Speedtraps and the motorist.

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Richard Hammond

Vehicle & Alternative fuels news

Speedtraps and the motorist.

For motorists one of the hot debates in recent times has been the use of speedtraps by the police and other authorities to try to reduce the amount of accidents on our roads. Figures and statistics abound relating to the subject and opinions are divided as to whether these cameras are used to reduce accidents in accident blackspots or whether they are really there to collect revenue as a sort of stealth tax designed to persecute the average motorist. One thing that has been shown is that these speedtraps are not just located in accident blackspots but are also located in areas which are more likely to catch out an unwary motorist going about his business, possibly on a relatively safe dual carriageway or other open road.
On average, businessmen doing a high mileage commit the majority of speeding offences. Some of them feel that having driven for 10 or more years without accidents or convictions and then maybe getting 2 or more speeding convictions in a short space of time is a little harsh. The law would say that if you are speeding then you have broken the law and you deserve a ticket regardless of your experience or the conditions at the time.

The powers that be have shown figures that do imply that these speedtraps have reduced accidents and deaths on our roads and so the use and proliferation of the speedtraps is justified. The Conservative party have recently issued a statement to suggest that they would review the amount of speedtraps on our roads with a view to reducing them. Would the nationwide accident rate go up or would the British economy thrive because businessmen aren’t impeded by constantly watching their speedometer in obviously safe driving conditions. The debate will continue, but in amongst the statistics are some amazing facts. In the past couple of years tests have shown that on average, users of speedtrap detection equipment are 24% less likely to have an accident and that their average mileage between accidents is vastly increased over non users of detectors.

The speedtraps can include various devices but the majority can be divided into 2 main categories, static and mobile.
The static speedtraps mainly consist of Gatso cameras operated by radar, SPECS cameras, operated by measuring your average speed between 2 cameras and Truvelo, operated by pressure sensors in the road.
The mobile speedtraps mainly consist of a laser gun either tripod mounted or in the back of a van or even just hand held. There is also mobile radar but with the advent of laser guns, radar guns are not used that often. The mobile units can be linked to a camera system to ensure a good conviction.

To combat these speedtraps a number of devices are available for use in the car, one of the most popular is the Road Angel Laser Alert. This consists of a GPS device which is in constant communication with satellites to ascertain it’s position on the Earth, it carries a database of the static speedtraps in it’s electronic brain which will issue a warning if you come within range of a static speedtrap by flashing the screen bright red and giving an audible beep. The Road Angel can also warn you not only of speedtrap sites but also true accident blackspots, this feature is particularly useful when travelling in an unfamiliar area. (It begs the question why a Blackspot warning device of their own hasn’t been brought out by the police or the government.)
As the vast majority of mobile speedtraps are now laser guns the manufacturers have opted to include a laser detector in the package which is a neat little device about the size of a golf ball which simply pops onto the windscreen with a rubber sucker.
In general circumstances the Road Angel will sit on the dashboard held in place by a non slip mat or mounting bracket but it could be mounted almost anywhere with the help of an addition attachment so that it can still pick up the GPS signal.

You can get further advice and information about the Road Angel from either The Radar Detector Shop or from Road Angel UK

Article written 31st July 2003