New speed cameras a worry for solo drives?

[Sissy_in_pink]

Here in Sydney, we have young blokes driving around with hoodies pulled up over their head, damned if I know how they see what is to their left or right at intersections, if anyone gets a fine it should be them.
A man wearing a feminine wig is no worse than a girl with long hair that is not tied back.

[Eemz]

in case a court reckoned that driving with a wig might be distracting for a man or something?

I've thought about that before (or heels which I'm more likely to do). I think it's a discrimination can of worms that the prosecutors would be unlikely to open. So I'm dangerous because I'm male and presumably don't do this every day, but if I was female and this was the first time I ever did it in my life, then that'd be ok? Hmmm...

[DaisyLawrence]

As Charlotte points out the US system may be different to the UK where we do have to watch penalty points building up and it is easy just to slip over the speed limit . Some counties have zero tolerance policies which is very questionable . I admit I had to go on a driver improver course or take the points and two people on it were clocked at 31 and 33 mph in a 30 zone where there was a zero tolerance policy. Older cars would not have a speedo that accurate , I was trapped at 35 in a 30 zone . The course did raise some very interesting anomalies which I pointed out many foreign drivers could run foul of .

Those drivers "clocked at 31 and 33" are not telling the truth. As you say, speedometers are not that accurate (they can't be due to outside factors such as tyre wear and/or under/overflation affecting the rolling circumference). The law allows for this and you are not speeding unless the equipment records a speed equal to, or in excess of, the speed limit + 10% + 2 mph. Thus, in a 30 limit you have to be clocked at 35, in a 70 limit at 79 etc. If you had been going 1mph slower you would have 'got away with it'. There is no zero tolerance and no-one ever gets a ticket for doing 31 in a 30 limit. Hope that helps.

[Charlotte7]

Daisy, I was listening to a radio debate about all of this the other day and the 'allowance' is a convention not a 'law'. There is a requirement that a car's speedometer shows a speed which is slower than the car is actually going, which covers the 10% bit. But, if they want to clock you at 31, then they can. Also, these new cameras are supposed to be very accurate and so there is a move to have the tolerance removed.

However, as I said above, it's not the speed thing that's different with these cameras, it's that they can take a high definition picture of everyone regardless of speed, how else can they see if you're on the phone or not and you're breaking the law if you're using your phone at any speed? Also, for those who say that they're out and about, and they're captured by cctv now, well, yes, they are, but there is an essential difference, currently cctv is without context of those that they are filming, they just capture blurred faces in the crowd. These cameras will capture a high detail image and a car registration number, they will be able to link a face and a name. They will both be able to build and use facial recognition software to identify people, regardless of their hairstyle. There's nothing we can do about it, but there are genuine concerns.

[Beverley Sims]

I wouldn't worry about it unless you haven't applied your makeup properly. :-)

You just need to put your hair on straight.

[docrobbysherry]

A wig CAN block your view! 2 years ago I won a mini golf T tourney wearing a long wig. This year a wore a cute, short wig to the tourney.
But, every time I looked down to shoot, the dam wig fell in front of my view to every hole!

I came in near last!

[DaisyLawrence]

Hair grips or headband Doc (unless you needed the excuse that is).

[Teresa]

Daisy,
Sorry but I sat next to these two guys at the drivers improver session, both brought the documents with them to prove the point . Wales and at least one county in England have zero tolerance , they were recorded at those speeds both driving in parts of Wales . The instructor running the course and the police adviser stated that new systems are accurate enough .

I was clocked at 35 in a 30 limit .

Charlotte,
It's a double edged point , the police have less staff and there are more vehicles on the roads , maybe we do need far more accurate cameras to help keep our roads safe . I would like to think it is also linked to other countries so drivers breaking our laws can still be tracked down . I guess there may a little more to this as the higher definition can also track criminals and terrorists , this can't be all bad after the dreadful carnage on Westminster Bridge recently . In the light of that do we with have too much room to complain , lets face it we are driving dressed but we're not breaking any laws by doing so .

[Shelly Preston]

In recent times a lot of us are using Satellite Navigation in our cars or on our phones.

You will find those also show your speed. Also Speed Limiters are another aid to keeping to the speed limit.

Oh and if you want to be seen on camera move to the UK we have around 420,000. Just remember to smile

[Stacy Darling]

"Flying Solo" is what some of us do!

I'll happily pay a speeding fine if I'm in the wrong, but my face can't clearly be seen due to my helmet or the focus on my skirt? not sure?

The focus of the law is not upon those of us which are different, but those committing a crime!

(my first wife told me to get a better lawyer, unfortunately they're hers though)

[Danielle_cder]

I think it would be kinda fun to have my picture taken when Im goin fassst