Police Tripod Camera (bridge, M56, E/bound towards M6)
Discussion
I noticed a chap in black with a camera with 2 'lenses' on a tripod on a bridge over the M56 (and an unmarked, dark 3- or 5- Series parked over to the side of the bridge, against some trees) yesterday afternoon. I assumed it was a speed detector.
It was sunny and the (good quality, straight) motorway was fairly quiet at that point.
Now I know that, "the law is the law", etc. , but having witnessed some fairly poor driving in the 20 miles beforehand: lots of tail-gating, cutting-up, harsh braking, no indicating etc. I'm not convinced that the fairly discrete chap on the bridge is actually that useful for road safety, other than for the obvious revenue stream.
I suspect that many motorists wouldn't actually notice the camera either.
Is the enforcement of the motorway speed limit seen as important Police work these days or just an offence that is easily and cheaply detected by one officer with a camera?
It was sunny and the (good quality, straight) motorway was fairly quiet at that point.
Now I know that, "the law is the law", etc. , but having witnessed some fairly poor driving in the 20 miles beforehand: lots of tail-gating, cutting-up, harsh braking, no indicating etc. I'm not convinced that the fairly discrete chap on the bridge is actually that useful for road safety, other than for the obvious revenue stream.
I suspect that many motorists wouldn't actually notice the camera either.
Is the enforcement of the motorway speed limit seen as important Police work these days or just an offence that is easily and cheaply detected by one officer with a camera?
You saw one example of something that may or may not have been speed enforcement on your journey.
I do a lot of motorway miles and outside of managed motorway sections hardly ever see any speed enforcement at all- certainly much, much less than during the 90s.
I would prefer to see marked and unmarked Police cars enforcing the limits (amongst being a generally helpful presence), than mile after mile of camera laden gantries and no other enforcement.
I do a lot of motorway miles and outside of managed motorway sections hardly ever see any speed enforcement at all- certainly much, much less than during the 90s.
I would prefer to see marked and unmarked Police cars enforcing the limits (amongst being a generally helpful presence), than mile after mile of camera laden gantries and no other enforcement.
10 Pence Short said:
I do a lot of motorway miles and outside of managed motorway sections hardly ever see any speed enforcement at all- certainly much, much less than during the 90s.
That's what I thought too, although I've seen cameras on other bridges in the Cheshire area in the past few weeks.It seems a little odd as it appears, anecdotally at least, that motorway traffic speeds have not risen, and may even have decreased, in recent years. I doubt that any reduction is the result of the occasional, discrete, speed trap.
Furry Exocet said:
You suspect speed camera but with a police car present, I suspect ANPR
And there's two cameras...... bit of a giveaway really
?And there's two cameras...... bit of a giveaway really
One camera with two lenses. The car was parked on the bridge -at the side, not above the road- and was presumably the camera operator's transport.
MC Bodge said:
?
One camera with two lenses. The car was parked on the bridge -at the side, not above the road- and was presumably the camera operator's transport.
Or they were having a cup of tea in the van like I regularly do, but if you want to believe it's a speed van then it's up to you. One camera with two lenses. The car was parked on the bridge -at the side, not above the road- and was presumably the camera operator's transport.
If the car was the transport for the van operator, who drives the van?
MC Bodge said:
I noticed a chap in black with a camera with 2 'lenses' on a tripod on a bridge over the M56 (and an unmarked, dark 3- or 5- Series parked over to the side of the bridge, against some trees) yesterday afternoon. I assumed it was a speed detector.
It was sunny and the (good quality, straight) motorway was fairly quiet at that point.
That's exactly how got caught, also in Cheshire, but on the then new A500 link from the M6 to Nantwich. I was heading west into the evening setting sun so the Operator (dark clothing, his back against trees) was invisible until I was close. Was bowling along at 85. I've since also seen then underneath the bridge, hiding in its shadow. I wrote out a snotty letter to the Chief Con asking what was the point of that from a road safety point of view, but was advised not to send it.It was sunny and the (good quality, straight) motorway was fairly quiet at that point.
If you saw them just before the M6 on the M56 then they're there quite frequently.
I'll be honest, after I got done and I realised how easy it is to get caught, it did slow me down. They can check your speed at 1Km.
I drive all over the country and a common one now is a camera on the far side of an overhead motorway roundabout so it's hidden by the nearside of the roundabout.
Edited by Deva Link on Monday 1st April 09:52
Furry Exocet said:
MC Bodge said:
?
One camera with two lenses. The car was parked on the bridge -at the side, not above the road- and was presumably the camera operator's transport.
Or they were having a cup of tea in the van like I regularly do, but if you want to believe it's a speed van then it's up to you. One camera with two lenses. The car was parked on the bridge -at the side, not above the road- and was presumably the camera operator's transport.
If the car was the transport for the van operator, who drives the van?
[quote=Deva Link]
I'll be honest, after I got done and I realised how easy it is to get caught, it did slow me down. They can check your speed at 1Km.
