Ryo

Today driving into work I noticed loads of streetlamps that had the familiar two black hoses stretched across the road going into a small box.

One was by a school, another by a speed camera, several on A roads into town.

Anyone know what the beef is with these? Am I being spyed on? Are people watching me? I hid behind the steering wheel as I drove over them, hoping 'they' couldn't hear my thoughts.

Seriously now - what do they do?

David Lock

Traffic flow survey or someone nicking electricity

MY00PPP

speed related traffic survey.

ie someone is interested in looking at the average speed over a set distance for a particular time period. might be that if that road is too fast then the local authority are looking at traffic calming or more speed cameras

'real' traffic surveys need vechicle classification data (is it a car, suv, truck or bus) to be of any use nowadays.

technology in this field has come along leaps and bounds...even have video based classification vans at the side of the road (on m25 the other day in fact)

New_scooby_04

iTrader: (4)

That's what they want you to think!!

Ns04

Ryo

As I suspected.

Thanks for the replies guys.

Watch your backs!

scunnered

iTrader: (1)

If it's two hoses, then don't worry about it, it's purely for traffic monitoring purposes. However, if it were three, then it'll be a mobile speed detection device such as DS2, or speedmaster.

Ryo

Oooh.....dodgy.

I'm still reeling from having this post moved from General to here!

Rage!

I've noticed that normally those things mean they are planning to screw up the road somehow. Usually by putting in speed bumps, traffic lights, changing the lanes around etc. Basically in 6 months the congestion in that spot will be worse.

Ryo

Thats my fear - the road in question changed from 40 to 30 8 months ago, people still do over 30, I do hope they are not planning humps, they do my head in !

Leslie

Probably for traffic measuring but they could be for whatever they want really!

Les

john_s

iTrader: (1)

Quite often round here, the "black hose speed survey" has been followed up with another "yellow box on a pole speed tax collection" device.

John.

Reffro

Two Parallel hoses they're measuring average speeds. Single hose they are looking at traffic flows.

Micaredjen

Double hoses actually measure vehicle length as well for classification purposes... tbh I thought most had done away with these now as we (as in Highway Authority) tend to use the boxes on lampposts that measure the flows etc. without the tubes.

As everyone's said they can be looking at anything from class, volume, directional flows, flows over specific times and speed... although if it's close to a speed camera my guess would be speed and flow.

Diesel

Always wondered how they know how many axles was on the vehicle for their stats' accuracy - was it 3 artics or 7.5 cars passing? Never mind put up a yellow tax box anyway!

D

Fuzz

Handbrake works wonders on those things.

Andy

olliecampbell

iTrader: (3)

Hmm theyve just put these on the Paddington off ramp of the A40. Not more speed cameras!