Author Topic: Roads in the area  (Read 358430 times)

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Offline SteveH

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Re: Roads in the area
« Reply #885 on: September 14, 2018, 06:04:05 pm »
On Sunday we drove to Heswall, for a family gathering, spoilt by a nightmare journey, speed warnings, average speed signs, police speed check areas, and cameras, my biggest moan is although, plenty of warning signs, a distinct lack of signs indicating what was the required speed, I am sure I annoyed a few drivers, by driving slowly until I confirmed the limit required.

I am sure it has been said before, but spending your time watching your speedometer, rather than the road........... :'(

And just to cheer us up............

 Meet the 'vulture' - a new speed camera that can catch drivers doing a lot more than just speeding
Featuring new LED infrared equipment, they've started popping up on roads in some parts of the UK.
They've been dubbed the 'yellow vulture' and are so advanced that they can accurately detect drivers eating, using their phones and even smoking behind the wheel.

These are a new breed of speed cameras which bear very little resemblance to the ones we are used to seeing at the side of the road.
And drivers should be wary because they've already been spotted in parts of the UK.

The secret behind the devices' pin-point accuracy is new technology which helps them detect motoring offences any time of day or night and even in very bad weather.

The cameras are equipped with new LED infrared equipment which means they can capture sharper footage and leave little room for ambiguity when it comes to catching offending drivers in the act.
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/motoring/motoring-news/meet-vulture-new-speed-camera-15151644

Offline DVT

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Re: Roads in the area
« Reply #886 on: September 14, 2018, 10:25:51 pm »
Seems nowadays if you drive a car you are automatically a law-breaker and should be dealt with accordingly.  "Sorry, officer - I ran into the back of that car because I was too busy watching my dashboard instead of looking through the windscreen."

Someone, somewhere, has obviously spent a lot of time, money, knowledge and expertise to develop such sophisticated equipment that can detect exactly what the driver is doing - I wonder if they should not have spent such resource on equipment to detect the real criminals - the drug dealers, paedophiles, people carrying weapons, etc, etc. ... in other words, try and protect the generally law-abiding public rather than harass them.


Offline SteveH

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Re: Roads in the area
« Reply #887 on: September 15, 2018, 10:39:23 am »
Follow up article re above...........

The vulture speed cameras are already on roads in North Wales - here's where
The devices are far more accurate than previous cameras and can detect people on their phones or not wearing seatbelts.
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/a55-average-speed-cameras-can-15155238

Offline Hugo

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Re: Roads in the area
« Reply #888 on: September 15, 2018, 11:20:56 am »
There are always two sides to any argument but the generally law abiding motorist doesn't use a mobile phone while driving and always wears a seat belt too.     They don't break the speed limit either as they stick to the speed limit knowing full well that if they speed on a regular basis then they will be banned from driving under the totting up procedure
Perhaps this new technology is a good thing and may free the Police up to do other work and concentrate on other offenders

Offline SteveH

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Re: Roads in the area
« Reply #889 on: September 15, 2018, 12:10:49 pm »
I agree with what you are  saying, apart from a slight change to your comment.... " They don't break the speed limit either as they stick to the speed limit" ............They don't break the speed limit  (knowingly)  either as they stick to the speed limit.
I struggled last Sunday with the lack of speed markers, so fingers crossed no unwelcome visits from the postman.


Offline Hugo

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Re: Roads in the area
« Reply #890 on: September 15, 2018, 01:17:35 pm »
You are spot on there Steve and thanks for adding the word knowingly because that  puts the speeding bit into context.    I've chalked up a few speeding fines in the past but I put my hands up and admit that I was in the wrong and hopefully will learn from my previous mistakes.

Offline snowcap

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Re: Roads in the area
« Reply #891 on: September 15, 2018, 09:19:17 pm »
drivers spend more time with their eyes closed due to blinking than they do glancing at their speedometers which only takes a blinking second. speed limits are there for a reason so lets just learn to live with the fact.

Offline Ian

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Re: Roads in the area
« Reply #892 on: September 16, 2018, 08:29:19 am »
drivers spend more time with their eyes closed due to blinking than they do glancing at their speedometers which only takes a blinking second. speed limits are there for a reason so lets just learn to live with the fact.

