Do you even drive these days, or are you disinclined to go anywhere in case someone does bang you up the ****? You can't plan for everything, and you can't mitigate every risk. If you drive safely within your own limitations (not the cars), AND be aware of what everyone else around you is doing, including using all of your mirrors, then you should be OK. If you do get involved in a big pile up, chances are you have stopped paying attention somewhere along the way...

That is absolutely true

But, what I meant to add (sorry had to help a non-tech family member with his new mobile ) was that stopping distances increase vastly when high speeds get attained. Ignore the Highway Code's actual distances, I know that they aren't applicable to our cars, but what they do illustrate well is how much of your distance is taken up by thinking about braking and then just how much extra it takes to stop at high speed. An extra 10mph could mean the extra amount of distance needed to hit a car that is part of an accident, and so therefore very slow or even stopped, very hard, when you may well have stopped before hitting it.

I do think we should be retested regulary. And I think it will come in at some point in the next 15 years, or at the very least the wheels put in motion for it. But then you have a situation where more and more people will not pass the test but will still have to drive for their jobs. So they will. So, how do you catch them? Surely a camera system such as this is ideal? They couldn't go many places without being on various cameras which would provide excellent evidence against them.

Not having a dig at all, I think your point needed expanding thats all

I've seen the diamond cut outs (filled with bitumen) in the road that have been mentioned. They look like the ones at automated car park barriers that always get put in after the tarmac has been laid so I would think there defo some sort of monitering device but I can't see how their speed related. Has anyone driven around the M42 lately because I'm not quite sure where all the cameras are now ?

It's just a single core cable in a loop called an induction loop. When your car passes over it the car interupts the magnetic field generated by the loop and this is picked up by the monitor attached to it. They use them to monitor traffic volume when planning changes to road layouts etc. The police have caught on to this now though and this has led to induction loops being installed on motorways. By spacing 2 induction loops a short distance away from each other and measuring the time taken for a car to activate both, they can work out your speed. They run cables from the loops to nearby bridges where the police can plug in a portable device to record your speed (and trigger a photograph of your car too).

It's nothing to do with trafficmaster. Trafficmaster relies on bridge mounted cameras and transmitters.

It's just a single core cable in a loop called an induction loop. When your car passes over it the car interupts the magnetic field generated by the loop and this is picked up by the monitor attached to it. They use them to monitor traffic volume when planning changes to road layouts etc.

I know the ones you mean, I may have got the wrong end of the stick at first, sorry if I have. Normally, if they want to monitor traffic volume, they will use a temporary measure. This is normally actual cables run across the road, taped down at one end and connected to a box at the other.

The police system is pretty much SPECS idea I think.

I know the ones you mean' date=' I may have got the wrong end of the stick at first, sorry if I have. Normally, if they want to monitor traffic volume, they will use a temporary measure. This is normally actual cables run across the road, taped down at one end and connected to a box at the other.

The police system is pretty much SPECS idea I think. [/quote']

They often install the permanent loops in roads too. They put in a couple on the dual carriageway near me when they resurfaced it. The loops terminate in a pillar into which the Roads Service can attach their monitoring equipment when and if they need to.

They often install the permanent loops in roads too. They put in a couple on the dual carriageway near me when they resurfaced it. The loops terminate in a pillar into which the Roads Service can attach their monitoring equipment when and if they need to.

Excellent, not seen those yet. Should be good to monitor the roads use really, see where extra lanes really are needed and also at what times our roads are busy. Sometimes its more than just rush hour and also different times of the year. Good idea I say.

I do think we should be retested regulary. And I think it will come in at some point in the next 15 years' date=' or at the very least the wheels put in motion for it. But then you have a situation where more and more people will not pass the test but will still have to drive for their jobs. So they will. So, how do you catch them? Surely a camera system such as this is ideal? They couldn't go many places without being on various cameras which would provide excellent evidence against them.

:[/quote']

certainly agree with the retesting - badly needed - but TBH I wish they would take it a step futher ..... When you pass your test you can drive a " sensible " car .If you want something quicker / bigger etc then take an advanced test with skidpan etc . It seems crazy that a 17 year old can ( with a big enough wallet) pass his test and drive just about anything :eek: I drive a vRS and the thought that my son could legally drive it in a few months time is too frightening for words

Where i have to disagree is the value of the automatic cameras in getting bad drivers off the roads - surely traffic officers watching , even from un-marked cars :eek: would be far better? or if the must use cameras - use CCTV - manned with someone watching to see who is doing the lane changes at the last moment , tailgating , etc

I have NO problem with law enforcement but its the way its done thats causing so much bad feeling.

[quote name=Johnny By spacing 2 induction loops a short distance away from each other and measuring the time taken for a car to activate both' date=' they can work out your speed. They run cables from the loops to nearby bridges where the police can plug in a portable device to record your speed (and trigger a photograph of your car too).

It's nothing to do with trafficmaster. Trafficmaster relies on bridge mounted cameras and transmitters.[/quote]

could be - the ones -i'm talking about - its a network of lines full width of the road and i'd guess it could be a pair of loops - about 6 Ft apart with a network of interlinking lines

good call on the re-testing. My grandad drove into his 80's and there was no way he should have been on the road.

Just remember, it was Alistar Darling that ran the CSA, JobCentres and Benefit Agencys into the current crap state they are in now and then he jumped ship and is now running the road networks and whatever else he's supposed to be doing into the ground as well. He's a complete and utter **** and we're facing redundancies here because of his "great" plans. Tell me, how can you improve customer service when you lay staff off and the one's remaining go off with stress because of the workloads. (Sorry, off topic but Darling is a complete w-a-n-k-e-r). :rant:

Where i have to disagree is the value of the automatic cameras in getting bad drivers off the roads

Think my poor written English has got in the way again. If the automatic cameras can pick up untaxed, uninsured etc drivers, then if you fail your test, your car won't have valid insurance, therefore you will get picked up by the cameras. So in a round-a-bout way, it would catch poor drivers who can't keep up a good standard.

