Speed cameras on the motorway are stupid. In towns speed cameras are deffinately a good idea when well placed, but on the open motorway it is not speed that causes accidents. It is my belief that tailgating, or following too closely, is what causes accidents on the motorway.
So here is the idea, a camera that catches and fines drivers that are following too closely. Thought needs to be put into this idea however, a simple measure of distance between cars would lead to a lot of false fines during a traffic jam for example. A measure of time between cars instead would work, when learning to drive I was told of the ‘two second rule’ whereby the time between the car in front passing a stationry object by the side of the road and you passing the same object should be two seconds. With the modern cars of today and the need to be realistic about the number of people fined, I would suggest that a gap of one second should suffice for the safety camera.
So thereit is, in a nutshell. The only thing now is to think of a decent name for it. Speed camera does roll off the tongue so well.
Proximity Cams?
However, I don’t feel that I can completely agree with your assessment. Granted, I do agree that tailgating and other types of intimidation driving are more prone to cause accidents on the motorways – but speed should still be regulated. Those individuals driving at ridiculous speeds can still cause a degree of nervousness in other drivers, similar to that of tailgating. I mean, if I am driving at a fairly good speed and I look in my rearview mirror to see this car literally plowing down the road towards me – it’s going to make me irritated and nervous even if they maintain suitable distance from me… it’s still a form of intimidation driving that can cause accidents due to irritation from the speeder who wants to get by and the irritation from the motorist who feels that he is being bullied by a speeding prick. Thus, road rage… terrible circle.
If you make money off this I want a cut 😛
It doesn’t matter how slow you’re going, but if the guy behind is closer than 2 seconds, odds are he’ll be up your arse faster than a randy cellmate.
Trucks breaking suddenly or pulling out to “truck race” uphill, idiot drivers changing lanes without looking etc etc… Every conceivable accident scneraio I can think of comes from traffic density and reaction time, not speed. Except for, possibly, tyre blowouts. but hey, if the traffic is nice and spread out you still stand more chance than you would in heavy, but 70mph regulated traffic.
I think “Space Cameras” is nice.
Cameras Limiting the Intimidation of Tailgating Offenders and Reprimanding the Insolent Shites.
Perhaps long winded, but wouldn’t it be an interesting acronym to be put in everyday use?
Incidentely, it has to be said, the Germans have the right idea about motorways…
There is NO speed limit, but there is a very strict rule on lane discipline, which is basically that if someone’s going faster than you, you’re in the wrong lane.
You ONLY change lane to go faster than the guy in front, and once overtaken, you get your arse RIGHT back on the inside lane. With a country full of high performance Beamers and Mercs that do stupid miles an hour in the outer lane, you need to stay out of the way.
Because everyone knows their place, people stay out of the way, and accidents are remarkably few.
Such as the suggestion to fine those “hogging” the middle lane is a step in the right direction.
Cameras Limiting the Intimidation of Tailgating… better known as C.L.I.T. – I think it could work.