Re: Pet Peeves?
 

I've seen cops parked on a grass incline going up to an overpass checking for speed completely out of sight of anyone driving under the overpass.

I've also seen blacked out cops parked in the divide of an interstate where it dips down enough so that they can't be visible, but I guess a radar can just about pick up cars.

It was my understanding that fixed speed cameras are illegal here, but that may be just hearsay.

:sneaky:

Re: Pet Peeves?
 

They have Gatsos everywhere in D.C. - they seemed so out of place to me as I've never seen a fixed speed camera anywhere else in the US.

Re: Pet Peeves?
 

Fixed cameras are not legal in NC - there were fixed cameras, but were challenged in court and subsequently both speed cameras and red light cameras were removed.

A lot (I believe most) of the state troopers you see on the interstates in NC aren't checking for speeders, especially if you see two cops together or two a short distance apart, such as consecutive slip roads. I suspect that this is true in most states.

I would be more concerned about city cops checking for speeding, but you don't often see them on the interstate. The only ticket I ever got for speeding was issued by a city/town cop when I was on the interstate.

Re: Pet Peeves?
 

Oh right. Assuming they are looking out for drug runners traversing the east coast?

Re: Pet Peeves?
 

You haven't 'lived' until you've been to Swindon and negotiated the 'magic roundabout' - not that I would recommend ever visiting Swindon. :rofl:

http://www.swindonweb.com/uploaded_f.../magicsign.jpg

Re: Pet Peeves?
 

The CHP loves AZ drivers so it evens out...lol


We have red light cameras here (British Columbia) in a few places, usually just high accident intersections.

There was a time where speed cameras were around but the government did away with them in 2001, and as of 2016 the government (same party in power today that was in power in 2001) still rejects the idea of having photo radar.

Re: Pet Peeves?
 

There used to be something like that in Sheffield. There was a large roundabout...with about 6 smaller roundabouts positioned around it. :eek:

Re: Pet Peeves?
 

If it's the one I know about it was marked out on a large expanse of tarmac using tyres painted white. The idea was that they could move the tyres around to try different layouts. As far as I know it was never made permanent.

Re: Pet Peeves?
 

I thought the one in Hemel was called the Magic Roundabout, but looks like with was called the Plough Roundabout. I have even negotiated this on a bicycle with no problems.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...about_sign.jpg

Re: Pet Peeves?
 

I remember the toll roads in Quebec. You'd toss a couple of quarters into a kind of basket at the toll both (no attendant) and the light would go green. There was always a Quebec Provincial Police car parked out of sight behind the toll booth in case you decided to go straight on through I'll bet it costs a lot more to use the toll these days.

You had to pay a toll to cross the Jacques Cartier bridge in Montreal also. They busted a few of the toll booth attendants for pocketing the money. One of them owned a new camper and a new Cadillac so you know where that toll money went :lol:

Re: Pet Peeves?
 

Well that's the trouble with roundabouts see. I know there's signs about half a mile before the roundabout with arrows pointing to different towns but you have to memorize all that by the time you get to the roundabout such as "first turn off Beddington" "second turnoff Salford" stuff like that and if you get on the wrong turnoff it's miles and miles before you can get back on the Motorway to reach the junction again.

This is why I prefer our system. A big green sign overhead with an arrow pointing down to the lane you need to be in to switch to the freeway to the place you're driving to, dead simple, can't go wrong unless your twiddling with the radio tuner or looking at your girl friend's knees and miss the sign and then miss the change lane in which case you get off at the next exit which is never very far further on and then get back on again in the opposite direction and hit the lane on that side which leads to the freeway you need :lol:

Re: Pet Peeves?
 

Now you're just inventing çrap to support your opinion. Roundabouts are also clearly signposted ahead, and on each exit from the roundabout.

I guess you might have difficulty negotiating a roundabout if you have the memory of a goldfish and the sense of direction of a headless chicken. :rolleyes:

Re: Pet Peeves?
 

Bollacks genious ! They just like to make everything difficult in England and that's why they also insist on eternally driving on the left (wrong) side... bolshies :lol:

I can make some excuse for my ineptitude. Motorways weren't that common when I left in 1965, I never drove on any that did exist and on my visits there since then I use public transport. I was biker in England up to 1960 and the furthest I ever went was Brighton or Hastings via Sussex country roads.

Re: Pet Peeves?
 

When I lived in Wisconsin and worked at O'hare in Chicago the toll booths had those, (also had the choice to go to a human) drive up, toss coins and automated gate opened.

We have some tolls in BC across some bridges, but it's all automated now, no paying at booths, they bill you by taking photos of your license plate. So no need for police to hang out and make sure you pay, the bill is sent after the fact, or if you cross frequently there are direct pay options like onto a credit card.

Re: Pet Peeves?
 

The only thing that annoyed me in England with roundabouts was sometimes they wouldn't follow the convention.

E.g. usually with two lanes, the left would go left and forward and the right would go right.

Near my old home was a left lane that went left only and right that went forward and right.

It would always catch people out.