Speed cameras.

[Noddy]

We have a fixed Gatso ( I think ) yellow camera locally, it seems to be having a bit of a funny turn at the moment. I was the only vehicle on the road tonight, traveling towards it when it started to flash. Bloody thing must have flashed about 6 times and nigh on blinded me. I was driving a high vehicle at the time so was about the same hight as the camera. Anybody else had this happen to them ?

 

[Eddy802]

I see it on a camera we have here In Colchester. Flashing when then only evidence of traffic is oncoiming.

Not so bad during the day, althuogh distracting.

At night it closes your vission down properly!

 

[Steve]

Bloody thing must have flashed about 6 times and nigh on blinded me. I was driving a high vehicle at the time so was about the same hight as the camera.

Good grounds for trying to get it removed if it's likely to cause more accidents than it prevents.

 

[Wraithwrider]

I've noticed over the years that it can happen when it's misty or foggy. Maybe something about light refraction?

 

[turbine_2]

I was driving a high vehicle at the time so was about the same hight as the camera. Anybody else had this happen to them ?

GATSOs are known to have issues with large flat vehicles and producing erronious speeds, especially when these vehicles are heading toward them. There was a case some time ago where the visual check had not been done on a set of pictures and a lorry alleged to be doing 58 in motorway roadworks (40 limit) was only crawling at about 5 mph.

 

[cookie]

AFAIK gatso's don't check speed of oncoming vehicles but can flash them occasionally in error.

 

[Jimb]

Good case for having GPS iwth track logging in the vehicle so you can prove the point.

 

[Noddy]

Thanks for the feedback chaps, I had a word at our local Police station who informed me that all cameras are now the responsability of the local council ! Presumably the Police are no longer involved with speeding ? They gave me the telephone No of the *Suffolk County Council Safety Camera Partnership*

They have taken all the details and have promised that the *Project Manager* will ring back within 2 working days.

Hmmm, sounds like a nice little legal earner to be involved with.

 

[Cestria]

I have heard of pairs of motorcyclists who will , on quiet roads when traffic conditions permit, cross over to the 'wrong ' side of a road so they can set off a speed camera while heading toward it. First guy sets off the camera , but does not see the flash , second guy goes through giving it the bird. Terrible, would not condone that sort of behaviour myself. Should be flogged to within an inch of their lives etc etc....

 

[columbus]

If a Gatso flashes you when you are travelling towards it then it has no camera fitted.

 

[artman975]

If a Gatso flashes you when you are travelling towards it then it has no camera fitte

Columbus

What makes you say this?

it would be nice to be able to tell which ones dont have cameras fitted

 

[MikeO]

If a Gatso flashes you when you are travelling towards it then it has no camera fitted.

Hmmm. I'm told (by those who should know) that Gatsos will flash once at an oncoming vehicle which is travelling faster than the threshold they've been set at. This is a reminder to the errant driver/rider to slow down.

It's a test I've used to see what speed the cameras in a particular area are set at (this can vary widely). I don't believe a picture gets taken under these circumstances (although I'm not sure - it was a fair while ago I got told all this).

Mike

 

[KAYCEE]

I believe that there are "paired" cameras on some of the motorways in Englandshire that read the front number plates of the vehicles and then calculate the speed of the vehicle from the time it takes to travel between the 2 cameras.

Is this a bit of positive discrimination for motorcyclists, given that we don't have front plates?

 

[Mouse]

I've deliverately set off a gatso on the other side of the road without leaving my lane (I'm such a bad boy). I'm pretty sure it flashed twice. Maybe it's down to the individual setup and calibration of the units.

 

[unhinged]

SPECS. I've seen them on the M1 and in Northampton. Also on the South Bank heading towards Tower Bridge. It doesn't mean you're safe though. I heard of one fellow hammering through a Truvelo (front facing gatso thingy) at the same time each morning so they just went down with a bike and waited for him!

 

[Mouse]

Quite, front facing cameras are good for us but if you take the piss, I imagine they'll make an example of you.