Why do we have warning signs for speed cameras, but none for hand held speed guns?

Every dog has it's day	The speed limit for the road is the warning sign. There's normally several speed limit signs along a road so why should anyone be warned that there's a speed camera. It's the drivers fault if he/she doesn't stick to the speed allocated. The hand held guns catch the people who speed up between the fixed speed cameras. There's two speed cameras on my road only about 200 - 300yards apart. The first one is 50mph and the second is 30mph, the 30mph one catches loads of people as they don't realise how quick their speed has to change down. Our local paper tells you each night where the mobile units are going to be the next day in the area plus there's a web site you can check too.

john p	Because speed enforcement is a deterant, when people see other motorist stopped by patrol cars or they see a patrol car utilyzing rader they slow down to avoid a ticket, the camera is not as effective because people dont see the camera or the people it catches, so the "sign" acts as a deterant. The purpose is not to "catch" someone as you stated, the purpose is to stop people from driving at unsafe speeds. contrary to popular believe the police dont get a cut of speeding fines the money goes to the courts and the state, this insures that there is no reason other than the ones stated for a police officer to write unwarranted tickets (other than juvenile reasons that I'm sure occur at times). also police run rader while moving on the roadway as well as stationary, so it would be impossible to errect signs.

Copgirl	The only warning sign that I think that should be up should say "Speed=Ticket". We don't need to warn you. You should be going the speed limit at all times.

Dee B	I agree no logic. There should be no warning signs. If you speed you are fined.

phil	A very good question, I don`t know the logic behind it either.

gomanyes562	Because the speed cameras stay put, so they can put up signs where they are. The hand-held speed guns can move around.

The Grima Queen	it depends on whether they want to stop you speeding or want to catch you speeding!

StingRay	A survey showed that in some areas where safety cameras were installed, the death toll increased.

Cowgirl@heart	wow, you're really asking?

on thin ice	If you want to trawl through various UK speed, traffic, road safety partnerships etc etc regs you will find a host of information about where cameras should be placed, guidance on the minimum amount of advance viewing a motorist should have of the cameras ( eg at least 60 mtrs prior to the camera in a 40 mph or less area - 100 mtrs minimum in an over 40mph area ) and also of any mobile police detector van which should be conspicuously marked with police livery etc etc. BUT it also says non compliance with the guidelines doesn't stop a motorist being prosecuted for any offence - so the guidance can and frequently is ignored. Also the guidance says that camera warning signs shouldn't be placed in areas where enforcement is not sufficiently frequently carried out as motorists will become complacent if they keep seeing camera signs but never any enforcement. So camera warning signs should only be on a road or area where there are operational fixed cameras OR frequent temporary police speed camera operations. Hand held speed guns checks are therefore not held frequently enough to justify or even permit warning camera signs.

jonly	We do actually. Several places where hand held speed guns are a possibility, a sign is generally placed...but it is not the law to do so... although it is the law to obey the speed limit... so it technically shouldn't matter if you get a warning or not.

psdiver_tom	The red light camera signs are there basically to work as a deterrent, it is pretty hard to fight a photo. And where I am not all the cameras are working all the time and the driver's are aware of that , because we told them, out of 36 cameras only 24 will be working, but where are the dummy cameras today, as they all function, but the drivers don't want to chance running one for a ticket, as that may be the one to snap you, OR NOT!!!

funnycunny	surely the warning is the legal speed limit ? & it dont matter how you get caught. break the law expect to get caught muppet !

Frogman	"Speed checked by electronic devices" signs encompass everything. Sheesh.

Overcast Kid	Well... the speed guns change everyday, right? So that means that the police would have to set up like 50 billion little signs everyday. Wasting time that they could use for the good of everyone. They put those "speed cameras save lives" signs after speed cameras to make you feel bad for speeding, and so you'll slow down the next time you drive through that area because you think there'll be a camera. :)