[Closed] Do you flash other drivers when you see a speed camera van?

I've never done it, if you get caught tough.

No. I hope those who speed get caught. And are then punished.

yes but you get to drive like loon for your job why deny us this joy ?

No but i have not seen one for years tbh

Yes.I've seen cardboard signs warning people too 8)

Yep, I always flash.

The speed camera folk tell us that they're put there to stop us speeding, so I'm just stopping everybody speeding a little earlier than they might have. Just without taking their picture. 🙂

no, however I have if they were driving like idiots, it is satisfying to see the brake lights come on in the mirrors knowing they are looking out for a speed camera 🙂

when I know there's a camera ahead and there's a chavved up hatchback behind...i make sure I slow down in plenty of time to let the chav floor it as he overtakes me.

It's kind of a public service

no.

it's not *ing tricky, it's a speed LIMIT, not an 'advisory minimum'.

when i'm in charge, there'll be speed cameras *ing everywhere.

and breathe.

No.

I don't, but this...

The speed camera folk tell us that they're put there to stop us speeding, so I'm just stopping everybody speeding a little earlier than they might have. Just without taking their picture.

Yep everytime.

Yes.

But only to other van/truck drivers.
Its my duty, honour among thieves an' all that 8)

DD +1

and I always flash.

there's a few hotspots round r way and id say 90% of people flash.

I guage the type/speed of driver coming the otherway then flash accordingly. so for example if i see chav or white van man flooring it I let them get done.

Perverting the course of justice..

I don't.

But....

They are saftey (not speed) cameras, or so we are frequently told. They are not purely for generating revenue, they are for highlighting sections of road that are particularly dangerous, and encouraging you to drive at a safe speed on them.

As a layperson (who has no chip on shoulder about speeding, never flashed other cars about speed cameras, and never had any points on licence in 15 years, I hasten to add) I am suprised that there is not already a test case that argues that flashing oncoming drivers is also just encouraging them to drive at a safe speed on that road. It's not about diddling the police out of money after all, because they are doing it for the safety aspect not the generation of revenue. It's not about encouraging people to drive dangerously because they will remember the spot and drive at a safe speed every time they pass it whether they are flashed by another motorist and slow down, or whether they are caughet by the police and have a fine/points/insurance premium hike.

Whether or not you get caught for speeding the first time you do, you will always be mindful of your speed once you know it's a spot for mobile cameras, surely?

why flash motorists speeding who may kill your kids if not caught.

i'm so down with dd's view on this that i actually drive around flashing my lights when there isn't a speed camera van around.

i've single handedly reduced speeding in my village by 7.

Perverting the course of revenue generation....

I am suprised that there is not already a test case

And an awesome factoid from the article sidebox...

The AA then developed a coded warning system that lasted until the 1960s. A patrolman would salute the driver of a car displaying an AA badge, except in the presence of an approaching speed trap.

Used to get flashed when in the van but never in the Chav mobile, people must immediately assume I'm speeding when in the car because of what it is!!

Perverting the course of revenue generation

my cousin (she's an idiot, we all agree) stopped beside the cop van to tell the guy that people were flashing their lights and giving away his location.

as part of the traffic update here in germany, the radio tells yu where the old bill are carrying out their spot checks.... i seem to remember the same in Oz.

and yes, i always used to flash on coming drivers.

alpin - Member

as part of the traffic update here in germany, the radio tells yu where the old bill are carrying out their spot checks.... i seem to remember the same in Oz.

of course i do, specially toward fellow two-wheeler. Sadly less and less people are doing it

Perverting the course of revenue generation....

Spoken like a person who has never been affected by or involved in a accident caused by excess speed.

Do speed camera vans really reduce accidents? Personally I don't think so.

What DD said.

Spoken like a person who has never been affected by or involved in a accident caused by excess speed.

If you don't flash someone, they continue to speed. If you do, they slow down. Surely the best course of action therefore is to randomly flash people all the time.

i go round shops coughing loudly when i see a shopliftery type and nod vigorously towards the security guards. they're on commission you know.

i'm surprised at the response on here! I always flash other drivers - i despise speed cameras, just an annoyance and revenue generator.

Yes, i agree - some people do drive like idiots, but i honestly don't think cameras stop them. And for god's sake - why the hell would you have so many on the bloody motorways? If its near a school, or even a housing estate - makes sense, but a motorway!!!?!?

why the hell would you have so many on the bloody motorways?

why flash motorists speeding who may kill your kids if not caught.

But what if these maniacs get caught?

I'd be worried they'd think "why didnt that **** in the audi a4 who was coming the other way flash his lights to warn me?!?! I'm going to hunt him down and kill his kids"

For that reason I always flash my lights to warn people.

Generally yes.

Whenever I'm on my motorbike I'm always pleasantly surprised by the number of car drivers who will flash me to warn of a speed trap.

