Mobile speed camera van on A92, Saturday morning

[Edinburger]

I was on the A92 between Dunfermline and Kirkcaldy (which is dual carriageway, 70 limit) on Saturday morning around 9.45 a.m.

I'm aware of the usual laser spots on that road from my Pogo Alert, but I noticed a mobile speed camera van under a bridge in a spot my Pogo hadn’t detected/expected. I was driving 'enthusiastically' but slowed down to 70'ish – hopefully in the nick of time.

Does anyone know whether speed camera vans allowed to sit in spots which aren't be registered or publicly known? Also, does anyone know exactly from how far they can take a reading? And yet again - for me anyway – my Pogo Alert didn’t detect the mobile camera.

I'll put my hands up if I was speeding, but there must also be an ethical question about why the van was there on a Saturday morning. I’ve never ever seen an accident on that road in busy traffic, never mind a quiet Saturday morning.

Whether I'm done or not, I feel like writing to the Chief Constable questioning this on ethical, funding and procedural principles.

Any thoughts, please?

[Edinburger]

saaby93 said:

What's the point of the 70mph limit if it's to be voluntary?

That's not my point.

I understand and respect speed limits. I don't expect to find mobile speed cameras in unregistered sites when a perfectly safe road is so quiet though. We all know the arguments for and against speed cameras, this particular incident seems inappropriate.

[Edinburger]

saaby93 said:

Edinburger said:

We all know the arguments for and against speed cameras, this particular incident seems inappropriate.

page 11
http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roadsafety/speedmanageme...

I obviously don't have access to information to confirm or challenge those factors are met.

However, I've never been aware of any accident in that area and traffic seems to travel at typical speeds there.

So your point is?

[Edinburger]

karona said:

Edinburger said:

I was on the A92 between Dunfermline and Kirkcaldy (which is dual carriageway, 70 limit) on Saturday morning around 9.45 a.m.
does anyone know exactly from how far they can take a reading? And yet again - for me anyway – my Pogo Alert didn’t detect the mobile camera.

From personal experience as soon as you see them your speed is clocked, jumping on the brakes is too late, you're fooked already. Were there any other cars between you and the camera while you were slowing? I got a ticket thrown out because there was another car in the video at the moment they clocked my speed, but they took a second photo when I got much closer, and superimposed the speed readings on it. This was only revealed when I asked to see the video.

Thanks, but surely they need to meausre your speed over a certain distance to accurately establish your correct speed?

I don't think there were any other cars as I was overtaking and it was when I pulled in to the inside lane that I noticed the van.

As I said, I'll take it if I was speeding but it seems an unjustified place and time to have a trap set-up. Usual arguments about money raising, etc., apply!

[Edinburger]

Thanks, SS2 and rewc.

From what distance can they take a reading?

I also thought they have to observe you and record you having taking the informed decision that you're likely to have been speeding?

[Edinburger]

14-7 said:

You seem more peeved that you have been caught.

It sounds like you slow for where you know the camera vans sit and because they were sat somewhere you weren't expecting call it unethical.

Of course I'm peeved but my main gripe is that Fife Police are never anywhere to be seen on areas known for speeding where there s real danger to kids and pedestrians, but they sit on a dual carriageway on Saturday morning, which is almost dead?

[Edinburger]

saaby93 said:

What's the point of the 70mph limit if it's to be voluntary?

So saaby93, you come across on this thread as rather self-righteous. Can we assume you never exceed the speed limit? Are you in favour of scarce police resources being deployed in this way?

And police spend even more money on developing community relations!

[Edinburger]

Larry Dickman said:

Edinburger said:

14-7 said:

You seem more peeved that you have been caught.

It sounds like you slow for where you know the camera vans sit and because they were sat somewhere you weren't expecting call it unethical.

Of course I'm peeved but my main gripe is that Fife Police are never anywhere to be seen on areas known for speeding where there s real danger to kids and pedestrians, but they sit on a dual carriageway on Saturday morning, which is almost dead?

They do seem to like a camera van up there as I saw three between Aberdeen & Dundee on Saturday afternoon along with the numerous fixed cameras also on the A90. The last camera van I saw was set up about 100 yards in front of a fixed camera location. Crafty, I thought.

You're right. On the M90 between Dundee and Aberdeen there's 9 Gatsos. Yet none between Dundee and Edinburgh. Use of mobile cameras seems to vary a lot too.

My own view is that I actually welcome them in built up areas or known accident spots, but not on good clear dual carriageways like the M92.