A NEW-STYLE 'intelligent' speed camera is set to appear on Britain's roads over the next 18 months, thanks to a new Highways Agency initiative.The new breed of speed catchers don't flash, so road users won't know they've been nabbed, well not until the notice letter drops through their front door. The new system can also simultaneously cover multiple lanes, says a report on today's Channel 4 News.Speeding lorry drivers won't escape the new camera technology either, as it can differentiate between trucks and cars, unlike the current cameras in use today.                                                                                                                                                                             

Old news BJ. Some cameras already know what you are and what speed you should be doing. There is a pair opposite the A444 junction outside Hinckley for example.   We calibrate speed guns/cameras at work and we are not allowed to say what they can and can't do.                                                                                                                                                                               

Aw, go on ghosty - we won't tell anybody..... I will only be impressed when 'safety cameras' can capture and fine a car doing 40mph on a 60mph road with a mile long queue behind it forcing people to do stupid overtaking manouvres...                                                                                                                                                                             

~I'll agree with ya there TC - there's nothing more annoying than people who insist on doing 40 mph (in cars) on a national speed limit road & it's usually the same people who keep to 40 through a 30 mph zone aswell - they have 1 speed & that's it!!! Also - whilst I'm on a rant - people who insist on thinking that national speed limit on a single carriageway is 50!!! /rant mode off                                                                                                                                                                              

The new speed vans in Leicestershire if there forward facing can take a digital image once you have gone past too !!!!! beware                                                                                                                                                                              

It's not cameras I'm worried about. They're generally fairly obvious.   But coming technology might mean black boxes in vehicles that automatically detect when a vehicle is speeding in a given area. Now that really would be a downer                                                                                                                                                                             

Rob  - that's already out there aswell - Norwich Union (Aviva) use black boxes so that they can you insure you on a 'usage basis' (not sure if they are still trialling this at the mo though). BUT these boxes, also track where you drive, at what times & at what speeds!! NU 'say' that it's just for insurance purposes & to help them with claims BUT the fact is, is that they have the ability to see what speed you were driving at the time (although they 'say' this wont be divulged to the police - except in 'special' circumstances!) Reason I know this, is cos IBM helped develop the software for this & I was at  a conference some years ago where this was demonstrated!....scary - VERY scary!                                                                                                                                                                             

Suppose the next thing will be insurance discounts for those that choose to fit them. Then, eventually, no black box, no insurance.   Anyone into cloaking technology ? Not that law breaking is something that I'd ever condone.                                                                                                                                                                             

Car firms are actually working toward self driving cars now that will automatically adjust to speed limits/conditions. primarily for motorway use it will allow a "tram" of cars to keep moving steadily rather than the stop start traffic we get now. Personally I think in principle its a good idea but I doubt we won't see widespread use for another twenty years or so.   In fact I have a better Idea..make motorways into giant conveyor belts lol   I have nothing against the use of black boxes provided proven risk takers/serial crashers or those with a DIU charge get them and I don't lol                                                                                                                                                                             

It might suit car drivers, but I ride a bike for the freedom, not to join the masses.   Maybe, this sort of thing might get scuppered by liability issues.   Could certainly provide a good excuse, "Sorry Officer, the little black box made me do it"                                                                                                                                                                             

Nah ghosty, flood all the motorways and we will all travel in bumper boats! Much more fun...   Or make all roads downhill and we will just use soap carts.   A couple of ideas there for you seeing as you will soon be Transport Minister!   I can see how GPS data would be valuable in providing proof of blame at an accident but can also see how the whole system would be open to abuse too.                                                                                                                                                                              

Maybe we should all get our heads round the idea that 'freedom' will be a thing of the past one day when all vehicles are restricted to the speed limits no matter how they do it, either physically or remotely and our passion for  modes of transport becomes something future generations laugh at                                                                                                                                                                               

indeed RK                                                                                                                                                                              

G*d how depressing. I'm sure the politicians would love us all to do exactly as we're told Makes a civil war sound quite appealing                                                                                                                                                                             

Black boxes aren't just being trialed for insurance purposes.   Some cities are trialing them for road charging purposes!                                                                                                                                                                             

I'd love a civil war but we're not allowed guns are we?   Plus, think of the paperwork....                                                                                                                                                                             

Thought the whole pont of a civil war was no paperwork !!!                                                                                                                                                                              

how about no war at all!!                                                                                                                                                                             

Just read in a local paper that volunteers have been trained and armed with speed guns in the village of Beeford on the A165 to stop speeding motorists, it's the first of a pilot scheme that could be used in more villages.       So watch out if riding in East Yorkshire          Don't say you were't warned                                                                                                                                                                             

War, what is it good for.....as the song goes.   But, given the current shower who call themselves politicians, it'd hardly be suprising if folk called enough.