MattOz

All,

Just to make you aware that there are now new Truvelos on both sides of the A45 just outside Coventry. There are two on either side, between the London Road Island and the Ryton crossroads.

The speed limit has also been reduced from 60 to 50 mph in these places!! Being synical, I guess that more revenue is needed............

However, the Ryton crossroads is a really bad blackspot , so I guess it's not a bad thing. Just watch your speed in this area.

Cheers

Matt

boomer

Matt,

by Truvelo, do you mean the forward facing (cyclops!) cameras? The ones that use piezo-electric strips in the road? The ones that don't activate radar detectors - if you see the thing (and you are speeding) then it is too late!

It stinks that they should install the cameras IMMEDIATELY after a speed limit reduction - surely if drivers were to abide by the new limit then it would not be an "accident blackspot", hence no cameras would be justified?

mb

Stef

Boomer.
The point is that drivers never abide by the speed limit! I've seen enough incidents at these junctions to fully support the camera installation, even though it means I can't zoom round the fantastic left hander coming into Cov' at 90 any more!
In fact, most camera's I've seen go up recently have been put in sensible places. It's just those pesky mobile ones that do my head in.

Stef.

MattOz

Stef,

I agree with you mate. I have some mates who are firemen, and the stories they tell abotu the state of people after accidents (usually fatal) there are horrific. Lets hope it saves at least one life.

Matt

The mobile cameras are the bane of my life. They're everywhere at the moment. The words "Government" and "Revenue" spring to mind!

boomer

Stef,

it is years since i drove along that stretch of the A45, but i can accept that it is an accident blackspot (if both yourself and Matt say so!).

However, if the cause of accidents was drivers going above 50mph (in a previous 60 limit) then at least give them chance to adjust to the new speed - are there clear signs saying "new limit"?

Are there any "black spot" warning signs around the roundabout and crossroads?

Surely it is only after other measures have failed that cameras should be installed?

mb

justing

Matt do you know if they are switched on yet I went that way tonight (22/03/010) noticed on the way out of cov but on the way home got a bit excited with a new mondeo .Ps new to this do you know of any regular meets local cheers J.

Stef

It's irrelevant what the limit used to be. There are signs stating it's now 50, so saying to the judge it used to be 60 is not gonna work! People that don't know the area would be expected to abide by the new limit, as are people that have used it every day for years.
I don't think you'd be prosecuted for doing 60 though to be honest. Anyone know how 'lenient' the Truvelo's are?

Stef.

mattski

chaps,

I live only a couple of miles from these wonderful new cameras, in fact I got pulled at the bottom of the road just past the *big* roundabout.

I am not sure if they are on yet but everyone is going very slowly past them. I think it is out of order the way they have done these new restrictions.

It was / is a very bad black spot but they put the cameras up first, painted the road and then put the signs up, it was only announced on Tuesday morning (on local radio) that the speed limit had been dropped to 50mph.

Be careful guys, a mate of mine got sent a ticket and he disputed it. The problem was they had a mugshot of him eating a banana!

Matt

mattski

Stef,

You have the wrong end of the stick m8.

I got caught by a traffic car BEFORE the new speed limit came into effect (i.e. no revised signs etc).

I was not caught by one of the new speed cameras.

In addition... The Rugby Observer States 'A new 50mph speed limit, four speed cameras and new warning signs were all introduced at midnight on Monday', hence the announcement on local radio Tuesday morning.

Not only that the Highway Agency may have 'wasted' £134,000 of tax payers money on these safety measures as they are still considering the validity of a roundabout at the Ryton junction (upto £800,000 !).

ta,
Matt.

[This message has been edited by mattski (edited 23 March 2001).]

boomer

Mattski,

i think that you have confirmed my concerns, in that the emphasis here is installing speed cameras (and thus generate revenue), and not improving road safety (by suitable signs, road markings etc.).

This is a typical "shoot first, ask questions later" mentality that will alienate the authorities in the long run.

mb

mattski

Boomer,

I *hate* the way the government use the motorist as an easy target.

I may be sore because of getting caught but I genuinely feel that more resources should be assigned to catching real criminals, neighbourhood watch schemes and so forth.

What the hell do they do with all of the revenue they get?

Just think about it... revenue from speed cameras, fuel tax, road tax. This country sucks sometimes

rant over
Matt

Stef

Matt.
If you were stopped for speeding by a traffic car before the 50mph signs went up then you were obviously travelling at more than 60mph, so were stopped accordingly.
If there were no signs up saying 50mph then the limit of 60 still stood.
Any driver who fails to see the new signs and lower their speed deserves to get done for speeding IMHO. I hate cameras as much as anyone else, but if they're put in sensible places or built up areas then absolutely nobody should moan about it.
Some councils seem to think that hiding them behind trees on dual carriageways that have never seen an accident are legitimate sites, and it's these that annoy me.
I, like most other people, often flout the speed limit when I'm driving, EXCEPT in any built up areas or where I see camera signs in an area I don't know.
I live in scourge county when it comes to cameras, and I've still got a clean licence.

Stef.

mattski

Stef,

Yes, it was a fair cop and I'll have to take what is coming to me.

The place I was stopped is a mile or two before a rather nasty junction, hence the new speed cameras and revised speed limit.

I should also point out that it was not a built up area and that there where no other cars around (ok, apart from a T5...sigh).

I agree 100% that they needed to do something about the junction as there have been some nasty fatal accidents there, I am certainly not moaning about the new measures as it was sheer hell trying to cross the A45 before the safety measures.

My point was that the new limit officially came into effect *after* I was stopped and that if they are still thinking of putting a roundabout there why spend £134,000 on the current measures, especially considering that if they build the roundabout it will push the cost upto nearly £1000,000 !

I'm not trying to justify my actions, I was wrong and was caught and it *has* scared me and slowed me down. Like you say everyone speeds, wether you are caught or not is luck of the draw.

If anything this little incident has made me realise that one rash decision can make for sleepless nights, it has certainly given me new respect for speed limits and the police.

ta,
Matt

Stef

Fair play chap.

Stef.