Speed detecting camera's and your bike speed?

AllanT · May 2007

Just wondering has anyone got any experience of those speed detecting camera's and the speed of your bike? The ones I am talking about are the "Your speed is XX MPH", and which flash up a smiley or sad face according to whether you're under or over the limits.

Sometimes I find they acknowledge me, others not (must admit on occasions have had the unsmiley face - what is the legality of this if I'm on a bicycle?). The other day I was cycling through a village on a flat section (having just descended a hill before this - but riding into a headwind or else I would have been faster) with a 30 limit, and as I passed it flashed up 27 MPH and then 28MPH - there were two cars behind me at the time. They were both close on me, and didn't seem to be gaining any ground on me, until I hit the next climb around the corner in the village by which time the first car only passed me as I was approaching the 'summit' of the undulation.

So I was trying to figure out, was the camera acknowledging me or the cars (it would seem so with the two consecutive readings?), and if it was acknowledging the cars, how could I work out what my speed was (didn't have a speedo fitted to this bike)? Bearing in mind that the first car didn't catch me until well up on the next rise, and I actually began to ride away from them when approaching the corner for the second rise?

Garybee · May 2007

My understanding is that you can't be prosecuted for speeding on a bike as you aren't required to have a speedo fitted. I think you can be done for 'furious cycling' though, although this is probably more to do with road manners than speed. It almost seems worth it just to get a conviction of furious cycling on your licence.

Hypocrisy is only a bad thing in other people.

AllanT · May 2007

LOL haven't got a drivers licence, hence my bike is my car!! What would they do in that case? I understand they can confiscate your bike - if you have more than one can they take them all or only the one that the offence was committed upon? Of course if it did happen I'd make sure they got the cheapest one!! If they confiscate your bike are they obliged to return it or what?

Fnaar · May 2007

I went through one last week. I had been wondering whether or not my cycle computer was set up properly (I didn't believe I had actually done the 50miles it credited me with 1st time I rode after fitting it). As I approached, on flat just after a hill, going into a village, it kindly confirmed I was doing 12mph. [:)]

More tea, vicar? [:D]

Axel_Knutt · May 2007

I have a speed camera photo of me cycling through a speed trap at 3mph. When I saw the copper crossing the road towards me I thought I was going to get a lecture about main roads not being suitable for cycling or something. It turned out that he was impressed that I was riding the bike over the Mendips and not pushing it, so he thought I'd like a photo as a souvenir! [:D]

AllanT · May 2007

Sometimes I wonder if the speed camera's are calibrated properly as another time I was riding along a road, up a slight undulation, into a headwind, looking at the bike computer it said I was at about 23MPH, when the speed camera ahead of me announced my speed was again at 28MPH!!.. (I hope the camera was right and not my speedo...)... There were no cars about at that point, so it couldn't have been down to them!!!

Actually I'll just assume whichever one says the fastest speed is right... ;-)

Mosschops2 · May 2007

I find that the two cameras on my road ignore me as a cyclist, and tend to underestimate speed (compared to car speedo) by 3mph. I have heard many times that satnav systems which quote your speed also tend to underestimate by 3mph or so, and that this variation is actually built in to your car on purpose.... I suppose to avoid the very problem that AllanT has.....

Have you ever tried pressing Alt+F4 ??

dakidcp · May 2007

It's not the sat-nav systems underestimating, it's the car speedo over-estimating. The GPS systems are properly accurate. The speedo is indeed designed to over-read, primarily to absolve car makers of any legal problems in case a driver is caught speeding and tried to say that his car speedo was under-reading.

<hr noshade size="1">"Get a bicycle. You will not regret it, if you live."
Mark Twain

meenaghman · May 2007

In Ireland they put these big sensors on the road near me flashing up the speed. As they're there to slow down Motorbikes also, they work on cyclists. Ireland being Ireland I am often the only thing on the road.. I pass one regularly and it always agrees with my computer, and I've passed it at various speeds from 36 - 58kph.. its on a downhill section (the latter speed was when there was a gale blowing behind me)

Lardyboycp · May 2007

These cameras gone up on a couple of loops I do quite frequently. One set are on a long straight drag along a bypass the other are, depending on which way you come from, on the downside of a nasty steep rise which is a lung burster going up then you've got 30 metres to trigger the 30 m.p.h. limit on the other. Only managed it 3 times since they were put up.[:(!]

