bits'n'pieces

For those of you who use the M4 read on.



You know those new electronic signs on the M4? Well they were switched on by some transport minister on Tuesday. Now the bad news, they are rigged with the SPECS speed cameras.


SPECS is a camera based system. As you go past a camera software detects and reads your number plate. When you go past the next camera, it detects and reads your number plate again. It knows how far apart the cameras are so it can work out your average speed between the two cameras.


The system is fully automatic and will automatically issue a ticket without any form of human intervention. It does this for every single vehicle that passes a camera! You will not know you've been nicked as the cameras don't flash. There's no film in them either, they're digital. Images of you in your car, together with the date and time are stored on disc (I assume they only keep them if you've been nicked).


It works 24/7, 365 days a year, and theoretically, there's absolutely no limit on the number of tickets that it can issue.


The whole section of the M4 between Theale (J12) and Membury Services (between 14 and 15) is wired, both ways. It is believed that the system is set to trigger a ticket at 78 mph.


The bad news gets even worse. For those who've got radar detectors, they won't work. SPECS is entirely passive, there's no radar or laser beam to pick up.


I don't know what the upper speed limit is on SPECS either, on GATSOs its about 175 mph, above that it can't detect you!

Fatman

Are you referring to this? It's not a SPECS system, and Thames Valley Police have confirmed that. The Highways Agency says onthis page "...The cameras will not be used for speed enforcement....".

bits'n'pieces

is Fat Man an alias for John Prescott ??

Fatman

Prescott? not me, guv! Although I could do with having two Jags...

hades

There have been a lot of posts about this already, and the general conclusion is that those signs are not fitted with SPECS. Two or three major issues:

1 - They are meant to put up speed camera warning signs when speed cameras are in operation, and I don't believe that they have in this case? (Unless they're very recent, haven't been down there for nearly 3 weeks)

2 - SPECS require infra red lamp units in order to illuminate a number plate at night, otherwise they are only any use in daylight hours. These IR lamps are quite chunky beasts (best part of a foot across, and there are no signs of them on the M4 (again, unless fitted within the last few weeks).

Do a search, and you'll find a lot more posts on the issue.