GATSO...

Author
Discussion

Bluehawk

Original Poster:

494 posts

165 months

Tuesday 21st October 2014
quotequote all
Quick Question... I know it is hard to tell as none of you were there... But i pose this question...

When would a GATSO flash you, as in physical position of your car, as you cross the last marking on the road? just after? midway through the markings?

Reason being...
On my commute home yesterday, there is a speedcamera (30mph) placed halfway up a steep hill, not particularly concentrating just following the car in front as you do in the commuter traffic... I'm pretty sure i wasn't speeding, but can't be certain...

I got approximately 50yds from the last white marker and i saw the GATSO do a double flash behind me, instantly i checked my speed, Indicated 25mph... Followed by a mirror check to see if it was the car behind... but to me it looked like the car behind was only just entering the speed camera... but again i'm not 100% certain.

So my question is, could it have been me? when i was so far from the last white marker on the road?

(P.s. I did do a google but couldn't find a definitive answer as to where abouts the GATSO photographs you)



Edited by Bluehawk on Tuesday 21st October 11:39

MatrixXXx

653 posts

151 months

Tuesday 21st October 2014
quotequote all
it should take one pic as you enter the markings and the second an exact time later so i would assume it would take the first as you enter the marked area and the second would depend how fast you were going. but at 25 it shouldnt have done anything you normally have 10% error i think.

Bluehawk

Original Poster:

494 posts

165 months

Wednesday 22nd October 2014
quotequote all
MatrixXXx said:
it should take one pic as you enter the markings and the second an exact time later so i would assume it would take the first as you enter the marked area and the second would depend how fast you were going. but at 25 it shouldnt have done anything you normally have 10% error i think.
Thanks, then it is more likely the car behind than me!

Still gonna keep an eye on my post for 2 weeks though!

dmitsi

3,583 posts

219 months

Wednesday 22nd October 2014
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Could have been set off by a car going in the other direction.

Bluehawk

Original Poster:

494 posts

165 months

Wednesday 22nd October 2014
quotequote all
Pretty sure they only work in the direction they are facing?

Pet Troll

1,362 posts

177 months

Wednesday 22nd October 2014
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Bluehawk said:
Pretty sure they only work in the direction they are facing?
They will activate and flash in either direction (assuming the road isn't massively wide) but you will only get a ticket if it snaps the back of the car, if it flashes in your face then you won't get a ticket (well not for speeding anyway, I seem to remember some guy getting done for DWDCA or something after being snapped giving the camera 2 'V' signs when it flashed the front of his car).

SS2.

14,455 posts

237 months

Wednesday 22nd October 2014
quotequote all
Whilst they are only Type Approved for rear facing use in the UK, Gatso Type 24s can be set to trigger on approaching traffic, receding traffic or both.

And timing marks painted on the road surface are not pre-requisite to providing a secondary check of vehicle speed.

Speed Badger

2,667 posts

116 months

Wednesday 22nd October 2014
quotequote all
SS2. said:
And timing marks painted on the road surface are not pre-requisite to providing a secondary check of vehicle speed.
Yes they are. smile

SS2.

14,455 posts

237 months

Wednesday 22nd October 2014
quotequote all
Speed Badger said:
SS2. said:
And timing marks painted on the road surface are not pre-requisite to providing a secondary check of vehicle speed.
Yes they are. smile
No they aren't. smile

Speed Badger

2,667 posts

116 months

Wednesday 22nd October 2014
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Alright I'll reprase to be more specific; Yes they are if it is a Metropolitan Police camera.

SS2.

14,455 posts

237 months

Wednesday 22nd October 2014
quotequote all
Speed Badger said:
Alright I'll reprase to be more specific; Yes they are if it is a Metropolitan Police camera.
Type Approval for the Gatso Type 24 provides that painted timing lines are not the only means of providing the required secondary check - that applies to cameras within the Met's jurisdiction just as much as it does the rest of the country.

Speed Badger

2,667 posts

116 months

Wednesday 22nd October 2014
quotequote all
We are getting rather anally dense here. All I am trying to say is that the Met Police (can't speak for other forces) require the use of markings on the road as means of secondary checking a GATSO offense for speed. Otherwise the offense is null and voided.

SS2.

14,455 posts

237 months

Wednesday 22nd October 2014
quotequote all
Speed Badger said:
We are getting rather anally dense here. All I am trying to say is that the Met Police (can't speak for other forces) require the use of markings on the road as means of secondary checking a GATSO offense for speed. Otherwise the offense is null and voided.
Their local policy may state that the lines should be present for the secondary check, but the fact remains that it isn't a statutory requirement (or pre-requisite) and they could, if they wanted, provide sufficient [Gatso Type 24] evidence to support a prosecution for excess speed with no timing marks visible at all.

agtlaw

6,680 posts

205 months

Wednesday 22nd October 2014
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"5.7.1 Second method of speed measurement
A second method of speed measurement involving a different principle (such as two photographs or video frames taken a known time apart) shall be used to verify the primary speed measurement. The accuracy of the second method shall be within 10% of the speed recorded by the primary measurement. The speedmeter shall be set up in traffic and sufficient readings taken to be able to make a valid statistical comparison of the two speed measurements. A test track may be used for this purpose."

The Speedmeter Handbook - 'A guide to Type Approval procedures'.