The "Freeola Customer Forum" forum, which includes Retro Game Reviews, has been archived and is now read-only. You cannot post here or create a new thread or review on this forum.
Recent news reports have suggested the police in various areas are up in arms about the Government's attempts to reduce the amount of Speed Cameras in the UK.
The cynical among us may suggest this is due to the revenue stream the police enjoy from speeding fines but the question remains; do speed cameras really work?
There are 2 things I'd like to point out:
-If many people are caught by cameras then the cameras aren't obviously having an effect.
-I've seen plenty of occassions where drivers have been speeding and then slowed down for the camera, only to begin speeding again.
In addition, do drivers spend more time looking at their speed on the dashboard if approaching a speed camera and does this have a detrimental effect on their concentration of the road in front of them?
Personally I think that if speed cameras are to be used then they should be hand-held ones that can be used anywhere at any time. That way drivers would need to watch their speed on any road. In addition, the percentage either side of the speed to allow for variance in the instruments of the car should be increased slightly to allow for this.
Personally I'm all for going the correct speed, I've seen too many accidents to know it's not just a silly precaution and I've seen far too many drivers come right up the back of me when I've been going the right speed on a 30mph stretch of road.
The cynical among us may suggest this is due to the revenue stream the police enjoy from speeding fines but the question remains; do speed cameras really work?
There are 2 things I'd like to point out:
-If many people are caught by cameras then the cameras aren't obviously having an effect.
-I've seen plenty of occassions where drivers have been speeding and then slowed down for the camera, only to begin speeding again.
In addition, do drivers spend more time looking at their speed on the dashboard if approaching a speed camera and does this have a detrimental effect on their concentration of the road in front of them?
Personally I think that if speed cameras are to be used then they should be hand-held ones that can be used anywhere at any time. That way drivers would need to watch their speed on any road. In addition, the percentage either side of the speed to allow for variance in the instruments of the car should be increased slightly to allow for this.
Personally I'm all for going the correct speed, I've seen too many accidents to know it's not just a silly precaution and I've seen far too many drivers come right up the back of me when I've been going the right speed on a 30mph stretch of road.
Page:
Sonic Chris wrote:
> Just reminded me of my dad's argument. Why don't they just make
> production cars with a lower cap on speed, and allow the likes of
> police cars to travel faster? We've got average cars that can
> reach well over 100 mph, but there is no time on the road that
> you would be allowed to travel this speed.
I agree with this, it wouldn't stop people speeding in towns because you'd need to travel at least 60mph on motorways to be safe, but yea a cap of 60-65mph would make sense I reckon. Plus this would allow them to keep speed cameras off motorways and put more in towns.
I drive with my two kids in my car most times and I hate it when I have some idiot sitting up my backside. I drive an MG ZS with full bodykit etc.. and although I have baby and child on board signs up, I still get all the stupid little boy racers trying to race me, does my box in.
So yea a sensible speed cap would be a good idea I reckon.
> Just reminded me of my dad's argument. Why don't they just make
> production cars with a lower cap on speed, and allow the likes of
> police cars to travel faster? We've got average cars that can
> reach well over 100 mph, but there is no time on the road that
> you would be allowed to travel this speed.
I agree with this, it wouldn't stop people speeding in towns because you'd need to travel at least 60mph on motorways to be safe, but yea a cap of 60-65mph would make sense I reckon. Plus this would allow them to keep speed cameras off motorways and put more in towns.
I drive with my two kids in my car most times and I hate it when I have some idiot sitting up my backside. I drive an MG ZS with full bodykit etc.. and although I have baby and child on board signs up, I still get all the stupid little boy racers trying to race me, does my box in.
So yea a sensible speed cap would be a good idea I reckon.
pb wrote:
> One idea (for the future) would be satellite controlled speed on
> all new cars, with each stretch of road mapped out on a GPS style
> system.
Just reminded me of my dad's argument. Why don't they just make production cars with a lower cap on speed, and allow the likes of police cars to travel faster? We've got average cars that can reach well over 100 mph, but there is no time on the road that you would be allowed to travel this speed. I know this wouldn't stop everyone, what with people meddling with the capped speed, but I think it would greatly reduce the number of speeders.
> One idea (for the future) would be satellite controlled speed on
> all new cars, with each stretch of road mapped out on a GPS style
> system.
Just reminded me of my dad's argument. Why don't they just make production cars with a lower cap on speed, and allow the likes of police cars to travel faster? We've got average cars that can reach well over 100 mph, but there is no time on the road that you would be allowed to travel this speed. I know this wouldn't stop everyone, what with people meddling with the capped speed, but I think it would greatly reduce the number of speeders.
To be honest, I don't think I've ever seen a speed camera near a school, mostly just on traffic lights or on roads where there has been a major issue. Thing is though, it's not hard to learn their locations and slow down a bit for them. And boy racers can just race at a different spot. Like the southend crackdown, they have about 50 cameras (just a guess) and they dont even put film in them.
If a crack down on speed is needed then hiding in the bushes and giving police better speed checks and more power is probably the way. In some states in america, I think they have a gadget that can accurately tell you the speed that every car around you is moving, while your on the road and moving at the same time. Even cars going the other way.
Only problem with this is that people slam on their brakes as soon as they realise the camera which can cause more accidents. Maybe they should hide better and not let people know they have been caught until a phone call later or a letter though the post.
At the moment, you can just speed all you like and feel comfortable that you will not get caught, and even if you do... its only 3 pts, and a low fine. If they start catching people maybe it'd put the frighteners on and actually make people care what speed their going.
All in all, my opinion is these big yellow speed cameras with warning signs are a complete waste of time.
And those lollypop ones that just give you a sad face? Who cares? I can't see that they slow people down much and often I hear people boasting about the highest speed that they have gone through each one.
