Flippin speed camera!

Lessbutbetter

I was driving home from friends last night, and was coming up toto one of those yellow 30mph speed cameras. There was another car about 4 car lengths in front of me, and as i slowed down just before i went past the camera and over the indicated line, i checked the speedo and it read 30 on the button, and then the camera flashed twice. I always go through these cameras at the same speed [28/29/30mph] and sometimes about 3mph [on average] over [33mph] as im under the impression that my speedo is about 3mph fast. I believe it's fast as the digital speedos at the side of the road around where i live, clock me at 27mph when my speedo reads 30mph. I've never has a ticket for speeding before, and definitely was only doing 30mph or slightly under.

Im not sure how these cameras work. I'd assume they dont record all the time like a anpr camera, and that they only trigger when the speed has been exceeded?

Anyone got any ideas on this?

Guess i'll just have to wait and see! :cool:

mrcow

Lessbutbetter wrote: »

Anyone got any ideas on this?

Guess i'll just have to wait and see! :cool:

Shouldn't take too long, if you've been clocked, they'll soon tell you how fast you were going.

Was the car in front flashed?

newfoundglory

Hmm, sounds a bit weird to me. Gatso's are known to be inaccurate, so generally they are set to trigger at a speed well above the limit (for 30mph, I would think a minimum of 36). But this will not be the case for all cameras.

I would say that it probably doesn't matter either way, as a secondary check you should be able to calculate the actual speed using the lines on the the road. The flashes are usually (should be) 0.5 seconds apart. But, it was found some Gatso's around the country had the flash/picture not correctly calibrated and it exceeded 0.8 seconds in some cases, which made the car appear to travel a greater distance and push some drivers into fine/points or even ban territory.

Just wait and see if you get something in the post within the next 14 days.

Wig

I always go through at 25mph. Because of flash intervals not being set correctly and being next to impossible to challenge.

Google NOTSO

Was there a fast car in the other direction?

2010

http://www.speedcamerasuk.com/gatso.htm

They take a photo at the first white line and the last.
The distance of each white line is calculated to find your speed.
Its unlikely you`ve exceeded 33 mph from what you`ve said.
I did read somewhere it`s 30 plus 10% plus 2 mph.

newfoundglory

http://www.safespeed.org.uk/notso.html

fwor

Wig wrote: »

Was there a fast car in the other direction?

Good point - I know for a fact that some Gatsos trigger on speeding cars coming towards them, even though they are only set up to record from behind, after you pass them.

If so, both you and the actual speeder will not get fined - the photos should show your actual speed, and the speeder will not be in the right position on the road to be captured on film.

Also, depending on where you are in the country, there's a good chance the Gatso won't have a camera in it anyway...

Lessbutbetter

Many thanks for the replies.

They take a photo at the first white line and the last

How do they work at night, as it was on a 30mph on the road leading through a tiny village hamlet, and there was absolutely no light. No street lights, nothing.

I always go through at 25mph

I've driven past some at 35mph and knew i wouldn't get a ticket as i strongly believe my speedo is fast [around 3/4mph] and of course i've never had a ticket. But im positive last night i was doing only 30mph.


I cant remember if there was someone coming in the other direction, but for what it's worth i dont think so.

I shall be back in due course to let you know if i've been slapped with a fine!

Thank you

John_3:16

I have just been on a speed awareness course.

Information from the course was. The cameras have to be set at the speed limit + 10% by law. Some police authorities add another 2mph but it is not mandortary. I think that if you were doing 30 then it is highly unlikely that you will get a ticket. Most car speedos read higher than the speed you are doing so that again means you may be under. If you do get a ticket, and you live within an authority that does speed awareness courses then you may be invited ob one, my hunch is you will be ok.

They have to inform you within 2 weeks.

Lessbutbetter

I think that if you were doing 30 then it is highly unlikely that you will get a ticket

What i don't understand is why did it flash in the first place?

Surely if it flashes at that means you were over the limit? I might be wrong.....i hope im wrong!

thanks

Lessbutbetter

Also, depending on where you are in the country, there's a good chance the Gatso won't have a camera in it anyway...

Surely if it ditn't have a camera it wouldn't flash? I was driving into Lepton, on the Wakefield road, driving towards Huddersfield.