Forum Topic

Speed Camera Ealing Road

The Speed Camera outside Ealing Road baptist church on Ealing Road traveling south towards the River has been been put back into action to nick anyone traveling over 20 MPHThe police must of heard how much Hounslow council is making out of fines from cameras  and decided to re-energize the speed cameras that were turn off, to raise their own revenue.Hounslow has become like living in a police state. Maybe time to move to pastures new, and leave Hounslow to human being haters.

Bernard Allen ● 1819d32 Comments

I thought the 20mph speed limit was a bit slow tbh. I realise now it’s just another money making scheme. Nothing to do with safety on the Councils part anyway. I’m sure some people would have us driving g with someone walking in front of each car but the car haters will always be out there. I’m past caring, because some cycle zealots want to take 4 year olds cycling on main roads I’m not going to be lectured about child road safety any more.

Maggie Dodge ● 1819d

I'm not going to lecture anyone ... but a car hitting something at 30mph has more than twice as much kinetic energy as the kinetic energy car hitting something at 20mph has.I find driving at 20mph slow as well, because I'm used to driving at 30mph, but driving at 20 mph isn't difficult even if you feel it's slow and obeying the law isn't difficult either.And given that many motorists choose to exceed the speed limit anyway, surely 20 mph hour zones are safer for non motorists. If speed cameras are the only way to get drivers to modify their behaviour so be it.

Andrew Jones ● 1819d

Why modify their behaviour? Why not give them back realistic speed limits. Open up the roads, stop forcing more cars and more pollution on to remaining roads. Who needs 24 hour bus lanes? All day CPZ parking restrictions in some residential roads when an hour in the morning and one in the evening would stop commuter parking Take away the money making schemes. That’s all they are. Some Councils are  getting very greedy and out of control

Maggie Dodge ● 1818d

Does anyone have any sympathy for motorists who get a ticket for doing 25 or 30 mph in a (clearly marked) 20 mph zone?I mean what is their rush to get to the next red light/zebra crossing/congested junction etc which will just negate the few seconds their impatience has "gained" them anyhow?At the very least, if this "Idiot Tax" means a few quid off my Council Tax, then I'm all for it!

Richard Cathcart ● 1818d

Why modify their behaviour?To make roads safer. To make non-drivers feel more comfortable sharing road space with metal boxes that typically weigh between 800kg and 2500kg (or more) that have the ability to inflict lethal injuries far more easily than a cycle/motorbike/scooter rider. To encourage drivers to obey the law i.e. conform to the speed limit that is there for a reason (and in the majority of cases it's not for the purposes of revenue raising).Don't get me wrong, I believe cyclists should stop at red lights, treat pedestrians with respect and not cycle on pavements at speed etc. but we were talking about speed limits here and not cyclists - I've only mentioned cyclists now to try and head off any diversionary posts about how bad cyclists are. And I agree with you that all day CPZ restriction in some purely residential roads might be over the top - if the residents would like to have just an hours control in the morning and an hours control in the afternoon to stave off commuter parking they should be able to successfully lobby for it.

Andrew Jones ● 1818d

How big do the 20 mph signs have to be?We've now learned to reduce our speed since the changes were introduced and when walking it is certainly much pleasanter and safer without such fast motor vehicles - many too fast for the conditions. This has always been a reason cited for fewer pedestrians and cyclists on the streets.  It highlights those selfish and arrogant drivers who speed and bully other road users - in particular those drivers who feel they have a right to overtake cyclists in all situations despite it being a two way street.I think we need more speed cameras and we should expect to be fined if caught speeding.

Philippa Bond ● 1818d

Hands up if you think the money raised by fines will be used to reduce our Council Tax.

Maggie Dodge ● 1818d

The best way to stop drivers speeding is to give them 30 days in Barlinnie. Sorry, Glasgow, but if you get the COP then you should suffer for it.

James Roy ● 1818d

According to this research, 20mph speed limits not only improve road safety for everybody including drivers they also substantially reduce emissions and .... wait for it ..... JOURNEY TIMES!!! Physics rules OK?It's in the anti-cycling paper for people who don't bother with the veneer of propriety offered by the Telegraph so, well, it must be true.https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-10065387/Campaigners-calling-UK-government-slash-speed-limit-30mph-20mph-towns.html

Paul Campbell ● 1818d

(That's Maggie Dodge, btw)MD: "I realise now it’s just another money making scheme. Nothing to do with safety on the Councils part anyway."From an LSE Report in 2017:"Speed cameras have been shown to be effective at reducing the number of accidents and road deaths according to the results of a new study conducted at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). From 1992 to 2016, speed cameras reduced accidents by between 17 to 39 per cent and fatalities by between 58 to 68 per cent within 500 metres of the cameras.This means that adding another 1,000 cameras to British roads could save up to 190 lives annually, reduce up to 1,130 collisions and mitigate 330 serious injuries."https://www.lse.ac.uk/News/Latest-news-from-LSE/2017/10-October-2017/Speed-cameras-reduce-road-accidents-and-traffic-deaths-according-to-new-study

Richard Cathcart ● 1818d

I'm very much in favour of 20mph speed limits but the 10% leeway given on speeding fines normally i.e. 23 mph would be an offence it would mean there is a risk that some drivers will spend more time looking at their speedometers than the road.