Do speed camera vans really reduce accidents? Personally I don't think so.

School near me has its main entrance off a dual carriageway, kids regularly take a shortcut across it (especially if bunking off school or after after-school clubs). The road has a 30mph limit and everyone sticks to it as there is often a camera van on it. Very rare to see anyone speed on that road. Impossible to know if that has reduced accidents but id argue its safer (since all the fences etc never stop the kids).

[i]For that reason I always flash my lights to warn people. [/i]
I flash my lights AFTER I see folks setting off speed cameras. Lets them know I'm laughing at them.

Do speed camera vans really reduce accidents? Personally I don't think so.

You can go on blind supposition according to how you feel about them or you can go on statistics. Stats say "Yes".

Depends.

If it's on a straight bit of road with no pedestrian access (like the stretch between Hebden and Mytholmroyd) then yes.
If near a school or sheltered accomodation (Cornholme, Shade) then no.

More traffic police, fewer cameras please.

Yes everytime and give the thumbs down sign.

Yep always flash my (white van) lights, except in a 30mph limit.

when I know there's a camera ahead and there's a chavved up hatchback behind...i make sure I slow down in plenty of time to let the chav floor it as he overtakes me.

It's kind of a public service

+1. Me too 😆

Rusty Spanner - Member
More traffic police, fewer cameras please

Seconded.

Do speed camera vans really reduce accidents? Personally I don't think so.
You can go on blind supposition according to how you feel about them or you can go on statistics. Stats say "Yes".

Couldn't agree more. The "well that camera near me.." argument is laughable. Taking a single camera based on a subjective impression is a waste of time. Statistics and common sense prevail.

Never flash, people that break the speed limit get what they deserve.

I like to flash the lights at folk who are driving too fast even when there isnt a van there. Just to mess with their heads.

No. Except that I drive very rarely so don't get the chance to not flash people. Anyway, sooner they get done the better.

But people see them slow down and then return to normal service straight after. That is a fact because you see it all the time! Yes the road today has had it's fatalities in the past and still has them now, but the area where the van was is hardly a notorious stretch. A straight road in a 50 limit!

Usually flash if it's a bobby hiding in a driveway, don't when it's a fixed camera. I like to 'make progress' from time to time, but tend to observe 30s and 40s limits as they're usually there for good reason.

i never flash, people shouldnt be speeding.
dont agree with camera vans especially, as people just slow down . . . . . then speed up again.
would prefer to see more coppers doing something about the, frankly, AMAZING number of drivers going around with a phone welded to the side of their head.

I've flashed other drivers several times, but it can be tricky getting your trousers down when you're doing 90 on the motorway. I find it helps if my mum holds the wheel then I can use both hands.

It's easier if you make sure your always naked when your driving. It's optional for yer mum!

Stats say [s]"Yes"[/s] reversion to the mean.

FTFY

Problem with speed cameras is, they specifically target one small aspect of (?) bad driving whilst many more dangerous but not so easy to automate the penalising of bad driving habits get ignored, and as a result passively tolerated.

No substitute for good, observant and fair traffic coppers, which have steadily decreased in numbers since the advent of cameras, I believe.

And whilst not condoning speeding, it's not the real problem. The real problem is POOR DRIVING. Whether that be inappropriate speed for the situation, poor observation, lack of understanding of the rules of the road, or just not taking the responsibility of controlling a four wheeled guided missile in a public environment seriously enough. It's very possible to exceed speed limits responsibly and appropriately, (i do it all the time) just as it is very easy to drive exceedingly poorly and dangerously whilst not exceeding the speed limit.

All of the above in my opinion, obviously. Yes, I flash.

What do you mean aracer?

Or, Stats say; whatever the author of the press release wishes them to say...

I see the thread is headed pretty much where I guessed it might.

why flash motorists speeding who may kill your kids if not caught.

Project - the more of your posts I read the more I suspect you may be my mother in law. She's one of the 'worst possible case scenario' types too 😉

Poor driving!! Yup thats the problem! Just like the little scrote in his fiesta tonight who turned right in front of me way too fast, up the hill to the t junction and then could not master a single bit of clutch control and preceded to roll backwards twice and stall! 🙄

It means that if a statistically unusual event happens, (say a fatal crash on a straight piece of road) then it will drag the statistical mean way up, and then when measuring whether an intervention has had an effect (say, a speed camera being erected near the site) then its hardly surprising that there are statistically less unusual events on that spot, because they are unusual events. I think.

yes always its the done thing in my job (service engineer)and i flash whoever i see coming

What do you mean aracer?

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=reversion+to+the+mean&l=1

Thanks, yeah. 🙄

EDIT: So how many KSIs have to happen in a particular spot before a speed camera can be installed (or a mobile camera patrols it regularly)? A bit of googling suggests four, and that this rule was introduced in 2002.

I see the thread is headed pretty much where I guessed it might.

