Check your speed

iadom · 22-12-2003, 16:34

No, not your download/upload.
Just had this email from a friend in Cornwall.

This is a copy of an email issued by Highways and Transportation
division of Groupama Ins Co and was received by people at B'ham
Council.

Our highways & transportation division (they manage the motorway
maintenance for the Highways Agency) have just received the following
notification: The new electronic signs on the M6 were switched on this
Tuesday. The bad news is that they are rigged with SPECS speed
cameras. This probably applies to all signs being installed on the
M62, M60, and M56. SPECS ia computer-based system. As you go past the
sign a digital camera reads your number plate. When you go past the
next sign your number plate is read again. The computer "knows" how
far apart the signs are so it can work out your average speed between
the two, or three or four. The system is fully automatic and will
issue a ticket without any form of human intervention. It does this
for every single vehicle that passes. You will not know you have been
caught until the ticket drops through your letterbox as the cameras
don't flash. They work 24/7, 365 days a year, and theoretically,
there's absolutely no limit on the number of tickets that the system
can issue. The whole section of the M6 between Knutsford and Preston
is wired, both ways. The system is set to trigger a ticket at 78MPH
(10% tolerence - but don't take this as a guarantee). Radar detectors
will be of no use as SPECS is entirely passive, there is no laser beam
to detect.

luftys · 22-12-2003, 16:39

I hope ntl set up the software

bopdude · 22-12-2003, 16:43

Thanks for the heads up iadom, I'm up and down those roads 4 or 5 times a week but of course I never speed *cough cough splutter, seriously though this system will put a lot of people out of work due to points mounting up ( I know what you are all gonna say ) stick to the speed limit !!!!

I will admit that I like to drive as fast ( within limits ) as the road and conditions will allow but will have to " slow down " to the limit now

, that is gonna make for an even longer working day \ night

**Chris** · 22-12-2003, 16:43

AFAIK this is one of those round-robin email hoaxes ... although watching your speed is always a good idea anyway!

bopdude · 22-12-2003, 16:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by luftys

I hope ntl set up the software

LOL I wonder if and when it will be hacked

**Chris** · 22-12-2003, 16:50

Yep, as I thought, all a hoax - Bop, your days can safely pass as *ahem* swiftly as ever...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/b...re/3233169.stm

**Paul** · 22-12-2003, 17:25

LOL, we have about 20 of these SPECS camera's in Nottingham (not all are wired up, but that's another story ....).

You would be able to see them if they were there - they are quite big beasts - normally on big overhead blue poles. (and btw, they only work for one lane of a road and need infrared at night so you could have an IR detector in your car).