Mark Evans ● 1818d

how many speedometers are accurate?  I am quite pleased to find that, passing one of those signs that tell you your speed, I think I'm doing 20 and it says my speed is 17.  Makes me feel I have a bit of leeway.

Vivienne Cox ● 1818d

Yes I find it's always over the speed I am doing or are our speedo's setin some way.

Janice Evans ● 1818d

Mark, I don’t  think there is a 10% leeway

Maggie Dodge ● 1818d

"The actual leniency of speed cameras has been revealed in new research – and you might be surprised at the results.According to information from police forces around the country, the vast majority of fixed cameras in the UK will only be activated by motorists going 10% above the speed limit, plus 2mph."https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/news/motoring-news/revealed-the-true-tolerance-of-speed-cameras/

Richard Cathcart ● 1817d

My information came from a speed awareness course i attended some years ago. The chap running it said it was a myth that there was a 10% leeway 🤷‍♀️He was an expert but maybe things have changed

Maggie Dodge ● 1817d

My information came straight from the RAC.I assumed they knew a bit about these things, too.

Richard Cathcart ● 1817d

Were you at that course as an alternative to receiving points for speeding Maggie? Or just observing?I would imagine the last thing you want to tell a group of people who are being told/lectured about the increased risks resulting in breaking the speed limit is that you can actually break it by a predictable margin without fear of prosecution!

Andrew Jones ● 1817d

I was aware that at least one person would pick up on this.  I was there because I was speeding.  I was on a road that I thought was 40 but it was in fact 30. I was doing 35. I learned a lot from the course including, as I said that most of us in the course believed there was a leeway, the person running the course said not. Bearing  in mind what the course was for I think this was accurate at the time. I hardly think they let an amateur loose on offenders.

Maggie Dodge ● 1817d

From the website for the Speed Awareness CourseThe speed limit is absolute as the law allows the police to enforce the limit as it is posted, in other words in a 30 mph area the law allows the police to enforce at 31 mph and above. Police forces will consider local conditions and any appropriate cases can be referred to the course.

Maggie Dodge ● 1817d

Andrew you said “I would imagine the last thing you want to tell a group of people who are being told/lectured about the increased risks resulting in breaking the speed limit is that you can actually break it by a predictable margin without fear of prosecution!”I’m the one telling people there’s isn’t any leeway !!

Maggie Dodge ● 1817d

I was driving along Kew Road a few days ago, at the limit of 20mph, being tailgated by a bigger car. After a while he started flashing his lights at me to go faster. The sooner and more often drivers like him are fined, the better.

Susan Kelly ● 1817d

Hi Maggie - yes I know - I wasn't trying to suggest you were saying this, sorry if it came across that way.What I meant was that the instructor, lecturer call them what you will isn't going to tell people that they can get away with driving at 33mph in a 30 mph most of the time!Even though it's likely to be true.As you implied, if the speed limit is 30 mph then you could get done for doing 31 mph but it's exceedingly unlikely!

Andrew Jones ● 1817d

That's exactly the kind of selfish self-centred and dangerous bullying on the road that I object to.  Fine them.

Philippa Bond ● 1817d

I was driving on the Westway out of London a few months ago and the car behind me actually made contact with me to encourage me to drive a bit faster than the 30mph speed limit. If I could have got out of their way I would have, but the adjacent lane was occupied by cars.

Andrew Jones ● 1817d

Nothing I do on my bike, with my camera or on my keyboard is as effective at enraging drivers as driving my car at 20mph along Sutton Court Road.

Paul Campbell ● 1817d

If anyone flashes their headlights at me in such circumstances I assume they want me to slow down.

Mark Evans ● 1817d

Thank you Andrew.  I think we've sorted that out amicably.  I don't get alerts for replies on here now, far too many, so I may miss some replies.

Maggie Dodge ● 1817d

Paul Campbell explained " Nothing I do on my bike, with my camera or on my keyboard is as effective at enraging drivers... "And as a pedestrian, a cyclist, or even a fellow driver what could be better than to be faced with a succession of "enraged drivers"; their last vestageof judgement having all but been destroyed, as a result of encountering Paul Campbell.Just face it chum; even as a troll you're an abject failure.At least with Michael Brown, even his most absurd fantasises have some sort of twisted logic to them.Whereas you can't even manage that !michael adams

Michael Adams ● 1817d

Michael, I think Paul Campbell thinks he's much bigger than he is, if you know what I mean. Still it's nice to hear him admit to being a driver, you know those big bad people in their 10 ton boxes.

Maggie Dodge ● 1817d

I don't know why you botherMaggie. They are not worthyOf you.

James Dow ● 1817d

I try not to.  They’re definitely not worth it.

Maggie Dodge ● 1817d