New Speed Camera,,and more

[Damian]

World's most extreme speed camera

UK roads could soon be under the surveillance of the ultimate speed camera.
Known as ASSET (Advanced Safety and Driver Support for Essential Road Transport), the camera uses 3D technology to detect multiple driving offences at the same time.
As well as speeding, ASSET can determine if a driver is wearing a seatbelt, and measure the distance between his car and the car in front to see if he's tailgating.
It also reads number plates and tax discs to see if the driver has valid insurance and Vehicle Excise Duty.
Just like today's speed cameras, ASSET will generate instant multiple penalties for drivers - raising the possibility of an instant ban. It will be fitted to police patrol vehicles and the information will be fed back to a central police database.
ASSET, developed by the VVT Technical Research Centre in Finland, has been funded by £7.1 million of European Commission money. The project began in July 2008 and testing - currently taking place in Finland, France, Germany and Austria - will be completed by December 2011.
It's expected to go to market in 2013 and cost the Government £50,000 per camera.
AA President Edmund King believes that the camera will be welcome on UK roads, as long as it is not used as a "money-making machine". He said: "Tailgating is more dangerous in most cases than speeding, so I think most motorists would welcome it."

 

[Steve L]

AA President Edmund King believes that the camera will be welcome on UK roads, as long as it is not used as a "money-making machine". He said: "Tailgating is more dangerous in most cases than speeding, so I think most motorists would welcome it."

I reckon 90% of camera's come into the first comment, only 10% are sited at actual accident blackspots. That aside, if you are a good driver and paying attention to your road and the surroundings, you won't get photographed.

Tailgating is definately less dangerous than speeding as the tailgater is already waiting for the person infront to dab the brakes.

In my oppinion the most dangerous road user is, the idiots who persitantly hog the middle lane of a motorway. Not only do they provoke traigating, but also undertaking, overtaking with violent swings, and then the educator who overtakes and then dabs the brakes to scare the brain dead middle lane hogger into complying with the highway code.

Now the bit that get's my goat is that the root cause of the other motoring offences commited as a result of one persons "driving without due care and attention", never result's in a ticket for the lane hog.

It doesn't take a 7 million pound camera to do something about road safety. Just a £30K per annum policeman and a £20K police car (subaru impretsa's not needed) and a good old fashioned camera and ticket book. Revenue from the lane hogger would pay for hundreds of these low budget but effective "road safety cars".
BTW my license has been clean for over 30 years and you lot know what I have done for a job.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Both tailgating and speeding are illegal and have the potential to be dangerous, but I think it is difficult to establish which is more dangerous than the other, I think it rather depends on the particular circumstances.

As for the middle lane hogger that is contrary to the highway code, but they do not cause others to break the law by undertaking or tailgating, such actions are the individual choice of the driver.

 

[Dustydog]

Known as ASSET (Advanced Safety and Driver Support for Essential Road Transport), the camera uses 3D technology to detect multiple driving offences at the same time.

Or Another Super Stealth Earning Tax.

 

[NickinFrance]

As for the middle lane hogger that is contrary to the highway code, but they do not cause others to break the law by undertaking or tailgating, such actions are the individual choice of the driver.

So says a fully paid up member of the MLOC (Middle Lane Owners Club)

 

[OmOnWeelz]

'World's most extreme speed camera'
Just the sort of cheerful news motorists need and yet another extreme tax system.

'Tailgating is definately less dangerous than speeding as the tailgater is already waiting for the person infront to dab the brakes'

That has to be one of the most stupid things I've ever read about driving. Having been at the front end of an M25 multi car crash that involved two lots of tailgaters I strongly reject that idea as would the police and other driving experts. Tailgater's can't react quick enough to prevent collisions and that's a simple fact

 

[Damian]

Can only agree with you OmOnWeelz, tailgaters are just playing russian roulette, but with the back end of someone elses car/truck/bus.

Sometimes really stupid answers are given on the forum, that quote being one of them.

 

[NickinFrance]

'Tailgating is definately less dangerous than speeding as the tailgater is already waiting for the person in front to dab the brakes'

That has to be one of the most stupid things I've ever read about driving. Having been at the front end of an M25 multi car crash that involved two lots of tailgaters I strongly reject that idea as would the police and other driving experts. Tailgater's can't react quick enough to prevent collisions and that's a simple fact.

