I understood that the restriction signs shouldn't vary by more than 10MPH between successive gantries.
On recent journeys around the M25 I often came across signs restricting us to 50MPH following an NSL stretch.
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I notice and observe the limits as posted on smart/managed motorways. As long as I can see them far enough in advance to lose any excess when limit drops I've never given much thought as to whether reduction was 10 or 20 mph.
Think NSL to 50 is fairly common though, particularly at start of managed/smart sections.
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>> Think NSL to 50 is fairly common though, particularly at start of managed/smart sections.
>>
Indeed and the first one on the M42 as you come off the M6 toll was well known a few years ago as being a live one with a camera. I know several colleagues who were caught in that section when we used to use it regularly.
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>> Think NSL to 50 is fairly common though, particularly at start of managed/smart sections.
>>
Absolutely standard I'd have thought. I certainly never saw one going 70/60/50 on any of the M6/M56/M61 etc round Manchester yesterday.
NSL to 40 in some places.
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Another possible urban myth is that you won't get flashed at the first gantry showing a revised limit.
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I never get flashed. If I did, I would like her to be 6ft tall, blonde........
:-)
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>>I never get flashed. If I did, I would like her to be 6ft tall, blonde........
Oh I dunno, a 5' 8" brunette would suffice.
;-)
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>> Another possible urban myth is that you won't get flashed at the first gantry showing a revised limit.
I understood that it was more that it doesn't start "enforcing" the new limit until about a minute after it has been lowered so that if you are, say, approaching a camera gantry at 70mph and it suddenly changes to a lower limit, it makes allowances for the vehicles which haven't had enough time or notice to safely slow down to pass through without penalty.
I think.
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>> I understood that the restriction signs shouldn't vary by more than 10MPH between successive gantries
New one on me BT.
In my (extensive) experience the Smart Motorway signs change automatically between 60, 50 and 40 depending on how many vehicles are passing the sensors in the road surface over a given duration. The "Smart" part means that the software learns what works and what doesn't for that particular stretch of road; the lowest maximum shown is 40 so if you pass signs showing 50 or 60 you can be fairly certain the traffic will continue at that speed until at least the next gantry.
The words "Queue Ahead" may or may not mean there is a queue some distance ahead. Certainly you will not reach a queue of standing traffic before the next gantry. The words "Queue Caution", however, mean there is almost definitely crawling/stationary traffic in the half-mile or so directly after the matrix sign.
I agree with Humph on the delay between the matrix sign changing and the camera behind it going "live"; I read of a 60-second amnesty somewhere a long time ago too.
Variable speed limits work pretty well on the stretches of road I use, in that they make journey times more predictable. In another decade when all of the busy parts of the motorway network have them, I predict they will work even better.
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Some of the local motorway gantries have sprouted speed cameras on their vertical supports, yellow and black striped rectangular boxes. One is on a variable speed gantry without overhead cameras. At the moment they have camera under test signs. I wonder if there is a link to the increased speeding penalties announced today. :-)
(Images on Google).
Last edited by: Old Navy on Tue 24 Jan 17 at 08:58
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Funny. I'd have interpreted "Queue ahead" as more significant than "Queue caution".
Queue Ahead is an unequivocal statement that means there is definitely a queue ahead.
Caution merely warns you to be cautious - as you always should be.
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Personally, I treat any warning sign, including advisory reduced speed signs as a warning to be especially aware of possible hazards. While I may not slow down as suck I am looking to ensure the safety bubble does not get reduced and distractions are reduced, i.e. I would probably not answer the phone, even hands free.
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Motorway speed limits - Bromptonaut
