I see the SPECS cameras are now live on the A14
One thing that our wonderfull leaders have not rumbled is that average speed is a complicated thing. You can travel a distance at one speed, say 60mph. If you then have to slow for a couple of miles to say 50 (like behind a lorry that has pulled out in front of you with no indication) Once he pulls in, you can then drive several miles at 65 mph and still not exceed the overall average for any given distance. I can supply the formulae if anyone is interested.
But as that requires a little working out, I doubt if our leaders would know how to do it.
3 comments:
Are these SPECS actually live? I read somewhere that testing was starting on 01-05 and it would take approx two weeks which is today. However, I have not seen anywhere that confirms they are live.
A former work collegue did say that they would be live as of two weeks ago,and fully operational from the 1st. The only thing that does puzzle me is they have put all the equipment in but no cables have been layed and there are no radio masts either.
For these to work each has to be connected to the other for the average to be calculated but there is no obvious link as stated above.
So is this yet another con being pulled on the motorist? Albeit a very expensive one.
The other thing is that as soon as people see them they slow down to 60mph because they are, (for the most part) totally unaware of the national speed limit on dual cariageways which is as you will already know is 70. One thing it hasn't done is stop artics from pulling out without warning!!!
As an update to my earlier comment, I have over the last couple of weeks been doing some trials re. the average speeds attainable on the A14.
Using a rather expensive motor car and an accurate average speed monitor and at different times of the day with heavy, average and light traffic I have achived the following:- 15mph, 61mph and 63mph. And I have still had to avoid lorries pulling out!
SPECS are not the answer for the cycle riders you would be quicker than a car in heavy traffic but don't forget your hard hats.
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