Speed Cameras

[Ploggers]

Even Chief Constables agree that speed cameras are simply an instrument of tax.

I think the Germans have the best system; go as fast as you like on the motorway but if you speed in a built up area you had better be ready to re-mortgage you house to pay the fine.

[Sticky Blue]

There are two speed cameras on the A27 oin a dual carriageway in a built up area in a 30 limit. All cars fly upto the bend before the cameras (one faces in each direction) and then anchor up and crawl past at 25. Once over the lines on the road marked at the point just in front of the cameras they then put their foot down and fly off at 40+. Today I was doing the usual bit of "I'll try and keep in the limits because it is a bit cold and slippery" and am so pleased that I did... 400 yards in front of one of the cameras was positioned a 'Police safety camera van'. All I can say is; Southampton police must have got enough money today to build a stack more cameras! Cars were flying past me and then braking hard when they saw it. My, how I laughed when one of them braked hard and came along side of me only to fly off having passed the car to be caught by the static speed camera! Unlucky! 6 points KERCHING!

[exvmremf]

No cameras in North Yorkshire.

However, one does have to look out for the gentlemen in blue, bless them! as they are prone to pointing radars at innocent drivers that are vulnerable to areas of insufficient speed allowance.

Needless to say the bastards got me for £60 + 3 points. I wouldn't mind but I only had my clean licence back for 2 months!!!!

[Yorkie Malone]

I find nothing wrong with speed camras as you should be driving at the correct speed anyway!!!!

I had a wonderful trip the other day from down here in Devon up to Outwell near Wisbech over on the right of the country. As it is a single track road then from the A14 up the A605 to Peterboro I was going at the speed limit of 40MPH I had a wonderfull convoy behind and a great clear road in front. Then onto the A47 and again 40MPH....
I didnt make the law but I am now sticking to it. AND HAVE BEEN DOING FOR SOME TIME

Just before Christmas the Lorry that I normally drive was written off. I got out of it at 1930 hrs and by 0530 the next morning it was a heap of scrap. The case has yet to go to court so I do not know who was to blame but I do know that TWO (2) lorry drivers were dead .
This was on the A303 and the road was blocked for 11 hrs it is a single track carrageway and the offical speed limit for HGV's is 40 mph buses 50 mph and cars 60 mph..

Do you realise that if you stick to the speed limit you get to the other end at basicly the same time as the person who gives it rock all!!

It's also great sitting up on high in the cab and watching the "lane changers" they don't get all that far either.

So if you come across a lorry going "slow" look at the driver as you pass as it could be ME I am easily recognziable as a " pure, sweet, innocent young lad" !!!!!ME???!!!

Having said that I could be opening my , double cling film sandwiches, or making a cup of hot chocolate whilst driving along..... well with that wonderfull clear road in front of me I have to have something to occupy my mind.... other than waiting for Sally Traffic

SyY

PS The greatest part of the trip is the first step.... don't rush the rest of the trip as we have a wonderfull country side to look at as we make our way from A to B

[El Prez]

I'm going to start a queue, but he's mine first!!!!!!!!

[Guest]

Yorkie, i couldn`t agree with you more, i used to thunder round the A roads at whatever speed i thought my load was safe at, but then i thought, sod it, why get stressed for no reason at all, let the other road users get stressed, and as you say, its great watching them stack up behind you, pulling out to see if its clear, only to dive back in as the approaching traffic all get their horns going and giving it the , it`s great. But, at the end of the day, it`s the speed limit, what can the law do? nothing i would imagine, (BR Steps in)

with regards to sarnies in cling film, the mrs puts that much on, by the time i`ve opened them, i`ve forgotten what i`m opening them for

10-4 good buddy come back

[exvmremf]

I have to admit that my motto is

While you are marching you're not fighting.

It also means you can spend more time listening to the radio.

[Guest]

While you are maching you're not fighting.

Ugh?

it wasn`t even a one liner, was it, thats my post, so i just had to put something else in.

[Yorkie Malone]

And whilst listening to the radio I'm waiting to hear Sally Traffic to find out if she took notice of the traffic report I sent in saying there was/is something happened on so and so road... Yorkie Malone keeping to the speed limit with a great queue behind him and a stress free drive in front...

The A303 and the 50 mph limit is just before a cross road and is by Yeovil???? Yes??? The 50 limit is there because the road is single carriageway and between two dual c/ways... so people who do not read thier highway code do not realise that they have to slow down are told by a flash in the rear view mirror... There have been a few crunches in that area.... hence 50 mph.

You can't miss me now as I have a sign to go in the front screen of the lorry.

Corps crest/ PER MARE PER TERRAM/ Corps crest.

Often on the back of the lorry SLAP MY TOP

SyY

[Dolly Gray]

Spotted the Word BOOTNECK on the screen of a big truck the other day when entering a roundabout on the A27 the other morning. Was it you Bootneck?

Dolly

[Wholley]

Question for you British Truckers.
How many hours can you drive without a break?
I'm going to assume you don't have sleeper cabs,although I may be wrong on that point.When I had my truck(s)I could run ten hours a day at 55mph(Like that really happened)I know you have to deal with Tacho's
which we don't.I used to run six weeks at a time,so my tractor was my home for that time.Only way to make the money.Iv'e owned three Freightliners and one Peterbilt,never heard of a Scania,I guess thats a Scandinavian truck.Volvo are making big inroads here,Nice tractors,with the right motor.I had to pull 53ft trailers so 550hp is minimum.
Wholley.

