One for the Speed Camera Techies

[crickleymal]

How do front facing average speed cameras work at night? It must be really difficult to take a picture of someone's front number plate with two bright light and infra red sources either side.

Just out of idle curiosity,no other reason.

[BBROWN1664]

With infrared, they work just as well at night as they do during the day.

[Fazerider]

Numberplates are retro-reflective so you don't need a lot of light provided the source is right next to the camera.
I wish the speed cameras I pass every day were front facing ones, unfortunately the authorities in my area seem to want to catch bikers as well as cagers.

[joebloggs]

I found out the hard way that they work perfectly well when late for work one night

[Graham53]

Numberplates are retro-reflective so you don't need a lot of light provided the source is right next to the camera.
I wish the speed cameras I pass every day were front facing ones, unfortunately the authorities in my area seem to want to catch bikers as well as cagers.

I don't know if the new average check speed cameras are all rear facing to catch bikers as well as cagers but on the A13 the older average check cameras are front facing and the new ones put up not long ago between rainham and M25 are all rear facing, catches loads of bikers out that whizz through thinking they're front facing,
unless they're there to catch bikes out on purpose

[Wharfe]

Hmm yeah, round here in t' broad acres they also seem to have cottoned on to the idea that front facing cameras only catch cars. Disappointingly most of the newer road works seem to have rear facing cameras. Not that I ever breach the speed limit of course.... 

[tommyardin]

Of course not Wharfe

[tommyardin]

The Hindhead tunnel on the A3 London to Portsmouth road have forward facing average speed cameras either end of the tunnel about 400 or 500 yards before you go into the tunnel and the same distance out the other side once you leave it.


These deter people from gunning through there making a lot of noise and at high speeds.
I am really pleased these cameras are in place.


But, (Oh! there is always a but) about 50 yards before entering the tunnel going South bound there is a small lay-by (this lays about 350 or 450 yards past the speed average cameras. I cant remember the chaps name who told me he did it (Slipped my mind) but he told me that he pulled into that lay-by and removed his baffle from his can, (one allan screw) and by this time a couple of minutes had passed, waited for a clear run into the tunnel with no cars in front of him, now 3 or 4 minutes have passed
(The tunnel is over 1.33 miles long)
And the wicked bugger gunned it all the way through the tunnel reaching speeds in excess of 110 MPH, kicking up one hell of a racket, braked quite firmly and got down to about 70 before reaching the tunnel exit 400 or 500 yards from the cameras.


Now I am not condoning this childish and irresponsible behaviour,    but it was fun Oops! he told me it was fun, and he had the Go Pro footage so he could watch it anytime he liked, but sadly he has now lost it somehow, so he could not be prosecuted even if his name could be recalled which of course it can't.   

[Graham53]

I knew someone just like tommy once who on his blue 600 went through the blackwall tunnel with his new race pipe at 1am on the way home from work at very high speed ,very very loudly who when got to the other side thought he noticed as he exited the tunnel a sign that said average check speed cameras in operation. This was before he knew that they were front facing and shat his pants thinking licence gone , job gone as he was well in excess of 100 mph ( not true officer pure exaggeration ) . So he went back the next day at 30 mph all the way through to the other side and there was indeed a sign that said speed cameras in operation but because he was going soooo fast at the time the day before didn't see the sign that said not in operation under test.
There were many "thank you gods" spoken inside helmet and much sighs of relief.

[Wharfe]

Of course not Wharfe

Er well, not often... (bear with me this is not an average speed camera story but it might amuse)


In 2003 yrs truly got clocked on the M1 near Leeds doing 93 by a copper in a patrol car, pulled me over and politely but firmly did me for a fixed penalty, "its a fair cop guv." I took the ticket plus license to my local station at the time (Crewe) handed it plus license in for processing and was informed I could now pay the fine. Which I did, grumble grumble.
A few weeks later I got the ticket plus license back with a letter saying "we don't know where to send this to for West Yorks Police to process, please deal with this yourself"  - WTFoc?  You illiterate Crewe inbred! The address is on the form, or, ring 101! I did debate binning it but wasn't sure I'd get away with that, perverting course of justice etc etc so sent it off myself to Bradford (W Yorkshire police HQ), grumble grumble grumble, probably about 5 weeks after the offence.
Of course meanwhile with no supporting paperwork the fine I had paid was "lost in space" so foc me I then get a summons for not paying within the 28 day period!!! A strongly worded letter ensued "How VERY dare you, I have to process my own speeding fine due to the ineptitude of the numpty staff at Crewe nick, and this is what happens, etc etc...". Coupla weeks later arrives my license, (unendorsed) cheque (not cashed) and letter stating "we will not be pursuing this prosecution" No apology mind..

[tommyardin]

Of course not Wharfe

Er well, not often... (bear with me this is not an average speed camera story but it might amuse)


In 2003 yrs truly got clocked on the M1 near Leeds doing 93 by a copper in a patrol car, pulled me over and politely but firmly did me for a fixed penalty, "its a fair cop guv." I took the ticket plus license to my local station at the time (Crewe) handed it plus license in for processing and was informed I could now pay the fine. Which I did, grumble grumble.
A few weeks later I got the ticket plus license back with a letter saying "we don't know where to send this to for West Yorks Police to process, please deal with this yourself"  - WTFoc?  You illiterate Crewe inbred! The address is on the form, or, ring 101! I did debate binning it but wasn't sure I'd get away with that, perverting course of justice etc etc so sent it off myself to Bradford (W Yorkshire police HQ), grumble grumble grumble, probably about 5 weeks after the offence.
Of course meanwhile with no supporting paperwork the fine I had paid was "lost in space" so foc me I then get a summons for not paying within the 28 day period!!! A strongly worded letter ensued "How VERY dare you, I have to process my own speeding fine due to the ineptitude of the numpty staff at Crewe nick, and this is what happens, etc etc...". Coupla weeks later arrives my license, (unendorsed) cheque (not cashed) and letter stating "we will not be pursuing this prosecution" No apology mind..

Quite right, it's only fair.