Eastlink (Melb) Signs, Cameras, etc.

balthazarr · 19-09-2008, 10:17 AM

:

Apologies in advance for the Melbourne oriented post... there are ~4 million of us

Driving along Eastlink this morning, I noticed Eastlink signs were displaying "Cameras cut crashes; speed cameras on soon" or words to that effect; others show something along the lines of "Most toll points 50 cents or less for a car"...

A few comments:
1. I thought Vic Police announced the cameras were switched on 1/9/08? Have they had problems with them already?

2. Cameras cut crashes? I call BS... A (hidden, mobile) camera will do nothing to slow you down then and there, and all a fixed camera does is make traffic slow (sometimes in an unsafe manner) around the camera. Arguably, they will slow down motorists on average... but statistics show most crashes are not speed related.

3. As an aside... the wording of the "Road Safety Cameras operate in this area" signs irritate me also. They're not 'Road Safety Cameras' they're 'Revenue Raising Cameras'. If it were truly about safety and not revenue, police would not have to meet quotas for issuing fines.

4. Clearly they're not seeing as much traffic as they'd like/hoped on Eastlink. Good. Hopefully it goes bankrupt and the government takes over, removing the tolls. /wishful thinking

SB076 · 19-09-2008, 10:39 AM

Must admit I have thought the same thing (especially the camera cuts crashes) Was wondering what would happen if someone challenged that through court as "misleading" I beleive no. of accidents/crashes are increasing, which means cameras are not cutting crashes. Granted there are more people on the roads but are greater % of cars these days have safety devices which help avoid accidents ABS,TC, VSC etc.

Auslandau · 19-09-2008, 10:56 AM

I also thought WTF when the signes went up. My thoughts when I notice them .....

"Cameras cut crashes ......."
How many 'crashes' has there been on East Link since opening? Once cameras are operational, is this going to ease the carnage on East Link? With the amount using it you would be very unlucky to hit another car, let alone see one.

"Most toll points 50 cents or less........"
Trip from S'vale Rd to Ringwood by pass $2.28 ...... One toll point! Also the fact that there is 16 toll points in 30km's?

Only the tunnel cameras were turned on then. The rest will be ready for 1st October.

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TZENU · 19-09-2008, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by auslandau

"Most toll points 50 cents or less........"
Trip from S'vale Rd to Ringwood by pass $2.28 ...... One toll point! Also the fact that there is 16 toll points in 30km's?

This is were the revenue raising gets interesting... I pay $2.49 to go from Monash Fwy to Canterbury rd...
16 Toll points with different costs at each one!!

Buzz Box · 19-09-2008, 01:07 PM

At least I am not the only one going nuts lol

I thought I seen 1 sign say "cameras are now turned on" and then a week later "cameras on soon" lol

Spanrz · 19-09-2008, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by auslandau

"Most toll points 50 cents or less........"
Trip from S'vale Rd to Ringwood by pass $2.28 ...... One toll point! Also the fact that there is 16 toll points in 30km's?

Did you realise it's dearer to drive Eastlink on a Saturday or Sunday?
WTF!
But that cost (1 toll point) is to pay for the Tunnels (only).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buzz Box

At least I am not the only one going nuts lol

I thought I seen 1 sign say "cameras are now turned on" and then a week later "cameras on soon" lol

Ahahaha, I thought I was seeing things too. That's what I seen (camera's turned on, then later, camera's on soon).

Keepleft · 19-09-2008, 10:51 PM

For what its worth, had an email the other day from the operator, 'she' advised two fixed cameras installed.

I had queried an assertion somewhere suggesting a total 22 cameras.

Kil4Collingwood · 20-09-2008, 11:30 AM

[QUOTE=BA Waggn]Did you realise it's dearer to drive Eastlink on a Saturday or Sunday?
WTF!

Actually it is 20% cheaper on weekends and public holidays, info is in here somewhere:

http://www.eastlink.com.au/page.aspx?code=TOLLS#classes

Hey I hate tolls as well I'm headin down to rosebud today so will be driving the whole thing to and from.

EDIT: Discounts only apply if you have an account, they dont apply to day passes.

Spanrz · 20-09-2008, 03:13 PM

[QUOTE=Kil4Collingwood]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BA Waggn

WTF!

Actually it is 20% cheaper on weekends and public holidays, info is in here somewhere:

http://www.eastlink.com.au/page.aspx?code=TOLLS#classes

Hey I hate tolls as well I'm headin down to rosebud today so will be driving the whole thing to and from.

EDIT: Discounts only apply if you have an account, they dont apply to day passes.

