infra red Speed cameras

[Liam]

Just got back from south wales where I have been for a week. Travelling along A40 towards Tenby/Pembroke Dock etc at around 85MPH I think, came round a fast left hand downhill and went past a speed camera mobile van. sh*t I thought, as I thought I may have been going a bit faster. Turned round further along the dual carriageway and went past him again this time his rear window was open and I thought great as he may have just arrived as I past him as his window was closed. Anyway pulled up and parked behind him on the lay by and went to have a chat with him. Nice guy. He said he cant remember picking my car up. We got chatting he said they only pick vehicles up doing 80MPH+. Cant remeber how much he said the camera was but it was well in to the thousands £££££ £5000 or £15000 a lot anyway. He demonstrated it and it works so quickly just pointand it quickly zooms in and gets the speed and downloads it to the computer next to him where the info is sent for the fines sent out. Crystal clear shot even right back way up the hill . And can get the other side of the carriageway too going away from him just as easily. He said he had caught over 150 drivers that morning alone some were doing 125mph+ racing with each other. These vans are all over down there! He said someone had taken a picture of his van as they couldnt believe their radar detector hadnt picked him up. The officer had let the guy park up behind the van and even from there his radar detector wasnt picking him up. The speed camera was an infra red one. Anyway nothing thru the post as of yet. ......

 

[Liam]

great news for bikes going towards the van as he has no way of picking them up! I want an R6!!!!

 

[Jock_071279]

what do these vans look like exactly i never even heard of this ???!

Jock

 

[Nick Read]

Thats odd I didnt think you could use infra red to get a reading on a cars speed. You need radar or laser...

The Truvelo cameras with the wire buried in the road use an infra red flash cos otherwise theyd blind you when they went off. But I cant see how you can use the infra red wavelength to measure speed, its equivalent to measuring a cars speed by pointing a two bar electric fire at the car and hoping to get a proper return signal!

 

[PBS]

Fiat Scudos are a popular choice with the BIBs round here - South Wales.

I know my Snooper 815 is worked well a few weeks ago - I slowed down but the guy in the white van behind me didnt

This was from round a corner about 1/4 of a mile away. For LIDAR (laser) guns you need to have other traffic being checked because they measure the speed almost instantly. If you are the only vehicle around its probably 2 late.

Solar Control windscreens (172 and most other recent renaults) will have a detrimental effect on laser detectors - you need to place the detector behinh the clear square panel in the middle at the bottom of the screen.

The lasers used for LIDAR are infra red types.

 

[Tommy]

I saw an article in the paper the other day that the South Wales Police were giving up investigating car crimes because their success rate was 0%. However in the first 6 months of the year theyd nipped 7000+ drivers for speeding offences.

Make your own conclusions,
Tommy.

 

[Liam]

yeah I thought the same about it been infra red but it must be right. They are quite large vans have a picture of a camera on the side and at bottom says slow down. If I get a ticket then Im buying a detector! nothing as of yet. Is it 2 weeks they have?

 

[Liam]

will any detector work with LIDAR cameras??

 

[PBS]

Supposed to issue a NIP (Notice of Intention to Prosecute) within 14 days.

I usually think if you havent heard within 4 weeks you are OK.

Laser speed guns are instant (take only a fraction of a second to measure speed) and are not always on. so as I said in a previous post if you are the only vehicle around when the detector goes of then you have probably had it.

Another thread has been discussing the use of GPS/Radar/Laser detectors inside solar control equipped cars. Usually only the front screen is solar control - check it out the front screen is "clear" solar control whilst the other glass is usually green tinted - try looking at a piece of white paper across the screen/A-pillar/side window you should see quite a difference.

The solar control is a metalised coating on the PVB interlayer and as such reduces radio and light (infra read - heat) transmission through the screen - hence the need for external arieals to get good GPS reception. Or place the unit as close as possible to the eurotag window in the bottom middle of the screen.

 

[wkdlad]

A guy from across the road told me there is a device for £1500,and when a laser gun trys to get you it cant and if the copper trys it about 3time his gun packs up and needs to get recalerbrated cant spell that word not sure if it works on the new speed cameras though!just wounderin how do them new speed cameras work?

 

[PBS]

The worst is yet to come into widespread use.

These are average speed cameras which will use numberplate recognition.

Two cameras can be set up on a stretch of road as far apart as you like. The time taken for a car to pass from one to another is used to calculate the average speed between the two points. If the speed limit is exceeded - youve guessed it - you get a ticket.Oviouslly the cameras can only be installe where there is a constant speed limit between them.

Already being tested in some areas. There is even talk of this technology being made so small that it can be installed in a catseye.

This technology (number plate recognition) has been around for a long time - its how "Traffic master" works - these are the blue cameras that can be seen on busy routes around the country.

BIG BROTHER WILL BE WATCHING YOU - and I dont mean the Channel 4 variety

 

[PBS]

The device he was telling you about is probably a laser jammer and works by sending back a fairly high power laser signal back at the laser speed camera jamming the return "echo" by overloading the detector on the camera. Highly Ilegal !!

 

[wkdlad]

yes thats the one that i am on about so do you think it would work on them new speed cameras?dont suppose you know a website about them do you?

 

[BRUN]

PBS, those cameras are in fairly widespread use on motorways right now !

ive seen tons of the things

 

[Ben H]

South Wales Police list the locations of all their cameras - static and moving - on their website.

There are few statics in the region - but loads of Fiat Scudos. Theres a red Transit that sits atop bridges on the M4 - but youd be stupid to get caught by that as its red and has a big slogan written on it in yellow!

I think that theyre just after daft people really. I think if youre altering the space-time continuum in a 30 area then you deserve to get done!!!! I think we all speed - some more than others. I usually stick at 55mph on the motorways and dont get drawn into any races (I know Ill win anyway!!"align=absmiddle>).

 

[Simon]

On the M6 road works around Birmingham they are using S.P.E.C.S. speed devices. These use reg. no. recognition and work out the average time it takes you to travel between the gantries. This stuff as far as Im aware isnt legal yet but it is there being tested. Next time you go through the long 40 MPH road work section have a look at the Cameras painted Yellow ! up on the gantries.

Also they have another special device which looks the same but fires out a laser signal to measure your speed. This is on the M6 southbound just after the road works when it goes national. What most people do is cane it when it goes 40 to 70 and some peeps end up racing. This thing is about half a mile after the road works. Its got the same camera as the S.P.E.C.S. devices so probably reads your number plate as well !!

 

[Ben H]

If I sniff even a hint of cameras, I stick to my leisurely 55mph. It just isnt worth the hassle of a speeding ticket for speeding through road works. It wouldnt be as if youd look back and say "oh well, I got a fine, but it was worth it for the thrill"!!!!!

 

[Cliopatra]

Ben apreciate having a clean license, but why own a fast car, if to never use it ?

 

[Liam]

damn!! 10 days after the day its arrived. 89 in a 70mph.
I was the driver, should I ask for photographic evidence so I can frame it or should I send it of be fair with them in the hope they just fine and avoid the points.
If you get fined and avoid the points do you have to mention the fine come insurance renewal time or are they just interested in points.
and how much should I expect for doing 89 in a 70? cant be that much surely?
snooper here we come.

 

[Roamer]

BradfordLad, have a look here, its the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.pepipoo.com/Magistrates_guidelines.htmMagistrates Guidelines for speeding offences.

 

[Roamer]

Also, here is the Polices <a target="_blank" href="http://www.pepipoo.com/files/ACPO/ACPO_enforcement_guidelines.htmSpeed Enforcement Guidelines

Looks like itll be a 60 quid fine and 3 points

 

[ChavyBoy]

Yup agree with Roamer looks like 3 points and £60 fine

 

[Liam]

£60!! insurance is expensive enough with my clean license. Ive tried it with three points and it goes up £70! maybe they will simplly fine me and not bother with points. then again.
Its all in Welsh too a confusing bit of paper.
B@ll@cks

 

[Liam]

cahvyboy have you got ever had any points? is it 3 years they last then they are removed from your license? obviously I would send the counterpart license in points printed on are they removed off this after 3 years or do they simply expire?

