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Just a little wondering about the SPECS average speed cameras, anyone know at what average speed they issue a ticket? Is it anything above the limit (ie 51 average in a 50 limit), or is it like the normal cameras where it's something like limit + 10% (ie 55 in a 50 limit)?
No specific reason, don't actually have any around here (to my knowledge..), just wondering what kind of tolerance they have - don't really want to find out for myself if I pass through a set!

i think it's 10% + 3mph or summit. i work in insurance and i get about 10 calls a day from people putting convictions on their insurance records and not once has anyone ever reported a speeding conviction under 36mph. i'm sure jeremy clarkson did a write up in the paper a while ago about it and i'm sure he said spec along those lines. u can tell if a camera is switch on as well by looking at the top corners on the back of the camera and there are two flaps in either top corner. If these are open u can see as they look like black holes, this means the lenses are open. if the whole of the back is grey or that yellow reflecting stuff then they are probably closed. but u have to be going the speed limit to be able to see whether it's on or not. so its a bit pointless unless u decide to turn round and go flying through it just for a laugh!!!!! however it does help when u go through that camera everyday.....

Aren't they the ones that register your plate and then at the next one work out the the distance and time travelled to see if you have exceeded the speed limit?

Titsywabbas, that's pretty much what I was thinking.. I know most speed cameras have a built in tolerance of a few mph, just didn't know whether specs were the same, as the whole point of them is that you can't claim you just drifted over the limit past the camera, so you should really be at or under the limit anyway I'm sure some facts will emerge as more of them pop up and more people get done by them..

cyhliu, yep, they're the ones. Pretty scary bit of technology really, it feels a bit big brother having a camera clever enough to single you out from the rest of the cars on the road and monitor you over a whole section of road I'm just hoping they don't put any in around here, but I bet they will..

You have noticed the *green* "trafficmaster" cameras, haven't you? You do know what they're for?

(Hint: not trafficmaster).

Anyway - the story goes:

Highways Agency wanted to buy access to trafficmaster's data, to *record* what speed individual people were doing over very long distances. This is how trafficmaster works, but is discards the number plate information. The highways agency wanted to keep it.

Trafficmaster said "no", so highways agency is slowly building its own network using the same technology. ATM, I've only ever seen them on main trunk roads and suspect they their intended role three of four years ago is being superseded by the introduction of gps based road tolling (and possibly insurance).

Yes this is happening and will arrive within the UK within the next five to ten years. It's already arrived in Germany for artics on existing toll roads, with the UK poised to adopt that technology witin the next couple of years for its trucks. Cars can only follow. We've currently got the Newcastle trials on the technology (just to check that it works) and one insurance company (can't recall which) is currently testing the calculation of premiums based on gps recordings. I can recall a tv interview where the lady from insurance company was promisng they would only calculate the premium from distance travellled and wouldn't factor in speed or areas travelled to, but I have my doubts.... How would you know? You'll never get access to the data yourself. Nor would you be able to see their calculations (commerically sensitive).

Personally, I wouldn't have a problem with a shift to gps based methods as it is ultimately fairer. I would have problems if it became an addition tax over and above insurance (tax on insurance), road tax, fuel tax....

Deek.