cameras on posts?

wishicouldmakeitbetter

Does anyone know what the cameras are on posts at roadsides all over the place. They seem to be sprouting up like mushrooms over the last month or so. Anybody who travels Ballydugan Road in Downpatrick you will have seen them. I hope someone can enlighten me and if you can't I'm sure that you will be able to come up with some entertaining theories:D! G

gibbyni

I think they just register ur number plate if its like the ones im thinking off. theres some outside newtownabbey police station been there for years and when our car got nicked they were able to tell me it passed a few different places overnight.

dmxdave

I think they are there to count the traffic, newer version of the old rubber strips. If they are there will be a box chained to the pole on the ground.

moonpie

wishicouldmakeitbetter wrote: »

Does anyone know what the cameras are on posts at roadsides all over the place. They seem to be sprouting up like mushrooms over the last month or so. Anybody who travels Ballydugan Road in Downpatrick you will have seen them. I hope someone can enlighten me and if you can't I'm sure that you will be able to come up with some entertaining theories:D! G

I'm glad someone else has noticed this. Are they on bright galvanised silver posts with antivandal spikes sticking down? I've seen 4 of these appear in the last month between Lisburn and Belfast (various routes). I have no idea what they are for either but I doubt they're for anything as innocent as counting cars.

BigAl94

Seen them in North Down as well.

wishicouldmakeitbetter

Thanks for all your replies! No box at the bottom so I don't think they're counting cars. On Comber to Dundonald road and Saintfield/Belfast. I think that the aliens have invaded - they're watching us (somebody is!):silenced:.
G

Benet

Have a sneaky suspicion they are ANPR (Automatic Numberplate Recognition) cameras. Basically, they read number plates and if a car is flagged on the police computers as stolen, uninsured, untaxed etc the police will be notified. Considering they're springing up now, it sounds about right considering this article: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/08/12/northern_ireland_anpr/

bingo_bango

Yep, all ANPR cameras.

They are everywhere. There are no less than 3 sets between my house and work (both S. Belfast) which is about 4 miles. Perhaps this is a precursor to charging us for road use by the mile? Certainly enough of them about to accurately gauge my road use.

wacko911

You can tell if they are ANPR as they will have a black lens (IR filter). They have sprung up round craigavon also.

I would guess they are looking for untaxed cars and the fine arrives in the post. Sister got one, even though she taxed the car that morning on the way to sprucefield.

BigAl94

The bottom line is that if your vehicle is taxed, insured, mot'd, psv'd etc and you're not doing anything you shouldn't be, you've nothing to fear and the roads will be a better place with this system.

chunter

BigAl94 wrote: »

The bottom line is that if your vehicle is taxed, insured, mot'd, psv'd etc and you're not doing anything you shouldn't be, you've nothing to fear and the roads will be a better place with this system.

.. and to hell with civil liberties...

Big brother really is watching us now.
Type in a car registration number and the database will spill out where you've been, where you are - right now.

Let's hope the police and security services are the only government departments with this facility....