Speed Cameras

[Johnboy]

I fell foul of one of these a couple of weeks ago - a mobile job - coming into Fort Augustus (from Fort William). There is a long straight stretch of road (30mph limit) with a bit of the blind summit as you approach the town. The camera van was sitting just beyond the summit on the right hand side of the road.

My question is : What are the rules about warning notices for these things? I came through Fort Augustus today again (from Fort William) There are no of camera warning signs as you approach the 30 mph signs on the edge of the town. I was under the impression there had to be warning notices within a couple of hundred yards of a camera.

Does anyone know what the rules are governing these thjings?

I've gone into google, and it's a complete jungle. Just can't find an answer to my question.

Interesting ad on this site (CTO) all the same, for an aerosol that you can spray on your numberplate, making it unreadable to speed cameras.

Anyone tried it yet?

[PullMyFinger]

As it is illegal, no.

There is however a website which publishes which locations will host mobile speed cameras, I'll see if I can find it.

[PullMyFinger]

http://www.nscp.co.uk/site/news/

To think they tell you where the cameras are and you still get caught.

Didn't think you could speed in a diesel/petrol hybrid. :)

[Johnboy]

http://www.nscp.co.uk/site/news/

To think they tell you where the cameras are and you still get caught.

Didn't think you could speed in a diesel/petrol hybrid. :)

Thanks for that, although it's a bit feckin late now....

I see that speed cameras are now referred to as Safety Cameras

Barstewards... :D

[+DoofersDad]

No sympathy at all Johnboy. I subscribe to the boring old fart school of thought on these matters. Not popular I know but if you get caught breaking the speed limit then you should have no complaint if you end up with a fine and points on your licence. You should know what the limit is and abide by it. The limit is there for a reason and that reason is the safety of the public.

The warning is pretty clear, it's a big red bordred circular sign with a black 30 in the middle. Surely you can't expect to be warned that there are cameras as well. Where will that end? People getting off for violent city centre assaults because no one warned them that their brutish behaviour was being captured on CCTV?

I appreciate that warning signs are provided for many fixed speed cameras but this is simply because such warnings are effective in reducing speed at known accident black spots. Such warnings work better than speed limit signs or warnings of accident black spots simply because it seems the average motorist is more concerned about getting points on their licence than the possibility they might kill a child by ignoring the law.

[Johnboy]

I kind of agree with you DoofersDad...

I was just wondering if there was any point in pursueing this, in case there was a chance of getting off with it on some kind of a technicality.

Another thing I'm wondering about is that, as I breezed into Fort Augustus that day, behind a transit van, who suddenly braked sharply - obviously having spotted the police van/camera, forcing me to brake as well - along with the two cars that were behind me.

That was 4 vehicles that came into F.A that day - all more or less nose to tail, all doing the exact same speed (43mph)

Would they all have been snapped and consequently done?

How much money do these cameras raise in the course of a day?

I think we should be told.

Edited February 7, 2010 by Johnboy

[Yngwie]

Here's a wee hint for you Johnboy.

When most people who are speeding see a camera they instinctively brake. However, the Gatso sensors don't actually record speed in a legally enorceable way if you accelerate towards the camera.

[Guest]

Johnboy don't even consider the aerosol thing because most the traffic patrol cars these days have the number plate recognition systems fitted and if they spot that you are hiding your number from cameras then you are asking to get pulled, and more points on your license.

EDIT- Better off looking for a car of similar age, model, and colour then cloning his number :)

Edited February 7, 2010 by Revbirdog

[Johnboy]

Here's a wee hint for you Johnboy.

When most people who are speeding see a camera they instinctively brake. However, the Gatso sensors don't actually record speed in a legally enorceable way if you accelerate towards the camera.

Don't think I'll try putting that one to the test!

[Johnboy]

EDIT- Better off looking for a car of similar age, model, and colour then cloning his number

Now that idea, I really do like!

:)

[Yngwie]

Here's a wee hint for you Johnboy.

When most people who are speeding see a camera they instinctively brake. However, the Gatso sensors don't actually record speed in a legally enorceable way if you accelerate towards the camera.

Don't think I'll try putting that one to the test!

Oh go on, I'll even give you a lift home from Court!

[Guest]

Another thing I'm wondering about is that, as I breezed into Fort Augustus that day, behind a transit van, who suddenly braked sharply - obviously having spotted the police van/camera, forcing me to brake as well - along with the two cars that were behind me.

That was 4 vehicles that came into F.A that day - all more or less nose to tail, all doing the exact same speed (43mph)

You could possibly argue that you got caught in the transit's slipstream resulting in a sudden lowering of air pressure surrounding your car sucking you forwards and increasing your speed unwittingly.

[MrsICTFC]

If I am correct there is no law on signs if it is a mobile camera re: signs close by. There is a van on the nairn road, always in the part of road before a dip. There are never any signs close to it. All I know is that as long as they aren't hiding drastically then there is nothing you can do besides obey speed limits!!