Agree entirely. I was lucky and did not get done, but was travelling at about 85 and then saw a camera van in the distance. All too easy. Has slowed me down (a little
)
I'll be honest, after I got done and I realised how easy it is to get caught, it did slow me down. They can check your speed at 1Km.
Agree entirely. I was lucky and did not get done, but was travelling at about 85 and then saw a camera van in the distance. All too easy. Has slowed me down (a little
)Deva Link said:
That's exactly how got caught, also in Cheshire, but on the then new A500 link from the M6 to Nantwich. I was heading west into the evening setting sun so the Operator (dark clothing, his back against trees) was invisible until I was close. Was bowling along at 85. I've since also seen then underneath the bridge, hiding in its shadow.
It must be a Cheshire tactic. I've not seen it in other areas recently.Deva Link said:
I wrote out a snotty letter to the Chief Con asking what was the point of that from a road safety point of view, but was advised not to send it.
Haha. I quite agree though. I have no problem with speed traps in 30mph residential areas, but have doubts about the point of them on a clear dual-carriageway.Deva Link said:
I'll be honest, after I got done and I realised how easy it is to get caught, it did slow me down. They can check your speed at 1Km.
That's what I thought. I assumed that the straight road with a good line-of-sight was the reason they'd chosen the location.
MC Bodge said:
That's what I thought. I assumed that the straight road with a good line-of-sight was the reason they'd chosen the location.
Off the top on head, in the last few months:M42 from the M5 to the M40 (there's a perfect trap on a downhill section). M40 in several locations. A34 around Oxford. M65.
Furry Exocet said:
You suspect speed camera but with a police car present, I suspect ANPR
Why does a police car present mean not speed camera? My dad got done on the M6 6 months ago and the police officer was in all black, so you couldn't tell he was a police man till we got under the bridge and could see the camera and tripod in front of him. The fully marked police X5 was parked off the bridge behind a bush so couldn't see that till we got close.
And there's two cameras...... bit of a giveaway really
Why does a police car present mean not speed camera? My dad got done on the M6 6 months ago and the police officer was in all black, so you couldn't tell he was a police man till we got under the bridge and could see the camera and tripod in front of him. The fully marked police X5 was parked off the bridge behind a bush so couldn't see that till we got close.
And there's two cameras...... bit of a giveaway really
I guess an invoice in the post a few days after the event will slow some/most people down at least for a bit, but no-one ever is going to convince me that "hidden" motorway speed traps in anyway shape or form impact on making society a safer and better place for all. I do wonder how many of these would remain in operation if the only penalty for speeding on the motorway was 3 points an no fine.
MC Bodge said:
10 Pence Short said:
I do a lot of motorway miles and outside of managed motorway sections hardly ever see any speed enforcement at all- certainly much, much less than during the 90s.
That's what I thought too, although I've seen cameras on other bridges in the Cheshire area in the past few weeks.It seems a little odd as it appears, anecdotally at least, that motorway traffic speeds have not risen, and may even have decreased, in recent years. I doubt that any reduction is the result of the occasional, discrete, speed trap.
EmmaJ said:
Surely if it was an unmarked police car with an officer using a handheld LT2020 (or similar) then wouldn't he have had to catch you after recording your speed 
. Because as far as I'm aware the handheld units don't capture photographic evidence just a speed reading...?
Which post are you querying?. Because as far as I'm aware the handheld units don't capture photographic evidence just a speed reading...?The OP said it was on a tripod (not hand held) and had twin 'lenses'.
Exactly the equipment used to catch me, and I got a letter in the post.
Deva Link said:
EmmaJ said:
Surely if it was an unmarked police car with an officer using a handheld LT2020 (or similar) then wouldn't he have had to catch you after recording your speed . Because as far as I'm aware the handheld units don't capture photographic evidence just a speed reading...?
Which post are you querying?. Because as far as I'm aware the handheld units don't capture photographic evidence just a speed reading...?The OP said it was on a tripod (not hand held) and had twin 'lenses'.
Exactly the equipment used to catch me, and I got a letter in the post.
Traffic cops don't need somebody operating an LTI for them to go after and stop for speeding.
I realise this is going to P on a lot of peoples chips in this thread but that was an ANPR camera looking to catch uninsured or disqualified drivers, sex offenders, wanted people, stolen cars and all sorts of other important stuff that police do each and every day but are not given any credit for.
But for the purposes of continuing to slag the police off, let's just assume they had parked up in a discreet place (on the middle of an overbridge FFS) and were trying to catch people for doing 72mph
I realise this is going to P on a lot of peoples chips in this thread but that was an ANPR camera looking to catch uninsured or disqualified drivers, sex offenders, wanted people, stolen cars and all sorts of other important stuff that police do each and every day but are not given any credit for.
But for the purposes of continuing to slag the police off, let's just assume they had parked up in a discreet place (on the middle of an overbridge FFS) and were trying to catch people for doing 72mph
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