My bad, soz for bad info. I was looking at my statements. I got confused with the time of travel. As I thought the first travel on a Sat was going to work, not coming home.
I had forgotten that I drove to work via the Monash Fwy, then came home on the Eastlink. It cost $1.08.
I thought this $1.08 was going to work when it actually cost's me $0.90.
But instead it's coming home.

Ahhh, the bloody webpage squashes all the info up, how about they code the webpage to fit widescreens.
Need it bigger font.

brenx · 20-09-2008, 07:00 PM

As stated earlier only the tunnel camera's are on. The others which they're all located under bridges will be on soon. I travel East link up to 4 times per day. The camera locations are obvious.

GT-E · 20-09-2008, 07:16 PM

The only way a speed sCamera will reduce the road toll is to take more drivers off the road due to loss of license or loss of money and not able to afford a car.

**Silver Ghia** · 20-09-2008, 09:56 PM

I have seen so many times cars braking or slowing down as they pass under speed cameras, also the toll gantries on the Citylink, sometimes even if they are already travelling at or below the speed limit. These drivers are probably also checking their speedos rather than concentrating and keeping eyes on the road. How can they cut crashes when they cause disturbances in traffic flow? They probably increase the likelihood of accidents.

snappy · 20-09-2008, 10:51 PM

I hate speed camera's like everyone else but i aslo think they are needed it's they fact the some have a 2-3km limit on some that is a joke . We just need more pollies like that one in england they had on top gear that removed them from his county because he said they are a farce and only for revenue raising purposes.

Buzz Box · 20-09-2008, 11:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZapXR6T

The only way a speed sCamera will reduce the road toll is to take more drivers off the road due to loss of license or loss of money and not able to afford a car.

That is the truest and funniest statement I've heard

dom_105 · 21-09-2008, 01:59 AM

There is a bank of cameras under Wellington Road, another under either Greens Road or the Dandy Bypass and another "somewhere" in the tunnels, going both northbound and southbound. Does anybody know if the tolerances for those cameras are changed if the variable speed limit is reduced? The tunnel was down to 40 and one lane tonight, I "could" have drifted a bit over just as I was coming out of the city-bound tunnel.

Incidentally, I can't see the justification for putting "safety" cameras on one of the safest roads in the land.

last fairlane · 21-09-2008, 07:22 AM

Hi all
I live in Brisbane and drive a 45 tonne gross truck and trailer
we have toll roads to but they are government owned and all they do is increase every year $7 to cross the Gateway bridge "Westgate bridge eqivalent in Melbourne" and $4 to $5 on other toll roads each section from Ipswich 35 Ks to the airport is over $25 each way
now the propaganda "safety signs save lives" but the worst is "every K over
is a killer" so that means if I hit a 1.7 tonne Falcon with a 45 tonne truck at 99Ks no one will be killed what a load if crap but at 101 total mayhem
sorry but govts stink
John

Spanrz · 21-09-2008, 11:58 AM

You know what's stupid, some exit's (i.e Greens road off ramp, heading South) you have to rush over to the left lane, which is also the traffic from the Bypass onramp.
They put a toll gantry there, right at the point that you merge.

So how many cars a day will get a photo of their number plate half way in one camera and half in the other camera.? Lolz!

I like how they put a camera (for number plates) on the emergency lanes.
Sif anyone would try that on a new tolled fwy.......

: :evil3: I mean, who would be so stupid to even dare try the emergency lane. That's just cheating the system isn't it, just not right.

I only go pass one camera (speed), that is, on the way home. Greens Road.
So I can do what I want the rest of the other 3/4's of the trip.

:

But I do like all the new extra architecturaly drawn line markings in the new fwy. However atleast they could have used white lines instead of black lines, I just can't quite see where they lead.
I mean, some go in a circle, some look like a curvy snake and some go into the gutter. Who's the Irish fella they paint's black lines on a black surface heading into the gutter???
I reckon he's ****ed.
I think I'll wait up for him on a Saturday night around 2am and see if I can catch that Irish Fella, and tell him how to paint the lines properly.

TZENU · 22-09-2008, 12:58 PM

Travelling on Eastlink today i noticed that there are signs on some toll points indicating the cost... Also noticed signs stating the camera's are now on......

Auslandau · 22-09-2008, 02:32 PM

...... and some signs still saying they are coming! I think I liked it before when I couldnt add up how much it was costing!