[Guest]

Dolly, i doubt it was me mate, I`m on nights at the moment, making sure your parcels get delivered on time (corporate parcels that is)

Question for you British Truckers.
How many hours can you drive without a break?

Wholley, Legally, you have to abide by the Law which is relevant to which country your driving in. In the UK, you can drive for 4 and a half hours, before legally taking a break (3/4 of an hour). you can accumulate your break, ie, three 15 minute breaks, but this has to be done before your four and a half hours driving time. You can drive 9 hours a day, but this can be extended to 10 hours, twice a week, but obviously has to be recovered, as your only allowed to do 90 hours a fortnight legally.

Getting back to the break, i mentioned it depends on which country your driving in/to. if your in an EEC country, and travelling to another EEC country, your break is 3/4 of an hour. BUT, if your in an EEC country, and travelling to an AETR country, (non EEC) when you have driven 4 1/2 hours, you have to take a 1 hour break, on the other hand, if your in an AETR country, and travelling to an EEC country, you only have to take 3/4 hour break. Basically, you have to abide by the Laws of the country your travelling to.

thats the Legally side covered, Illegally of course you can drive for as many hours as you wish, the only problem with that is, if you get caught. Are the rewards good enough to warrant it? a few years ago, (late 80`s) i worked for a company who had big flash wagons, and you were paid a % of what the vehicle earned, so it was a carrot in front of you to,"run the wire" there are ways you can stop a tachograph from recording details ( so as to make the vehicle look as if its stationary, on break) but, this is also against the Law, and if caught, can be a hefty fine, not only for the Aimer, but the operator too. (My offences in 89/90 £250;00 per offence and £35:00 costs) of which the operator paid it all. gawd bless im.

I'm going to assume you don't have sleeper cabs,although I may be wrong on that point.When I had my truck(s)I could run ten hours a day at 55mph(Like that really happened)I know you have to deal with Tacho's
which we don't.I used to run six weeks at a time,so my tractor was my home for that time.Only way to make the money.Iv'e owned three Freightliners and one Peterbilt,never heard of a Scania,I guess thats a Scandinavian truck.Volvo are making big inroads here,Nice tractors,with the right motor.I had to pull 53ft trailers so 550hp is minimum.
Wholley.

Wholley, yes, we have sleepers here, not as big as state side, but big enough. The Scania is a swedish marque, as is volvo, then you have the German`s, MAN (mean and nasty) although today, they are getting better, and MAN currently have the biggest engine output on the roads, 600 bhp (V10 twin turbo) and very thirsty.then you have the Mercedes, bit of a nag but once again, they are catching up, and have some nice top of the range tractor units.you also have Renault, with their magnum cab and some other minor marques.MAN have recently taken over/ put money into ERF, so you tend to see a few more of those on the road now.You also have the DAF XF, from Holland, quite good wagons, and reasonable on fuel. The scurge of the road are the forever rusting Iveco Fords, although now, Ford have parted company with Iveco. The Foden is still about, although they are in league with DAF, for the smaller CF cab.You`ve mentioned the Volvo`s, quite a good wagon, and good for space in the GlobeTrotter FM, although the 16 Litre can be rather thirsty, so most are the 12 Litre models. Iveco have had a new model out for a year or so now (stralis), and i had the misfortune to drive one, it had a semi-automatic/automatic box in it, no clutch pedal, and no passenger seat, ( apparently you have to ask for one ), it`s great pulling away all you have to do in auto is floor it, i was travelling down the A14, going down a hill, when all of a sudden, the thing changed down TWO Gears, and slammed the exhaust break on. when i peeled my nose of the windscreen(no jokes please) i obviously selected semi-auto and changed back up, last time i used auto. I did some work in Pensilvania back in 96, and the company we were installing the printing press in had quite a few wagons turning up for tipping and collections, they also had big time trailers. I`ll sort some phots out and post them/e-mail them.

[Dogwatch]

The two following sites will I hope be of interest to you, dont post much but I am a Roads Policing Sergeant in the North of England (Traffic as it was) drove a raider when I was in the Corps, must have enjoyed the speed thing.

For those of you who wonder what the threshold of what is used as the criteria for tickets etc, a broad rule of thumb is speed limit plus 10% plus 2. These figures are in the public domain at the ACPO Policy site.

eg 30+10%=33+2=35, potted at 36 mph.

I know that Black Rat is a regular contributor on the forum, I do not wish to put him under any pressure as to what he or his own force do, this is a general guideline.

If anybody has any questions I will follow the thread.

http://www.pepipoo.com

www.ukspeedtraps.co.uk

They make interesting reading

Regards and stay safe

Terry

[Guest]

Terry, had a quick look at the sites, they seem quite interesting, will have to double back and have a proper look when i have more time, thanks for the links anyway,

[Sticky Blue]

I don't want to scare any of our American cousins but if I were them I wouldn't speed.

New York state have taken the first step in the ultimate deterrent.

It spots you, takes its shot and stops you







Taking the shot and stopping happen at the same time and don't think you can outrun this camera...