Blinking takes less than a third of a second, and - more importantly - there's no refocussing required. One of our cars has a HUD, where the speed is projected onto the lower part of the windscreen, but appears as though it's ten feet in front. It's infinitely easier to remain within the limits using that method than when I drive the 4 x 4.

Speed limits exist because of a minority of drivers who would drive stupidly and without any regard to the consequences. Of more concern, however, is the fact that by imposing these limits arbitrarily, they tend to act more as a target than a restriction.

A good example of this is the A470 between Black Cat and Llanrwst. Although it's classed as a 60mph stretch there are very few places where it's actually safe to do that speed. Drivers are therefore expected to use their skill, judgement and intelligence when driving the road.

There are also some interesting trends.
   
In 2017 there were 4,556 road accidents involving personal injury recorded by the police, a reduction of 365 on 2016 (7.4 per cent reduction).  These recorded accidents resulted in 6,202 casualties, which was 651 fewer than in 2016. That confirms the steady decline in road deaths across Wales, yet speed limits during that period remained largely unchanged, the number of road users rose year-on-year and traffic has increased each year since reporting began.

Can we, therefore, seriously be expected to believe that speed limits play a major role in reducing accidents?

What concerns me most, however, is the apparently blinkered attitude people have towards the subject. Some are so sure of their own personal experience that there can be no argument. They know everything there is to know about speed and accidents and no amount of reasoned debate will cause them to question what seems to be a blind faith in what they believe.


Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.

Offline snowcap

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Re: Roads in the area
« Reply #893 on: September 16, 2018, 11:36:20 pm »
the young fellow who won the race today at some fantastic speeds is just as sure to have a crash at some stage in his life as me who has never gone beyond 90 miles an hour. so what does that prove, if he is in a 30 mile limit doing 40 mile an hour when he hits a poor child crossing the road then the damage  done to the child will be far worse than the damage done by a poor driver like me doing 30. i don't care how you try to defend it speeding is not cleaver, by the way when i did 90 there was no speed limit.

Offline Ian

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Re: Roads in the area
« Reply #894 on: September 17, 2018, 08:09:07 am »
I'm not defending speeding;  far from it, but I contend that the real cause of the KSI incidents is not speed per se but the inability of drivers to drive well and intelligently.
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.

Offline SteveH

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Re: Roads in the area
« Reply #895 on: September 17, 2018, 02:27:16 pm »
First story         :'(
Live: A55 Llanddulas roadworks causing long delays
The roadworks, which will see two carriageways closed, are causing delays of around 40 minutes, and are set to last five weeks
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/live-long-delays-expected-a55-15160169

Second story      :'(     :'(
More misery for drivers as route to avoid A55 roadworks is to close - for roadworks
The B5381 which cuts out the Llanddulas A55 roadworks is to be closed to through traffic.
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/more-misery-drivers-route-avoid-15161654

Offline Hugo

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Re: Roads in the area
« Reply #896 on: September 18, 2018, 11:18:53 am »
Adverts on TV do say that there is more chance of survival if a person is run over when a car is travelling at a slow speed than when the car is travelling a bit faster but I do think it's a combination of both bad driving and speed that causes these fatal accidents.
I had a chat recently with a guy who had been caught speeding by these "average speed cameras" I've always thought that he was  a clever chap until he told me that a Policeman told him that he wouldn't be prosecuted for speeding if his speed was within the 10 per cent tolerance limit.
With that in mind he set his cruise control at 79 mph and then got booked for speeding.     Firstly 10 per cent of 70 mph is 7 mph and secondly don't listen to what others say.  The law is the law and 70 mph is the maximum speed limit you can do.
When I suggested that he should have fixed the cruise control at 69 mph he just shrugged his shoulders

Offline Hugo

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Re: Roads in the area
« Reply #897 on: September 21, 2018, 10:54:53 am »

Offline Bri Roberts

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Re: Roads in the area
« Reply #898 on: September 21, 2018, 11:07:49 am »
For the record, we travelled east this morning and went through Old Colwyn no problem at 7.30am.

Offline Hugo

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Re: Roads in the area
« Reply #899 on: September 21, 2018, 02:01:15 pm »
What was it like travelling back west Bri?