New cameras on the a14

[Zirax]

Well the buggers have gone and done it. There are now specs cameras on the a14 (north and sb) replacing all the gatso's around cambridge. They start northbound about 2 miles before the set of services and finish after the a14/a1 turnoff (the one with the watertower).

Thought I should let you know, as the ones by the services are close together, then there is a good 2-3 miles till the final set. They are going to get a lot of money from that final set.

Last night when I went past they weren't active, however its going to be soon.

I can see these cameras doing squat. Last night there were two crashes near to me due to idiots not leaving a braking distance. We were in traffic doing 40-50 ish, rang them both in to the Police and spoke to the same operator twice. His reaction "Another one????" Two crashes in 20 mins both due to the same reason.

[Will]

It's fine if you're on a bike... no front number plate ;)

Also I believe if you change lane it doesn't affect you?

Either way I prefer the SPECS cameras to all the others if I'm honest. Though i still find them hateful. Traffic cops is the thing we need, a bit of discretion and professional observation rather than overly aggressive automaton type of enforcement.

[Zirax]

Ah yes, I forgot about the lane change thing.

One thing I noticed was the level of speed on the a14/a1. Now I tend to make progress if its clear, but damn.... I was being passed like I was standing!! Without a shadow of a doubt a considerable number were doing well over 100+, much much more than about 8-10 months ago.

Then again you have to hand it to the people who are really going for it. If they know where the cameras are and likely mobile locations, unless they get nabbed by a mobile or traffic police.... who is going to say they can't do that speed?

[Feek]

Ouch, that stretch past Huntingdon has been infamous for a long time for the number of cameras but the locations are well known. I guess this will keep the average speed down.

[Admiral Huddy]

That stretch is also notorious for some pretty nasty accidents in the past.. There's a stretch were it's very bendy and has an awkward camber.. It's caught many a driver out.. even on a dry day..

[Will]

If it's notorious and a bad road for accidents I'm less pissed off about speed cameras. I don't believe they necessarily are the answer, I believe that education of drivers is far more important, but as a quick fix I can see why they do it. If they can prove that this will reduce the accidents then great, I hope it does, but I doubt it will.

[Justsomebloke]

Cobblers.
That is my route to my daughter/grandson. I know it like the back of my hand and knew Exactly where all 6 cameras were there & back. I have dodged all 12 cameras for years never being caught and always going as fast as i can.
Will have to relearn the locations now, Pffffff.
Kin ****e piece of road an all. all it takes is two lorrys playing the stay next to each other game and the whole kin road is blocked. Bahhhhhh moan whinge shout cry throw things from pram :angry:

[kaiowas]

Oh arse. That's my only decent way towards the major road networks crippled.

/Starts petitioning for dualling of the A47 all the way accross to the M1

[Zirax]

Its not all bad with that stretch. Unless you go late at night you are unlikely to get over 70 due to all the traffic.

Once you turn off to continue west on the a14, then as far as I know its game on.

[Feek]

There's a stretch were it's very bendy and has an awkward camber.. It's caught many a driver out.. even on a dry day..

Aye, the stretch around Haughley? I was annoyed when they dropped the limit to 50 and put the cameras in because I used to drive that every day. That used to be fun bit of road.

[Justsomebloke]

70 ;D Dude i hover at 90 no messing the whole way and continually try to beat previous records. My best or worst was on my 600 yammy, i totally lost it on the way home and thrashed the bejesus out of it all the way back. Topped out at around 136-137 and was overtaking on the baubles on the other side of the white line near the barrier :shocked: Got back in around 1hour 40 mins when it normally took 2hours 5 mins :)
Killed the bike though as after that it had no compression and never started again :'(
Car wise i sit at a ton or 90 but i am guilty of bullying my way through and driving like a dick. Timing is what counts though and i am fortunate enouth to go when i want rather than mixing with the rush hour. Knowing the journey so well i time it right and usually never have to lift apart from the 6 scameras in each direction.
In all the times i've done the journey and i have been doing it for over ten years now i have only crashed once and that was 10 yards from my front door would you believe. I had raced all the way down had my visit and then raced all the way back. Before i had the drive parking in the street was crap and i had to drive past my house and turn round. I went past my house turned round and then got slammed by some other young fast dude ;D Knocked the **** out of me it did, wierd though a i had just done a 300 miles round trip race and then get slammed 10 yards from my front door.

[Will]

What is the limit set to 70? If so then the average speed cameras shouldn't affect too badly.

Remember Pikey, slowing down just for the average speed cameras doesn't do you any good - they take your average speed. Though apparently if you end up in a different lane each time there is a camera it doesn't work - don't quote me on that though.

It will get to the stage where you can't be human and err anymore. If only they had less cameras and more patrols life would be better. The cameras don't catch the twats that drive like arses - it only catches the usually innocent people who happen to go over the limit at that point in time.

It's crap and costs us lots.

[Dr. Z]

Its always interesting driving through SPEC zones - traffic behaves in a very strange and unnatural way.

As for the lane changing thing, im not confident enough about it to try it!

[Will]

Nor am I which is why I want someone else to try it first! ;D Though I know it hasn't worked on my bike ;)

[Justsomebloke]

Nor am i now, we'll all be driving around at 60 like clones :(
This whole situation is sad as i feel i have less choice and freedom with all these restrictions and monitoring. When in a car i drive fast but safe & feel it should be up to me to judge the situation. Having said that i do take notice of signs etc and lower my speed when needed. I mean i do know this route exceptionally well and use it at less busy times.
I don't know i s'pose with all the roads deaths there is it may help, it just doesn't feel right not putting your foot down when the road is empty for as far as the eye can see :undecided:

[8 I3ALL]

Those cameras have been up for weeks now and it will still be a few weeks before they are active they still have more to put up and will only turn them on when the whole stretch is finished

As for the changing lanes have a read of this http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23370879-details/Drivers+can+avoid+speeding+tickets...by+changing+l anes/article.do

its true :p

[Zirax]

Thats very handy 8Ball. I can see there being comedy lane changing going on when they go live. As if nobody is going to do it!! pfft

I hope the buggers aren't planning to extend it to the westbound section of the a14 as that really would pee me off :/

[8 I3ALL]

Im ok i keep my TomTom camera locations upto date via the pocketgsm forums which is much better than TomToms version

I dont mind other cameras ...but these Specs are so hard to see in the dark !!!!!!!!!!!!

Im sure there will be more problems on that road now with ppl braking hard as the notice the Specs above them

[Nutcase]

Fortunately it's been a while since I drove down that bit of road, but with the gatsos there it was ruddy dangerous. People would speed up after a camera, then get to the next one and stamp on their brakes. Car behind would brake a bit more, and so on until a few cars back it's stationary. That's when you get the accidents. I don't know if it was a blackspot BEFORE the gatsos were put in, but it certainly was after :angry:

If they have to have cameras there, I'd prefer the specs...

[Del Lardo]

I drove the A14 from Cambridge to Swavesey every (work) day for 3 years and am still amazed that I was never involved in an accident. The cameras they had in place were worse than useless as everyone (myself included) knew exactly where they were and would just speed between them. I've seen quite a few accidents caused by the cameras (in combination with piss poor driving) as people jammed on the brakes to slow down for the camera and the person behind them drove into the back of them.

If you are going down the camera route then average speed cameras are the only way to go though what the road really needs is a very high police presence for a random day every week to prevent the endless tailgating that causes most of the accidents. Banning lorries from the road (or at least banning them from overtaking) during rush hour would also make a huge difference.