Average Speed Cameras - A3 Hindhead Tunnel

[austenw90]

Hi all

Just wanted to see if there were any average speed camera experts or people who know the A3 Hindhead tunnel well.

I was going up the A3 northbound toward the tunnel at around 4:15am the other morning when the changeable (not electronic displays but changeable signs) said the limit was suddenly 40mph. I slowed right down straight away however several hundred yards further there is a sliproad joining which was signed national speed limit, and further signs on lamp posts saying national limit, no further mention of 40mph. I continued to poodle along at 40 past the first average camera into the tunnel but everyone was over taking at normal 60-70mph speed. A lorry soon came behind me flashing its lights so I assumed the 40 no longer applied or the signs were incorrect or hadn't been changed back to national limit (the road was pretty dead) and just steadily cruised back to about 50mph until I came out of the tunnel, mistakenly thought I'd gone past the second average camera and accelerated back up to 75-80mph.... then drove under the 2nd camera.

So anyway, does anyone know which speed limit applied and if average cameras would have clocked me either going to quickly if the limit was 40 or for accelerating up to 75-80?

Well confused!

 

[RuSZ]

All the average speed cameras do is, check you in and the check you out. They log the rime its taken you to travel the distance between the two cameras, and that gives the average speed. So it doesn't matter if you were over the limit at the second as its going off time not speed at a single camera.

As for the speed at that location I can't help as in not sure of the area, but, if you pass a sign which says 40 and the then cone to a sign which says national with no either notice of the 40 limit, I would say its safe to assume its back to a national limit

 

[sludgeguts]

For years I have wondered if these things are switched on or are simply there to aide speed reduction.
The number of times I have been on motorways etc & been travelling along at the posted limit only to have many, many vehicles overtake me.
When I used to travel to rugby matches with my eldest, I never once saw the coach drivers obey the 50 limit through cameras - they always stayed at 62 and there were cars overtaking them!

Interestingly, on a recent journey, I was maxed out at 100kph & was overtaken by 2 National Express coaches - they had to have been doing waaaay in excess of my 62mph judging by the time it took them to disappear into the distance

 

[RuSZ]

Its pot luck.

The ones on the M62 around Leeds are turned on, I know someone who got a ticket for disobeying.

However at night they light up the cameras which are in use (to illuminate the Reg) and there are 1 every 2 juntions, so its catching the people using the entire stretch not just short parts

What annoys me are people who go speeding off them slam on right near the marker points for these camera :bang: Do they seriously not know that a single camera cant work out the average, and that having one at the end and start of every junction clocks you for that stretch

 

[Andy Monty]

Its pot luck.

The ones on the M62 around Leeds are turned on, I know someone who got a ticket for disobeying.

However at night they light up the cameras which are in use (to illuminate the Reg) and there are 1 every 2 juntions, so its catching the people using the entire stretch not just short parts

What annoys me are people who go speeding off them slam on right near the marker points for these camera :bang: Do they seriously not know that a single camera cant work out the average, and that having one at the end and start of every junction clocks you for that stretch

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-16438342

 

[RuSZ]

looks like thats paid for the roadworks then

 

[Ziggy122]

looks like thats paid for the roadworks then

i know thats terrible

£60 per ticket * 11000 people caught

Thats a wopping £660,000 for road repairs...

Ziggy

 

[custard]

i know thats terrible

£60 per ticket * 11000 people caught

Thats a wopping £660,000 for road repairs...

Ziggy

On average speed cameras theres little excuse
signs everywhere,easily seen cameras and you can slow down through the roadworks if you hit them a little 'hot'
I see it as an opt in tax

 

[james44422]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-16438342

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-19813356

I dont know anyone who has got a ticket from the m4/m5 Almonsbury interchange cameras yet. I know (purely by accident) that at least two cameras are purely for show in this area. I did hear that out of all the cameras only two on one stretch will ever be turned on (but I dont know how much truth there is to that statement)

Also between junction 16 - 17 on the m4 there is only one camera, so if you are getting on and off at these junctions everybody just speeds along that stretch anyway :doh:

 

[Ziggy122]

On average speed cameras theres little excuse
signs everywhere,easily seen cameras and you can slow down through the roadworks if you hit them a little 'hot'
I see it as an opt in tax

I abide by them
pure and simply - i cant afford a ticket
i cant afford the insurance increase

So i do whats best - Slow down

If i come in hot - i slow down to balance my time out a little bit
Sure people will get annoyed - but there is another lane - use it

Ziggy

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

OP were the speeds lit up in red circles, or only recommended speeds, normally on the small square light up signs in the central reservation?

 

[austenw90]

OP were the speeds lit up in red circles, or only recommended speeds, normally on the small square light up signs in the central reservation?

Hi, I've attached a screenshot of the two grey adaptable signs from Google Streetview. They were showing red circled 40mph signs. However further on past the junction (which you can see the sliproad for just beyond the signs) the joining sliproad on the other side had national speed limit signs (see 2nd image) and there was another fixed sign on a lamp post saying national limit on the carriageway. Absolutely no one was doing 40mph, apart from me until I was about half way through the tunnel and had a lorry up my a**e flashing with cars zooming past me I've also attached an image of the southbound carriageway entering the tunnel which shows the signage showing national speed limit.

They have a camera on the tunnel entrance (which is several hundred yards beyond the signs and junction) and one just past the exit to keep people at 70mph which I believe is a good idea as it is the longest tunnel in the country and could attract people with highly tuned cars racing through it. It would be good if the highway agency or whoever is responsible sort out the signage. I've driven up here a number of times and never seen the 40 signs before and it seems strange they were showing during the early hours of the morning. Some forums say they only had the 40mph limit for the first day or so when the tunnel opened.

To all other posts regarding abiding by them - what if the speed limit isn't clear or is confusing as with the situiation I having written about...?

My view is that it is safe to assume that the later signs supersede the original 40mph which may have been left on by mistake from maybe the previous evening's rush hour ??