NSW Speed Camera

[crum]

My personal opinion is they are really more of a revenue raising exercise and just a deterrent against speeding. They really should be putting more of their spending money into extra patrol cars to be present on the road. The bright "candy" stickered cars are by far a more effective method. How many people do you see slam on the brakes when they spot on of these. I would not mind one bit being physically pulled over for speeding by either a marked or unmarked police car, instead of finding out 2 weeks later you were snapped doing a few km's over by a vehicle hidden up a back road or behind a bush

[reaction]

fixed cameras deter speeding at known black spots. if people just got booked w/o knowing, it doesn't help anything.

mobiles, I don't know how useful they are. they used to be placed in fast straight stretches usually.

problem with speed limits, we have things like highways that go from 70km/h to suddently 40km/h
or stretches of roads at 60km/h with traffic lights every 20m, but set to that the 2 lights in front turn red before yours turns green, so you're going at about 20km/h or else trying to floor it to 90km/h to get thru the next light.

it's really revenue and frustration. If roads were clear at 60km/h, lights are timed to be green AT 60km/h, then we would all be happy going 60km/h.

And it saves brakes and emissions by over 30%

[KevPride]

We come back to square one again, driver education would solve a lot of problems on the road. When drivers are aware of other people on the road then tailgating will stop, indicating to change lanes because you would know there is someone else around you and also bothering to look over your shoulder when changing lanes.
Peoples attitude of "I am doing the speed limit so I don't have to move away from the right lane has to change".

Driver education works at solving the problem, drive around europe and you'll see this.
Speed cameras only punish the problem after it has happened and serve no value in educating and solving the problem.
It's also a nice earner for our state government in the name of saving lives.

Spot on driver education is needed far more than speed camera's of any type, this will not happen in my lifetime because (a) it is a cost & (b) speed camera's are a revenue. Govt's will not balance their budgets that way.

Hence I drive with my GPS on & where I can with cruise control set to speed limit. I pay enough taxes.

[buck52]

If you speed you’re the bloody fool pay the fine, but speed cameras don't stop the speeding or the road toll, if a car passes a camera well over the limit it doesn’t slow down it continues on at speed, and what if further down the road it’s causes an accident what good was the camera. A fine in the mail is not going to help you if your injured or worse or the innocent persons that may be involved. The cameras are good revenue earners but use the money for fixing the black spots and putting more into police presence on the roads and education.

[Analog6]

I'm not sure what all the fuss is about when it comes to speed cameras (fixed or not). If you don't speed, you've got nothing to worry about.

My sentiments precisely. Obey the rules and you won't get fined. I have had 2 speeding fines in 40 years of driving. One was for 6km over a 60 kph zone (1983) at the bottom of a steep hill. One was for 98 in an 80 zone (1988), I did not see the sign that changed it back, but it was my fault, I knew that bit of road and was daydreaming.

[dbax]

If you speed you’re the bloody fool pay the fine, but speed cameras don't stop the speeding or the road toll, if a car passes a camera well over the limit it doesn’t slow down it continues on at speed, and what if further down the road it’s causes an accident what good was the camera. A fine in the mail is not going to help you if your injured or worse or the innocent persons that may be involved. The cameras are good revenue earners but use the money for fixing the black spots and putting more into police presence on the roads and education.

And that my friend is the crux of the matter. Speed cameras (signposted or covert) don't stop speeding drivers! they drive a revenue stream for Government!
Would anyone suggest we allow drunk drivers to continue their journey after being detected, tested and proven to have a high alcohol reading? of course not!
Book them at the time they do the crime, not 6 weeks later.

[rellik666]

If Speed cameras aren't about revenue raising why is the UK govenrment getting rid of them? Why is it the case thatin areas where cameras aren't have lower accident rates then those that are? http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/...meras-now.html

Why do you never see cameras where they are needed around school zones? I drive past 4 schools twice a day and never have I seen a speed camera there? Oh they are there before/after the school times but not during the 40 time!

So Scotty in your world everyone should do under the limit to make sure they don't go over by 1-5kph? Has anyone looked into how the speed limits are actually determined?

How many times have you had to slow down becuase someone in front of you has slowed by 20kph for a speed camera when they are doing the limit?

In Tazzy they have some great signs, its a limit not a challenge...it is basically saying drive to the conditions. With all the focus on speed people think that the speed limit on the road must be ok for all conditions, it is rarely so. Driving standards are appauling and speed cameras do nothing to address this.

They don't stop the hoon, they don't stop the old person who really shouldn't be on the road any more, they don't stop the lane jumper or the tail gater, they don't stop the person that doesn't indicate or the person with the unroad worthy car. They don't stop the dangerous driver or the uninsured....they get the person doing 105kph on the open freeway, they get the person doing 63kph at midnight, but they don't stop the driver who is too tired to drive.

Who ever heard of a hoon driver doing 160kph+ being caught by a speed camera. They are caught by the police. Are they worried about speed camera's? No.

Why should I have to sit in a dangerous situation or block flowing traffic because I cannot use my own judgement for fear of getting caught 5kph over the speed limit?

/RANT

[hus]

My sentiments precisely. Obey the rules and you won't get fined. I have had 2 speeding fines in 40 years of driving. One was for 6km over a 60 kph zone (1983) at the bottom of a steep hill. One was for 98 in an 80 zone (1988), I did not see the sign that changed it back, but it was my fault, I knew that bit of road and was daydreaming.

