4 August 2008

Foiled again by 'Revenue Raising Speed Cameras'

| deezagood
Join the conversation
37

Just about every day I drive along the Monaro Highway, usually adhering to the speed limit like the good little citizen that I am, only to be passed by H&Bs (hoons and bogans) blasting past me in their H&Bmobiles, driving at the speed of sound.

What really irks me is that they slow carefully past the ‘Revenue Raising Speed Cameras’ (RRSCs) before speeding back up again, slowing past the next camera, speeding back up etc… How, I ask you, is this supposed to be keeping the Monaro safe for all drivers? Even more irksome is the fact that after 23 years of an unblemished driving history and one momentary lapse of concentration (obviously right in front on an RRSC), I was just issued a speeding fine for committing the heinous crime of doing 87 kms in an 80km zone on the said highway.

Yes – I committed the crime and must therefore ‘do the time’ (or at very least pay my debt to society) – but I do still feel a wee bit cranky about those pesky RRSCs (and the H&Bs who, due to careful planning and a high level of RRSC awareness, probably never cop a fine).

Join the conversation

37
All Comments
  • All Comments
  • Website Comments
LatestOldest
VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy10:26 am 12 Aug 08

What happened to those links WMC? Your turn to be ‘awfully quiet’, is it?

I travel in the right lane on the Monaro, at 80 and then 100 as the speed zones dictate. The people in the left lane are always doing 70. That’s why we hoon past.

fnaah said :

Note about the NSW Safe-T-Cam: this system is for trucks only, not passenger vehicles. It’s also supposed to monitor driver fatigue by making sure trucks aren’t on the road for more than a certain number of hours.

More info:

http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/heavyvehicles/safety/speeding/safetcam/index.html

I was using this in general – as we can’t assume deez wasn’t driving a heavey vehicle, could have been on a motorbike or a car – who knows it wasn’t stated.

It would be good to implement these types of devices on our roads.

Also that website doesn’t say anything about ONLY using it on heavey vehicles. It was implemented for heavey vehicles. Who’s to say they wouldn’t hand over a record of a car to the police – especially if the average speed was excessive and noticeable like 180km+,
they’re still the RTA and shouldn’t ignore such thing.

Loquaciousness12:17 pm 05 Aug 08

I heard they were planning on putting point to point cameras on the highway from Brisbane to the Gold Coast too … anyone know if it’s in action?

L

the SafeTCam cameras on the Hume do NOT calculate time/distance speed on cars, it only does them on heavy vehicles.
I can absolutely guarantee this over trips in the triple digits over the past 18-24 months.

Note about the NSW Safe-T-Cam: this system is for trucks only, not passenger vehicles. It’s also supposed to monitor driver fatigue by making sure trucks aren’t on the road for more than a certain number of hours.

More info:

http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/heavyvehicles/safety/speeding/safetcam/index.html

I’d like to read it too, WMC.

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy9:28 am 05 Aug 08

FWIW, I’ve never been caught by a speed camera.

WMC, post the link to where you put the details last time, and I’ll have a look. Doesn’t mean I’ll agree with them, but can’t hurt to have the info.

Why shouldn’t idiots pay more revenue? Traffic safety marketing should include “Can I afford to speed?”

Woody Mann-Caruso8:28 am 05 Aug 08

This has been done to death. Everyone knows that speed cameras don’t achieve a thing except raising revenue.

You were awfully quiet the last time I posted links to a bunch of independent studies showing that speed cameras have a significant positive effect on road safety. Do I need to go get them again, or would you prefer to remain deliberately ignorant?

P to P is used in the UK, but so are speed cameras, millions of them! if you think its bad here, you should try driving anywhere over there.

Thanks Tad – probably a good idea, but in this case I do accept that I was over the speed limit and will pay my fine, lose my point, and will be more mindful in future. The fine isn’t really my concern – my annoyance is more about the people who still speed between the cameras. I really like the point-to-point idea and am going to suggest this to the local MPs.

Sounds to me like the speed camera got this one right.

Just write in and explain. If you really haven’t been done before your chances of getting it changed to a caution are better than even.

SPEEDING = BIG FINE
MOBILE PHONE WHILE DRIVING = BIG FINE

Now there’s rules on using speed cameras lawfully so an innocently parked vehicle taking a phone call could easily cast doubt on the use of the speed cameras – anyone know the specifics?

Well most cars now come with cruise control so there is no excuse for this knuckle dragging bogan behaviour. Dunno about the Monaro, but I am getting really annoyed with the crap on the Parkway. Bring on P2P cameras.

Sad but true!

At least people aren’t suggesting that the cameras are run by Police again.