It's not just tailgaters who can't react quick enough, in practise most motorway drivers can't react quick enough to avoid a collision
Although I never had the courage to test the theory, I knew a well respected Road Transport Engineer who claimed the safest distance from the vehicle in front was about an inch.
His theory was that if the vehicle in front stopped or slowed suddenly, the closing speed before the one behind hit it was much lower that if it was the normal 40' or 50'.
He claimed that while the recommended gap of 'one car length for each 10 mph' was good in theory, in practise it never happened & for it to happen there would need to be at least twice the number of lanes on UK roads.

 

[OmOnWeelz]

'well respected Road Transport Engineer who claimed the safest distance from the vehicle in front was about an inch'

Yet another theorist boffin talking sh--e then.

Being an inch away may result in the lowest impact speed, the idea is not to have accidents at all and if everyone drove an inch from the car in front there would be a lot more wrecked cars and lives

 

[NickinFrance]

if everyone drove an inch from the car in front there would be a lot more wrecked cars and lives

That was the point, if everyone drove an inch from the car in front, there would NOT be more wrecked cars, the theory falls apart when people drive more than an inch away.
Take trains for an example, they are not hard coupled & don't damage themselves every time they slow down or stop.
Many years ago I saw a paper that 'proved mathematically' that if a stream of traffic was travelling at 70 mph with the Highway code stopping distance between each vehicle & the first car flashed his brake lights for 2 seconds but didn't actually slow down, the 8th vehicle WOULD run into the back of the 7th.

 

[xtrailman]

'World's most extreme speed camera'
Just the sort of cheerful news motorists need and yet another extreme tax system.

'Tailgating is definately less dangerous than speeding as the tailgater is already waiting for the person infront to dab the brakes'

That has to be one of the most stupid things I've ever read about driving. Having been at the front end of an M25 multi car crash that involved two lots of tailgaters I strongly reject that idea as would the police and other driving experts. Tailgater's can't react quick enough to prevent collisions and that's a simple fact

Correct, tail gaters are so thick it is unbelievable.

Even when i slow down they make no attempt to overtake, on occasions i have actually indicated and stopped completely, only to look in the mirror to see a confused look on the driver.

Accelerating away makes no difference, eventually the cars again dangerously close, and if they do overtake (rare), they find the next car in front to tailgate.

They are completely with out imagination!

 

[OmOnWeelz]

I knew a very clever scientist who worked out that the probability was that he was safe having some fun at the University he lectured at especially as it was 50 miles from his home.
His Porsche was wrecked by his wife and she cut his clothes up and took the house and the bit of fun did him for paternity.
Sounds like your friends and paper writers think with their d----- as well

Trains have buffers and limited steering governed by the confinement of the rails. What a load of ---- Nick.

 

[Philspadders]

Tailgating is definately less dangerous than speeding as the tailgater is already waiting for the person infront to dab the brakes.

some folks post absolute rubbish. We know you were are lorry driver for 30 years, was this at the same time as being a chassis designer for lotus? Chassis designers usually have at least an Msc in Engineeering by the way.

If you believe that tailgating is safe or safer than speeding then i am very , very pleased that you are no longer travelling the roads of the country with a lorry.

 

[NigelHutson]

When the offence of Dangerous Driving was introduced (to replce the old Reckless Driving), it was aimed at things like tailgating, and should have been a very easy offence to prove, i.e. "the average driver would consider the actions of that driver to be dangerous", or "the standard of driving fell well below that of a reasonable and compitent driver". Sadly (as always) lawyers got involved, and it's now verging on having to prove the old Reckless again. Therefore the Law Lords obviously originally considered tailgating to be dangerous and speeding is just speeding (unless other factors come into play).
Just out of interest, what is the offence of "undertaking"? Burying the dead without a licence? There is no such specific offence on the UK statute books. I don't advocate doing it, but am merely intersted to know what the offence is. I know "Driviing without due care and attention" could be considered, but when it's simply to pass a middle lane owners club member, then surely if the one who is doing the "undertaking" is prosecuted, then the middle lane owners club member must also be?

 

[NickinFrance]

Sounds like your friends and paper writers think with their d----- as well

It shows that they are prepared to think rather than take the 'If it saves one child' propaganda at face value, it also shows that not all tailgating is dangerous & not all keeping the prescribed distance is safe.

Trains have buffers and limited steering governed by the confinement of the rails. What a load of ---- Nick.

