not seen this effect on any others.
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>>Saw a 58 plate silver VW Transporter "Safety Camera Van" the other morning with completely tinted front windows. Setting a good example, no?
The latest craze in Germany seems to be tinted glass that you can turn on or off with the flick of a switch. Every new building seems to have it.
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