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Gatso Question

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Old Oct 24, 2005 | 03:09 AM
  #21  
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Originally Posted by Neil.H,Oct 24 2005, 10:52 AM
http://www.speedcamerasuk.com/Truvelo.htm

(although I have never set one off myself)
my point.

Not everything you read on the web is true!!!
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Old Oct 24, 2005 | 05:21 AM
  #22  
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Thanks all. As suspected it seems I have nothing to worry about!

Nick
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Old Oct 24, 2005 | 05:44 AM
  #23  
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if a camera has a line of sight across both lanes then they can often trigger because of cars coming the other way (why you shoudl always get the picture and measure your speed from the photo) a few round here that i can set off as billybiker mentioned. I've been told that this is sometimes intentional to warn the person that they are going well over the speed limit (as the angle increases the speed to flash increases so you can go faster in the outside lane compared to the inside by a few miles an hour and the inside might flash where the outside would not) so the speed depends on the road width etc. though would usually be 10mph + over the camera flash speed which is usually around 10% over the limit.
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Old Oct 24, 2005 | 06:16 AM
  #24  
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Originally Posted by Iron Head,Oct 24 2005, 12:09 PM
my point.

Not everything you read on the web is true!!!


They do use IR though so you won't see it if it's light, unlike the flash on a Gatso.

I found some info on the dummy Gatsos

http://www.speed-trap.co.uk/Accused_Home/G...adgets_Home.htm

According to Chief Inspector Phil Groves (ACPO), the ratio of live units to dummies in the UK in 1999 was 1 in 8. In other words, when you tear past one of those grey boxes, there's a 1 in 8 chance that it's loaded. This is because the flash and the radar unit are cheap, but the camera units themselves are prohibitively expensive. So dummy boxes can have the radar and flash in but no camera, which can give the effect of having been caught, but without any photo actually being taken.

Dummy GATSO's are a great deterrant. They look just like the real thing, they flash just like the real thing. They just don't take any photos. The camera is typically the most expensive part of a gatso installation, followed by the cost of the radar unit. GATSO can supply a cheaper, self-regulating radar unit that will hook up to the flashgun and fire it when a vehicle passes the camera travelling above a set speed. The dummy radar units are much simpler, and measure speed less accurately then their full-cost counterparts. Dummy GATSO units can be set to flash either once (which gives the game away) or more likely, twice (thus mimicking perfectly a fully operational unit.)
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Old Oct 24, 2005 | 06:24 AM
  #25  
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On a connected matter - anyone know the deal with the gantries over the M42 near Brum? Is it like on the M25, where there are variable speed limits and the cameras are only active when a speed limit is showing? Or are all the signs bunkum...?

Don't want to go tonking through the gantries at 90mph as I'm on 9 points as it is!
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Old Oct 24, 2005 | 06:32 AM
  #26  
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one in 5 are empty or dummy flashes as per my conversation with a camera trained cop recently. they move the cameras around from site to site and once the number of deaths is < than permitted they will remove the camera but leave a fake flash unit in it.

As mentioned you will not get caught oncoming from a gatso but it may flash. The one by my house always flashes when you go past it towards it.

the white markers are there to a) scare oncoming from thinking it covers them & b) to catch people overtaking in the direction away from the camera.

the white lines act as a manual check to confirm from the position of the car on the stripes how fast it was going - the camera does not nick you - the manual check does.

Truvellos to my knowledge dont flash, i have seen the orange thing but think it is light reflection off the lense of the IR?

Check out the local camera sites as they will tell you what types of cameras are used, where the mobile cameras will be etc. the kent and medway is amzingly open and honest. "today the mobile camera van will be on the A26 between this junction and that"... I'm very impressed with how open they are.

Mobile cameras can only be used in the areas they advertise on their site as mobile camera areas OR within 1km from a working fixed camera. suprising huh! well this is what it says on their site / following email cnversation with them.

the cop I was spking with said long distance mobile units are not working perhaps as well as they could. yes they can get you from a km away before you see them BUT the camera should only be used to back up and support the coppers thoughts that you were speeding. He shouldnt be relying on it to confirm to him you were speeding. therefore if you were caught driving in his direction at speed 1km away how the heck could he tell you were speeding? It is very difficult for him to say you were doing 85mph lets say... he couldnt guarantee it therefore it would get thrown out of court. Yes the camera tells the truth but it isnt the camera that is nicking you - it is him. this has happened a lot recently! they cannot be trigger happy and should only zap when they are in a position to guarantee you were speeding.
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Old May 23, 2006 | 10:46 AM
  #27  
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I'm assuming that nothing ever came through from this?

Exactly the same thing happened to me this morning and I'm a bit worried.
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Old May 23, 2006 | 10:51 AM
  #28  
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I'd completely forgotten about that!!!

Heard nothing.
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Old May 23, 2006 | 11:06 AM
  #29  
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it's great how many experts there are on the internet
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Old May 23, 2006 | 11:07 AM
  #30  
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TFFT.
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