James May On Speed Cameras - Page 2

imugli · 30-03-2010, 03:13 PM

I really do believe the whole speed kills thing is a myth. Speed does not kill. What I believe kills is the lack of ability of the driver who is speeding to control the vehicle should it get out of control as a result of that speed being beyond his driving ability.

The crash and resulting death of a driver that ploughs sideways into a tree at 120km/h is not the result of him travelling at 120km/h but the result of him losing control at that speed and not being able to rectify the situation before he hit the tree.

EgoFG · 30-03-2010, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by imugli

I really do believe the whole speed kills thing is a myth. Speed does not kill. What I believe kills is the lack of ability of the driver who is speeding to control the vehicle should it get out of control as a result of that speed being beyond his driving ability.

The crash and resulting death of a driver that ploughs sideways into a tree at 120km/h is not the result of him travelling at 120km/h but the result of him losing control at that speed and not being able to rectify the situation before he hit the tree.

I agree 100% speed does not cause accidents. It is however an amplifier of the results.
Targeting speeding to reduce the death toll is a little like giving painkillers to someone who has appendicitis - Yeah, it might disguise the symptoms, but you need a real solution. And guess what - after you find the real fix, you don't need the panadol any more !

z80 · 30-03-2010, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tranquilized

Hmmmm right....

take a look at this if you havn't already:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uOYKP-SYeE

I'll take a new car in any crash, any day.

1959 comparison eh?

Couldn't you find a horse and cart to smash into instead?

Now show me an XY falcon doing the same test.

Or better still a 1975 Volvo 240.

flappist · 30-03-2010, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by z80

1959 comparison eh?

Couldn't you find a horse and cart to smash into instead?

Now show me an XY falcon doing the same test.

Or better still a 1975 Volvo 240.

Cars that were made before you were born?

I have seen quite a number of pranged 70s rockets over the years and sometimes they seem to survive the impact rather well.

Shame about the driver and passengers being smashed into red blobs though......

**DJR-351** · 30-03-2010, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 388cube_edxr8

Yeah but the piddly little 1.6L Diesel Astra Plodmobiles couldn't catch a bus in a carpark.

They probably didn't even try to pull you up because they were fairly at the limit too.

Or they could hunt you down with this....

phillyc · 30-03-2010, 07:09 PM

A few years ago in the US they repealed the 55mph countrywide speed limit (which was introduced IIRC as a fuel saving measure due in part of the 1970's fuel scare).

Arizona shortly after introduced a 'reasonable and prudent' speed limit during the day on some roads. Which was effectively deemed to 100mph/160kmh. At night considerably slower. The roads are heavily enforced by traffic cops. That state saw a reduction in deaths in the following years.

Nationally a reduction in overall traffic deaths occurred with the increase in speed limitss. What they found was a small claimed increase (nothing like the doomsayers were predicting) in carnage on the highways / biways / interstates. Although this was offset by the reduction in deaths on secondary roads. The reports of the time suggested the lower secondary roads deaths was because of reduced rat-running and more use of roads built for speed and volume.

How it was quantified I don't know. But, it's not often a government authority comes out in favour and says increased speed limits save lives!

max_torq · 30-03-2010, 07:18 PM

Speed is not the problem its made out to be. Most accidents are caused by errors of judgement due to failures to observe. Oh, but no... nobody likes to admit that they simply screwed up on the day.

Auslandau · 30-03-2010, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJR-351

Or they could hunt you down with this....

Yeah OK ....... car might be fast but there are still morons that jump out in front of you ....

| [/url] |

**DJR-351** · 30-03-2010, 11:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Auslandau

Yeah OK ....... car might be fast but there are still morons that jump out in front of you ....

no no you are reading it wrong, that’s just a standard Italian Pit Manoeuvre....

Pedro · 31-03-2010, 12:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by loftie

.............Speed wouldn't be the only thing... but it does play a major part...

But the facts loftie according to the Government's own statistics are that speed is not the high percentage factor they would have you believe. But they keep promoting it so that the dumbed down public accept "speed" cameras as a life saver, when in fact they are there to make money and are a locked in ever increasing contributer to the budget.

Trevor 57 · 31-03-2010, 08:21 AM

Technology is available to speed limit vehicles to the area they are in, it works with forklifts in a factory environment, there are sensors in the floors that when the fork drives over them the fork is then limited in speed to suit the environment, why couldn't that be done on our road network - expensive I know, but soe it policing.

Off the motor/freeway, after passing sensors the car can only go the posted limit, eg 50km/h and so in in reverse.

csv8 · 31-03-2010, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Trev

Technology is available to speed limit vehicles to the area they are in, it works with forklifts in a factory environment, there are sensors in the floors that when the fork drives over them the fork is then limited in speed to suit the environment, why couldn't that be done on our road network - expensive I know, but soe it policing.

Off the motor/freeway, after passing sensors the car can only go the posted limit, eg 50km/h and so in in reverse.

Doesn't raise revenue!!!!

Trevor 57 · 31-03-2010, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 388cube_edxr8

James May is an underpaid genius.

In your opinion and in his opinion too I bet.

**DJR-351** · 31-03-2010, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Trev

Technology is available to speed limit vehicles to the area they are in, it works with forklifts in a factory environment, there are sensors in the floors that when the fork drives over them the fork is then limited in speed to suit the environment, why couldn't that be done on our road network - expensive I know, but soe it policing.

Off the motor/freeway, after passing sensors the car can only go the posted limit, eg 50km/h and so in in reverse.

