Average speed cameras - am I missing something?!

[Twoweeksandcounting]

Close to where I live is a major A road, which is currently having improvements done. There is a section of dual carriageway which has average speed cameras (50mph) for a good few miles. Whenever I drive through this section, I am very cautious not to go above 50mph - occasionally I’ll notice myself drifting ever so slightly up to 52mph or so, so I tend to put the cruise control on. Without fail, there is a steady stream of cars going past me on the outside lane, going considerably faster than 50mph. Do they know something I don’t know? Do they just not give a shit if they get a speeding ticket? Do they know some secret about the cameras being switched off at certain times? I’m not sure why, but it infuriates me! It’s not like I’m in a rush to get anywhere, it is more the curiosity of why people do it that gets to me!

Same for me. I stick to 50 and people are always passing me constantly on the right. Just let them get on with it.
I quite like 50 anyway

I think if you change lane then they don't work, I'm pretty sure it used to be that way anyway.

Your Speedo is probably under reporting your speed so you’re likely doing 48 or less.

Plus there is a margin of error allowed

I normally set my cruise control at 55 through 50mph average speeds and have never had a ticket

Are they active yet? I drive a new section of road and all the camera in one stretch they all have signs at the bottom saying “camera not in use” (although most people do seem to stick to the limit).

Some people are just idiots though!

Speedometers generally under-read the speed so if they are going slightly faster they are probably within the speed limit and know it. Obviously doesn't apply if they are tearing past at a rate of knots.

If your Speedo says 50 you’ll be doing about 47/48 probably. Plus margin of error as has been mentioned. So those people are probably doing 5mph more than you and unlikely to get a ticket.

They either know the speed cameras aren't working, or have guessed the speed cameras aren't working based on how many people aren't doing 50

Or they aren't actually doing that much above 50, say 54. Or know there's likely to be a queue therefore they can get away with doing much more than 50 when they are moving. Lots of reasons. But if you go above 50 for a short period in average speed cameras you will be fine

I'm always shocked at how many unobservant/uninformed drivers there are. So many colleagues got tickets when a motorway near work had a 50 limit and average speed cameras. Then when the limit came off after several months I was for a least a week or two racing past everyone who again hadn't noticed .

The speed display sign on our road gives me a smiley face and a speed of 28 when my speedometer says I’m doing 32.

Most speedos are set low and typically you get a 10% leeway as well on speed.

So, if they sat at 55mph they're probably doing 52mph. I usually set my cruise control for 55mph in those zones and never had a ticket.

Speedos under read so you're probably doing around 47mph. Often you can go 10% +2 over the limit before you run the risk of getting a ticket. Depends on your local police authority though as some have no tolerance like North Yorkshire for example.

@WhitechapelFatberg

I'm always shocked at how many unobservant/uninformed drivers there are. So many colleagues got tickets when a motorway near work had a 50 limit and average speed cameras. Then when the limit came off after several months I was for a least a week or two racing past everyone who again hadn't noticed .

A friend of mine got pulled over by the police for driving in a bus lane late at night. He spent quite some time being grilled about his driving before the police conceded that, as my friend had pointed out, the bus lane had been changed and clearly signed as rush-hour-only a month before. So not just motorists.

Point taken. Under-write then.

@Doomscrolling

The speed display sign on our road gives me a smiley face and a speed of 28 when my speedometer says I’m doing 32.

The one on our street is the opposite - it massively overestimates your speed. I ran past it on a jog and it said I was doing 9mph - I wish!

I used to drive 6 times a week a 8 mile stretch of motorway that was restricted to 50 for months. I usually went about 60 and wasn't the fastest. Never had a ticket.

You can get away with a few mph over, so if they're going at 52-53 then that makes sense. If they're going over 55 then maybe they do know something you don't.
There was an article in the local paper once naming people who had been prosecuted for speeding on a new stretch of average speed cameras and they were all going 57mph+.

They're almost certainly using their SatNavs to judge their speed.
They are accurate.
I do when I'm in an 'Average Speed' area.
My speedo will show 53/55 - my SatNav will be showing 50 (and my average speed).
I go sailing past other drivers happy that I'm only doing 50 and feeling smug
(sorry)

I set my cruise control to 54mph and never had a ticket but I still feel slower than some lorries so I think they must go through at 56mph and know they won't get a ticket, I'm not brave enough to try though!

I've always worked on the assumption that 50 mph average speed means that I need to stay under 60mph on my speedometer.
Never had a ticket.

Firstly... you're assuming the faster drivers aren't getting fined. That's not necessarily true! In some locations loads of drivers are being fined. Example here:
www.gotelee.co.uk/news/thousands-drivers-fined-introduction-average-speed-cameras/

Secondly be careful with the myths, like the one about the cameras not coping with lane changing.
www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/here-14-average-speed-camera-2917544

Thirdly... do the calculations about how much time you're "losing". It's not as much as it feels. Why take the risk for the sake of a few minutes?

Thanks for everyone’s input! I had considered that I might be under estimating my actual speed, but even the times when my Speedo has said 53mph (as an example), there have definitely been people going significantly faster!
Someone mentioned lorries often seeming to go particularly fast, and I would agree, I have definitely noticed that.
@tobypercy I certainly won’t be taking the risk, as I said, I’m not in a hurry to get anywhere, I don’t plan on going any faster!

Perhaps they are coming past you at 90 then waiting a few mins in a parking area to bring the average down ready for the next camera.

My old Citroën had a digital speedo that was as accurate as a satnav, that led me to theorise that it's the needle mechanism that leads to the inaccuracies.

I always got compliments on my digital speedo, and I do really wonder why they aren't more popular in vehicles. Much easier to read at a glance (about size 200 font bang in front of you, vs my Yaris with its annoying central needle).

@BlackAmericanoNoSugar

I think if you change lane then they don't work, I'm pretty sure it used to be that way anyway.

The older ones were like this however the new ones brought in a couple of years cover all lanes. Even if they did just do one lanes, we'd still not know which cameras were linked for the calculations anyway, they aren't sequential.