Omega Owners Forum

Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: Dave-C on 08 February 2008, 17:13:40

Title: Speed Camera Vans!!!!
Post by: Dave-C on 08 February 2008, 17:13:40
Folks,

Yesterday I was invited into a Speed Camera Van which was located next to where I was working on the highway.  Really nice guys doing a honest days work in my opinion, I was privy to a full demonstration of the recording systems, the use of the laser etc...  It IS fair, I've got to say!  The operator displayed that the camera / laser cannot be tricked, the orientation is monitored every 3/10 ths of a second, therefore if the kit is knocked very slightly or a truck passed and shakes the van it shows up as an error..

I witnessed a white van really moving towards us, the laser trained on the flat surface of his number plate, he spotted the van and coincidently braked heavy at the time that the operator pulled the trigger, the front of the van dipped, thus throwing up an error.

They previously did an Audi A8 for 46mph in a 30mph...  "Was it you JIM?" ::)  They were well visible yet he still chose to blast on through, Oh Well!


Incidently, if any of you have laser detectors, they'll only detect laser when he pulls the trigger...  by then, you've got a ticket!!!!! :(

Just to end this post, though I know that most of us like to get the hammer down, it's appears unfair when we get a ticket, BUT, what I've seen, it's a fair system...

Moral:  Don't speed, or pay the price!!!!!!!

DC :)

Title: Re: Speed Camera Vans!!!!
Post by: tunnie on 08 February 2008, 17:17:46
Camera Vans are fine in towns, but really annoy me on motorways!

I got a scare on the M4... doing 84 and past one. Not got anything yet, touch wood!

Title: Re: Speed Camera Vans!!!!
Post by: Markjay on 08 February 2008, 17:20:02
Not directly related, but on the topic of camera vans... London is full of them. Some are Police, some carry the Congestion Charge logo, some the council logo, and some are just white vans... and not only vans, they have these little Smart cars with a CCTV mounted on a long mast... looks very odd.

Anyway, it seems that these are now very prolific, and are used for everything from speeding, road tax, congestion charge, as well as for number plate detection by the security services (and some also also facial features detection).



Title: Re: Speed Camera Vans!!!!
Post by: Dave-C on 08 February 2008, 17:20:20
Quote
Folks,

Yesterday I was invited into a Speed Camera Van which was located next to where I was working on the highway.  Really nice guys doing a honest days work in my opinion, I was privy to a full demonstration of the recording systems, the use of the laser etc...  It IS fair, I've got to say!  The operator displayed that the camera / laser cannot be tricked, the orientation is monitored every 3/10 ths of a second, therefore if the kit is knocked very slightly or a truck passed and shakes the van it shows up as an error..

I witnessed a white van really moving towards us, the laser trained on the flat surface of his number plate, he spotted the van and coincidently braked heavy at the time that the operator pulled the trigger, the front of the van dipped, thus throwing up an error.

They previously did an Audi A8 for 46mph in a 30mph...  "Was it you JIM?" ::)  They were well visible yet he still chose to blast on through, Oh Well!


Incidently, if any of you have laser detectors, they'll only detect laser when he pulls the trigger...  by then, you've got a ticket!!!!! :(

Just to end this post, though I know that most of us like to get the hammer down, it's appears unfair when we get a ticket, BUT, what I've seen, it's a fair system...

Moral:  Don't speed, or pay the price!!!!!!!

DC :)


We were in a 30mph by the way, that very bend where we were has claimed many lives... aptly located me thinks :y
Title: Re: Speed Camera Vans!!!!
Post by: Kevin Wood on 08 February 2008, 17:20:54
Interesting.

Not a lot of frontal area on a Westfield. Maybe I should remove the windscreen as well. SWMBO will freak but I reckon that'd make it tricky to get a return. ;D

Kevin
Title: Re: Speed Camera Vans!!!!
Post by: Dave-C on 08 February 2008, 17:22:33
Quote
Interesting.

