According to several news sources, a new type of speed camera that detects if you brake before it could be coming to the UK:
The new type of camera has been trialled — and is now being rolled out — in the Navarra region of Spain.
…and is apparently likely to come to the UK soon.
Apart from the ethical issue of speed cameras (which I think you know my views on by now!), I wonder how such a system could possibly work in the UK.
For example, on Sunday I was driving with the Mrs and little one to visit my parents on the south coast.
The traffic was flowing smoothly at around 70mph.
Then we came across the usual 50mph “variable” speed limit, with the excuse that there was a traffic jam ahead.
Of course there was no traffic jam, other than the one created by people braking for the camera…
The 50mph speed limit was advised on the very gantry that the variable speed camera was on.
There was no warning in advance.
So my question is, if these “anti braking” speed cameras are introduced in the UK, will we receive speeding tickets for braking to avoid the governments attempts to trick us in to triggering a speed camera?
It seems to me that the public nuisances in this country and others are getting more and more desperate in their attempts to finance themselves and retain the thing that they so desire;
Power over the rest of us.
Let me know your thoughts on this in the comments below!:
All the best,
Adam
P.S. I’ll keep you updated if there are any developments on this.
I hope not
Couldn’t agree more with you
Just another money making scheme. And it all depends on what you call Excessive Braking. There are many legitimate reasons for violent braking. For instance you may have a sneezing or coughing fit or a heart attack coming on and to avoid losing control you would automatically brake hard to stop. You may have a blowout. There may be a passenger that becomes ill or has a fit which requires you stop quickly. I once had a friend in my car who had an epileptic fit while we were going somewhere. I had to stop very quickly to avoind losing control of the car. The whole idea is ridiculous.
Yet one more rip off on the cards against the motorist. Your virtualy a criminal for getting behind the wheel, another money grab but ,is it save ? its going to cause congestion on motorways ,drivers more focused looking for cameras than seeing where they are going, accident potenial increases because people braking if the think they have spotted a camera and the car behind going into the back of the car in front etc.my question is what is the distance ahead and behind to activate one ? how much are they costing ?
If i were younger i would get out of this nit picking,red taped little country tomorrow if i could its a race to the bottom ,full of neurotic officials and do gooders hell bent on making life miserable and a erosion of freedoms, they don’t want you having a car at all.
these cameras are dangerous,can you imagine someone spots the camera breaks the nock on effects could be disasterous and cause the 5th or 6th behind to slam on the breaks and colision takes place, ive seen this when average speeds pop up on motorways especially the M62 southbound 6car pile up. The thing is who will be to blame,is car 1 for breaking harshly or 2 to 6 for unduecare and attension colliding with the others, as spotting the camera won’t be exceptable to insurance companys.
Can’t see how this could work. Camera would first have to pick a vehicle speed and then detect a lower speed (following braking) soon after that, in order to ‘assume’ brakes had been applied. If vehicle speed was over the limit in the first place then a ticket would be issued anyway. So just appears to be the same as before but perhaps with a longer range camera. Maybe the idea is simply a further money making idea to take money off the driver for exceeding the limit (as before) and then take an additional amount on top as a penalty for actually slowing down, for which words fail me. If I am missing something here, would be pleased if anyone can enlighten me.
Nope! your last two sentences have hit the nail on the head Brian!
What happened to the recommendation that the speed limit in motorway roadworks should be raised to 60 to improve safety. Well we all know why that didn’t happen, less revenue. On a recent trip up the M6 I was hit by two sets of roadworks, with a speed limit of 40 mph monitored with average speed cams. There were long queues of traffic on the approach adding an extra 30 mins to journey times, the traffic evaporated once we hit the national speed limit after the roadworks. I would also query why the reduced speed went on well beyond where the work was being carried out .
I’m up n down the m1 smart motorway all the time late at night or early hours of morning. every time the signs say incident ahead and then 60mph then 50 n then 40 then back to national speed limit. NO INCIDENT. They deliberately mess around with speed limits to catch more people out for more revenue. got flashed at the other night when I could swear the limit was 60mph and it flashed at me doing 60mph however the next sign said 50mph.
