Safe Speed Forums

I was driving the other day on the main A657 road to Leeds. Just before the main speed camera stretch started I was amazed as every single car except mine indicated to turn right (amazing as this used to be a busy major road.) I continued on and on this formerly very busy road there was barely a car to be seen.

This stretch of road is a 30mph speed limit on a road which could easily be 40 policed by countless cameras. It appears that people have got so sick of this road they now avoid it and use other rat runs instead. My father for one has confirmed he no longer uses this road.

A number of points from this follow.
1. It is obvious there will likely be less accidents round speed cameras if traffic ceases to use the road just from the laws of statistical probability. It is highly likely this reduction of traffic is occurring on all roads with speed cameras where there is a viable alternative route. Therefore the claims of reduction in accidents at camera sites (not overall deaths) do not necessarily hold a great deal of statistical validity. This is notwithstanding the "reversion to mean effect" as documented by Paul Smith.

2. It also explains another reason why fatality and accident rates are not improving in speed camera areas compared with areas with no speed cameras as traffic is diverted to potentially more dangerous rat runs.

3. This phenomenom is likely to increase over time so that many roads with speed cameras may end up with much lower traffic flows than formerly. As these roads are often relatively safe main arterial routes this cannot be good for road safety.

Again the law of unintended consequences is working here. Unfortunately for the Government we are quirky human beings and not robots which is why policy based on simple assumptions and extrapolations in Government models often doesn't work as intended.

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Mark

Wonder if we could track this effect if we knew where the AAs camera road atlas was selling best.

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Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler - Einstein

Generally speaking I will avoid a speed camera infested road if there is a viable alternative such as a motorway or short-cut. Its not because I want to save time, just because its a pain to be constatntly watching the speedo.

hi chaps

first posting.

yup i've also changed my daily route too, ive got six scamera points and dont want more. I am one of the millions whose livelihood is considered expendable by this govt, for one moment's lack of concentration.

i have also changed my political leanings. I can not vote for any party which continues to callously ruin thousands of careers and livelihoods, over such a rediculous and ill conceived "road safety" policy.

accidents are caused by careless drivers, bad drivers, inexperienced drivers, nutters etc etc. not by mr/s average doing 40 on a clear stretch in a 30 mph zone. This week alone, whilst driving at 28 mph in a 30 camera zone i have been overtaken twice by the nutters doing 33. On both occasions i had to check up to avoid collision. Today an oncoming car was overtaking a lorry. The lorry was doing about 12 mph the car 25(to avoid breaking the limit). i had to stop to avoid an accident. A less experienced driver would not have forseen the danger and had an accident.

Whoever is in charge of this ludicrous camera policy has got it all so completely very very wrong. I really think i am now more likely to be involved in an accident. I have three close ones this week alone.

Well - we use one camera van and a lot of police carss - all well equipped with every known doo-dah.

More speed limit compliance in the area (they know we lark around and they even know where we are likely to lark around )

No fixed cams - lots of commons sense - and still some way to go - but still a better record than many other places in the UIK

Very little route change due to enforcement either - and most here appreciate a fair hearing and a COAST lecture

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In Gear

really wish there were more like you. unfortunately there aint.

sorry mate, nothing personal but use of these machines has really, i mean really diminished my respect for the police. Must be thousands if not millions like me.

Hi glabaston

Welcome

Most BiB agree that the scams have destroyed the relationship between themselves and public. IG, Ian, cotswold and rest of BiB posting here are all aware of this.

Problem - not BiB as they at least are prepared to use judgement and discretion - but the automated pratnerships which take no account of circumstance and simply issue tickets and refuse to listen to any mitigating factors - unless, of course, press get involved over the more stupid ones!

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Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler - Einstein