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When we drive our cars, we do so because we need
to go somewhere for business, pleasure or sheer necessity; unexpected
delays cause inconvenience and sometimes frustration.
We live an 'on demand' world where we expect everything
fast, whether it is the shortest flight times to foreign destinations
or the food we eat. If we're asked to name the best driver in
the world, our automatic choice is normally one of the fastest
Formula 1 racing drivers.
On the road our experience can be quite different.
Traffic congestion, roadworks or an accident restricts the flow,
putting extra pressure on our schedule, we need to make up time,
we travel quicker than we should, our driving standard deteriorates,
we exceed speed limits. Our local knowledge tells us where to
slow down to prevent detection by revenue raising `speed cameras'.
When driving in the early hours on empty streets at a speed we
consider safe, we get annoyed about getting caught in a police
radar trap. We reassure ourselves that we have right on our side,
after all everyone speeds, even magistrates, senior police officers
and members of parliament.
Most drivers in normal
driving conditions usually go with the flow and do not consider
moderate speeding as a crime. Modern cars are easy and comfortable
to drive, they are so quiet that it is not difficult to drive
too quickly without realising it. The 'car-coon' effect insulates
us from the effects of speed, such as noise and vibration. Our
speed `feels right' and we believe the braking test data published
in the motoring magazines.
Speed has been demonised for being responsible
for crashes. Speeding is a symptom of bad driving. Lack of concentration,
observation, anticipation and keeping space; stupidity; arrogance
and bloody mindlessness; in short, it's not speed that kills,
rather it is `Bad Driving'.
Enforcement Technology
Measuring speed is very simple and catching a motorist exceeding
the posted speed limit is very easy.
GATSO roadside enforcement cameras
flash twice if you pass one of the grey mounted boxes they are
concealed in at too high a speed. The expensive camera's are moved
between boxes and the cameras run out of film. The latest system
that overcomes these problems is SPECS. A pair of SPECS is two
digital cameras set a minimum of 200 metres and a maximum of 10
kilometres apart (6.2 miles) apart, linked to a computer. The
registration number of each vehicle that passes is recorded and
the average speed is measured. While
the system can be installed on gantries,
bridges or other structures the Home Office have not yet approved
multiple lane use. There are some doubts about the system's ability
to read non UK-legal, double decked or motorcycle plates.
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Improving the flow
Slowing drivers down is a major thrust of road safety campaigns.
Another important issue is how to keep the traffic flowing.
A patented system, called Passive Target Flow Measurement
(PTFM) uses specially developed infra-red cameras and antennae
mounted on blue roadside poles. As vehicles pass the sensors,
their registration plate details are captured and electronically
beamed to TrafficMaster's computers in Milton
Keynes. From here real time information on is broadcasted to local
transmitters, these deliver the traffic flow data to the end users
through an increasing variety of delivery systems including screen,
text, voice, and mobile telephones. Subscribing motorist
can receive a updated forecasts of how much time a journey is
likely to take.
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