Thursday 7 May 2009

Correlation Doesn’t Imply Causation, But

Essex drivers face yet more average speed checks after cameras went up on the Dartford crossing.

The cameras have been installed on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge by the police and Highways Agency.
Hmmmm, why the need for them now, I wonder..?

From the same newspaper:
The number of motorists caught by speed cameras has fallen by almost a third in Essex.

Figures just released by the Home Office show 62,006 fines were issued by cameras in the county in 2006.

This number fell sharply to 42,989 the following year, a drop of 19,017 or 31 per cent.
Aha!

6 comments:

Stan said...

I've always found that a very effective way to avoid being caught by speed cameras is not to speed. Even so, if I had my way every speed camera (and sleeping policeman) would be removed.

Clarissa said...

Oh the joy of having a Chief Constable who is in love with the damn things. Given that the A127 between Southend and Basildon sprouted average speed cameras not so long ago I have to wonder if he'll stop before every piece of major road in the country is covered by them.

Mark Wadsworth said...

Call me a wimp, a spoilsport or an authoritarian, but I'm with Stan on this one.

JuliaM said...

"I've always found that a very effective way to avoid being caught by speed cameras is not to speed."

I've always found it pretty useful too.

But (particularly in the case of the A127 Clarissa mentions), sudden blossoming of cameras and newly-introduced speed limits (always lower, never higher) catch out a lot of people.

Stan said...

There's also the ploy I've noted on my blog - lowering speed limits with little or no warning. Combine that with a speed camera or two and you soon raise a few thousand quid off unsuspecting locals who are used to a 50 limit that has become a 40 limit.

Stan said...

Sorry - didn't notice that you'd already mentioned that.