I totally agree with the comments already stated. These things ARE going to make things even more disastrous for the British motorist. The powers that be have already made life difficult with these ridiculous 20mph limits in towns and villages. All that’s causing is longer tailbacks through these towns and villages as everybody crawls mournfully along. So all those going to work have now got to leave a bit earlier in the morning in order to get to their destination on time and join the inevitable queues (the same queues that would be there in the afternoon/evening as Mr/Mrs/Miss Already Stressed out Office Worker struggle to get home later than normal) or find an alternative route without those damn road 20mph road signs and road markings. This could have a knock-on effect as more cars will probably join the motorways in their efforts to avoid the jams.
We’ll have to give them the ULEZ treatment !!!!
If the law disrespects us, eventually we’ll disrespect ( oh I hate that word ) the law.
Had to break hard the other day as spotted the pesky van parked up where he shouldn’t be on a bridge as I thought it was a police van.Natural instinct,as not sure if I was over the speed limit.Could have caused a pile up for no reason as it was just a normal van probably broken down.
Can’t see how these cameras can distinguish between a hard brake for a reason ( cat ran across road)or a speed avoidance.Should be able to argue that one in court.
as regarding 20mph limits,does anyone actually take any notice of them?
These things being at ground level won’t last five minutes as soon as the “blade runners” and their colleagues know of their whereabouts. They’ll be incinerated
As per Peter & Brian plus Cars travelling to close and not leaving enough stopping distance would thus create More accidents
It’s absolutely ludicrous. Who’s not to know you won’t have an emergency stop. Anything could fall/run in front of you.
Just curious about cars crashing into one another, if you drive too close to the car in front what more can you expect regardless of the speed cameras, just a thought.
Disgusting. Wringing the motorist for all they can get. It’s about time a politician with a set of balls started arguing the motorists’ case as the vast majority of people have a car in this country.
“During the process of changing the signs or signals, there is a grace period for at least the first 60 seconds of the new speed limit being displayed. During this time the cameras are not used to enforce the new speed limit. This means drivers have time to safely adjust their speed should the sign change as they approach.”
From: Motorway Development Division, Official Correspondence Team
And you believe them Peter?
Agree with your comments Adam…particularly the fact that gantry reducing speed limits seem to cause the hold ups. I’ve experienced this so many times.
Travelling on the M62 recently I noticed that the variable speed limits generated a phenomenon, that of drivers nearest to the new limit were being effectively pushed on by those cars behind ultimately to avoid being rear ended they didn’t have the choice but to risk a ticket by maintaining their current speed!!
I wonder if this is being orchestrated by the authorities?
so does this mean their going to change the law because I’m not sure how they can prosecute you for (not speeding). Braking is as I understand it is legal.
if intention was recognised by law we would all be guilty before getting out of bed.
I AM GOING TO SLOW DOWN TO COMPLY WITH THE SPED LIMIT IS Arti Fiscal (A,I) logic indicating intent to comply as being illegal
its a case of Whatever next will the anti-car people come up with ?
oh yeh the 20 mph scheme
wot a bunch of educated idiots we have running this country
speed cameras around schools or on housing estates fine because of children should not be there as a cash cow government and councils trying to get money under false pretences to cover their mismanaged budgets
Jeez! What’s next? Satellite “spy” speeding cameras? Time for all law enforcement and police vehicles to be fitted with tracking devices that lead to speed prosecutions when not tied to an emergency response? And should it not be an offence leading to job dismissal if a traffic cop breaks speed limits without proper cause anyway?
these cameras were trialed at northfleet just off the A2 back in 2019 and people didn’t slow down as they were in the grass verge but I thought they were there for a reason and kept my speed down …weather they clocked people or not I don’t know
A fine for slowing down? Our dear Mayor Khan will be all over this like a rash!