Hi, this is my first post here so I'm sure you will point out if I go wrong anywhere but I recently emailed the highways agency with the email below but of course didn't receive an answer so wondered what you people thought. I am a regular user of the M25, M23, M26, M3, A3 as a sales rep.
As a regular user of the M25 especially around the Clackets M23 area, can anyone clarify the situation with the speed cameras please?
The reason I ask is currently is appears to be totally confusing and very dangerous.
The temporary speed signs show up, 60, 50 ,40 and on several occasions there appears to be no reason for this but of course I slow down.
Now the problem starts when it would seem I am the only one following the speed signs and I am getting overtaken on both sides before I have chance to move to the nearside lane and tailgated by lorries vans and cars or the nearside lane / hard shoulder had previously shown a red cross so again of course I dont use it but then there isnt any signs to say use the nearside lane again or that the speed limit has been increased as the following signs are completely blank.
What is most annoying, as I found several times the other week, was the speed had been reduced to 40 by the time I got to Clackets going in an anti clockwise direction and at no time did the signs say to increase back to 70, so when was I supposed to return to 70? I passed several of the large signs that show the temporary limit or lane closures and they were blank and I eventually joined the M26 and so increased back up to 70.
Again I was overtaken and tailgated for trying to follow the speed restrictions.
In all the recent cases, I have slowed to 40 and for as far as I could see there was absolutely no hold up but I appreciate at times there maybe but the most dangerous part is the fact that its unclear what the limit is and for safetys sake I increase my speed to match the vehicles around me to avoid causing an accident by driving at 40 miles an hour in the second lane, as there was no indication to use the nearside lane again, when everyone around me has increased to 70 and have gone back to using the inside lane / hardshoulder again.
I believe the current situation is far more dangerous than leaving the speed limit at 70 and letting the natural hold ups slow the traffic and it was much better when the large yellow specs cameras were being used as at least then most people knew what the limit was and that they would be fined if they exceeded it rather than at present most people seem to be ignoring the variable speed limits due to the stealth nature of the cameras.
I am of the opinion that hold ups and accidents I have seen on the M25 are 95% caused by people driving too close rather than too fast in any case.
Your response would be much appreciated.
Any thoughts, post away
As a regular user of the M25 especially around the Clackets M23 area, can anyone clarify the situation with the speed cameras please?
The reason I ask is currently is appears to be totally confusing and very dangerous.
The temporary speed signs show up, 60, 50 ,40 and on several occasions there appears to be no reason for this but of course I slow down.
Now the problem starts when it would seem I am the only one following the speed signs and I am getting overtaken on both sides before I have chance to move to the nearside lane and tailgated by lorries vans and cars or the nearside lane / hard shoulder had previously shown a red cross so again of course I dont use it but then there isnt any signs to say use the nearside lane again or that the speed limit has been increased as the following signs are completely blank.
What is most annoying, as I found several times the other week, was the speed had been reduced to 40 by the time I got to Clackets going in an anti clockwise direction and at no time did the signs say to increase back to 70, so when was I supposed to return to 70? I passed several of the large signs that show the temporary limit or lane closures and they were blank and I eventually joined the M26 and so increased back up to 70.
Again I was overtaken and tailgated for trying to follow the speed restrictions.
In all the recent cases, I have slowed to 40 and for as far as I could see there was absolutely no hold up but I appreciate at times there maybe but the most dangerous part is the fact that its unclear what the limit is and for safetys sake I increase my speed to match the vehicles around me to avoid causing an accident by driving at 40 miles an hour in the second lane, as there was no indication to use the nearside lane again, when everyone around me has increased to 70 and have gone back to using the inside lane / hardshoulder again.
I believe the current situation is far more dangerous than leaving the speed limit at 70 and letting the natural hold ups slow the traffic and it was much better when the large yellow specs cameras were being used as at least then most people knew what the limit was and that they would be fined if they exceeded it rather than at present most people seem to be ignoring the variable speed limits due to the stealth nature of the cameras.
I am of the opinion that hold ups and accidents I have seen on the M25 are 95% caused by people driving too close rather than too fast in any case.
Your response would be much appreciated.
Any thoughts, post away