If a crack down on speed is needed then hiding in the bushes and giving police better speed checks and more power is probably the way. In some states in america, I think they have a gadget that can accurately tell you the speed that every car around you is moving, while your on the road and moving at the same time. Even cars going the other way.
Only problem with this is that people slam on their brakes as soon as they realise the camera which can cause more accidents. Maybe they should hide better and not let people know they have been caught until a phone call later or a letter though the post.
At the moment, you can just speed all you like and feel comfortable that you will not get caught, and even if you do... its only 3 pts, and a low fine. If they start catching people maybe it'd put the frighteners on and actually make people care what speed their going.
All in all, my opinion is these big yellow speed cameras with warning signs are a complete waste of time.
And those lollypop ones that just give you a sad face? Who cares? I can't see that they slow people down much and often I hear people boasting about the highest speed that they have gone through each one.
One idea (for the future) would be satellite controlled speed on all new cars, with each stretch of road mapped out on a GPS style system.
However, judging by how bad GPS is on some areas already and how car manufacturers could possibly sell this as a good thing it's not going to happen any time soon.
However, judging by how bad GPS is on some areas already and how car manufacturers could possibly sell this as a good thing it's not going to happen any time soon.
I am of mixed opinion on them. I think they work to some extent as they slow down the traffic at accident hotspots, but do nothing elsewhere.
I can see both sides of Chris' and Warhunt's argument - prevention is better than prosecution - but if they were hidden everywhere, I think people would be more speed aware - in the hope they don't get caught. It's tricky to decide what is best.
The point about a driver watching his speedometer is a good one as with all these changing speed limits on a road (some as short as 20 metres apart), you constantly need to keep an eye on the speed. It does prove a nasty distraction.
These 20mph zones I believe are nasty as it's right between gears for a comfortable speed.
I think it should remain as it is. Speed cameras that are known will cause drivers to keep their speed down (at least in that area) and catch out those foolhardy enough to drive fast through an unknown area and those that aren't known about...well, just watch your speed.
What I would like though is a speed limit sign either side of the camera (either on or within 10 metres) to just indicate what the speed limit is for that road. Saves for that uncertainty of "is it 30 or 40 down here..."
I can see both sides of Chris' and Warhunt's argument - prevention is better than prosecution - but if they were hidden everywhere, I think people would be more speed aware - in the hope they don't get caught. It's tricky to decide what is best.
The point about a driver watching his speedometer is a good one as with all these changing speed limits on a road (some as short as 20 metres apart), you constantly need to keep an eye on the speed. It does prove a nasty distraction.
These 20mph zones I believe are nasty as it's right between gears for a comfortable speed.
I think it should remain as it is. Speed cameras that are known will cause drivers to keep their speed down (at least in that area) and catch out those foolhardy enough to drive fast through an unknown area and those that aren't known about...well, just watch your speed.
What I would like though is a speed limit sign either side of the camera (either on or within 10 metres) to just indicate what the speed limit is for that road. Saves for that uncertainty of "is it 30 or 40 down here..."
People aren't slowing down because they're obeying the law, they're slowing down to avoid getting fined. As soon as they pass these 'hotspots', they floor it. I had a friend who got hit by a car near our school. The police had one of these mobile units that's monitered speed, but on that day, it happened to be absent. So they do prevent accidents, but it's only temporary.
In our area they have speed camera signs up along a long stretch of road, there are no fixed cameras but police stop in a van every so often with a mobile camera in the back. If they did this more often along more stretches of road drivers would get used to them being there and would think about slowing down in these areas just in case.
Obviously they need to be clearly marked along the whole stretch and it wouldn't work for everyone straight away but done often enough people would get the message.
Obviously they need to be clearly marked along the whole stretch and it wouldn't work for everyone straight away but done often enough people would get the message.
Sonic Chris wrote:
> it's as though motorists are being given the message that it's ok to speed in other areas. Speeding by a school, speeding on a motorway - both are breaking the law.
At the end of the day though, cameras are being put up in places where pedestrians/other motorists are most at risk. I'm pretty sure if it was possible there would be speed cameras covering every mile of the UK's roads, but since it's obviously not possible due to cost, and an absolute public uproar, the police just have to put them wherever they deem them to be needed most, so I don't think it is a case of it being seen as okay to speed in other areas.
> it's as though motorists are being given the message that it's ok to speed in other areas. Speeding by a school, speeding on a motorway - both are breaking the law.
At the end of the day though, cameras are being put up in places where pedestrians/other motorists are most at risk. I'm pretty sure if it was possible there would be speed cameras covering every mile of the UK's roads, but since it's obviously not possible due to cost, and an absolute public uproar, the police just have to put them wherever they deem them to be needed most, so I don't think it is a case of it being seen as okay to speed in other areas.
I see the point of displaying them at schools, sort of forcing people to slow down to avoid a ticket, thus making the road safer near the school. But it doesn't work in the grand scheme of things. If we have them at 'speeding hotspots' or in places we want to make particularly safe (eg.schools) it's as though motorists are being given the message that it's ok to speed in other areas. Speeding by a school, speeding on a motorway - both are breaking the law.
I think that speed cameras do work in some cases, but not all. For example if there's one at a school or an accident black spot, then I think these are acceptable, even if a driver only slows down for these sections, then at least they have slowed down at a critical point where maybe accidents used to be quite regular, and if it saves one life then it's certainly worth it.
I have seen some cameras in weird places where I can't see the point in them though, but at the end of the day, if you don't speed then you really have nothing to worry, or complain about.
I have seen some cameras in weird places where I can't see the point in them though, but at the end of the day, if you don't speed then you really have nothing to worry, or complain about.
Page: