Can camera vans get you when facing towards you?

[Billy Balthorpe]

As it says, if a camera van is facing towards you, can they get the camera laser speed detector to work through the windscreen or does it have to have a clear path?

Because they always have that little flap open, which they point the camera through at the back.

[Dudeofrude]

As far as I'm aware it's only from the back. There is usually only 1 camera and that's the one being operated out of the back of the van. As you say it needs to be clear air, I would imagine a windscreen would refract the laser. Same reason you never see one operating in the rain

[Billy Balthorpe]

That's a relief. I was only about 10mph over when I hit the 40, but its enough nowadays.

[celticdog]

That's a relief. I was only about 10mph over when I hit the 40, but its enough nowadays.

That's good news to me too! I was in the same situation on my early morning commute, doing about 45 in a 40 zone the other day.
If they can't see your number plate then I suppose they can't ticket you.

[Nemesis]

Need to make up the old james bond DB5 number plate " Foc U" that would be funny

seen a guy carry a small board and cover plate whilst riding past Gatso on A1 years ago 

[tommyardin]

Need to make up the old james bond DB5 number plate " Foc U" that would be funny

seen a guy carry a small board and cover plate whilst riding past Gatso on A1 years ago

You can buy Flipper plate on eGay that flip you number plate up 90 Degrees so it can not be photographed, but it would be illegal to us them.
Its funny there are a few things that are not illegal to own but are illegal to use.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Euro-Motorcycle-flipper-license-registration-reg-plate-number-rotate-flipping/162811480260?hash=item25e85208c4:g:NkgAAOSwuLZY4SUg

Quite expensive, but then so is a fine and 3 points.

[Anquetil]

Here in North Wales, I see vans with the rear facing camera looking through the open flap facing towards oncoming vehicles. This will obviously register the front car number plate, but I also see these vans with another camera on the dash which will capture the number plate of a motorcycle. The local operator also has a swivel chair which enables him to turn and note the reg no. when bike is passing. Maybe this is not the case in all areas.

[HarryHornby]

As I understand it they might not have a camera out the front but the operator is allowed to write down your plate as you go past and then use that as evidence with the pic of the front of your bike.

[Anquetil]

Yes, Harry. I believe that this is the case.

[Hedgetrimmer]

Here in North Wales, I see vans with the rear facing camera looking through the open flap facing towards oncoming vehicles. This will obviously register the front car number plate, but I also see these vans with another camera on the dash which will capture the number plate of a motorcycle. The local operator also has a swivel chair which enables him to turn and note the reg no. when bike is passing. Maybe this is not the case in all areas.

I don't know if it was a van that got me (but suspect it was), but when I got done in the Brecon Beacons, they sent me photos taken from both front and rear.

[Trebus]

Double post

[Trebus]

I got done the same way last year, forward facing approaching rear of the van but they snapped me from the front of it. Doh!

[focced_off]

The Operator swivels round to the opposite direction, and uses a 2nd camera to take a Photo of the rear of your bike/registration plate, to accompany the footage of you speeding towards the Van. They are even known to jump out of the van and stand alongside it, to get that 2nd photo, after you've passed.

I thought I got caught like this about six months ago, going past a van... however I've received nothing (either lucky, or he was pre-occupied doing something else at the time I went past!).

[fazersharp]

sorted - you come round a bend see a rear facing camera on you but you are never going to go past the van for a picture of your numberplate because you stop and reverse back around the bend and then do a U turn   

[reggit]

Was once at a bike awareness event we set up and got talking to a bike copper with a laser gun. Phenomenal optics by the way.  He advised if we ever see a trap and are going too fast, accelerate rather than brake as they need to capture the number plate and going slowly makes it easier.
Obviously I don’t  condone speeding!

[focced_off]

Was once at a bike awareness event we set up and got talking to a bike copper with a laser gun. Phenomenal optics by the way.  He advised if we ever see a trap and are going too fast, accelerate rather than brake as they need to capture the number plate and going slowly makes it easier.
Obviously I don’t  condone speeding!

Well they do say if you get a Laser camera pointed at you, you have very little time to react, as by the time you see the officer with the camera, its probably too late.

There was quite a famous case where a guy was speeding through the Police cameras, and the Cameras kept registering an error. This happened on 3 occasions, and they pursued the vehicle which was seized. After taking the vehicle to pieces it was found to contain a handful of Jammers in the front/rear bumpers and grilles. The owner went down with quite a considerable sentence ("interfering with Police equipment"). Ironically he never got done for speeding.

[tommyardin]

sorted - you come round a bend see a rear facing camera on you but you are never going to go past the van for a picture of your numberplate because you stop and reverse back around the bend and then do a U turn

Not advisable on a dual carriageway

[johnakay]

I've seen one that has a camera on the side of the van.
a bit like those domed security cameras.
this was reported last year about these are going to be rolled out to catch speeding bikers


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1280183/The-police-van-traps-motorists-speed-cameras-AND-sides.html

[robby boy]

One of my mates came round a corner onto a straight at considerable speed, seen the camera van and managed to get his foot up and over the number plate to cover it, never got "the letter" so must have managed to cover it in time.

[celticdog]

By the sounds of things i'm not out of the woods yet. I wonder how long it takes from committing the incident to getting a letter through your door.

[bludclot]

Two weeks. If it hasn't arrived after two weeks then worry not, unless 'special circumstances' apply.


See here:


http://www.nopenaltypoints.co.uk/what-time-period-for-issue-motor-ticket.html

[fazersharp]

What I don't get is that you have your picture taken going over the limit heading towards the van - BUT that is just a biker-any biker, then they take a picture as you go by which IS you because its your number plate but by then they have a picture of YOU doing the limit- so they have nothing. 

[Dudeofrude]

I've seen one that has a camera on the side of the van.
a bit like those domed security cameras.
this was reported last year about these are going to be rolled out to catch speeding bikers


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1280183/The-police-van-traps-motorists-speed-cameras-AND-sides.html

State of the art 'advanced' van?? It's got 2 security cams and a dash cam 😂😂😂 and as sharpie says they haven't got you for anything as they need the laser to prove your speed so they can still only get you from behind the van just means they actually get bikers without jumping out the van.
I'm sure they could probably get you with the camera footage if you were obscenely over the limit but I'd highly doubt they could prove 4 or 5 mph over.

And back to that van.... £30000 extra!! For a fucking dashcam and two security beacons from maplin haha
No wonder they need to catch us speeding

[Hedgetrimmer]

And back to that van.... £30000 extra!! For a fucking dashcam and two security beacons from maplin haha
No wonder they need to catch us speeding

This actually isn't funny. At a time when the gov't has been banging on about needing 'austerity' measures in the economy, and cutting public service funding to the bare minimum, and they're still seeing catching speeders as the number one priority. That's worth spending thousands on still, isn't it?    If that isn't proof that it's not about safety, I don't know what is.

[darrsi]

Got these starting soon as well.