# France speed cameras sabotaged



## Canalsman (Jan 10, 2019)

Yellow vests knock out 60% of all speed cameras in France - BBC News

On my recent drive from Dieppe to the Med I noticed nearly all cameras wrapped in black plastic ...

At the time I thought they had been disabled due to the change from 90kph to 80kph limits and were awaiting recalibration.

Evidently not!

As an aside I note that TomTom have updated their maps to reflect the lowered limit. There are some inconsistencies where the limit remains at 90kph e.g. on multiple lane roads without a physical barrier between opposing carriageways. Here TomTom has played safe and shows the limit as 80kph.


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## Canalsman (Jan 10, 2019)

Yes ...

That is pretty much what I observed.


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## Canalsman (Jan 10, 2019)

Somebody must have made a few bob supplying the many 80 signs and installing them!


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## colinm (Jan 10, 2019)

POI Admin said:


> As an aside I note that TomTom have updated their maps to reflect the lowered limit. There are some inconsistencies where the limit remains at 90kph e.g. on multiple lane roads without a physical barrier between opposing carriageways. Here TomTom has played safe and shows the limit as 80kph.



Not done a lot of mileage within France this year, just cutting across the north east a few times, TomTom seemed to be correct on the later trips when limit had changed.


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## oppy (Jan 10, 2019)

I try and keep to  50 / 60 mph so no real problem and use the sat nag set at KPH just in case, as a speedo (I can't see the one on the dash!!) I do have a dear friend here who will annually update the 'Oppy get lost machine, so hopefully we will be safe on our next forray, health permitting


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## Makzine (Jan 10, 2019)

We saw this as well on our last trip all speed cameras were either sprayed or wrapped in plastic.  The French consider them as a tax and therefore stopped it being able to collect.  Going out again in a couple of weeks so will see if there still wrapped  :wave:


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## mark61 (Jan 10, 2019)

POI Admin said:


> Somebody must have made a few bob supplying the many 80 signs and installing them!




One of Macron's mates no doubt.


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## TJBi (Jan 11, 2019)

POI Admin said:


> <snip>
> As an aside I note that TomTom have updated their maps to reflect the lowered limit. There are some inconsistencies where the limit remains at 90kph e.g. on multiple lane roads without a physical barrier between opposing carriageways. Here TomTom has played safe and shows the limit as 80kph.



When in France in early August through to mid September 2018, I found that my Garmin was consistent with road signage in terms of 80 and 90 km/h limits.  On the other hand, as for some years, there were inconsistencies in respect of start location of 50 km/h limits (where the speed limit signs had been moved further out) and the location of 30 km/h limits, with some not being shown on the Garmin while it showed others that were not indicated by signage.


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## Tezza33 (Jan 11, 2019)

We have seen the speed cameras smashed, some set on fire and others wrapped in black plastic, I don't think we saw one that was working.
TomTom was pretty accurate with the speed signs but I still kept vigilant


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## phillybarbour (Jan 11, 2019)

We could do with some Yellow Vests visiting our cameras.


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## clf86ha (Jan 11, 2019)

I visited between Xmas and new year and noticed a few speed cameras sprayed with luminous yellow paint squiggles


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## maingate (Jan 11, 2019)

phillybarbour said:


> We could do with some Yellow Vests visiting our cameras.



A speed camera in Gateshead was given a 'Soweto necklace'* a few years ago and has not been repaired since.

* A Soweto necklace is a tyre filled with petrol and then ignited.


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## delicagirl (Jan 11, 2019)

maingate said:


> A speed camera in Gateshead was given a 'Soweto necklace'* a few years ago and has not been repaired since.
> 
> * A Soweto necklace is a tyre filled with petrol and then ignited.



one in Temple Cloud in somerset on the main  A37  (and it is a really dangerous road at this point ) has been torched more times than i can remember in the last 20 years.  It has been replaced every time. It saves lives.  The camera itself is now mounted on  such a high podium that no one can reach it.  There have been several deaths here and one motorbike was clocked at  105mph a few years back. 


sometimes speed cameras have a vital function.


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## colinm (Jan 11, 2019)

delicagirl said:


> one in Temple Cloud in somerset on the main  A37  (and it is a really dangerous road at this point ) has been torched more times than i can remember in the last 20 years.  It has been replaced every time. It saves lives.  The camera itself is now mounted on  such a high podium that no one can reach it.  There have been several deaths here and one motorbike was clocked at  105mph a few years back.
> 
> 
> sometimes speed cameras have a vital function.



