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Except that they are deployed on grounds of safety and called 'Safety
Cameras'. In Scotland, for example, there are some statistics that
show rising numbers of accidents even with 'Safety Camera' deployment
- excellent!

Until I see a 'Safety Camera' outside a School, I remain convinced
that they're simply revenue raising devices. A recent survey suggests
that they're particularly good at getting Alfa drivers!  :-((

Well there are many arguments about speed limits and enforcing "good"
driving through controlling speed as that is all the technology can do.

I can't argue with your statement but it does rather assume that speed
limits are as scientific as the methods to enforce them. If you drove at 30
mph around blind corners in a housing estate you should be locked up, just
as driving at 60mph on some country lanes.

There was an experiment locally to introduce speed limits which matched the
road hazards. The local paper produced this picture which showed something
like 7 speed limit changes in one shot. The council were ridiculed and they
put in a single (the lower) limit. One comment from a dricving instructor
was that it was crazy to expect people to repeatedly speed up and slow to
the speed limit. I thought this was rather worrying as it assumes drivers
need to be told how fast they go.

Speed limits just aren't that scientific. When you have inside knowledge
into councils who determine these limits you would understand they meet
individual people's personal views and where they and their close friends
live.

My last motorway trip involved some very heavy traffic moving at 60-70mph
and then slowing to zero and back up again. I was repeatedly undertaken as
the lanes kept varying speed and then the person would dive into the
reasonable gap I left in front of me in the belief my lane was picking up
again. In some cases they took away my reasonable stopping distance and then
had to brake hard. To counter this I reduced the gap to stop them doing it,
which meant I was travelling too close to the car in front. It is this kind
of bunching and constant lane switching in the quest to find the fastest
lane that causes the inevitable accidents which sure enough I passed.

When the motorway cleared and I got to drive at a steady 80-85 it was in my
view a much safer experience.

So my beef is with enforcing inconsistent and unscientific speed limits with
high tech methods.

Cheers
Tony

Well, I think most people find them cynical. I.E. They're not really
there to enforce the law, that's the EXCUSE for having them. The REASON
for having them seems to be mostly revenue enhancement.