Speed Cameras versus Speed Limits

DPL · Posted: Fri May 25, 2007 4:48 pm Post subject: Speed Cameras versus Speed Limits

The latest move to free up the location of speed cameras seems to have caused excitement in some threads. If this move means more cameras - and that assumption may or may not become the reality - then it may, in time, beg the question of the usefullness of the camera database which may assume a criticial mass too large to be manageable by both the compiler and the user.

I have now deleted the camera database off my Garmin for a trial period to see how I cope with driving along unknown routes 'blind'. It would be nice to assess, again for a trial period, the usefulness of a database that gave the speed limit of the road I was travelling on. My biggest concern at the moment is not whether there is a camera around the corner but what the prevailing speed limit is. I know the speed limit is posted but so are a great many other things and on unknown roads it is not always possible to absorb and retain all information.

I'm sure in a small number of years as active traffic management increases, all vehicles will 'know' the speed limit of the road they travel on and advise the driver of this. To those experts at PGPSW - how difficult would it be to devise and make available a database of speed limits that could be used as per the camera database?

(PS. Now going off line for a week for some r&r. Sorry Embarassed

)
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mikealder

DPL

Border_Collie · Posted: Fri May 25, 2007 8:12 pm Post subject:

aj2052 · Posted: Sat May 26, 2007 2:02 am Post subject:

i Agree it is a non starter, you are taking on too much responsibilty, some of the speeds shown on tomtom that i have seen are not to be relied on and you should rely on common sense and the published regs.

DennisN · Posted: Sat May 26, 2007 7:44 am Post subject:

Has anybody out there got the Tom Tom cameras and can check their equivalent of Gatso:666@40? - A48 Eastern Avenue heading into Cardiff. It always used to be 50mph according to TT and I often wonder whether anyone gets caught out by it.

Road speed on the maps would be brilliant and Tom Tom actually have it. It's just simply a useless feature because it's impossible to have even a moderate percentage of accuracy - why do we all grumble about the speed indicator that turns red and flashes when we know we're under the limit?

I find the most reliable reminder of speed limit where I am is the pgpsw camera database - last time I found one with wrong speed limit was maybe a year ago when the council reduced the limit from 40 to 30. I shouted to pgpsw as loud and soon as possible and they changed it very quickly, thank you!
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Dennis

If it tastes good - it's fattening.

Two of them are obesiting!!

GPS_fan · Posted: Sat May 26, 2007 7:54 am Post subject:

I agree with the others - it's 'dangerous' territory

My GPS unit does advise me of the speed limit and warn me if I'm over the limit. It's not perfect and I use it as a rough guide only.

This feature can be annoying because if the speed limit is 60mph and the GPS thinks the speed limit is 30mph, then you get a warning for no reason.

I keep this feature active, because even false alarms of driving over the speed limit prompt me to check my speedometer.

Alternatively, if the speed limit is 30mph but the GPS thinks it's 60mph, then you obviously get no warning.

As already mentioned, I use this feature a s a rough guide only - I guess its like approaching a road junction, there might not have been any oncoming cars to give way to yesterday, but there are today. It's the same with road signs - the driver's responsibility to be observant of speed limit and all other road signs.

I view the GPS as a tool to get me from A to B with as little stress as possible - all these other features are nice to have, but the driver is ultimately responsible for the car. OK, so some people may not be very good at reading maps and GPS is superb for that, but we should all be capable of observing our surroundings and responding to road signs etc appropriately.
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Skippy · Posted: Sat May 26, 2007 9:07 pm Post subject:

mikealder · Posted: Sat May 26, 2007 9:18 pm Post subject:

Skippy, Have you updated your GPS Speed Sentry software recently? - you might be in for quite a surprise if you do as it now offers speed camera warning and lowers the speed limit to that of the approaching camera - well worth taking a look at

Mike

DennisN · Posted: Sun May 27, 2007 9:01 am Post subject:

Ye Gods and little fishes, Mike. Have you got a full pilot's licence for that lot? You don't need shades, you need a periscope!!
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Dennis

If it tastes good - it's fattening.

Two of them are obesiting!!

happyhkv · Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2007 8:48 am Post subject:

mikealder · Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2007 8:56 am Post subject:

I still have the following text on file from the early testing of this release, it should explain all you need to know, I assume you have upgraded the software to the latest download, as previous versions didn't offer the speed camera warning - BTW it is very good in use Wink

tchart · Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2007 11:04 pm Post subject:

Hi guys,

There are detailed instructions on my website on how to install the database as well as various links to other databases.

The direct link is here;

http://www.tchartdev.com/gps_ss_cameras.htm

Just scrioll down till you see "install instructions for pocket gps world database".

Regards
Trevor Hart
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