The first speed camera I saw which was torched, was on a stretch of road where a friends son died due to a speeding car, the ignorance of some people is beyond belief.


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## antiquesam (Jan 12, 2019)

How are speed cameras a safety measure and not just a cash machine?


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## Tony Lee (Jan 12, 2019)

Also reported that the speed cameras that are still working are raking in the loot because stupid people figure 60% out of action means ALL out of action


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## CarlandHels (Jan 12, 2019)

*Don't have a problem with cameras BUT.......*

Cameras that are fixed are generally in places where folk go to fast and there has been some serious crashes. You get to know where these are and slow down, they have then done the job as safety camera.. 
But the VANS they use just turn up anywhere they can make a few quid!! A64 going towards York from Tadcaster 2 vans within 5 miles of each other on the same side as each other, now if that isn't £ collecting I don't know what is...

They should be near populated areas and villages not out on the nice open areas. or get rid of them, save the wages of those inside and the cost of the vans which is £1000's each and pop a static camera up outside all schools and in every village etc. Then I think they would be accepted as safety cameras...


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## peter palance (Jan 12, 2019)

*hope your both ok*



oppy said:


> I try and keep to  50 / 60 mph so no real problem and use the sat nag set at KPH just in case, as a speedo (I can't see the one on the dash!!) I do have a dear friend here who will annually update the 'Oppy get lost machine, so hopefully we will be safe on our next forray, health permitting



soon pj


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## peter palance (Jan 12, 2019)

*they*



antiquesam said:


> How are speed cameras a safety measure and not just a cash machine?



they  sould keep  you off  your toes,  ok  pj


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## antiquesam (Jan 12, 2019)

peter palance said:


> they  sould keep  you off  your toes,  ok  pj



Sorry. That's gone over my head.


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## delicagirl (Jan 12, 2019)

antiquesam said:


> How are speed cameras a safety measure and not just a cash machine?



surely you realise that most drivers when they see the forewarning of a speed camera will slow down.....   which makes driving in that particular spot safer for other drivers and pedestrians.

They are only a cash machine because of law breakers... if you don't speed you dont have to pay......


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## antiquesam (Jan 12, 2019)

delicagirl said:


> surely you realise that most drivers when they see the forewarning of a speed camera will slow down.....   which makes driving in that particular spot safer for other drivers and pedestrians.
> 
> They are only a cash machine because of law breakers... if you don't speed you dont have to pay......



You're right, when people see them they do slow down causing a hazard to those behind them. I would also suggest they are sometimes put in money earning positions, for instance immediately after a speed reduction. I've never had a speeding ticket (touch wood), despite doing 2000 miles a week while working, but know of many people who have got caught for the first time by watching the road rather than the speedometer in a 30 mph zone.


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## colinm (Jan 12, 2019)

antiquesam said:


> but know of many people who have got caught for the first time by watching the road rather than the speedometer in a 30 mph zone.


Someone I know has just been on a speed awareness course, as she says they have heard them all, and this one is easy to answer, if they where watching the road with that amount of attention they would have seen the speed camera.


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## mark61 (Jan 12, 2019)

colinmd said:


> Someone I know has just been on a speed awareness course, as she says they have heard them all, and this one is easy to answer, if they where watching the road with that amount of attention they would have seen the speed camera.



Perhaps they did see the camera, but weren't aware of their speed. :lol-049:

Really, if thats an example of an answer on a speed awareness course, I think some more training is in order.


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## delicagirl (Jan 12, 2019)

i have been to naughty drivers school 3 times in 40 years (i have never been doing more than 35mph in a 30zone - but still breaking the law).  Each time i learnt new things and it does mean i didn't get any points on my license.  

i did resent the first one i went to and was angry, but i  quickly realised that i have never read the highway code since i was 17 when i passed my test.  It was a useful experience and some of the slides and statistics about child injuries and deaths have stayed with me for since then  and i understand the importance of 20mph areas now.

it does us good to reassess our understanding of modern driving conditions and laws from time to time - lets face it some have 40years + driving experience but haven't ever  formally re educated ourselves.....


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