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Fev · 22-09-2008, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silver Ghia

I have seen so many times cars braking or slowing down as they pass under speed cameras, also the toll gantries on the Citylink, sometimes even if they are already travelling at or below the speed limit. These drivers are probably also checking their speedos rather than concentrating and keeping eyes on the road. How can they cut crashes when they cause disturbances in traffic flow? They probably increase the likelihood of accidents.

try telling that to those bureaucrats lol

snakeoil · 22-09-2008, 06:24 PM

Safety cameras yeah right!

is that like those huge mobile billboards that they Park beside freeways saying

Distracted drivers die

Well hello I just got distracted by this huge rediculous bloody sign......cretins

Cheers

Snake

outback_ute · 23-09-2008, 02:27 PM

Just drove on Eastlink today for the first time in a couple of weeks, the signs on the toll gantries that tell you how much the toll is are an interesting touch - I wonder what will happen when they want to put the toll up? I think Citylink put it up each year with CPI.

AusM · 25-09-2008, 11:14 AM

I heard the Vic road toll last month and we were 10 higher than the same time last year (about 2-3% increase). I'm sure the number of speed cameras has also increased in that time, so they are clearly not the solution...

Quote:

Originally Posted by RACV

There were 81 people aged 18-25 who died on Victorian roads in 2007. This is 17 more fatalities than in 2006.

20% increase in that age group...

Some good resources:
http://www.monash.edu.au/muarc/
http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/roa...Stats_2007.pdf

Imagine what the roads would be like if all the camera revenue went into driver training for everyone!

balthazarr · 25-09-2008, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by outback_ute

... I wonder what will happen when they want to put the toll up? I think Citylink put it up each year with CPI.

They'll just cover the price with tacky stickers.

I can't imagine that ConnectEast is happy with the Gov sticking speed cameras on their road (potentially) reducing the number of cars willing to drive on it.

4Vman · 25-09-2008, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by balthazarr

They'll just cover the price with tacky stickers.

I can't imagine that ConnectEast is happy with the Gov sticking speed cameras on their road (potentially) reducing the number of cars willing to drive on it.

Why would speed cameras reduce a roads usage? are people that daft that they're incapable of staying under the posted speed limit on long open stretches of roads?

4Vman · 25-09-2008, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PFdesign

I heard the Vic road toll last month and we were 10 higher than the same time last year (about 2-3% increase). I'm sure the number of speed cameras has also increased in that time, so they are clearly not the solution...

20% increase in that age group...

Some good resources:
http://www.monash.edu.au/muarc/
http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/roa...Stats_2007.pdf

Imagine what the roads would be like if all the camera revenue went into driver training for everyone!

Sobering numbers, i wonder if this is contributing to it:

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sto...20-661,00.html

The amount of P platers ignoring vehicle restrictions and getting caught/fined... (and Killed????)

Still, driver training isnt the issue, its driver ATTITUDE...

balthazarr · 25-09-2008, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4Vman

Why would speed cameras reduce a roads usage?

A moment's distraction - distraction isn't quite the right word... a moment of not obsessing over your speed, and you're hit with a rather large fine. So that $4.96 maximum toll cap has just increased substantially.

Combine the fact that the road is quite expensive to drive on and that a 4km/h difference at 100km/h is hardly noticeable (when compared to, say, 60 to 64) - it's certainly made me think twice about using the road.

There have been a few times when I wasn't quite paying enough attention to the speedo (rather, I was paying attention to driving... the way it should be) as I was driving under Wellington Rd overpass... I don't want to get done for doing 104 in a 100 zone.

Quote:

are people that daft that they're incapable of staying under the posted speed limit on long open stretches of roads?

Yes. Yes, they are.

4Vman · 25-09-2008, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by balthazarr

A moment's distraction - distraction isn't quite the right word... a moment of not obsessing over your speed, and you're hit with a rather large fine. So that $4.96 maximum toll cap has just increased substantially.

Combine the fact that the road is quite expensive to drive on and that a 4km/h difference at 100km/h is hardly noticeable (when compared to, say, 60 to 64) - it's certainly made me think twice about using the road.

There have been a few times when I wasn't quite paying enough attention to the speedo (rather, I was paying attention to driving... the way it should be) as I was driving under Wellington Rd overpass... I don't want to get done for doing 104 in a 100 zone.

Yes. Yes, they are.

You wont get done doing 104 in a 100 zone... cruise control is your friend...

balthazarr · 25-09-2008, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4Vman

You wont get done doing 104 in a 100 zone... cruise control is your friend...

All well and good when I get my GT-P... but at the moment I'm renting a base-model Corolla... no cruise, no buttons on the steering wheel... it's a slight step down.

4Vman · 25-09-2008, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by balthazarr

All well and good when I get my GT-P... but at the moment I'm renting a base-model Corolla... no cruise, no buttons on the steering wheel... it's a slight step down.

Sit on 95 then, that way you've got a fair margin for error!