What, a meeting of people with different but valid opinions who try share and explain why they hold them in an intelligent and polite manner? I certainly hope so...

Yeah, me too.

EDIT: So how many KSIs have to happen in a particular spot before a speed camera can be installed (or a mobile camera patrols it regularly)? A bit of googling suggests four, and that this rule was introduced in 2002.

The rules have changed on this I think (so you can now put one where you want), but that surely proves my point? Though IIRC it was possible to put a camera on a 70 limit bypass because of accidents in the nearby urban 30 limit the bypass was bypassing.

Ah, KSIs. Killed OR seriously injured. I've attended a few of those that have been used to justify speed camera placement in my home town. Firstly, seriously injured? My arse. Precautionary trip to hospital usually. Secondly, very rarely is simple speeding a relevant factor anyway, and certainly wasn't in the incidents that I am recalling. Poor observation, failure to give way, didn't see a red light... But yeah sod it, let's have a speed camera, that'll sort it!

I speed and I flash.

Not in 30's though, and never outside schools.

I never flash people - I'd rather they got the ticket than me end up on the sex offenders register. Less of two evils really.

edit: Especially outside schools

The rules have changed on this I think (so you can now put one where you want), but that surely proves my point?

Oh right...I thought the rules changed in 2002 from the "you can put one where you want" to the "has to be 4 KSIs before installing a speed camera". I'm not sure now. 😕

At the last, ahem, Speed Awareness Course I was at (I ended up in thew wrong room at a training day, don't you know...thought I'd stay and listen 🙂 ), they said that the rules were that there had to be a certain number of KSIs before cameras were installed in a spot. Of course KSIs are random by their nature, so whether 4 is a "statistic" is down to what? Personal judgment? Someone draws a line in the sand?

Tbh, there's quite a bit of spurious shite on the net, given that it's a bit of a red-rag subject. So I can't dig out the rules...even Avon & Somerset's safecam site doesn't give them.

yep every time

"[i]Poor observation, failure to give way, didn't see a red light...[/i]"

Well, speed cameras catch people who have poor observation and didn't see a speed camera sign (or a speed limit sign), so they arguably work on two out of three of those factors 🙂

I like 'em. Couldn't care less even if they were just for revenue and had no direct and significant statistical effect on blackspots. They catch people who are driving above the speed limit and can't observe signs around them, or who are driving so fast that they can't slow down even to the speed limit as they come round a corner and see a copper with a hairdryer or a massive fluorescent van. Can't see a problem there.

And no, I don't flash, but you'd guessed.

I speed flash. You have to be going real slow to see it.

very rarely is simple speeding a relevant factor anyway

Damn me for getting drawn in, but if someone's careless, then they're careless - how the bejeesus are you going to change that without retesting every six months. So, I hope the careless eejit that crashes into me is driving under the line in the sand that society has chosen. The worrying thing about careless drivers is that by their very nature, they don't realise they're careless so we have to have limits to reduce the damage done when careless drivers carelessly crash into careful drivers, or indeed, careful pedestrians or cyclists. How do you propose that we improve the carefulness of careless drivers, given that there is neither the political will, money or, I'd hazard, the public will, to have shedloads of coppers driving around nicking people for careless driving? How long before someone else starts shouting "Why aren't you out catching real criminals instead?"

didn't see a red light

How do you feel about red-light cameras? Some of them will check your speed too. 🙂

Well, speed cameras catch people who have poor observation and didn't see a speed camera sign (or a speed limit sign), so they arguably work on two out of three of those factors

A cultural shift towards ride in ones standard of driving is what is needed.

And how do you propose we do this? (I assume you mean "rise" and not "ride")

Yeah i flash mainly at other vans but that s just a brotherhood thing. I need to ask this for all the people saying they never do flash and i hope they all get caught. Do you never ever ever speed or maybe chance a red light or answer a quick call or even nip down the shop without a seatbelt. Maybe you are all saints but i doubt it

pottsathome you're wasting your breath. The high horsers will be round a thread like this like flies round shite.

maccruiskeen you sod. I read the whole thread to check no one else had made a joke about the sex offenders register, and there you go, just 10 from the end 🙂

And how do you propose we do this?

I'd make the penalties hurt - fines are seen as tax (on the very few stupid enough to get caught - the vast majority have never incurred a fine so its a pretty narrowly targeted tax) and points are no embarrassment.

When I'm king points will equal bans, all be it short ones. one week per point. if you incur 3 points and still have 3 points 'unspent' then thats 6 weeks. I'd rather getting caught left you embarrassed and inconvenienced than self righteously indignant.

And if that doesn't work I'll replace the cameras with laser guided missiles. Be warned, I'm don't plan to be a benevolent dictator.

maccruiskeen you sod. I read the whole thread to check no one else had made a joke about the sex offenders register, and there you go, just 10 from the end

it was an open goal