Not a lot of frontal area on a Westfield. Maybe I should remove the windscreen as well. SWMBO will freak but I reckon that'd make it tricky to get a return. ;D

Kevin

Tilt the plate too!
Title: Re: Speed Camera Vans!!!!
Post by: Kevin Wood on 08 February 2008, 17:24:04
Quote
Tilt the plate too!

The plate is a stick-on one across the nosecone.

Kevin
Title: Re: Speed Camera Vans!!!!
Post by: Markjay on 08 February 2008, 17:27:36
You can use non-reflective paint based on U.S. stealth technology...
Title: Re: Speed Camera Vans!!!!
Post by: Jim on 08 February 2008, 17:47:55
Quote
Folks,

Yesterday I was invited into a Speed Camera Van which was located next to where I was working on the highway.  Really nice guys doing a honest days work in my opinion, I was privy to a full demonstration of the recording systems, the use of the laser etc...  It IS fair, I've got to say!  The operator displayed that the camera / laser cannot be tricked, the orientation is monitored every 3/10 ths of a second, therefore if the kit is knocked very slightly or a truck passed and shakes the van it shows up as an error..

I witnessed a white van really moving towards us, the laser trained on the flat surface of his number plate, he spotted the van and coincidently braked heavy at the time that the operator pulled the trigger, the front of the van dipped, thus throwing up an error.

They previously did an Audi A8 for 46mph in a 30mph...  "Was it you JIM?" ::)  They were well visible yet he still chose to blast on through, Oh Well!


Incidently, if any of you have laser detectors, they'll only detect laser when he pulls the trigger...  by then, you've got a ticket!!!!! :(

Just to end this post, though I know that most of us like to get the hammer down, it's appears unfair when we get a ticket, BUT, what I've seen, it's a fair system...

Moral:  Don't speed, or pay the price!!!!!!!

DC :)

No not me, myself and the A8 are in Glasgow and have been here all week :y
Title: Re: Speed Camera Vans!!!!
Post by: JiMbOb789 on 08 February 2008, 17:57:21
hate them, they catch me all the time >:(
Title: Re: Speed Camera Vans!!!!
Post by: Andy B on 08 February 2008, 18:12:35
Quote
Quote
Tilt the plate too!

The plate is a stick-on one across the nosecone.

Kevin
Tut tut!  :y  :y  :y Wonder how an original Lotus Elan would fair with its seperate letters & nnumbers attached to the open grille?  ::)
Title: Re: Speed Camera Vans!!!!
Post by: waspy on 08 February 2008, 18:23:58
These are fair as long as they play by the rules also:- Not parked on double yellows, bus stops, too far away from the road they are fixed on, cross hatchings, the list is endless as to where iv'e seen them parked. The fact is, if you get a ticket & the van or whatever is parked illegal then you can contest it.
The equipment also has to be calibrated & have a cert to say so.
These things iv'e learned from particular sites on the web.
Title: Re: Speed Camera Vans!!!!
Post by: motmann on 08 February 2008, 19:07:27
how do they detect motorcycles? anyone know??
Title: Re: Speed Camera Vans!!!!
Post by: waspy on 08 February 2008, 19:47:06
Quote
how do they detect motorcycles? anyone know??

I'm not sure, like Dave c says, they need a flat surface to get a reading from. some vehicles can be very hard to get a reading from, cars with very pointy noses & a low rake windscreen can be a pain.
I reaserched alot about my old Trans-Am & thats how i learned about the screens etc being hard to get a reading from. Apparently the model i had was almost impossible to read under normal circumstances.
I would say that with most up to date sports bikes that it would be very hard to get a reading as there isn't a big enough area, apart from the rider, but if he's over the tank winding it back then id'e say very hard.
Title: Re: Speed Camera Vans!!!!
Post by: MaxV6 on 08 February 2008, 19:57:34
What bugs me is the lack of coherence across the uk...  especially cumbria.....

everywhere I've seen them down here, and in Wales, they use White vans with Blue/orange or blue/yellow striping , and often, a rather great big camera picture ....