 

[Eddd]

Ill be thinking of you lads on my way to and from the ring with the speedo needle hovering around the 200-220 marks.

 

[ChavyBoy]

I have got three points from May 1998, They said it dont make a difference for my insurance but I bet they load on a little on the premium.

I think you can get them off after 3 years but most insurance companies ask for them for 5 years.

BTW it will cost you about £18 after the 3 years to remove them of the slip Another goverment money earner.

 

[PBS]

3 Years for totting up - 12 points then ban

4 years on your license but not included in totting up

5 years influence your insurance premiums

 

[Liam]

just ordered a snooper S5 the newest snooper. with a free breth tester worth £30. mmm dont drink so not much benefit.

 

[minx]

can anyone help me out on this one....
was going down the road in 30mph area and GATSO on otherside flashed as i went past at about 60mph, i thought that they could only get your number plate if u were on the same side ????????

 

[ChavyBoy]

I think the fixed Gatsos can only get you on their side of the road cause of no callibration marks.

 

[MarkB]

"can anyone help me out on this one....
was going down the road in 30mph area and GATSO on otherside flashed as i went past at about 60mph, i thought that they could only get your number plate if u were on the same side ????????"

Im sorry, but doing 60 in a 30 zone you deserve to get done - and the book thrown at you!

 

[minx]

i think at 1am in the morning on a straight road it doesnt really matter if i do 100mph !!! so please get a life !!! id love to know how many times u stick to the speed limit at that time in the morning and how many accidents youve had compared to my 0! "align=absmiddle>

 

[benworley]

HE HE!!! I know what you mean minx. if you say "I was doing 100mph in a 30" ppl r bound to go mad, but so long as you can do it safely, seeing there are no other cars on the road, visiblity is fine and its straight with no chance of drunk idiots jumping out, I dont see the problem either.

But this has happened to me too, I think the GATSOs can pick up ur speed towards them and warn you to slow down, but they cant take your plate.

You could always argue in court that the flash from the camera frigthened you so much you cant ever drive again, and claim compensation!

 

[Liam]

yeah I didnt think they can get you on the other side of the road. I tried many times doing 40 going opposite way down a road and never got flashed at all.

 

[minx]

Cheers guys ill just pray for the next 2 weeks that it didnt get my reg !!

 

[EightBall]

However, I understand that if you trip the GATSO whilst travelling towards it on a regular occurance, you will soon find that the local plod will make much more of an effort to apprehend speeders on that particular stretch of road.

And remember although you cant get nicked on the wrong side of the road your registration and speed can still be recorded (although not in every situation), so you are effectivly incriminating yourself, and if they eventually stop you they have other evidence to produce in court to back up the dangerous driving charges!

My mate (who is a member of our local constabulary) tells me that travelling at over 60mph in a 30mph areas here, regardless of the time of day, will earn you a fine (magistrates can fine up to £1000 for speeding), earn you a disqualification (up to 56 days for speeding) and/or load up your license with points. Lets not forget that Magistrates also have the power to imprison people for up to 6 months!

Im not being all high and mighty coz Im as guilty as the next person, but in this day and age us motorists (particularly speeders) are an easy target.

Andy.

 

[Liam]

i agree thats why i dont do 60 in a 30, and ive tested the detector only a few times at 40. This stretch of road is where it immediatley opens up into a 40 about 50 yards after the camera.

 

[telford_mike]

So if you like speeding get booked on the trackday. No Gatzos, nobody coming the other way, no pedestrians. It really gets the speeding bug out of your system. (And its probably cheaper than a fine and points!)

 

[Liam]

just sent my license off to obtain 3 points and also included my card details to pay them £60 anyone any idea how long it takes for them to send my license back?

 

[aaronc]

Gatsos can only work on the same side as you are.