Talking about speeding - does everyone know that outside the college (Longman) is a 30mph? I am suprised at the amount of people who think it's 40mph.

[The Fly]

Here's a wee hint for you Johnboy.

When most people who are speeding see a camera they instinctively brake. However, the Gatso sensors don't actually record speed in a legally enorceable way if you accelerate towards the camera.

Don't think I'll try putting that one to the test!

I believe they also fail to capture the necessary pictures if you drive past at a constant 144mph or above - that's another option to try.

[Heilandee]

Could have been worse JB, ya could have been done for a serious traffic violation sauch as blowing your nose whislt stationary!

Ayrshire traffic violation

[RiG]

Use the Patrick Kielty excuse. He got off with a warning after his lawyer was able to successfully claim that because he (Kielty) didn't know the area he was driving in that well he should be allowed to drive through it really fast. Amazingly he was let off.

[dan_ict]

Or you could do what James May done on an episode of top gear. Stick two cars together (both with different number plates) and make a limo

[tm4tj]

Money for old rope if you ask me.

I now have to wonder if the three I passed this weekend will be sending me a letter. Nothing wrong with driving at seventy on the empty stretches of the A9 south. It's how you do it that matters. In fact, I even set my cruise control to just below seventy...........pity it was a sixty mph section.

Not sure how many people you will find wandering aimlessly around on the A9 at Drummochter and the likes. If they are, they deserve to be knocked down.

Average speed cameras at Cumbernauld are a pest as well, but they are there for the safety of the work force, now that I have no issue with.

[Heilandee]

Spot on Mannie,I'm no boy racer but the revenue collecting safety camera locations on the A9 and A96,IMO, have no bearing on road safety but are placed where drivers may see an opportunity to overtake and make progress safely, only to discover they have gained another 3 points towards losing their liveliehood and thus end up giving a dispraportionate amount of attention to the speedo and looking for cameras in the future. I would have no issue with all residential streets and built up areas being 20 zones and am very aware of the dangers and of speeding but on trunk roads it's poor judgement and bad driving that cause the problems,but these issues would be harder to police and not so lucrative.

[HumbersideDude]

There is some info on the criteria for the setting up of speed camera's including mobile units.

http://www.speedcameras.org/speed_cameras_guidelines.htm

[Johnboy]

Thanks DD....

I had a feeling there were rules and regs regarding warning signs for speed cameras, sorry Safety Cameras

Quote :

Signs

"Camera warning and speed limit reminder signs must be placed in advance of fixed, mobile or time/distance speed enforcement taking place. For fixed sites, signs must be placed within 1 Km of the housing."

There are no such warning notices as you approach Fort Augustus from Fort William...

Time to prepare my defence....

Kingsmills....

Where are you?

[Heilandee]

I think the last paragraph is probably the most relevant JB

qoute:- So it seems that local authorities can place cameras wherever they please. The penalties for breaking government guidelines are unknown and it's doubtful that any action can lawfully be taken against authorities who choose to ignore them. The only implication, which is a certainty, is that motorist will further resent the authorities for breaching the rules.

[+DoofersDad]

Thanks DD....

I had a feeling there were rules and regs regarding warning signs for speed cameras, sorry Safety Cameras

Quote :

Signs

"Camera warning and speed limit reminder signs must be placed in advance of fixed, mobile or time/distance speed enforcement taking place. For fixed sites, signs must be placed within 1 Km of the housing."

There are no such warning notices as you approach Fort Augustus from Fort William...

Time to prepare my defence....

Kingsmills....

Where are you?

Maybe you were going too fast to notice? :D

[Johnboy]

I think the last paragraph is probably the most relevant JB

qoute:- So it seems that local authorities can place cameras wherever they please. The penalties for breaking government guidelines are unknown and it's doubtful that any action can lawfully be taken against authorities who choose to ignore them. The only implication, which is a certainty, is that motorist will further resent the authorities for breaching the rules.

Yeah.... Saw that too, H/Dee....

Might have to take this one all the way to the European Court of Human Rights.

[Johnboy]

Thanks DD....

I had a feeling there were rules and regs regarding warning signs for speed cameras, sorry Safety Cameras

Quote :

Signs

"Camera warning and speed limit reminder signs must be placed in advance of fixed, mobile or time/distance speed enforcement taking place. For fixed sites, signs must be placed within 1 Km of the housing."

There are no such warning notices as you approach Fort Augustus from Fort William...

Time to prepare my defence....

Kingsmills....

Where are you?

Maybe you were going too fast to notice? :D

Aux contraire....

I deliberately came up the A82 yesterday, when returning from the Jimmy says aye to a Killie pie festival at Kilmarnock

I gingerly approached that town at a steady 29mph, while all the time casting a wary eye out for camera warning signs....

There is not a single solitary one.... Strangely enough, there is one just as you leave Fort Augustus....

A ?60 fine is bad enough, but as H/Dee says, the 3 penalty points which could result in a loss of a driver's livelihood is just totally disproportionate to the actual offence of being a few MPH over some arbritarily set speed limit..

It's just not a fair cop.