Yeah thats fine in the city I suppose but in real life when you driving country roads there are times I wouldn't go near the posted signs (speed wise) then there are conditions that allow me to safely go over the limit, thats until you get one of those drivers that sit in the right lane right on the speed limit and wont move over thinking they are in the right.
Anyway I have posted my views on this topic, the state government is a joke, they are ripping us off in the name of saving our lives.
I suppose if you feel good at handing your money over because the nice highway patrol man set up his camera on a safe stretch of road, then at at least its something positive for you.

[Jules]

...thats until you get one of those drivers that sit in the right lane right on the speed limit and wont move over thinking they are in the right...

Just to clarify hus, are you saying you have a right to be speeding in the right hand lane?

Edit: I'm genuinely curious about this, as it does seem that many people consider it perfectly acceptable to travel 5, 10, 15km over the speedlimit in RH lanes.

[hus]

The signs say KEEP LEFT UNLESS OVERTAKING not STAY IN RIGHT LANE IF YOU ARE DOING THE SPEED LIMIT.
Let me point out that its not your job to police the speed rules by your actions of stayng in the right lane.
If I have a 30 ton load and the inertia of that weight is pushing me 5-10km over the limit then its more safe for me to allow that to happen rather than hit the brakes because Mr/Mrs citizen wants to enforce the road rules upon me.
The golden rule if you passed someone then move over dont sit on the speed limit in the right lane because the law states you move over.
Also remember once a truck loses speed they just can't hit the accelerator and speed up again, instead we start dancing with the gearstick and clutch.
Now does that explain why I maybe going over the limit to you?

[Jules]

Don't stress hus, I wasn't attacking you. As I said, I'm curious as to whether people think that the right hand lane is a 'slightly faster than the speedlimit' lane. Yes, the signage does indicate that you should be in the left hand lane unless overtaking, but I see a lot of drivers who stay in the right hand lane travelling over the speed limit even when there's no other cars to be overtaken. It seems there's an unwritten 'rule' (for want of a better word) that it's acceptable be over the speedlimit if you're in the RH lane.

[hus]

hehehehehe me stress out ................ never. I have my photography to keep my stress levels under control

[Jules]

hehehehehe me stress out ................ never. I have my photography to keep my stress levels under control

I'd like to say the same thing, but at the moment my 5DII is at Canon for the third straight week, (undergoing repairs, but with no return in sight yet), so that's causing me stress!

[rellik666]

Don't stress hus, I wasn't attacking you. As I said, I'm curious as to whether people think that the right hand lane is a 'slightly faster than the speedlimit' lane. Yes, the signage does indicate that you should be in the left hand lane unless overtaking, but I see a lot of drivers who stay in the right hand lane travelling over the speed limit even when there's no other cars to be overtaken. It seems there's an unwritten 'rule' (for want of a better word) that it's acceptable be over the speedlimit if you're in the RH lane.

These people are as much in the wrong as someone doing 99kph sitting in the lane when necessary.

What annoys me is that people are too afraid to do 103kph to get past another car quickly and move back over, so it takes many km's for one person doing 100 to get past someone doing 98...this is why we get traffic build ups we end up with 3 or 4 people all doing thier version of the speed limit blocking all the lanes.

A large vehicle comes up behind and can't get past because other feel they are doing the right thing but won't move over....it is the same when these 3 lanes come upon a car doing 80 in the outside, no one has any where to go has to brake and then the car behind does that same and this is again where traffic build ups happen.

Roo

[mithrandir]

See that, police officers like to take photographs as well.

[hus]

I'd like to say the same thing, but at the moment my 5DII is at Canon for the third straight week, (undergoing repairs, but with no return in sight yet), so that's causing me stress!

You should do what I have to avoid bad luck like you are encountering with your camera, I have a little evil eye on my camera bag to ward off bad luck, so far its been working.
Will post a pic at first chance to show what I mean

[hus]

These people are as much in the wrong as someone doing 99kph sitting in the lane when necessary.

What annoys me is that people are too afraid to do 103kph to get past another car quickly and move back over, so it takes many km's for one person doing 100 to get past someone doing 98...this is why we get traffic build ups we end up with 3 or 4 people all doing thier version of the speed limit blocking all the lanes.

A large vehicle comes up behind and can't get past because other feel they are doing the right thing but won't move over....it is the same when these 3 lanes come upon a car doing 80 in the outside, no one has any where to go has to brake and then the car behind does that same and this is again where traffic build ups happen.

Roo

Am I right to draw a conclusion that we really need driver education as I have stated before, others have also stated its not cost effective for our government to go down that path.
I think we all know the government wont get rid of the goose that lays the golden egg

[Jules]

Am I right to draw a conclusion that we really need driver education as I have stated before, others have also stated its not cost effective for our government to go down that path.
I think we all know the government wont get rid of the goose that lays the golden egg

The problem is that drivers are already educated. Everyone knows you shouldn't speed, shouldn't drive tired, shouldn't drive under the influence, shouldn't drive while talking on your mobile or texting, but people do it anyway because no one ever thinks it will happen to them.

If individuals would just act responsibly, and consider the consequences of their actions before things go wrong, then we wouldn't need all these measures.

[rellik666]

Yes, but what I am also saying is that Speed Cameras have made people so paranoid that we can no longer use our own judgement! That is something that doesn't cost any money!

Roo

[rellik666]

The difference with speed though is that it is arbitarily applied...when cars are made safer for both driver and for pedestrians yet speed is getting slower and slower. We have numerous driver aids that help cars to stop, be aware of their surroundings yet we are told that if we go over 100kph on a freeway I am a deadly driver. Whilst I am the biggest exponent of 40kph zones, I don't get why speed limits on open freeways are getting less and less.

Look at Germany....they have one of the lowest road tolls yet have unlimited auto bahns.

Roo