Joined: 11/07/2002 14:36:40 Posts: 23699 Location: Hampshire, UK
Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2011 2:02 pm Post subject: Need Evidence That Our Speedcam Database Is Accurate?
We received an email recently from a database subscriber concerned that our database had the incorrect speed for a mobile camera sire on the A4 near Keynsham.
The subscriber provided a screen-grab from the Avon and Somerset Constabulary web site that has the mobile camera listed as a 50mph speed limit.
We checked our logs and could see that the camera has been reported as 40mph and checked and confirmed by a verifier as correct. Indeed the local verifier was able to add some background information confirming that the limit had been reduced from 50 to 40 many months ago.
Hopefully this one example can serve as proof that we stand by our data being the most accurate available.
Joined: 30/12/2002 17:36:20 Posts: 3728 Location: Oxfordshire, England, UK
Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2011 6:17 pm Post subject:
Would it be worth contacting the local media (newspapers, BBC and independent Radio and TV stations) to ask why the local "Speed Enforcement Unit" has the wrong information advertised on its website?
Surely this is a safety issue as the local "Speed Enforcement Unit" is either inept or are being more sinister and purposely advertising the wrong speed just to take more money - let's create a conspiracy theory!
Regards, _________________ Robert.
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Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 12254 Location: Keynsham
Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2012 8:39 pm Post subject:
You could report that most such partnership websites are inaccurate. In addition to dealing with this mobile, I also noted that the Avon & Somerset site says there are no operational fixed cameras in Bath and North East Somerset - tell that to anybody who has been caught out by this one just a couple of miles further east along the same road, in the village of Saltford! Unless they mean that it's not operational even though it looks perfectly in order - anybody fancy a trip down that very steep part of the A4 to test it? It used to be the highest earning camera in the county.
_________________ Dennis
No TT MapShare (voluntarily), HD Traffic (involuntarily)
TT Support 08451610009 - A) issue, B) challenge, C) problem, D) cockup
Joined: Oct 18, 2005 Posts: 6 Location: Hungerford, UK
Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2012 3:34 pm Post subject:
I would suppose that the village residents of Saltford don't really care if the camera pictured is technically "operational" or not. As you say, it looks in order and by the look of the rear of three of the vehicles pictured travelling down the hill it seems to be having the desired effect of slowing down their speed, although the green Polo has a defective offside brake lamp. Well at least one is working.
Perhaps this non operational camera is what is required here as it could be argued that drivers are not seeing the impeding hazards of the bus stop to the near side or the central pedestrian refuge, or the bus emerging from the hedge to the offside of the road, or the advance warning for the near side junction, or indeed the street lamps denoting that the road has a 30 mph restriction. Perhaps all of these factors have passed many motorists by and the presence of a yellow box on a pole is all that is needed.
Joined: Jun 04, 2005 Posts: 19385 Location: West and Southwest London
Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2012 10:13 pm Post subject:
Or perhaps the drivers HAVE registered the bus stop to the near side, and the central pedestrian refuge, and the bus emerging from the hedge to the offside of the road, and the advance warning for the near side junction, and the street lamps denoting that the road has a 30 mph restriction...
.... but have used their judgement to decide what is a safe speed for the road conditions rather then accepting what authority arbitrarily tells them.
And so they are only slowing down because they want to avoid getting fined.
Just playing a DIFFERENT devil's advocate. _________________ "Settling in nicely" ;-)
Joined: Mar 01, 2005 Posts: 1427 Location: West Mids
Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2012 10:41 am Post subject:
OR... that the first car has slammed on the brakes just realising there is a camera there and the others have been forced to follow suit. The Polo does appear to be quite close to the car in front (Fiesta?). It would be nice if more though went into tailgating (not saying he is though).
Someone has already hit the bus stop.
It's a problem getting a good idea of what has happened when you just have one photo to go by. At least the speed camera will take two to get some idea of movement.
Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 12254 Location: Keynsham
Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2012 11:19 am Post subject:
M8TJT wrote:
GerryC wrote:
It's a problem getting a good idea of what has happened when you just have one photo to go by.
Nothing happened. It's a photo of a speed cam
Actually, that's a composite of TWO photos taken in the manner of a speed cam - it demonstrates that the cam works so well that everybody is stationary (and being very anti-social by standing on their brake pedals instead of engaging the handbrake, so as to dazzle the driver behind). In my days with the council, I actually paid the bills for the installation of that camera and it became the biggest earner in the county. That they might have turned it off now is unthinkable - if you had a collecting box on your gatepost and it was still being filled with cash every day, why would you take it off? That hill is steep enough to make it impossible to stay under 30mph WITHOUT standing on your brake all the way down. The leaning bus stop sign is an optical illusion - there is actually a setback in the wall there, so it's well behind the footpath - gets narrower and leanier, just like railway lines (or something). And if you look carefully, there is a railway line just behind the trees on the left (Brunel's famous railway that runs through Brunel's famous Box Tunnel, although this isn't where Brunel's famous Box Tunnel is).
Edit to add By the way, in case you hadn't noticed, the camera is at the BOTTOM of the hill to catch people who speed down it, not at the TOP to persuade people not to speed down it - cash box, not warning. _________________ Dennis
No TT MapShare (voluntarily), HD Traffic (involuntarily)
TT Support 08451610009 - A) issue, B) challenge, C) problem, D) cockup
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- it demonstrates that the cam works so well that everybody is stationary (and being very anti-social by standing on their brake pedals instead of engaging the handbrake, so as to dazzle the driver behind). In my days with the council, I actually paid the bills for the installation of that camera and it became the biggest earner in the county. That they might have turned it off now is unthinkable - if you had a collecting box on your gatepost and it was still being filled with cash every day, why would you take it off? That hill is steep enough to make it impossible to stay under 30mph WITHOUT standing on your brake all the way down. The leaning bus stop sign is an optical illusion - there is actually a setback in the wall there, so it's well behind the footpath - gets narrower and leanier, just like railway lines (or something). And if you look carefully, there is a railway line just behind the trees on the left (Brunel's famous railway that runs through Brunel's famous Box Tunnel, although this isn't where Brunel's famous Box Tunnel is).