A fair amount of info and links to what you suggest here....

http://users.tpg.com.au/users/mpaine/speed.html

http://www.its.leeds.ac.uk/projects/evsc/del17.pdf

351henryv8 · 31-03-2010, 01:58 PM

The 130KPH on long trips makes sense. Why do you think the Northern Territory used to have unlimited speeds so long as you drove safely? I once overtook a police Van in 2002 in NT whilst doing about 130 - 140 kph and no probs as I was driving safe. The reason they had no speed limits was it cut down on trip times so people were not so tired. The LIMIT in NT is now 130kph, so last time I drove from Darwin to Brisbane in 2007 I sat on about 140kph thinking I was not much over, the trip went well, did not get tired, and I believe at this speed one is more alert and less likely to nod off, not that I ever will as I have done extensive long distance driving and had training in this for my truck licence. I cant drive at 100kph when in NSW as I know the mobile Police cars will give me 9kph, so I set my speedo to 114 when in 100 zone (as they all read over, believe me) and 124 when in 110 zone. Would no recommend this in VIC however as they will only give you 4-5 KPH over. Last time I got fined was from fixed camera in Canberra, I was trying to find the miss in the BA and forgot about the camera which I drive past 6 days out of 7. I would like to see a system where by certain drivers with good records and or driver training can be allowed to drive a "BIT" faster than the speed the average granny is allowed to drive (no disrespect to grannys). BUT what about the stupid , stupid, stupid situation that i'm sure happens everywhere but in Canberra where parts of the "Tuggers Parkway" (our main north / south freeway) are set to 80kph where there is 3 lanes in each direction separated by a large dirt/tree mound medum, and then I turn into a feeder road (Namatjira Drive) that is also set at 80kph but single lane and with dodgy corners? If you are pulled over by Police for relatively minor speeding, say 10 k over, dont admit it (ever) but say " I'm sorry Sir/madam, but was I driving dangerously?"

mrbaxr6t · 31-03-2010, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 351henryv8

The 130KPH on long trips makes sense. Why do you think the Northern Territory used to have unlimited speeds so long as you drove safely? I once overtook a police Van in 2002 in NT whilst doing about 130 - 140 kph and no probs as I was driving safe. The reason they had no speed limits was it cut down on trip times so people were not so tired. The LIMIT in NT is now 130kph, so last time I drove from Darwin to Brisbane in 2007 I sat on about 140kph thinking I was not much over, the trip went well, did not get tired, and I believe at this speed one is more alert and less likely to nod off, not that I ever will as I have done extensive long distance driving and had training in this for my truck licence. I cant drive at 100kph when in NSW as I know the mobile Police cars will give me 9kph, so I set my speedo to 114 when in 100 zone (as they all read over, believe me) and 124 when in 110 zone. Would no recommend this in VIC however as they will only give you 4-5 KPH over. Last time I got fined was from fixed camera in Canberra, I was trying to find the miss in the BA and forgot about the camera which I drive past 6 days out of 7. I would like to see a system where by certain drivers with good records and or driver training can be allowed to drive a "BIT" faster than the speed the average granny is allowed to drive (no disrespect to grannys). BUT what about the stupid , stupid, stupid situation that i'm sure happens everywhere but in Canberra where parts of the "Tuggers Parkway" (our main north / south freeway) are set to 80kph where there is 3 lanes in each direction separated by a large dirt/tree mound medum, and then I turn into a feeder road (Namatjira Drive) that is also set at 80kph but single lane and with dodgy corners? If you are pulled over by Police for relatively minor speeding, say 10 k over, dont admit it (ever) but say " I'm sorry Sir/madam, but was I driving dangerously?"

this is all fair and well but my AU my BA and my ford focus all read over the actual speed travelling 100kmh in all three is about 105kmh on speedo - maybe Ford have tuned their speedometers to read a little under making it even more difficult to get speeding infringements in more recent models.

And before some here go on a "prove it" fit I verify my speed with my GPS and in the AU and the BA I drove under that bridge with the numbers indicating your speed on it near geelong somewhere? the GPS and the speed advisory sign agreed I was doing exactly 100kmh.

351henryv8 · 01-04-2010, 01:36 PM

Yep they all appear to be about 5 kph over, my EF, my Dads AU GHIA, and wifes BA Wagon. This is also why some people frustrate other drivers by drving at 98 on their speedo thinking they are doing the right thing when they are doiong 93. When I set my cruise to 109 (114 on speedo) in NSW in 100 KPH sections I do not worry about being booked as I have made my decision to drive at this speed. It also means I dont have to worry about speedo and can concentrate on road!

sk8xr8 · 01-04-2010, 05:38 PM

What does everyone think about just riding pushbikes and wrapping ourselves in bubble wrap?? road safety couldnt get better!!!

InTrail · 01-04-2010, 08:00 PM

This morning on the way to work, I passed a speed camera operating on the side of the Cook Hwy, adjacent to the the Cairns Airport.
The speed limit is 80kmh, but that stretch of the Hwy is one of only a few in Cairns that gets congested, and today the traffic was lucky to be doing 30kmh in heavy rain.

So what? Well , I just couldn't see the point in having police resources allocated to such a pointless exercise. No one was physically able to exceed the 80kmh limit, but there were plenty of f*@#wits driving irresponsibly for the conditions.

Tickford Kid · 01-04-2010, 08:03 PM

If speed cameras are about saving lives why don't the respective states put the money raised from the cameras into better roads more marked highway patrol cars.
I hardly ever see any police going to work. But this morning I seen three with the disco lights on.
What makes easter any different from any other day on the road.
A larger more visible police presents on the road will slow people down.