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In Europe, Speed Cameras Meet Their Technological Match

nytimes.com

11–20 of 57 posts

Re: In Europe, Speed Cameras Meet Their Technological Match

#11
post #7
post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's a very good point: if the cameras are there to prevent accidents, then these databases really are doing their job in making people slow down for them.

> if the cameras are there to prevent accidents cameras are to easily collect fines.

So, you can easily show those jerks, simply by respecting the speed limit!

win for you, win for the community!

Re: In Europe, Speed Cameras Meet Their Technological Match

#12
post #10

What do you do when cameras start calculating the average speed over some distance, rather than doing single-spot measurements? :)

This has been tried in Sweden, and IIRC the court said that since it can't be proven who drove the car between the cameras it's not possible to fine the driver.

Re: In Europe, Speed Cameras Meet Their Technological Match

#13
The thing with these systems is when you get caught, you don't pay a simple fine, you just loose your driving license.

The journalists should inform themselves better, as European I doubt anyone is easily left of the hook if caught during a police control using such device.

Re: In Europe, Speed Cameras Meet Their Technological Match

#14
post #10

What do you do when cameras start calculating the average speed over some distance, rather than doing single-spot measurements? :)

We have this in the Netherlands (among others), it's called 'trajectcontrole' here, and it works/helps enforcing the speed. See; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SPECS_(speed_camera)

Re: In Europe, Speed Cameras Meet Their Technological Match

#15
post #13

The thing with these systems is when you get caught, you don't pay a simple fine, you just loose your driving license. The journalists should inform themselves better, as European I doubt anyone is easily left of the hook if caught during a police control using such device.

In what country do you loose your license? Certanly not in all eu countries.

Re: In Europe, Speed Cameras Meet Their Technological Match

#18
post #13

The thing with these systems is when you get caught, you don't pay a simple fine, you just loose your driving license. The journalists should inform themselves better, as European I doubt anyone is easily left of the hook if caught during a police control using such device.

In Belgium it's legal to have GPS with a speedcamera database. Mobile speedcameras are commonly announced on the radio too. All perfectly legal. Active radar detection on the other hand is illegal.

Re: In Europe, Speed Cameras Meet Their Technological Match

#19
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> if the cameras are there to prevent accidents cameras are to easily collect fines.

So, you can easily show those jerks, simply by respecting the speed limit! win for you, win for the community!

You can easily show those jerks by driving at high speed and braking like an idiot right before you hit a speed trap.

The reason the Netherlands employs so many mobile speed traps is because people quickly learn where the fixed speed traps are and simply ignore the speed limits in between, or try to "make up for time lost by having to brake for a speed trap" (yes, I've heard and seen plenty of people do this).

This is why radar detectors are illegal in the Netherlands.

Re: In Europe, Speed Cameras Meet Their Technological Match

#20
post #10

What do you do when cameras start calculating the average speed over some distance, rather than doing single-spot measurements? :)

They have these on various motorways and cities in the UK - and they work brilliantly - once you are in (a well signposted) 'average speed check' area, everyone slows down and does the speed limit.

You could still be warned that you are aproaching the area though. Interestingly these use front mounted cameras (to capture the driver) so have no effect on motorbikes - though the general slower speed seems to slow them on the motorways.

As a cyclist (and driver) I think they are great for city driving, and a much better solution than speedbumps or other calming measures.

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