Speed cameras?

Question

I've been flashed tonight for the 3rd time by a camera, driving towards it. I've heard that you have to be driving away from it to get legitimately flashed and fined

It was a UK GATSO, I was on the opposite side of the road heading towards it, and there were no cars on the other side, moving away from it. It was definately me. I'm positive it has to be from the back though, and not head on.

Answer 1

Your in the clear if you where driving towards it if it was a gatso.It was the guy on the opposite side of the road that was speeding.

Answer 2

It depends on your jurisdiction...ie: where you live.

Some jurisdictions (California, being one) allow the camera to photograph the driver through the windscreen. Here in Canada, the law requires you only can be photographed from the rear. If you were flashed by a camera in a "rear only" jurisdiction, then it was caused by the guy on the other side of the street. Quick question: was the camera on your side of the street or the other side of the street?

As for being on the receiving end of the camera 3 times...have you received tickets (or if you were driving someone else's car at the time, have THEY received tickets) for the nights / days in question?

As for the product another poster is touting...ignore it - it doesn't work. If you watch the show Mythbusters, they've already tested several touted methods and available products and proven they don't work (either for fooling the radar/ladar unit, or preventing your plate from being seen in the photo).
Besides, most jurisdictions would charge you with an even more serious offence if you were caught with a "legitimate" solution on your plate - and not all red light cameras are unmanned... ;)

Note: in jurisdictions where they require a "from the rear only" photo, photo radar tickets generate fines, but do not appear on the owner's driving record. Why? Because they can not prove that the driver was the owner and not a friend, family member, etc; driving.
Additionally, *manned* photo radar units are required (in Canada at least) to be callibrated prior to use each time it is taken onto the road, the same as hand-held radar guns.

Answer 3

When the cameras first came out you cold only be caught driving away. Alas now the new cameras can catch you driving towards them as well. That said just because you saw a flash doesn't mean you are getting a ticket, some are defective, some (older cameras) might not have film in them or it could have been flashing someone going the other way. Keep your fingers crossed, they have 14 days to send the registered keeper a notice or you are in the clear.

Answer 4

There are 2 types of camera commonly in use for speed detection, the GATSO is a rear operating system and the TRUVELO can work in either direction, the easy way to tell is the TRUVELO has a red cover over the flash unit.

Sometimes GATSO cameras flash (And blind) oncoming motorists, this does not mean that you necessarily triggered the camera its forward sensors may me misaligned or more than likely the flash was just discharging to prevent it burning out.

You have said that is was a GATSO,so in your case i waould assume it was a faulty unit as they only take rear view pictures.

Answer 5

I see that, by inference, you are crying "foul" because you were speeding, believing that the camera only detected vehicles travelling in the opposite direction.

I have now got into the habit of driving at or just over the limit all the time and to date have only had one ticket, over 10 years ago and at Dartford River crossing where the signs are frequently changing and obscured by lorries.

However, all of us who drive see, all the time, the speeding morons who drive well over the limit, then brake for the camera, only to speed off again. They defeat the whole point of speed limits and infuriate me.

Cameras ARE a pain - but so are traffic wardens if you park illegally, store detectives if you steal and customs officers if you smuggle goods.

The point is, laws are enacted to make society a safer place and although speed cameras are a totally arbitrary way of enforcing the law (as opposed to face to face police officers with discretionary powers) I would like to see them on EVERY road with a speed limit every 50 yards. Then we would ALL drive at or under the limit, the roads would be safer and driving would be a much more pleasant experience.

Answer 6

Speed Cameras have known to be regularly defective, often mistaking speeds of cars and taking the picture when the car was not doing over 60 km.

I saw an experiment where a speed camera was directed on to a brick wall - and the speed camera clocked the brick wall at 10 km an hour - amazing for a brick wall!

If you doubt the speed that you were travelling when you were flashed, I would be appealing the decision - even taking it to court.

Some people would rather pay the fine and accept it - But if you believe your innocent and can prove that you were not speeding, i would be contesting it.

Speeding tickets go on your driving record - and i think its once you have received 3 that it becomes a criminal record. I think they can even take your drivers licence from you for 6 months - 1 year.

Answer 7

It dose not matter where you where coming from the camera can record from both sides of the road.

I am glade you got caught because so Meany people are killed with drunk drivers and speeding drivers as well.

you should stick to the speed limit any way you where breaking the law

it is unfortunately that none of the money goes to repairing the road I guess it just goes to the government budgets as I have not seen lot of police officers in the street or more resources to other parts of the police force

Answer 8

Your ok m8t..I normally gun it through on my yammy (rice burner to you red necks) and stick a finger up wen the Greed camera flashes theres no number plate on the front of a bike lol.
I advise you to go back and burn it, its a great hobby and really winds the filth up. Fight the good fight and let capn Gatso know how many you destroy.

Answer 9

Not so. A lot of the cameras now can rotate. Its just a push of the button for the authorities to alter the direction. My advice is to stick to the speed limit, or you will be walking....I know which one I would rather!

Answer 10

Not quite. It is, however, a shame that you are fined by a robot, and not a policeman/woman of flesh and blood, and emotions, with whom you can argue about the offense you committed. Let us stop this system of fining people, using electronic devices, before it is too late!