The Gumberment are going to put cardboard cutouts of MARKED policecars on the side of the road! 😉

dragonflygal10:18 pm 04 Aug 08

DJ – they could increase the presence of marked cars by dressing up the Protective Services guys in AFP gear, with AFP marked cars. Oh, wait – they already did that!

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy said :

This has been done to death. Everyone knows that speed cameras don’t achieve a thing except raising revenue.

Please…. don’t speed and no fine. Simple. Follow the simple and basic laws and no fine. Don’t and get caught, fine. No, I am no angel. Yes, I have paid my fines in the past when I was caught.

Bighead “Also an increase in the number of MARKED police cars on the road would be a massive help”…. how do you think the ACT Government could increase revenue to pay for this?

Why can’t we do that? Speed cameras that might actually result in people NOT speeding! Ooops – silly me, I forgot … it isn’t about the speeding, its about the REVENUE.

They do this in NSW with the Safe-T-Cams.

The other variation to this is with one camera on a stretch of road with lines painted depicting the distance and is then timed with the timestamp and checked by an operator at a central location and the speed is calculated. They use this concept in the UK.

Vic Bitterman9:59 pm 04 Aug 08

deezagood said :

That is an interesting concept Bighead – I wonder if this has been tried anywhere?

Yes this is common in Victoria starting on the Hume Hwy near Seymour, all the way down to Geelong (Hume -> Ring Rd -> Princes Freeway).

They are called ‘point to point’ cameras.

They take a picture of the front and rear of every passing vehicle and calculate how long it took you to travel between them. So irrespective of whether you pass each set of cameras on the speed limit, if the calculations come back that you have been speeding between them, a fine is issued.

The concept of detecting speeding offences by the time elapsed between two given points on the road is used somewhere in Asia. Can’t remember where but about 5 years ago a mate of mine got pinged travelling between two toll stations – his elapsed time between the two meant he averaged 25km/h over the limit!

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy9:46 pm 04 Aug 08

How so VYBerlina? What would be the point?

Different people will have different ideas about how ‘not to get caught’, some of which will include trying to maintain speed until the 2nd checkpoint then slowing markedly. My suspicion is that the variation in ‘techniques’ for not getting caught will cause more angst and confusion as people alter speed at different parts of the speed trap.

dragonflygal9:39 pm 04 Aug 08

Thanks Madman – good advice!

The thing that frustrates me the most about speed cameras – when people jam on their brakes as soon as they see one – even if they’re doing 5 under. Reflex I guess!

You could always detest the fine if you got it and say the lights were flashing therefore it was packing up/setting up and didn’t have it’s display sign up.

The lights are there for occupational health reasons for when the operator is on the outside of the vehicle; usually taking the sign up and down or changing the speed limit sign on it. Hopefully you had a passanger witness…

How so VYBerlina? What would be the point?

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy9:16 pm 04 Aug 08

The trouble with this type of approach is that instead of the traffic slowing together around the speed cameras, they will try to speed up and slow down, causing even more anarchy.

dragonflygal9:13 pm 04 Aug 08

Thanks madman – I hate the idea of getting ‘done’ by a speed van, given they are often parked in places where you can see them well over 100 metres away! The flash did go off, but only once.

That is an interesting concept Bighead – I wonder if this has been tried anywhere?

dragonflygal said :

I think I got one today too – on Belconnen Way…. in the dark….with the van’s orange lights flashing… yeah, I probably deserved it but….I’m hoping they got the guy beside me!

Dragon – usually when the lights are flashing they are not in operation and are either setting up or packing down.
They have 28 days to issue you an infringement – but in this case I don’t think you will get one…. 🙂

I think we’d all like to see more visible policing picking up all the other dangerous behaviours other than just speeding.

Having said that I’m a fan of fixed, signposted cameras.

Anyone who is going over the limit, and misses all those signs, is not driving well and is a danger to all.

I suggest this with some caution. While I am not a fan of speed cameras at all. I do not have an issue with watching the speeds that drivers are doing. One thing that seems to come up every so often is the idea of actually putting markers on certain points of the road and working out the time it takes to travel between the two distances. This would be more expensive to set up but I feel it would be a more appropriate solution. Also an increase in the number of MARKED police cars on the road would be a massive help.

dragonflygal9:00 pm 04 Aug 08

I think I got one today too – on Belconnen Way…. in the dark….with the van’s orange lights flashing… yeah, I probably deserved it but….I’m hoping they got the guy beside me!

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy8:57 pm 04 Aug 08

This has been done to death. Everyone knows that speed cameras don’t achieve a thing except raising revenue.

Daily Digest

Want the best Canberra news delivered daily? Every day we package the most popular Riotact stories and send them straight to your inbox. Sign-up now for trusted local news that will never be behind a paywall.

By submitting your email address you are agreeing to Region Group's terms and conditions and privacy policy.