Old people on motorway bridges

Scuzi · 16 May 2011 at 23:05

On my daily commute along the M3 and M27, I have recently noticed a lot of old people sporting fluorescent jackets on motorway bridges. They're usually sitting on deck chairs and some of them have had video cameras.

My initial thought was that they were doing some surveys or were some sort of new breed of truck spotter. However, a colleague at work has told me that they're an organised group who sit there with the sole intention of looking like the police in order to get motorists to slow down. Is this true?

It's effective at getting people to slow down for all of 500 yards. I've seen quite a few drivers slam on the anchors when the old folks come into sight. I can imagine it's actually causing more danger than anything.

So, should it be a beep and a wave or a beep and a middle finger?

Disco Boy · 16 May 2011 at 23:14

Speed up and middle finger. Throw in some undertaking of mlms whilst in their view for good measure.

Fr0dders · 16 May 2011 at 23:40

Scuzi said:
On my daily commute along the M3 and M27, I have recently noticed a lot of old people sporting fluorescent jackets on motorway bridges. They're usually sitting on deck chairs and some of them have had video cameras.

My initial thought was that they were doing some surveys or were some sort of new breed of truck spotter. However, a colleague at work has told me that they're an organised group who sit there with the sole intention of looking like the police in order to get motorists to slow down. Is this true?

It's effective at getting people to slow down for all of 500 yards. I've seen quite a few drivers slam on the anchors when the old folks come into sight. I can imagine it's actually causing more danger than anything.

So, should it be a beep and a wave or a beep and a middle finger?

they aren't in one of those speed watch schemes are they ?

http://www.cambs.police.uk/roadsafety/speedwatch/

Police hand them a laser gun, ask them to read the speed and write down the number plate. They arent police officers, so you can't be fined. But you do get a snotty letter apparently.

Skilid · 16 May 2011 at 23:52

They can't read the number plate from that far can they?

Brookert · 17 May 2011 at 00:16

What business is it of theirs that they go around ****ing on everybody else' parade. I would give old people with a lasergun the bird and some chicken nuggets!!!! (thrown at them mind you)

Scuzi · 17 May 2011 at 00:25

EliotG said:
They can't read the number plate from that far can they?

Not if I'm going past at 120mph in 4th gear

Gaijin · 17 May 2011 at 00:33

Ah, this lot.

I just say hi, with a prolonged toot of the old 142dB Stebel Nautilus, bit of full throttle and a nice dump.

They love it.

Skilid · 17 May 2011 at 00:36

Scuzi said:
Not if I'm going past at 120mph in 4th gear

Precisely.

ScarySquirrel · 17 May 2011 at 00:47

Poor sad gits.

horseunderwater · 17 May 2011 at 04:13

you can't be fined. But you do get a snotty letter apparently

Yoo can be fined and get points a bus driver my other half works with did

starfighter · 17 May 2011 at 05:09

Will records of the offending vehicles be kept?

Information gathered during the checks will be used to target enforcement and education measures. Persistent offenders will receive a visit from officers.

These people need to get a life.

shrek2 · 17 May 2011 at 05:50

horseunderwater said:
you can't be fined. But you do get a snotty letter apparently

Yoo can be fined and get points a bus driver my other half works with did

So can you be fined or not then? :confused:

Defcon5 · 17 May 2011 at 06:47

shrek2 said:
So can you be fined or not then?

No.

Kenai · 17 May 2011 at 06:56

shrek2 said:
So can you be fined or not then?

His first comment was a quote of someone else earlier but he didn't use quote tags or quote marks to show it

Meridian · 17 May 2011 at 06:58

starfighter said:
Will records of the offending vehicles be kept?

Information gathered during the checks will be used to target enforcement and education measures. Persistent offenders will receive a visit from officers.

These people need to get a life.

I have no idea who the motorway speed watchers are, but the Community Speedwatch people operate only in villages with 30mph limits. I was under the impression that here we favoured adherence to the 30 limit in built-up areas?

M

Scania · 17 May 2011 at 07:20

From the numbers of them who wave at me, I'd say they are Eddie Spotters....

Aero · 17 May 2011 at 08:10

Although most motorways have traffic counting loops a lot of traffic survey companies will employ retired OAP's on casual labour to perform their survey's for them. So they could have been performing a traffic count.

godinman · 17 May 2011 at 08:15

A lot of councils use semi-retired/retired people to do their traffic surveys, could well just be them.

edit - yes, what he said ^^^^^^

Fr0dders · 17 May 2011 at 08:15

horseunderwater said:
Yoo can be fined and get points a bus driver my other half works with did

Unfortunately your bus driver friend was talking out of his ****

It says quite clearly

http://www.cambs.police.uk/roadsafety/speedwatch/

Can motorists be prosecuted?

No these checks are about educating motorists.

Meridian said:
I have no idea who the motorway speed watchers are, but the Community Speedwatch people operate only in villages with 30mph limits. I was under the impression that here we favoured adherence to the 30 limit in built-up areas?

M

Cheers for that, never realised they only enforced 30mph limits.

Not them then. Traffic survey as above seems the most likely suspect then.

Sneaky Peaky · 17 May 2011 at 08:41

Probably shouldn't laugh at this but you can't help but savour the sweet irony..

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-surrey-13387770