Cumbria, orange van, looks exactly like a motorway/highways maintenance vehicle.....  parked on a bridge over the M6.

there IS a camera icon, but it's fairly small, (when seen form 1/2 a mile away) and you're not immediately looking for it as the vehicle is orange not white....


so my first ticket in many many years.....  for doing 85 on an empty M6 on my way back to Oxford from Dumfries....  

(work related journey)

okay, so now i know... but break... if it had been white, I would have known sooner, and tamed my speed to a more acceptable level....  

so I can no longer wind up the rest of the family about being the only one with a clean licence.,..

bugger


Title: Re: Speed Camera Vans!!!!
Post by: waspy on 08 February 2008, 20:50:08
Quote
Folks,

Yesterday I was invited into a Speed Camera Van which was located next to where I was working on the highway.  Really nice guys doing a honest days work in my opinion, I was privy to a full demonstration of the recording systems, the use of the laser etc...  It IS fair, I've got to say!  The operator displayed that the camera / laser cannot be tricked, the orientation is monitored every 3/10 ths of a second, therefore if the kit is knocked very slightly or a truck passed and shakes the van it shows up as an error..

I witnessed a white van really moving towards us, the laser trained on the flat surface of his number plate, he spotted the van and coincidently braked heavy at the time that the operator pulled the trigger, the front of the van dipped, thus throwing up an error.

They previously did an Audi A8 for 46mph in a 30mph...  "Was it you JIM?" ::)  They were well visible yet he still chose to blast on through, Oh Well!


Incidently, if any of you have laser detectors, they'll only detect laser when he pulls the trigger...  by then, you've got a ticket!!!!! :(

Just to end this post, though I know that most of us like to get the hammer down, it's appears unfair when we get a ticket, BUT, what I've seen, it's a fair system...

Moral:  Don't speed, or pay the price!!!!!!!

DC :)


Sorry i just couldn't help my self  ;D ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Speed Camera Vans!!!!
Post by: Taxi_Driver on 08 February 2008, 21:02:54
Quote
Quote
Interesting.

Not a lot of frontal area on a Westfield. Maybe I should remove the windscreen as well. SWMBO will freak but I reckon that'd make it tricky to get a return. ;D

Kevin

Tilt the plate too!

Ive read that a loose number plate can give an incorrect reading (tho vibration).......when i was renting my merc out......its rear number plate was soo loose.....it actually failed its mot for it.....but when it was loose.....the driver got a ticket.....36 in a 30.......and pic of the offence was taken from the rear......so assume they pointed the laser at the rear.......i told him to contest the ticket......on those grounds....dont think he did tho.......
Title: Re: Speed Camera Vans!!!!
Post by: zirk on 09 February 2008, 02:23:49
Quote
These are fair as long as they play by the rules also:- Not parked on double yellows, bus stops, too far away from the road they are fixed on, cross hatchings, the list is endless as to where iv'e seen them parked. The fact is, if you get a ticket & the van or whatever is parked illegal then you can contest it.
The equipment also has to be calibrated & have a cert to say so.
These things iv'e learned from particular sites on the web.
 

Not True, if in London, I recently did some contract work in a building in Victoria, cant say too much but there are 3 floors just dedicated to replaying Camera Videos from VHS back up tapes, I was really surprised how many high building cameras there are covering London, say for example only, about 12 per set of traffic lights!

I couldn't belive the Camera quality, and the ability to zoom into a Number Plate with such high definition, from a VHS tape (taken from the main Matrix Server).

So, if the laser didn't get you, or the Number reconition white Van, believe me these Guy's will, there main concern is backing up so called 'it wasn't me claims' and of course other threats!.

I was quite impressed with the abillity that already exists!