Cars have 5mph impact resistant bumpers & at an inch away not much steering .

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Nigel,

your last paragrapgh
"Just out of interest, what is the offence of "undertaking"? Burying the dead without a licence? There is no such specific offence on the UK statute books. I don't advocate doing it, but am merely intersted to know what the offence is. I know "Driviing without due care and attention" could be considered, but when it's simply to pass a middle lane owners club member, then surely if the one who is doing the "undertaking" is prosecuted, then the middle lane owners club member must also be?"
I will relate an incident that occurred to me once when I was towing a caravan back from Hull. I was on the M62 in the nearside lane and approaching a slower lorry. after checking the rear view, some considerable distance to my rear was a car, in the middle lane, and the offside lane was clear. I signalled and pulled out to the middle lane. As approached the lorry and was no more than about 15M from it, a hot hatch moved into the nearside lane and accelerated past me and pulled out in front of me, with probably only about 10M between my front wing and the rear corner of the lorry.
Poetic justice though, the car that had been behind the hot hatch some distance behind pulled out into the offside and cruised past me, as it passed the passenger gave me the thumbs up and then turned on blues and twos and shot of to pursue the hatch, which it caught and pulled over half a mile in front.

As I said earlier the severity of the danger and any possible offence is determined by the particular circumstances.

I do not know how Nick can can make any statement about my driving or that he considers me to be a middle lane driver. he is entirely wrong and as such I find his assertion to be offensive.

 

[NigelHutson]

Prof John,
I agree entirely, especially as it seems that in your case, you had done everything correctly, and from what you say the actions of the car driver were potentially dangerous. However, I'd still like to know what this offence of undertaking is, as specifically, none exists. As I said in my previous post, I do not advocate "undertaking", but there seems to be this myth that it is an offence in its own right.
Oh, and I'm sorry if you thought that I was referring to you when I mentioned "middle lane owners club". I certainly wasn't, I was merely using the well known term in my ramblings.
Nigel.

 

[OmOnWeelz]

You have to worry that some 1/2 brained twink will read the stupid ideas and theories posted here or get them 15th hand with embelishments and then wipe some poor devils out on the road trying it out.

Train carriages are linked and do not have individuals applying the brakes, panicing or swerving and nor is there any other traffic to the side to make a wrong move. Trains and carriages have had linked brakes for over 100 years and the impact areas between the train engine and carriages foolowing are of a uniform design and is meant to have impact between them.
5mph Impact resistant car fenders and thousands of different shaped and sized cars are never going to act in the same way as a train.
Not only does a line of tail ending cars an inch apart on the M1 have not have linked brakes they pretty dam well don't have drivers with liked brains, reaction times or anything else to suggest that the line would be brought to an accident free stop

Please don't post utter BS when some fool may just follow it and kill themselves and others or me. I'm rather fond of living and at least one of my nine lives rests in peace on the M25

 

[Steve L]

Ok so we're all agreed that tailgating is dangerous and for reference I don't tailgate either.
But just out of interest do any of you self preclaimed critics know what is the reaction distance and the overall stopping distance for 70Mph? Now no looking in the highway code.
What also is a famous rhyme to guide a motorist as how safe they are behind the car in front.

I do have to disagree about the middle lane hogger being the innocent and un nickable party in motorway congestion.

If I was a tailgater or a dangerous driver, how come I've only had 3 accidents in my first 5 years of driving and none for the next 28 years.

That can't be down to luck. I guess I woke up and took driving seriously instead of doing what 99% of drivers do and that is treat driving as a chore and a means to an end.
Think very long and hard before you contradict that comment

 

[forestgump]

they did the test for this camare here in bedford at the police hq (traffic hq) a while back already on the books so look out. It was tested at millbrock and kempston hq.

 

[smiley]

ok, I can't find it...

Where does it tell me what constitutes tailgating in the high way code ????

You see I makes me angry is we all learn by a recomendations in the high way code.

But we the paople get done leagally by police, courts, etc for not driving right. yeah?
Why don't they teach us all the legal driving do's and don't.LOL

Do you think it will catch all the numpties on the road cutting you up etc????

My solution fire work rockets aimed appropriately. heh, heh,

 

[Damian]

Quote "
Where does it tell me what constitutes tailgating in the high way code ?"
[*]keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front and increase the gap on wet or icy roads, or in fog (see Rules 126 and 235)