| Is speed so important nowadays? Other | | | | surveillance cameras, such as Gatso's, |
| than bragging rights, do people really | | | | that are placed at roads where the |
| care about the top speed of their cars. | | | | police consider to be hotspots for over |
| Outside of a race track, there are very | | | | speeding. So we have constant monitoring |
| little opportunities to test the limit | | | | in place, which means that there is more |
| of your car. So given that the speed | | | | chance of being caught and prosecuted |
| limit in the UK is 70mph, and allowing | | | | with 3 points or more on your licence. |
| for some overtaking speed, a top speed | | | | 12 points in the UK, means an outright |
| double this seems pointless. | | | | driving ban for 2 years. |
| Sports cars, which will have more | | | | Before cameras, a 'human' police officer |
| powerful engines and thus higher tops | | | | may consider the conditions of the road, |
| speeds, also have exotic and distinctive | | | | or the number of others vehicles in |
| looks. So, the sports car may say more | | | | proximity to you, before deciding to |
| about the status of the owner, rather | | | | issue a fine. You could have probably |
| than any particular need for the car to | | | | been let off with a caution if you were |
| travel at the speed it was designed to | | | | not travelling too much over the limit |
| do so. The question is not really | | | | or driving recklessly. A camera however, |
| targeted at these owners, but more for | | | | is ignorant of such factors. So once you |
| the person who would sacrifice features | | | | are photographed, there is little you |
| in a car for a gain in speed. | | | | can do to escape the penalty. |
| The obvious reason against driving fast | | | | As electronics become more |
| would be to reduce the risk of accident | | | | sophisticated, there are more advanced |
| to you. Driving fast does not | | | | ways of detecting your speed. Sure |
| necessarily kill you, but stopping does. | | | | there are ways of detecting the camera's |
| You may be familiar with the road safety | | | | themselves, including advanced detectors |
| tests, where the stopping distances | | | | that use GPS, but speed cameras are |
| needs to memorised against the speed of | | | | relatively cheap to install. So for most |
| the car. So at higher speeds, there is | | | | of your journey, you'll will be driving |
| less reaction time to danger ahead, and | | | | within the speed limit as you slow down |
| so there is more of a chance of being | | | | to avoid the speed traps, especially as |
| involved in an accident. | | | | speed camera's become more common. |
| Another reason for driving slower, would | | | | So next time you shop for a car, you may |
| be increasing amount of surveillance | | | | find that a model with more luxury items |
| techniques used by the police. | | | | may be more desirable than a model with |
| Here in the UK, there are speed | | | | a higher top speed. |