Red light cameras

TheEffects

Hi

I wanted to ask does anyone know how these cameras operate. Do these operate on orange lights?

I also wanted to ask what happerns if you stop at the junction after the stop line due to traffic ahead and the light has turned red?

maninthestreet

The ones near me don't seem to flash on amber, only red - at least that's my experience. It's not an absolute offence to fail to stop for the amber light, so they seem to operate on red only. You'll know if you've been caught on camera, because the flash is quite bright, and operates during the day as well as light.

vikingaero

I think that technically if you run the red but stop over the line it's an offence. If you've stopped over the line when the lights were green and they turn red they they won't photograph you.

pompeyrich

The camera is "armed" when the light goes red, 1 second delay according to our local operators, which may or may not be true. The camera takes 2 pics, this will establish if/how far the car has moved. More info HERE. I once triggered one by moving away a bit quick, red and amber but the angle of the camera meant it would have taken a pic of the side of my car, well I didnt hear any more about it.

score

Hi,
Sorry to interupt this thread but I wanted to know do gatso cameras work for Vehicles approaching them? Or are they rear operational only?
e.g. can a gatso camera monitor both sides of traffic.

rev_henry

score wrote: »

Hi,
Sorry to interupt this thread but I wanted to know do gatso cameras work for Vehicles approaching them? Or are they rear operational only?

Gatsos flash after you've gone past them, truvelos get you before you go past.

OP red light cameras operate with a pressure pad just after the stop line, flashing if they detect a car going over the pad. They're automatically 'switched on and off' as the lights change. And they should go off only on red, as its not an offence to go through on amber.

vikingaero

score wrote: »

Hi,
Sorry to interupt this thread but I wanted to know do gatso cameras work for Vehicles approaching them? Or are they rear operational only?

Depends on the type of Gatso. If they are on your side of the road then they can take pics of the front or back of the car depending on their orientation. If you approach one facing you on the opposite side of the road then you should be OK. Their are one or two Gatsos awaiting approval that can zap in any lane/direction.

LeeSouthEast

If you get zapped by a traditional Gato heading towards it (i.e. blinded), it's just in deterrent mode and has actually run out of film/has no live camera head in it.

Red light cameras (gatso) have a 1 second delay between "gone red" and "gotcha", certainly in my county. Local rules may differ. Bear in mind that certain models of red light cameras also calculate your speed as you go through the junction on red.. so if you've sped up to beat the amber over the limit, it goes red, and you bomb through 1.1 second later, you'll probably find two tickets waiting in the post

flyingscotno1

rev_henry wrote: »

Gatsos flash after you've gone past them, truvelos get you before you go past.

OP red light cameras operate with a pressure pad just after the stop line, flashing if they detect a car going over the pad. They're automatically 'switched on and off' as the lights change. And they should go off only on red, as its not an offence to go through on amber.

No, they do not use pressure pads, certainly not modern ones as they are a nightmare for maintenance. They use induction loops, which carry a electrical charge. One is placed before the stop line, one set after the stop line.

I believe they are operational at all times, what happens is when a vehicle passes over the metal in the vehicle disturbs the magnetic field or induction and it registers and input. If the first induction loop notes an input (vehicle) and notes that a red light is lit, it is readied and then as it hits the second loop two evidential photographs are taken, one usually showing the vehicle crossing the white line (actual offence in law, the other proceeding through the junction). It can work out speed (think that is how speed on green works), time after red too. It knows that a red light is lit as it needs the two inputs, one from the red light and one from the loops, hence does not work on amber (and it doesn't need to) but can work on red and amber. Work is being done on cameras that work on radar alone, but I know little about them.

I'm surprised to hear of 1s grace times, I'd have thought most authorites were clamping down on the 'just gone red' offenders and 3s of amber time was adequate enough. I am led to believe it is possible to have a 'trigger speed' set, in which if a vehicle is passing slowly over them it is ignored. I believe this is for the American market however where you can stop, then turn left at red but are going a slow speed so the camera ignores you.

Inactive

flyingscotno1 wrote: »

. I believe this is for the American market however where you can stop, then turn left at red but are going a slow speed so the camera ignores you.

I think that you may mean right turn.;)

flyingscotno1

Inactive wrote: »

I think that you may mean right turn.;)

Yes! Can actually do a left on red where there is a 1 way into 1 way street!:p