patently Posted June 21, 2008 Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 We all know that "safety" camera vans only appear at dangerous locations, not money-making locations. After all, officialdom tells us that so it must be true. So obviously they've made a big mistake by putting one here, on the A413 Wendover bypass: As you can see, it is a dead straight A road on which I've not heard of a single accident. Visibility is perfect; sightlines are perfect; the road is straight and flat with no potholes. There are no pavements and no pedestrians; this is a bypass for Wendover so there is no need for pedestrians to use it. This is the map: It is also the first good straight section after long narrow winding sections in both directions. In other words, it is the first safe overtaking opportunity for a long time, and the last one you'll have for a while. Imagine putting your foot down, pulling past the 45er, and seeing this bloke. Do they really want us to learn to overtake elsewhere? Basically, people get to this part and put their foot down. And Nanny doesn't like it. Safety my :buttcheeks: This is about extracting cash; nothing more, nothing less. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mook Posted June 21, 2008 Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 Why's it a problem if you're doing 60 to get past some old granny who's doing 40? Won't be a problem then will it...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rustynuts Posted June 21, 2008 Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 There's a difference between safety camera partnership sites (which have to be approved) and just a Police van stopping speeding drivers (which don't have to be approved). Basically, if the revenue from the speed camera is to be used by the force in question for its own use then the site has to adhere to guidelines, but if the revenue generated goes to the government then they can stop you anywhere with a speed camera. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patently Posted June 21, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 Because when overtaking I tend to spend more time thinking about car control, and less time looking around inside the cockpit at thinks like the speedo. And I prefer to spend as little time on the wrong side of the road as possible. As you well know, Mook. Cheeky get Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mook Posted June 21, 2008 Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 As you well know, Mook. Cheeky get Moi? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRobin Posted June 21, 2008 Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 Moi? ....Yes! YOU, Mook! Fecking troublemaker! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRobin Posted June 21, 2008 Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 when overtaking I tend to spend more time thinking about car control, and less time looking around inside the cockpit at thinks like the speedo. And I prefer to spend as little time on the wrong side of the road as possible. ....Which results in.................................. Safer Driving! So much for speed camera vans using the word "Safety" amongst their markings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRobin Posted June 21, 2008 Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 Basically, if the revenue from the speed camera is to be used by the force in question for its own use then the site has to adhere to guidelines, but if the revenue generated goes to the government then they can stop you anywhere with a speed camera. ....Basically, the government can legally screw you as much as they want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamiekip Posted June 21, 2008 Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 I thought the regulations behind 'safety cameras' had changed recently, so they now no longer have to be painted yellow and they no longer 'have' to be near a black spot, but can be known 'trouble' areas. So I guess if that stretch of road is known for speeders that is all the justification they need! The amount of camera's in this country is getting ridiculous! Was in B'ham last week and my sat nav was warning me every 50 meters! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patently Posted June 21, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 Was in B'ham last week and my sat nav was warning me every 50 meters! I think that's the other tactic against scamera locators - notify so many locations that they are just forever going off and we ignore them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkzz Posted June 21, 2008 Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 Quote: "As you can see, it is a dead straight A road on which I've not heard of a single accident." Probably one of the worst that aylesbury has had to deal with! "SPEED cameras are likely to be installed along the Wendover bypass after a safety review of the infamous road is carried out in April. Last week The Bucks Herald and the families of four men killed in a horrific high-speed crash on the bypass last September launched a campaign to see a permanent camera installed." That crash was horrific!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarmac_Terrorist Posted June 21, 2008 Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 Slightly off topic but like the van in the photo, I've noticed that many of these trap vans have orange lights on them now. What's the plan for those then. Do they light 'em up whilst changing the film or something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drewcam Posted June 21, 2008 Report Share Posted June 21, 2008 I'v seen them with orange beacons also before. I'v also seen that one force is deliberatly using a blue transit with ladders one the roof. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkzz Posted June 22, 2008 Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 Slightly off topic but like the van in the photo, I've noticed that many of these trap vans have orange lights on them now. What's the plan for those then. Do they light 'em up whilst changing the film or something? I have seen them using the yellow lights on when changing the film of a fixed camera in bicester. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patently Posted June 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 Last week The Bucks Herald and the families of four men killed in a horrific high-speed crash on the bypass last September launched a campaign to see a permanent camera installed." That's news to me, although I don't claim to be omniscient. Do you have any more details of the crash? My suspicion is that it merely happened at high speed rather than due to high speed per se; visibility is so good along there that to crash you really have to do something daft, like overtake when someone else is doing the same in the other direction, or have a mechanical fault. Obviously, higher speeds exacerbate the accident if it happens, but that is the argument for a 5mph NSL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patently Posted June 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2008 Ah ... here's the article. Interesting quote from the "Thames Valley Safer Roads Partnership chairman": If you drive sensibly, it's one of the safest roads in the county, if not the country. And, as the article notes, enforcement was in place prior to the accident. So that worked well, then... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkzz Posted June 24, 2008 Report Share Posted June 24, 2008 Do you have any more details of the crash? My suspicion is that it merely happened at high speed rather than due to high speed per se; visibility is so good along there that to crash you really have to do something daft, like overtake when someone else is doing the same in the other direction, or have a mechanical fault. Obviously, higher speeds exacerbate the accident if it happens, but that is the argument for a 5mph NSL. As far as i am aware, thats what was happening, overtaking into oncoming, head on. I agree, the visibilty is great and you can see very well, and its a very wide section of road, sadly people do totally gun it down that road, and will do so on the corner under the bridge which i think is so unsafe! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shao_khan Posted June 24, 2008 Report Share Posted June 24, 2008 I was in Peterborough the other day and travelling along a dual carriageway and saw a van, checked my speedo and was doing 30mph (hadnt seen a speed sign so was erring on the side of caution) and managed to travel for nearly 2 miles before I found a sign indicating the speed - it was 40mph. Travelled back along the route and I couldnt actually see a sign indicating the start of the rstricted section - I was travelling slowly because of the lamp posts - so figured it was restricted, but no signage I could find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRobin Posted June 25, 2008 Report Share Posted June 25, 2008 From the Bucks Herald article : - "In the last two years, 530 lives have been saved in the UK, saving £112 million as a direct result of putting speed cameras at potentially dangerous sites." ....Such statements always make me think/realise that it's the money they want to save above the lives. If they truly wanted to prioritise the saving of lives they should do something about driver education and tests. "If you drive sensibly, it's one of the safest roads in the county, if not the country." ....What utter bollox! Why? - Because the road is dead straight?. Two-way 3-lane roads are potentially extremely dangerous in that some drivers can easily misjudge the speed of an oncoming car also overtaking and on a course for a head-on serious incident. Also some drivers think that they'll force you to give way and 'play chicken'. What they could consider is double white lining half of the whole stretch so you take turns in having two lanes safe for overtaking - But that wouldn't make them any money! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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