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I'm big boned OK!

borisvanhalen · May 2007

as my police officer missus told me, the speed limits apply to MOTOR VEHICLES... a bike doesn't have a motor therefore you could probably argue your case, however as always, current road conditions will always apply to a Local Bobby's point of veiw

vernonlevy · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by AllanT

LOL haven't got a drivers licence, hence my bike is my car!! What would they do in that case? I understand they can confiscate your bike - if you have more than one can they take them all or only the one that the offence was committed upon? Of course if it did happen I'd make sure they got the cheapest one!! If they confiscate your bike are they obliged to return it or what?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
You can not be given any motoring convictions and your non existent license will remain unblemished. However for non license holding miscreants who get endorsements the endoprsements commence the moment a license is issued i.e. an endorsement can comeinto effect many years on from the date of the original conviction. This normally applies to the folk who habitually drive without licenses.

nashcom · May 2007

When driving, I've found that most of the speed reporters are fairly consistent with my van's speedo. However, there is one that seems to report my speed at about two or three miles per hour more than that indicated on my speedo.

gad · May 2007

I would love to get done for furious cycling, so long as I was not endangering anyone else, (even though it would mean points on my hereto clean licence of 38 yrs) the bragging rights would be immense!

Gad lays back and pedals slowly away, poor old soul. Elephants are people too!

carlstone · May 2007

I think the offence is 'furious pedalling' and it would depend on individual cases as to whether, if caught over the limit, you get charged. Factors such as amount you are over the limit, weather conditions, safety of yourself and other road users, which side of the bed the copper got out of in the morning, how well he was doing at chatting the young WPC up he was with, proximity of dinner (KFC, McDonalds etc.).

Try as might I have never been able to set off a speed camera :-(.

My bikes:
http://www.filehigh.com/viewimg.php?f=29099&i=291574
http://www.filehigh.com/viewimg.php?f=29099&i=317809

monty_dogcp · May 2007

On the A287 southbound from Haslemere into Fernhurst, West Sussex there's a speed camera as you head downhill into a 40mph zone - despite numerous attempts to trigger it - including a full-out effort at 78kph, it still doesn't flash! I believe that bikes & riders are too small to register on their radar, but it still remains a long-term ambition.- next time I'm out with my mates, we'll try a four-up TT formation.

Pirahna · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by vernonlevy
You can not be given any motoring convictions and your non existent license will remain unblemished. However for non license holding miscreants who get endorsements the endoprsements commence the moment a license is issued i.e. an endorsement can comeinto effect many years on from the date of the original conviction. This normally applies to the folk who habitually drive without licenses.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I thought you could if you presented your driving license when asked for ID at the scene of the crime.

gbyers · May 2007

"Furious Cycling" dates back nearly 100 years. There was similar offence Furious Riding which enabled reckless horse riders to be prosecuted. When the new fangled bicycle came along the law makers obviously anticipated hell's angels type burning up the mudbath urban streets in a manner likely to endanger others.

It's not a motoring offence so license effects not relevant. So if you can't be done for speeding because you're not a motor vehicle isn't furious cycling the only option?

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andy_wrx · May 2007

Ignoring whether you can be 'done for it', if it's a town and a 30 limit for the safety of pedestrians, other road users, even you, then doesn't it make sense to comply with it when you're on a bike ?
Saying "I'm not a motor vehicle" and hence the speed limit doesn't apply to me is like saying I needn't stop at red traffic lights because they're only for cars.

<ducks...>

Time to dig-out the Summer bike (why's it just started raining ? Is it something I said ?)

barrybaines · May 2007

With Andywrx on this one and I often get pee'd off when I actually see people abusing the traffic lights as "they aren't motor vehicles" But on the speed front i'm sure we all do it and lets face it what are we talking a couple of mph? not like we are ever gonna be massivley over the limit for any extended period!

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meenaghman · May 2007

On the A287 southbound from Haslemere into Fernhurst, West Sussex there's a speed camera as you head downhill into a 40mph zone - despite numerous attempts to trigger it - including a full-out effort at 78kph, it still doesn't flash! I believe that bikes & riders are too small to register on their radar, but it still remains a long-term ambition.- next time I'm out with my mates, we'll try a four-up TT formation.

Monty.. why not get a load of tin foil and stick it under your shirt.. see if this will set it off ?

andrew_s · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by barrybaines

But on the speed front i'm sure we all do it and lets face it what are we talking a couple of mph? not like we are ever gonna be massivley over the limit for any extended period!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">A friend got ticked off by a copper for 53 in a 30 zone - "If you been in a car I'd have nicked you"
(Leckhampton Hill into Cheltenham, on a tandem, brakes not used)

Speed detecting camera's and your bike speed?

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