Traffic light cameras - I wish they were banned

[amazingtrade]

I think they cause too much panic unlike speed cameras. I don't speed so I don't give a stuff about speed cameras and I spot them anyway so always make sure I am doing under the limit so its impossible to get caught.

What I hate about traffic light cameras is they are affecting my decision making and causing worry.

On Wednesday last week I crossed this junction with cameras (gatso type things) and it changed to amber but I was a quite close but also not close enough to stop plus there was nothign behind me, I thought the only thing I can do is stop, I stopped but ended up stopping 1 foot above the stop line so been worrying about that. The lights were still on amber by the time I had come to a halt.

Today same junction but opposite direction lights were on green for ages, I slow down to 25 expecting to stop but the flipping things would not change to amber so I could not stop, by the time I had got close they had changed to amber so if I had stopped I would have been well above the stop line. I went through on amber and the lights changed to red when I was about 80% through the large crossing. It is easy to say I should have slowed down further but people were tailgating me as it was.

In both cases I commited offence but I did the safest thing but now every time I go near this junction I just panic and pay more attention to the lights than the road

I assume in my first case I would not get a ticket for coming to rest after the stop line? It was still on amber by the time I had stopped and I was only 1 foot over the line.

 

[I-S]

You MUST NOT move forward over the white line when the red light is showing.

The lights were still on amber by the time I had come to a halt.

I went through on amber

In both cases I commited offence

No you didn't.

 

[Dev]

I'd like to ban speed cameras, but would like a camera on each junction. The number of cars going through red lights now a days is just becoming too stupid for words.

 

[Bob McC]

Hooray
another AT driving neurosis thread!

 

[amazingtrade]

I am all for catching drivers going through red but surely they just avoid skiping the red lights at these junctions anyway and thus never get caught?

My problem with these cameras is they cannot properly measure what is a clear cut case of going through on red or what is a simple mistake. Only a copper can do that. There are times when I have been amazed of drivers cheek going through amber, e.g if its been on amber for ages and they had no excuse what so ever not to stop that in my mind is the same as going through on red.

 

[Dev]

I am all for catching drivers going through red but surely they just avoid skiping the red lights at these junctions anyway and thus never get caught?

That's why I said I'd like them on each junction.

 

[mr cat]

yeah, you don't seem to have them in the northeast - or at least not on the lights I stop at...

 

[Dev]

My dislike for red light skippers knows no bounds. Speed chicanes come close second though. Whoever thought of them could not have been a driver nor could he/she know much about human behaviour. On my way to work I have to cross 4 of these chicanes and almost every day I see drivers from opposite sides racing to beat each other. Obviously the complete reverse of what was intended by the traffic planners.

 

[amazingtrade]

I don't see a lot of that here but it does happen, usualy them going through a 30 at 60 showing off.

In Manchester the biggest problem is tailgators and blind drivers. Drivers that don't seem to see obvious hazzards ahead, they just drive into them blocking the entire road.

I got beeped at the other day for not moving when a crossing was flashing amber, there was a old lady still crossing!

I really felt like getting out and saying do you know what flashing amber means, stupid woman.

 

[Bob McC]

Bit harsh there AT. Wait til you're old and slow

 

[amazingtrade]

I was meaning the driver beeping at me. The pedistrian crossing was doing nothing wrong at all. Flash amber means go if the crossing is clear in this case it wasn't the stupid ***** in the Punto behind didn't seem to understand that and just madly beeped me then over took me on the wrong side of the road before sticking to fingers up.

If there was CCTV near by I would have reported it to the police I am sure she commited enough offences there.

 

[mick parry]

Chaps

I love these cameras and if I had my way I would have them set up every 100 yards on every road.

Our roads have too many cars on them and too many speeding idiots.

These cameras would catch thousands of the fools who speed, that would raise taxes and keep the roads freed up for good safe motorists. That is a win win situation.

You need only fear cameras if you are either reckless or stupid and in either case you should not be allowed in front of a wheel.

Regards

Mick

 

[amazingtrade]

I agree with cameras and catching people but these cameras need to be fool proof and only those who are going through red on purpose, not those who miss time it by a split second.

 

[spica]

I love these cameras and if I had my way I would have them set up every 100 yards on every road.

Mick

imagine the maintenance cost's, the Treasury would be hopping,especially with those placed on 3 car a day country lanes, truth is that more commonly than not we see them placed where they'll generate the most revenue, not safety.

You need only fear cameras if you are either reckless or stupid and in either case you should not be allowed in front of a wheel.

Mick

does that include law abiding citizens who get flashed when driving safely but just happen to be a little over the speed limit, there's the rub,the vast majority of those caught "speeding" are neither reckless or stupid, in the main their just getting to work... or going home...so are penalized for their honest duty, it's a below the belt system and absolutely nothing to do with the punk fun excuse .

 

[amazingtrade]

I am not sure about speeding because most speedos over read anyway. If my speedo is reading 40 I am actually doing about 34 which is probably just about enough to cause a 30mph speed camera to flash. In other words to get caught in a 30 in most modern cars you have to do about 40 on the speedo.

 

[DavidF]

does that include law abiding citizens who get flashed when driving safely but just happen to be a little over the speed limit, there's the rub,the vast majority of those caught "speeding" are neither reckless or stupid, in the main their just getting to work... or going home...so are penalized for their honest duty, it's a below the belt system and absolutely nothing to do with the punk fun excuse .

Thats the one.

Speed cameras are , IMO, lillt e more than a useful money earner for the gov't, with a bit of rhetoric about safety pontificated at the same time to catch a few votes.

That said if you reading the road a la advanced driving methods speed limits should not be an isue but as this gent says we can all have an off moment.

 

[DavidF]

I am not sure about speeding because most speedos over read anyway. If my speedo is reading 40 I am actually doing about 34 which is probably just about enough to cause a 30mph speed camera to flash. In other words to get caught in a 30 in most modern cars you have to do about 40 on the speedo.

They all do

 

[Samantha]

You will be surprised how close some are. Most do over-read as that is agreed better than under, but the days of 10% are not current. They used to allow that margin because they were not able to be as consistently accurate. But with improvements, most are much better now so can push it much closer.

I had pro test equipment fitted on my car for some speed testing (on a track!) and when the Honda speedo was showing 120mph, the equipment was showing 119mph. It was really close all the way up to that speed. After that, it started to get a little further apart.

 

[Andy 831]

I was talking to Strummer about this the other day, and he mentioned the old 10% thing.

I said I would be very careful adopting that as we have several sites locally where the local authority have erected traffic speed notification sensors where your speed is actually displayed on a roadsign at the side of the road once you have activated the trap. The speeds indicated are extremely close to what my speedo reads certainly not 10% adrift or even 5%.

Incidently these traps are simply to inform you of your speed and do not as far as I am aware set off any speed camera

 

[DavidF]

I was talking to Strummer about this the other day, and he mentioned the old 10% thing.

I said I would be very careful adopting that as we have several sites locally where the local authority have erected traffic speed notification sensors where your speed is actually displayed on a roadsign at the side of the road once you have activated the trap. The speeds indicated are extremely close to what my speedo reads certainly not 10% adrift or even 5%.
Incidently these traps are simply to inform you of your speed and do not as far as I am aware set off any speed camera

Do you know the speeds on the sensors are accuarate?


I would just keep an eye on your speedometer.