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As we all know speed cameras are only there to help to save lives not raise revenue – yer right!! I actually don’t mind speed cameras if they are genuinely saving lives, in towns, near schools and old people’s homes or where there are likely hazards on a stretch of road such as horses or a particularly bad bend where people have had accidents. But what about the variable speed cameras on motorways?

The overhead speed signs that change with road conditions. Now gradually slowing cars down whilst you approach a traffic jam is fine but when you’ve passed the broken down car on the opposite side of the motorway, that all in front slowed down to have a look at, rubbernecking, and the road is clear in front but the speed limit lights are still showing 30mph is it right to cop drivers on camera anxious to get a move on?

Well it seems that these variable speed cameras are earning a fortune with cameras between junction 19 and 20 on the M4 in Bristol raising a massive £4,032,000 since they were installed in July/August 2014. Confused.com have revealed the top 5 money making variable speed camera stretches of motorway in the UK with the Bristol stretch of the M$ responsible for issuing 40,320 penalty notices.

The findings revealed that 210,000 motorists have been caught out by sudden speed changes raising at least £21 million in fines – staggering. The standard fine for speeding is £100 with 3 points on your licence but penalties can increase to £2,500 with a ban if you are excessively over the limit.

Want to know the other speed camera ‘black spots’? Next on the list was on the M5 at Almondsbury  – Easter Compton J16-17, since June 2014 variable speed cameras have raised £2,739.800, Luton in Beds. J10-11 on the M1 has raised £2,175,100 since September 2013. Next comes the M25 in Surrey, J9-16 that has raised £1,919,400 since 2014 and finally, again on the M25 near J27 in Epping, Sussex since January 2013 they have raised £1,888,800. So there you have it, you have been warned! By Graham Hill

Years ago stand up comedians like Bernard Manning could fill a complete stand up slot with jokes about Ladas and Skodas, you didn’t measure their speed in miles per hour but feet per week etc. Nissan was called Datsun and called cars after flowers and birds, like Primrose and Bluebird. In those days they simply didn’t get it in the same way as our Read more »

The latest, and potential ongoing, problems with the US economy means that the future of the US dollar is becoming a lot less predictable. One of the downsides to this is the global use of the US dollar to set oil prices. Whilst countries around the world have pushed to change this method of establishing prices it looks as though we’re stuck with it for the Read more »

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My car review of the week looked promising, I saw the Bentley badge and thought great, something special. They may drop in value like me after a few large glasses of nectar but hey it’s one of my fave cars. It’s even got round head and fog lights but with the little Christmas fairy lights in them like Audis. Just what you want in a supercar and when I say that Read more »

The argument over motorway speed limits continues with a number of people now pushing to increase it from 70 to 80 miles per hour. Fleet operators are generally against an increase as they feel it wouldn’t make drivers any more productive or arrive at destinations any quicker. There would also be an increase in operating costs as higher speeds Read more »

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

If you were a visitor to this country driving on our motorways you could be excused for believing that the limit was 80 miles per hour and not, as I believe it is, 70 miles per hour. It seems that Transport Secretary, Philip Hammond supports the idea of lifting the speed limit as our limit is one of the slowest in Europe. However the anti car brigade are Read more »

Just want to give you the heads up on the Graham Hill gadget of the week. When I say heads up I mean that literally. It’s an aftermarket speed display that is projected up on the windscreen so no need to look down at the speedo whilst driving. A mount is held in place by tape and the unit slides onto the mount. The projector is hinged so you can adjust Read more »

We’re getting to that time of year when I’m sure I’ll have plenty of reports relating to tyres but before we get into the summer/winter tyre debates a question has come up regarding speed ratings on tyres. When a car is new tyres are often fitted by the manufacturer that have a speed rating much higher than the car is capable of travelling. For example a car may be fitted with V rated tyres, safe to a speed of 149 miles per hour. The question is should the same tyres be fitted when they are due Read more »

What makes a ‘green’ motorist? Some drivers give themselves a good old pat on the back when changing from a petrol driven car to a diesel. Excellent! Count me into that group and there’s a small degree of merit as diesel, once stripped of particulates, is a little better for the environment than petrol. Taking it one step further there are those that use old chip oil to power their aging diesel cars but whilst it’s a good Read more »