this post was submitted on 18 Oct 2023
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It looks like instead of pinging carelessness, we will soon be keeping people to the speed limit.

With the reducing of speed limits being pulled, at least this will give another way to reduce the impact of crashes.

Unlike the comment on reddit saying this won't reduce crashes, I'm going to point out that it's not designed to. Road to zero is about recognising crashes will happen, this move is about reducing the damage when crashes inevitably occur.

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 11 months ago (6 children)

Interesting that they're coming here. They are a common form of speed camera in the UK I believe, where they are generally hated. I'd love to see some data about their use and reducing crashes.

My concern is you could speed through an area, realize your mistake and pull over for 5 minutes, and avoid any fine. Perhaps this is an unwarranted concern, however.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (2 children)

Doing the math:

  • 100km/h is ~1.6km/minute
  • Assuming they place the cameras 10km apart then it should take you a little under 6 minutes to get between the 2 points.
  • If you've got there fast enough you have to wait 5 minutes to not be over the average limit, then you were travelling 10km/minute or 600km/h, and yeah, probably should pull over and take a few deep breaths
[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago

Lol, fair point mate

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago
[–] [email protected] 5 points 11 months ago (1 children)

No one who is going to baulk at this as an attack on their "right" to speed is going to stop to average it out.

Stopping is even more anathema to them than driving under the limit.

They'll just whine about it being "bullshit" to the rest of their mates.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago
[–] [email protected] 5 points 11 months ago

You could, but you will likely remember what the limit is next time.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago (1 children)

The idea I think is for people who "normally" drive at 10 or 20kph above the speed limit, encouraging them to normally drive at the speed limit instead.

I guess we also don't know the threshold (1kph over probably won't get you a ticket, but will 5kph?)

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Yeah the threshold would be interesting.

If we could normalize doing no more than the posted speed in this country, driving would be much more pleasant. Especially long trips.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago

It even right there in the name "limit".

It saddens me how many people think it's the lower limit.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago (1 children)

I remember them in the UK when we visited as long ago as 2012. My main recollection was that they seemed very effective at causing you to think very carefully about your speed, because in a long line of traffic nobody wants to be the person who drives extra slow to make up for accidentally going too fast a few seconds earlier.

I'm curious to know the reasons for them apparently being hated.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

They’re hated because they’re seen as more intrusion, and make drivers stupid. Drivers will speed, and then slam on the brakes and go past the cameras slowly.

The UK is very different when it comes to speed cameras.

  • They’re fucking everywhere
  • they have to be painted bright yellow
  • there is (generally) a policy of 10%+2 over the speed limit (I.e 50mph, 57mph is ‘free’ but if you’re caught doing 58 you’ll be pinged for 8mph over)

They also changed the rules (semi) recently; so that they will only install speed cameras in places where speeding has caused accidents. Which is reasonable imo.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago

That assumes they're actually making a mistake, instead of habitually driving too damn fast because they think they're more in control than physics is.

I think it's more likely to lead to people slowing down and not doing stuff like weaving in and out of traffic so they can keep going fast.

Whenever I feel like traffic is moving too slowly for me, I think about how long it would take me to walk instead. And then I chill out and enjoy my private climate controlled capsule and maybe turn up my music.