[Fiend]

As far as I know there are two types of singular fixed speed cameras: "Behind" cameras that register your speed when you're driving AWAY from the camera where the road markings are a long series of spaced parallel dashes, and "Ahead" cameras that register your speed when you're driving TOWARDS the camera, where the road markings are 3 parallel road-width dashes close together.

Until recently I've never been flashed driving towards a "behind" camera, nor driving away from an "ahead" camera. As far as I know they work in their own specific ways.

But in the last week I've been seen a flash twice when I've been driving towards an "behind" camera (definitely a "behind" camera - long series of dashes NOT a close set of 3 lines). The first time there was traffic coming the other way which could have set it off, but the second time there was nothing. On both times there has been a vehicle slightly ahead travelling at a similar speed (40 in a 30 limit - no sanctimonious moralising please this is UKB not UKC) but I didn't notice a flash when they went past. Both of these are well-established cameras that don't seem to have been modified recently.

So.....WTF????

[Sloper]

So expect a letter from the plod.

[dave]

Wonder what the letter will say?

"Dear Sir, our speed camera caught you reversing along the wrong side of the road, 10mph above the speed limit..."

[Fiend]

Dearest sloper do you know any more, like how these speed cameras have magically changed mid-August 2007??



Edit: I could really do with not having letters from the plod at this time. Especially in a situation where a speed camera is designed to catch people for an obvious reason (i.e. people who are coming into towns) and NOT the opposite direction (i.e. people who are leaving towns and close to the national limit).


Edit 2: And if these speed cameras DO have new capabilities to catch people going both ways, shouldn't people be spreading the word about this??

Edit 3: From http://www.ukspeedcameras.co.uk/guide.htm#Gatso

Fixed installation post (F.I.P) Gatso speed cameras are rear facing as they use a 'flash' to capture the image required for prosecution, which would distract a driver if forward facing.

The forward facing Truvelo camera system is designed to take photographs of the front of a passing vehicle. This allows the picture taken to show the driver of the vehicle as well.
 ....
To avoid the 'flash' which is given out by a rear facing Gatso camera the Truvelo system uses an infra red flash which produces no visible 'flash' to the approaching driver.

[Paul B]

Don't forget the joy of 'SPECS' as well....

[Fiend]

I hate SPECS because they're always in the least justifiable positions ever i.e. 40/50 limits on fucking motorways FFS. But at least I know that they get you driving towards them and currently only driving towards them.

Have been scouting around a bit more about this, nowhere says that Gatsos are capable of forward facing speed recording, from this: http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?showtopic=22431 it sounds like a glitch.

And here: http://www.speed-trap.co.uk/FAQ/FAQ.htm

The most common speed cameras are the grey boxes on poles that are Gatso's. These use radar to measure a vehicles speed and then take 2 pictures half a second apart of any vehicle that passes above the set limit. Whilst these can be set to fire at the front of vehicles, it is extremely rare for them to be used like this. If a Gatso is on the other side of the road and facing you, they can go off in error and flash. If they do it is not likely to result in you being sent a NiP - in fact we have never heard of a case where the evidence (photo) from a Gatso on the other side of the road has been used to prosecute.

Well if they are glitchy I don't mind slowing down for the 5 seconds it takes to pass them in whichever direction.

[unclesomebody]

For what it's worth, I was wondering this about 6 months ago. After digging around a little but and asking some questions I didn't have a definitive answer, so I just started driving through the rear flash type cameras in the opposite direction, but way over the speed limit. I concluded that they definitely can't flash you if you are going towards them. I then asked a friend at work who owns a motorbike and he says that he does through them, and forward facing ones, way over the limit all the time (but's that because he has no number plate on the front).

So I would rest easy that you aren't going to get a ticket.

Talking of lucky breaks, in london recently I got a ticket for being parked on a yellow line. I was parked outside my friends house, half on the drive, half off, and I suddenly saw this warden writing a ticket, so I ran downstairs and out the door telling him to stop cause he's making a mistake. Well, he didn't stop, and I was pretty pissed about it. Anyway, 30 mins later after calming down, I looked closely at the ticket and the warden had written my number plate incorrectly. It's all computerised, so there was no way I could be wrong about it. I guess when I came rushing out it flustered him, and he put VT02 instead of YT02. Result!

[Bubba]

I wouldn't worry about it - if the camera was triggered in error then I doubt you would get an NIP from it. Were there markings on your side of the road?

To avoid the 'flash' which is given out by a rear facing Gatso camera the Truvelo system uses an infra red flash which produces no visible 'flash' to the approaching driver.

This is actually false - a Truvelo will flash in low light or at night. I know this because i've just got 3 points from one that went off in my face at 4am. I've also seen a biker trigger the flash on the Truvelo's on Prince of Wales Road in Sheff.

Bikers can effectively ignore Truvelo and Specs.

[lorentz]

Unclesomebody.

Don't want to piss on your parade, mate, but those f**kers take digital photos of all the cars they ticket down these parts. Can use the photo to cross reference to your motor. Don't know the legal arguments, but still reckon you've got a strong case to appeal on a technicality.

[Paul B]

Bikers can effectively ignore Truvelo and Specs.

Is there something truckers know about specs that we don't? They always seem to be hassling me going through the Luton roadworks and i'm relying on my gps so I can go at the speed limit because the fiat's speedo is very optopmistic, they still overtake me etc and i've never seen one flash!

