When Norwegian police and road authorities set up a new speed camera inside an Oslo tunnel last weekend, they expected that some motorists would get caught for driving too fast. They were stunned when around 2,700 were snapped and cited for exceeding the 70kph (40mph) speed limit.
“We also thought some might lose their driver’s license, but the number is much higher than expected,” Finn Erik Grønli of the Oslo Police District told newspaper Aftenposten on Tuesday. Fully 26 motorists were caught driving so fast during the camera’s first weekend in the Løren tunnel that they’ll now need to walk, cycle or take the bus.
“There were far too many people speeding,” Grønli said. “This is not good.” It means that they were driving at speeds of at least 106kph. One driver was clocked at 131kph.
The camera was busy, registering an average of 50 speedsters every hour. It all means lots of money in fines flowing into state coffers, and that more cameras are likely to be placed in more tunnels as well.
newsinenglish.no staff