I agree with the limit on new drivers. And engine size of 1.4 petrol and 1.7 diesel would be ok for say 2 years, then a lift upto a higher amount. My gf passed about 2 years back I guess, she still thinks my car is too fast for her and will rarely drive it.

I would like more traffic officers, but it would be better to tie this in with automatic and monitored cameras, so they aren't sitting on a motorway keeping an eye, move despatched to the road that needs attention urgently. And could also help track anyone who is driving dangerously so they can be pulled over. I'm sure this is semi in place now but it would be nice to expand it. Make the most of the officers as you must agree that generally, they do a fantastic job.

It's not the speeding thing that bothers me - I try to drive with regard to the speed limit all the time, and although I use a speed camera database with my sat nav, this is genuinely for the Politically Correct reason of being forewarned of accident blackspots (although it is nice to be warned of cameras that are more to do with revenue than safety! )

The way I see it, these cameras will be about as effective at reducing car crime as ID cards will be at preventing terrorist attacks. OK, they might help Plod catch the really incompetent ones, but those with a bit of nous will always be able to stay one step ahead...

No the real reason for these cameras is to tie in with congestion charging and mileage-based road tax, which although they're being dressed up as environmentally-friendly policies, are really just revenue generators to cover up the fact the Tony's Cronies keep p*ssing all our money away.

The fact is that Poo Labour are obsessed with knowing everything about everyone, and not for reasons of safety or security, but just to make sure that they know exactly where you are, what you're doing, and most importantly, how much you should be paying them...

I still reckon it's all pie-in-the-sky, though (fortunately!) Even if the technology is available, it won't be coming in before the next election, and once Control Freak Tony is out of No. 10, I think a lot of these things will be seen for the scams that they really are...

:rant:

Think my poor written English has got in the way again. If the automatic cameras can pick up untaxed' date=' uninsured etc drivers, then if you fail your test, your car won't have valid insurance, therefore you will get picked up by the cameras. So in a round-a-bout way, it would catch poor drivers who can't keep up a good standard.

:[/quote']

Sorry - but your wrong there !

there are two totally differing types of cameras - anpr which reads the number plate and will detect the untaxed , uninsured criminals etc.They have NO interest in speeding ( unless very blatant) - I have this on very good authority from " a inside contact". I have no issue at all with these systems and would love to see many more of them.

The other type of automatic camera is the money earner - PURELY there to catch speeding , sometimes hidden and although technically the person doing the paperwork COULD check the car details are legal this is generally not done . These are by far the most common cameras here and they alone are the ones i and so many people are against .

What I would really like them to have the guts to do is have a real " zero tolerance" policy on driving standards - everything , speed , lane discipline , fog lights , bikers ( sorry spindrift!) parking and of course aggressive / dangerous driving......... now that really would make the roads a safer place and should be seen to be fair to all rather than just erroniously pick on one single aspect of driving fault

It's not the speeding thing that bothers me - I try to drive with regard to the speed limit all the time' date=' and although I use a speed camera database with my sat nav, this is genuinely for the Politically Correct reason of being forewarned of accident blackspots (although it is nice to be warned of cameras that are more to do with revenue than safety! )

The way I see it, these cameras will be about as effective at reducing car crime as ID cards will be at preventing terrorist attacks. OK, they might help Plod catch the really incompetent ones, but those with a bit of nous will always be able to stay one step ahead...

No the real reason for these cameras is to tie in with congestion charging and mileage-based road tax, which although they're being dressed up as environmentally-friendly policies, are really just revenue generators to cover up the fact the Tony's Cronies keep p*ssing all our money away.

The fact is that Poo Labour are obsessed with knowing everything about everyone, and not for reasons of safety or security, but just to make sure that they know exactly where you are, what you're doing, and most importantly, how much you should be paying them...

I still reckon it's all pie-in-the-sky, though (fortunately!) Even if the technology [i']is[/i] available, it won't be coming in before the next election, and once Control Freak Tony is out of No. 10, I think a lot of these things will be seen for the scams that they really are...

:rant:

i think the motorist has been shafted for far longer than eight years - i seem to recall many of drivings current problems have been around for far longer than that.... so just maybe :eek: so its not really a political debate at all ..... whatever central government say - the decision of the camera van to hide behind a bush rather than in the open is down to the driver - lets face it ater listening to brunstrom ( sp) on radio two last week it was obvious the north wales speed obsession is a local decision and nothing to do the whatever party is having the pleasure of screwing us - they are all rsoles there for there own personal gain - whatever the party they belong to

Sorry - but your wrong there !

there are two totally differing types of cameras - anpr which reads the number plate and will detect the untaxed ' date=' uninsured criminals etc.They have NO interest in speeding ( unless very blatant) - I have this on very good authority from " a inside contact". I have no issue at all with these systems and would love to see many more of them.

[/quote']

Yep, I know

I thought the idea of the Gatso 2 was to pick up on both? Surely that would be a blessing for legally binding citizens such as ourselves?

Hate all cameras.Catch muggers,thieves,grotty kids,shoplifters,graffiti people,other vandals if you please.

Leave the bloke doing 75 mph on the motorway alone please.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/bradford/4455918.stm

Now that's a decent use of it...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/bradford/4455918.stm

Now that's a decent use of it...

Agreed,but I thought the first thing criminals do is change the plates before a crime?

The only advantage I can see is that my employers sell disk storage and backup solutions, and some of our customer are Police forces.....

Phil