[dave]

I then asked a friend at work who owns a motorbike and he says that he does through them, and forward facing ones, way over the limit all the time (but's that because he has no number plate on the front).

I'm sure i've seen car on the road recently with no front number plate like in the USA/canada. Whats the legailty of that? Also, whats the legality of those fucking awful numberplates using non-standard fonts? Fuck it'd love it if they were as illegal as I hope (providing they actually enforce it).

[Yossarian]

Talking of lucky breaks, in london recently I got a ticket for being parked on a yellow line. I was parked outside my friends house, half on the drive, half off, and I suddenly saw this warden writing a ticket, so I ran downstairs and out the door telling him to stop cause he's making a mistake. Well, he didn't stop, and I was pretty pissed about it. Anyway, 30 mins later after calming down, I looked closely at the ticket and the warden had written my number plate incorrectly. It's all computerised, so there was no way I could be wrong about it. I guess when I came rushing out it flustered him, and he put VT02 instead of YT02. Result!

I had a similar experience near Waterloo once.  Left car on meter with about 10p in it. Got ticket. Ticket had Lxxx rathe than Jxxx. I bet it was that bloke off Traffic Warden Cunt Action who gets 100 tickets a day.

I have been deep in fear about 2 seperate suspicious vehicles on bridges over the last fortnight. Was doing about 110 along the M55 when I saw a blue van parked on a bridge. Spent the rest of the evening worrying about whether he was an unmarked car, but nothing in the post. Then on Tuesday morning I was cruising along the M6 just before Carlisle and I saw a similarly positioned van. That's a nice van I thought, admiring its blue and yellow paintwork. Then I saw the words "Cumbria Safety Cameras" or words to that effect down the side. Brakes on hard, copy of Female Weightlifters Monthly hits the dash and ends up in a heap on the floor. But again, no ticket as yet.

(I have slowed down a bit since, apart from a bit of convoy action with an M3 and an RS6 after an afternoon failing to go fast down the Ae downhill course.)

[Fiend]

Also, whats the legality of those fucking awful numberplates using non-standard fonts? Fuck it'd love it if they were as illegal as I hope (providing they actually enforce it).

Grey area - depends on how many koi carp per wheel you have 

[Bubba]

Is there something truckers know about specs that we don't? They always seem to be hassling me going through the Luton roadworks

Nah, they just have very accurate speedometers....linked to tacho, etc.

[Bubba]

I then asked a friend at work who owns a motorbike and he says that he does through them, and forward facing ones, way over the limit all the time (but's that because he has no number plate on the front).

When i commuted to the Specs hell that is Nottingham on my bike, i used to ignore the speed limits on the ring road and never had any come back. Totally safe.

[Bubba]

I'm sure i've seen car on the road recently with no front number plate like in the USA/canada. Whats the legailty of that?

Totally illegal.

Also, whats the legality of those fucking awful numberplates using non-standard fonts? Fuck it'd love it if they were as illegal as I hope (providing they actually enforce it).

I don't think there's any restriction on the font you are allowed, but there are restrictions governing the height/width/stroke/spacing/margins of the lettering.....so, a grey area i guess.

[Paul B]

thought you need to be able to read it from a certain number of yards?

[Bubba]

I think that's implied by the size regulations - otherwise who would you use to test the "visible from X yards" thang? A donut-munching copper with jam-jar specs? Or an eagle-eyed hero like Si O?

[SA Chris]

FWIW I have been flashed twice by behind cameras on the opposite side of the road while overtaking, and not got a fine or anything. Both times was in the Borders and they are usually pretty strict. I don't think you can get caught going the opposite way, or else why would they only put luminous stripes on one side?

[mark s]

i've been flashed about 5 times going towards a gatso,never recieved a ticket for those.got flashed doing 37 in 30 got a ticket.also got a ticket for doing 47 in truck in a tempory 30 zone,never saw nothing for that one.but it was in north wales and cheif of police is a nazi.prob a sniper speed gun.dont think 6 points make any diff on insurance tho

[neil h]

i just been done, doing 110 in a 60 zone on a camera that never works It didnt even flash me. but hey court in 4 weeks time   

[Bubba]

Shit Neil, that's a bad one - I suspect you're looking at a lengthy ban

[unclesomebody]

i just been done, doing 110 in a 60 zone on a camera that never works It didnt even flash me. but hey court in 4 weeks time   

Good thing you're moving to France, cause that's going to be a straight ban. Just don't get banned (again!) in France!

[Fiend]

Feel free to change this to a general speed camera thread, obviously a useful topic!

I generally avoid doing 110 in a 60 

[Johnny Brown]

Expecting a letter following the bank holiday... set off early saturday to go to abersoch, mobile van at the end of the long straight past ladybower - very well hidden. Can't see much 'safety' justification for that - anyone doing under fifty down that hill is too old to be driving.

Fiend, I'd make sure you differentiate between gatsos and truvelos on the camera boxes themselves, not the road markings. More often than not nowadays they have both sets of markings combined. Dunno whether this is to confuse the informed or to make it easier to swap the cameras and catch folk out.

As for the timed distance motorway ones, I guess like most they don't prosecute until you exceed the ten percent plus three rule, that would mean in a fifty limit the hgv drivers can leave the cruise control where it is at 56.