A9 SPECs cameras turn on

[arclight]

From today's Inverness Courier - Q&A with Transport Scotland

1) Average speeds are taken between 2 cameras and any driver caught over the limit faces a fine and penalty points. (there are 27 camera locations listed)

2) Yes it is possible to commit more than one offence during a single journey along the A9

3) It is at the discretion of the Lord Advocate to decide how much over the limit constitutes an offence

If drivers don't comply with speed limits they could chalk up a lot of penalty points on one trip.

I suspect item 3 really means that as many people will be prosecuted as the system can cope with. If the administration is swamped with offences those at the lower end of the speed range will escape prosecution.

 

[big soft moose]

All the discussions so far are regarding the A9 from Perth to Inverness. What about the A9 south of Perth to Stirling which is all dual carriageway yet has cameras installed? That's not a road that has a bad record for accidents so looks more like a money making scheme.

presumably on the dual sections the limit will still be 70 - so don't drive like a prat and you'll be fine.

the thing all this talk about straight roads and late nights etc overlooks is that the speed limit isnt just about other traffic , its also about the unexpected corner, the pot hole/deisel spill/broken pallet / badger/pheasant /deer that you didnt see .

 

[big soft moose]

If drivers don't comply with speed limits they could chalk up a lot of penalty points on one trip.
.

this is good as it will get a lot of irresponsible arsewits off our roads , making them safer for those of us who are able to comply with the speed limit

 

[srichards]

If the specs system only reads front number plates then motorcycles will be doing silly speeds as it is unlikely any other enforcement will be around.

Unless the specs system produces accurately timed photographs with a synchronised and independent clock which prove someone was speeding and over a minimum required distance then any fine should be contested. Anpr often misreads so claiming a number plate was speeding isn't sufficient evidence.

Bearing in mind that specs systems in roadworks actually increase accidents then it seems idiotic to use them on an already dangerous road. (TRL 595 I think it was)

 

[big soft moose]

Specs can be set up to read back plates though, can't it - plus i'd imagine there'll be some other enforcement about to stoo the halfwits who stop in stirling to remove their number plates before doing 130mph to inverness before putting them back on

 

[viv1969]

If the specs system only reads front number plates then motorcycles will be doing silly speeds as it is unlikely any other enforcement will be around.

Unless the specs system produces accurately timed photographs with a synchronised and independent clock which prove someone was speeding and over a minimum required distance then any fine should be contested. Anpr often misreads so claiming a number plate was speeding isn't sufficient evidence.

Bearing in mind that specs systems in roadworks actually increase accidents then it seems idiotic to use them on an already dangerous road. (TRL 595 I think it was)

It's not the systems that causes the accidents, it's the retards driving the cars.

 

[srichards]

They can, but have they done so? Have they even planned to have police there regularly which is what they'd need to get any of those with missing or conveniently obscured plates, assuming those vehicles with them are correctly registered in the first place? Specs doesn't do much for speed limit compliance amongst those that regularly ignore limits. They just find more ways around it and don't get caught as specs and all automated systems rely on correct vehicle registration and visible correct plates to do anything. Stealing number plates there will become more common as well I'd imagine.

 

[SFTPhotography]

I really doubt people are going to start stealing regi plates just because one road in Scotland has an average speed camera network on it. The A77 in Ayrshire has them and they pretty much ensure complete compliance with the law.

 

[SFTPhotography]

I will tell you precisely what SPECs will do:
1. Aunt Dorris will still drive at 38mph
2. The new Corsa with green square sticker on the back will hardly hit 50mph
3. The caravans will still be slow as elsewhere
4. lorries will speed up to, but no more than 50
5. Many cars have wildly inaccurate speedos. Mine does maybe 54-56mph instead of 60. Guess if I'll take the risk pushing the speedo up to 65 through SPECs. {The correct answer is a NO.} There were are - 55 is the max realistic speed.
6. People will be vague and slow in DCW sections, with many failing to overtake all slow traffic

Now the main one.

7. At the end of DCW you get to see some real brilliant manoeuvres through the painted white middle section. It will almost certainly get worse and that is where most of the real dangerous s*** happens.

A9 is hardly relevant to me, but they will infest other roads following "successful" pilot scheme. They need to get stopped.

They should just widen the road. If DCW can't be done at least they could do 3 lanes where middle one is shared. It can work and it does in many places.

You have DVWs to get past issues 1-4
Cars do not, they usually over read the speed to allow a tolerance to to it. Many use GPS based sat nav anyway and the system will have some tolerance above 60. You won't be done speeding unless you really break it, system probably won't book you until around a true 65mph, and that will read 70 in your car. Most people have an idea of what 60 feels like anyway, you have to conciously speed to fall foul of specs systems.

There are things they can do re white lines and put bollards in place to allow merge ins before the end of the DCW and start of single carriage way.

The idea is fine.

 

[nilagin]

2. The new Corsa with green square sticker on the back will hardly hit 50mph.

I'm intrigued to know why you think a Corsa with a green square sticker will struggle to reach 50mph.

 

[arclight]

All the discussions so far are regarding the A9 from Perth to Inverness. What about the A9 south of Perth to Stirling which is all dual carriageway yet has cameras installed? That's not a road that has a bad record for accidents so looks more like a money making scheme.

Been quite few smashes at the Auchterarder junction.

 

[dinners]

Been quite few smashes at the Auchterarder junction.

There's a couple of 'normal' speed cameras on that bit anyway. Southbound by Tullibardine and Northbound at Auchterarder. I take it they will be staying.

 

[Peter B]

I'm intrigued to know why you think a Corsa with a green square sticker will struggle to reach 50mph.

It's a Europcar car rental sticker and I'm afraid he's very much right about it. They're even worse when you get them on smaller roads, and don't even think about single track roads!

 

[nilagin]

It's a Europcar car rental sticker and I'm afraid he's very much right about it. They're even worse when you get them on smaller roads, and don't even think about single track roads!

Not Enterprise then?

 

[LongLensPhotography]

It's a Europcar car rental sticker and I'm afraid he's very much right about it. They're even worse when you get them on smaller roads, and don't even think about single track roads!

Indeed it is all about the driver behind the wheel. They think it is some scottish adventure safari park and go as slow as they like. Most modern cars should reach 60 on a flat stretch, but it certainly doesn't mean they all will.

Not Enterprise then?

that's the one!

 

[Peter B]

Not Enterprise then?

Could well be, but it's a warning to steer well clear anyway!

 

[dinners]

Living in Perthshire - I go South to Glasgow about twice a week, North to Inverness once a week and North to Ballinluig or Pitlochry once a week.

Think I'll just leave the car at home and take the Disco as I tend to naturally chug along at 60 ish in that anyway.

 

[SFTPhotography]

You can overtake slower vehicles in a specs zone. It's not difficult.

 

[AJQS]

I come across plenty with that form of cruise control, come to a hill. or even a moderate incline and it's surprising how much speed they lose because their "cruise control" doesn't work.

That's me on the A30 earlier - Alternator died on my car so I've been given a 1.0l C1 as a courtesy car. Any slight gradient change causes the "car" to slow to a crawl. I made the mistake of overtaking a lorry at the foot of a hill. As soon as I'd just passed him the hill kicked in and the C1 was down to 3rd gear to try and stop him from having to overtake me again! I will never complain that my FTO is slow ever again!

 

[DavieW]

There's a couple of 'normal' speed cameras on that bit anyway. Southbound by Tullibardine and Northbound at Auchterarder. I take it they will be staying.

I came north last Thursday night and I think the northbound cameras had been removed. Not sure about the southbound one though.