Was I flashed?

TNGL · 2 Dec 2017 at 00:02

Driving down the M1, variable limit of what I believed to be 60mph and had the cruise control at 62mph (probably 60mph in reality). Saw a flash on my side of the motorway but it came from the far right (imagine a flash coming from over the right hand lane). Was probably going marginally faster than some of the other cars, I was in the middle lane.

The flash was also head on (i.e. it flashed in my face).

Is this flash likely to have been for me? I'm beginning to wonder if the variable limit was 50 and not 60 but I am usually quite astute with this, so I may just be thinking into it. Or could it have been for a car on the opposite side of the motorway?

TNGL · 2 Dec 2017 at 00:08

Say the limit was 50mph and I went full retard and misread it to be 60, is there still any chance that flash could have been for me given where it came from, facing me etc?

TNGL · 2 Dec 2017 at 12:11

Fingers crossed, it wasnt't for me then. I'll update this in around 2 weeks time.

TNGL · 28 Dec 2017 at 12:53

Yep, no ticket came through in the end. Thanks all.

TNGL · 6 Mar 2018 at 00:48

So here I am again, seeking the advice of the OcUK motor section psychics... It's a Sunday afternoon and the variable limit pops up on the southwestern section of the M25 (ACW) indicating a limit of 50mph. I continue to stick to this limit until I see the NSL sign illuminated on the gantry ahead. To cut a long story short, after seeing this I accelerated to get past a lane hogger before he could make his way back into the third lane. Just as I hit an indicated 80mph I realise Waze is telling me there's a speed camera 20 feet away (i.e. I am going through it right now), meaning I probably went through the camera at an indicated 80mph before decelerating maybe 2 to 3 seconds after going through it.

GPS seems to show that an indicated 80mph is actually 78mph (79mph worst case).

Is it likely that I may have been flashed? Questions that come to mind:

Would I have seen the flash given it was broad daylight and I was in lane 3?
There are rumours that these cameras are only active if a temporary speed limit is active, assuming this is true, does this still hold if the NSL sign is illuminated in the gantry?
The supposed leeway is 10% + 2 mph (i.e. 79mph in this case). Does that mean you can travel at 79mph and not get flashed or does it mean you must travel below 79mph to not get flashed?
I really should just save myself the hassle and set the cruise control to 70mph shouldn't I rather than risk points for an extra few miles per hour?

TNGL · 6 Mar 2018 at 23:34

Cool, thanks for the insights. Fingers crossed I won't get a ticket but let's see how it goes. Either way, I will be paying more attention from here on to prevent future post-drive scenario analyses presented in this thread.

TNGL · 22 Sep 2019 at 12:41

Here we are again:

Travelling at around 90mph exactly where pictured last night
Single flash appears from across the road (except the flash looked more like it was coming from the mid-right of the gantry, although I am probably going crazy)
I had just passed the previous speed camera on my side of the road at around 73mph about 500m before

If I see a head-on flash, it has got to be for the other side of the motorway, surely?

Now that we are here for the third time, I thought I would leave this gem in here:

TNGL · 22 Sep 2019 at 12:50

Uther said:
What's wrong with you?

Not much, just a disregard for the speed limit followed by bouts of paranoia after seeing a flash.

What is wrong with you my friend?

TNGL · 22 Sep 2019 at 13:06

Uther said:
I'm not sure you are aware enough of your surroundings to be safe on the roads.

I would be more worried about somebody focusing on the opposite side of the road instead of the road ahead.

You're two posts into the thread and still haven't added any value. My original post from today ended with a simple question. If you are unable to answer it with all your wit, I would invite you to not bother contributing at all.

TNGL · 22 Sep 2019 at 13:50

Blackhawk47 said:
I’d say you’re in the clear looking at that screenshot.

However does anyone know if the newish speed cameras which seem to plague the smart motorway bits on the M1 between South Yorkshire and Nottingham, catch you speeding if going over 70 without the speed limit signs on?

I know I’ve read in the past that they are supposed to, hence why the driving on those sections has really calmed down in recent years (the 4th lane helps). But I still see the odd car tank it past the cameras at 90mph+ without worrying about them.

I know somebody who got caught at 110mph just by Nottingham last month. That could be an exception but they're definitely working even if the VSL sign isn't showing, or at least that one was anyway.

TNGL · 23 Sep 2019 at 19:39

NVP said:
I looked forward to your update next year when someone takes a picture of your car in a car park with the flash on.

* Paranoia ensues *