Congestion Charge - Good News

[angus falconer]

I was delighted to read in Autocar a couple of weeks ago that the new £25 gas guzzlers congestion charge only applies to cars built after a certain point in 2000 (can't remember the exact month).

Wha hey! My C43 was registered in 1999

As a Londoner, there is rarely good news on this topic.

Now all I have to do is avoid the new Specs cameras - saw my first ones the road running past Gospel Oak tube last weekend - gulp......

 

[OmniCognateNeutronRangler]

what are specs cameras?

 

[Blobcat]

Average speed cameras. There is still an issue over the licensing of them in this country and they are still 'on trial' www.ukspeedtraps.co.uk

 

[angus falconer]

what are specs cameras?

They are scary as they are (a) small (b) mounted way up high (c) operate in pairs and (d) measure your average speed between two points.

Bsically, unlike gatso's, it's easy to miss them. If you missed the first one and then happen to see the second one just in time but have been averaging, say 31mph, you will be done.

Well, unless you pull over for 30 seconds or however long it takes to get your average speed down.....

I'm not a big speeder in built up areas but it's easy to, say, trundle along at 33mph in a 30 limit from time to time without realising.

Maybe I will get a Road Angel after all....

 

[daveenty]

One theory behind them is that if you get them on motorway roadworks (as an example) they cannot clock your speed if you happen to have changed lanes in between them. I must stress that I have not tested this theory out, but it does seem to be reasonably well publicised and also logical.
Think I'll stick with the speed limits and not risk finding out

 

[jberks]

One theory behind them is that if you get them on motorway roadworks (as an example) they cannot clock your speed if you happen to have changed lanes in between them. I must stress that I have not tested this theory out, but it does seem to be reasonably well publicised and also logical.
Think I'll stick with the speed limits and not risk finding out

Allegedly - I have read the same rumours, though I can't see why this would be the case from a technical point of view. Presumably (unless designed by a complete idiot...mmmm) they read your plate and log the time. Then the next one does the same. Assuming they have a central computer doing the sums, it shouldn't matter which camera saw you, as the computer should know the distance between each bank and be able to calculate the appropriate time lag. However, this assumes it was designed sensibly...

 

[Chazchuzzlewitt]

I pass through a Specs 'zone' on my way back from work. I often make an effort to put my middle finger up to the camera on the way in, I know no camera-operator will see this as it's all computerised, but it makes me feel better.
There's also Specs the whole way across tower bridge, which is a 20mph limit now (and not very well sign-posted). I see loads of people going through this one at 30 so they must make a shed-load off it.

 

[twistedsanity]

we've rushed through a few using different lanes, about a month ago, no tickets yet!

 

[television]

As i understood it, specs take note of all cars going through, the second notes the car out of line or going too fast,and the third one goes smile please click,thank you.



They had them in Sweden a few years back, I think it was 02, I saw these funny looking post with lens in the top, I went through about 20km over the limit, the thing that puzzled me was the cars behind, so close right up my back side, though I was in a Swedish car,I did not hear anything about it,neither did my ex who's car it was.

Malcolm

 

[angus falconer]

It's in the Standard today - the cutoff point for the gass guzzler congestion charge is 1st March 2001

So anyone with a big-engined Merc registered on Feb 2001 or before can drive through London for (only??) £8.

Plus several hundred pounds of speeding fines....and several points on your licence

 

[Hibbo]

Allegedly - I have read the same rumours, though I can't see why this would be the case from a technical point of view. Presumably (unless designed by a complete idiot...mmmm) they read your plate and log the time. Then the next one does the same. Assuming they have a central computer doing the sums, it shouldn't matter which camera saw you, as the computer should know the distance between each bank and be able to calculate the appropriate time lag. However, this assumes it was designed sensibly...

The reason that they (allegedly!) can't get you if you change lanes is that the cameras are only licensed to be used as matched pairs. I'm not sure if they are connected to the same computer that does the calculations and thus ABLE to clock you, but there definitely IS a loophole that says the they can't do you.

When a fairly senior government/police/specs bloke was asked if this rumour was true, we replied along the lines of "well we certainly wouldn't recommend that people change lanes as this is dangerous"

We'll have to see how long it is before they close this loophole, or if they just swap the cameras about - so they can only get people who honk through and change lanes.

 

[blassberg]

Bsically, unlike gatso's, it's easy to miss them. If you missed the first one and then happen to see the second one just in time but have been averaging, say 31mph, you will be done.

And you don't know if the second one is the last one, as there could be three or more in place

 

[Blobcat]

Nottinghamshire is full of them even out in the countryside. Nice open roads with 40mph limits and specs cameras. Welcome to the brave new world.

 

[angus falconer]

And you don't know if the second one is the last one, as there could be three or more in place

Blassberg, with the rate you get through disks and pads I assume you have been braking hard for cameras recently

 

[jon_harley]

It's in the Standard today - the cutoff point for the gass guzzler congestion charge is 1st March 2001

So anyone with a big-engined Merc registered on Feb 2001 or before can drive through London for (only??) £8.

What counts as a big engine, these days?

Plus several hundred pounds of speeding fines....and several points on your licence

I avoid driving through London whenever I can, but my experience of it is that you're hardly ever in danger of a speeding fine. If there was a fine for going less than 10mph for hour after hour, that would be serious.

 

[hawk20]

What counts as a big engine, these days?.

Yes good question. Is it done by ccs or by the CO2 emissions like Richmond is doing for residents' permits, and like the vehicle excise duty?

 

[angus falconer]

Yes good question. Is it done by ccs or by the CO2 emissions like Richmond is doing for residents' permits, and like the vehicle excise duty?

Yes, it's done by CO2 emissions.

There are 3 bands

- the lowest category has been expanded beyond hybrids and leccie cars to include a few economical small hatches
- the middle category (£8) seems to go up to mid sized 1.8, maybe 2.0 litre cars
- the upper categroy actually starts surprisingly low - for example an A4 1.8T is in this category. I seem to remember a Mondeo 2.0 falls in here too.

So it's not really aimed at 4x4's - just most reasonably nice cars including all the petrol Mercs I would guess.

But a Feb 2001 E55 would be in the £8 category.....

 

[hawk20]

Yes, it's done by CO2 emissions.

There are 3 bands

- the lowest category has been expanded beyond hybrids and leccie cars to include a few economical small hatches
- the middle category (£8) seems to go up to mid sized 1.8, maybe 2.0 litre cars
- the upper categroy actually starts surprisingly low - for example an A4 1.8T is in this category. I seem to remember a Mondeo 2.0 falls in here too.

So it's not really aimed at 4x4's - just most reasonably nice cars including all the petrol Mercs I would guess.

But a Feb 2001 E55 would be in the £8 category.....

Could you post what the CO2 emissions are please for each band. Diesel comes off quite well usually. My S320cdi has lower emissions than some petrol Mondeos.

 

[jberks]

how much Co2 does a tired cyclist put out per mile? and what is their subsequent charge?

I assume the basic rule down there then is either to get an electric car or a 1990s 560sec

 

[OmniCognateNeutronRangler]

and of course where does the electric come from in an electric car? You either plug it into the mains, which means it comes from a nice environmentally friendly power station, or it is a hybrid and runs off batteries. Batteries that are not recyclable and contains nasty chemicals.

Diesels, of course, have lower Co2. However, they also chug out all sorts of carcinogenic particulates (I'm sure the spelling isn't even close). Nice.