Motoring Discussion > Tailgating cameras. Coming soon? Miscellaneous
Thread Author: VxFan Replies: 4

 Tailgating cameras. Coming soon? - VxFan
A trial of new cameras to clamp down on tailgaters have, in the space of two weeks, identified 10,000 motorists committing the offence.

Highways England has teamed up with various police forces to test the use of new technology on major roads. The trial is part of a wider government campaign to target an offence that it claims causes 130 deaths on the road each year.

The opening fortnight of the trial has shown just prevalent tailgating is, with almost 10,000 motorists caught in the act of driving too close to the vehicle in front – an offence which can be punished with a fine of £100 and three points on a driver’s licence.

www.publictechnology.net/articles/news/camera-clampdown-catches-10000-tailgaters
 Tailgating cameras. Coming soon? - No FM2R
Tailgating is extremely annoying and absolutely should be stopped. However, and as always, they do get rather excitable over the dangers.

It's speeding, it's drinking, it's mobile phones, it's tailgating etc. etc. And all are serious, reckless, dangerous, have "devastating consequences", "put the lives of other road users at risk" etc. etc.

I am surprised that half the motoring population of the UK isn't lying beaten and wrecked in a gutter lining the roads of our country.
 Tailgating cameras. Coming soon? - Falkirk Bairn
You need traffic police on the road whether that is A roads, B roads or motorways.

Traffic cop numbers have fallen over the last decade - reason?
High cost of buying & running traffic cars not to mention the wear & tear on traffic cops who see horror events daily.
 Tailgating cameras. Coming soon? - Duncan
>> Traffic cop numbers have fallen over the last decade - reason?
>> High cost of buying & running traffic cars not to mention the wear & tear
>> on traffic cops who see horror events daily.


Governments reducing funding for police forces. That why the numbers have gone down.
 Tailgating cameras. Coming soon? - tyrednemotional
...unless the process involves scrutiny by several sequential cameras, this seems extremely fallible to me. The reason for needing space between vehicles is to allow any following one reaction and stopping time should the leading one decrease speed, particularly suddenly, i.e. as in jumping on the brakes.

So, there you are tootling along behind someone at the prescribed safe distance for the speed when he/she mistakes a "tailgate camera" for a speed camera and slams on the anchors. By the time you pass said camera the distance between will be significantly less (but still hopefully safe stopping distance at the now reduced speed). The point(s) at which measurement of distance and speed are taken would be crucial, and, I think, prove far from conclusive.

Maybe OK to issue an automated warning (such as those that used to flash up in contraflows when over a reduced limit) but less so for any prosecution.

I regularly drive down the A46 where, on a dual carriageway section (70mph limit) you end up following people (at a safe distance) at 60mph (an awful lot of people regard this as the prevailing limit). Regardless of that, probably 30% of the vehicles traveling at that speed brake, hard, when they spot one of the speed cameras, and you inevitably end up rather closer to them, albeit under braking.
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