Sometimes you can avoid the 2 week NIP wait
Sometimes you can avoid the 2 week NIP wait
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Geekman

Original Poster:

2,908 posts

176 months

Thursday 13th August 2015
quotequote all
I often see posts on here where people are asking what the possible consequences might be as they think they've been caught by a speed camera van, so I thought I'd share the experience I had today.

I was coming off a 70MPH DC onto a 30 limit SC, when I noticed a speed camera van hidden in a row of parked cars. I braked immediately, but thought I'd probably been caught. I knew I hadn't been blasting along at 50MPH, but I didn't think I'd taken enough speed off before the 30 limit started, and reckoned he'd got me at 36/37MPH.

I'm going to be away a lot over the next few weeks, and I didn't really fancy watching the letterbox/constantly calling my parents to find out if an NIP had dropped through the letterbox. So, I turned round and parked up near the camera van, and went over to ask him if he'd caught me, expecting him to tell me I'd just have to wait 14 days.

I think he expected a load of abuse and was quite taken aback when he realised I just wanted to talk to him. I gave him the details of my car and told him I'd been past in the last few minutes, and asked if he'd caught me. He said he wasn't sure, but he could take my number and reg and call me after he'd finished at that site as he'd be reviewing the film.

Sure enough, I got a call this evening telling me he'd reviewed it and I wasn't speeding, so I had nothing to worry about.

Obviously, other camera operators might not be so obliging, but it's got to be worth a try, particularly if you think you might have been caught at a speed which would get you into a bit of trouble.

Lordglenmorangie

3,071 posts

235 months

Thursday 13th August 2015
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He is pulling your leg, biggrin

Geekman

Original Poster:

2,908 posts

176 months

Thursday 13th August 2015
quotequote all
Lordglenmorangie said:
He is pulling your leg, biggrin
Will be interesting to see if he is biggrin Didn't seem the type at all to do that but you never know.

Pontoneer

3,643 posts

216 months

Thursday 13th August 2015
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It's nice to be nice , and can often pay dividends .

Lordglenmorangie

3,071 posts

235 months

Thursday 13th August 2015
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Geekman said:
Will be interesting to see if he is biggrin Didn't seem the type at all to do that but you never know.
You will be OK I am joking .

Alucidnation

16,810 posts

200 months

Thursday 13th August 2015
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What would you have said to him if he had caught you at 38mph?

LoonR1

26,988 posts

207 months

Friday 14th August 2015
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Geekman said:
I often see posts on here where people are asking what the possible consequences might be as they think they've been caught by a speed camera van, so I thought I'd share the experience I had today.

I was coming off a 70MPH DC onto a 30 limit SC, when I noticed a speed camera van hidden in a row of parked cars. I braked immediately, but thought I'd probably been caught. I knew I hadn't been blasting along at 50MPH, but I didn't think I'd taken enough speed off before the 30 limit started, and reckoned he'd got me at 36/37MPH.

I'm going to be away a lot over the next few weeks, and I didn't really fancy watching the letterbox/constantly calling my parents to find out if an NIP had dropped through the letterbox. So, I turned round and parked up near the camera van, and went over to ask him if he'd caught me, expecting him to tell me I'd just have to wait 14 days.

I think he expected a load of abuse and was quite taken aback when he realised I just wanted to talk to him. I gave him the details of my car and told him I'd been past in the last few minutes, and asked if he'd caught me. He said he wasn't sure, but he could take my number and reg and call me after he'd finished at that site as he'd be reviewing the film.

Sure enough, I got a call this evening telling me he'd reviewed it and I wasn't speeding, so I had nothing to worry about.

Obviously, other camera operators might not be so obliging, but it's got to be worth a try, particularly if you think you might have been caught at a speed which would get you into a bit of trouble.
Is it 35mm film that he reviewed?

My understanding was that registrations are read automatically, photos produced digitally and all submitted electronically for mass production of NIPs as per the data received. I'd be amazed if camera operators go home and review the "film" manually.

SpeedMattersNot

4,506 posts

226 months

Friday 14th August 2015
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How much did you give him ?

BertBert

21,302 posts

241 months

Friday 14th August 2015
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LoonR1 said:
Is it 35mm film that he reviewed?
Of course he has to review the film. How else can he form his prior opinion?

Geekman

Original Poster:

2,908 posts

176 months

Friday 14th August 2015
quotequote all
LoonR1 said:
Is it 35mm film that he reviewed?

My understanding was that registrations are read automatically, photos produced digitally and all submitted electronically for mass production of NIPs as per the data received. I'd be amazed if camera operators go home and review the "film" manually.
I'd be very surprised if it was 35mm film - I had a brief look around the van whilst talking to him and it was all very high-tech, with LCD screens etc, it looked brand new to me.

He said that he had to stay there for another 40 minutes, and then he'd take a look through the film, so it sounded to me like he looks through the footage after finishing at each site.

lbc

3,339 posts

247 months

Friday 14th August 2015
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Geekman said:
He said that he had to stay there for another 40 minutes, and then he'd take a look through the film, so it sounded to me like he looks through the footage after finishing at each site.
I think he was bullstting you.

I thought the scammers had people back in the office on minimum wage looking through the footage and posting the NIP's?

Geekman

Original Poster:

2,908 posts

176 months

Friday 14th August 2015
quotequote all
lbc said:
I think he was bullstting you.

I thought the scammers had people back in the office on minimum wage looking through the footage and posting the NIP's?
That's what I thought beforehand as well. But then surely if that was the case he'd simply say "sorry - you've got to wait 2 weeks" rather than going to all the trouble of taking my number and reg, and then calling me later?

JustinP1

13,363 posts

260 months

Friday 14th August 2015
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What do you think people that do that job actually do for fun?

You made his day.

R8Steve

4,150 posts

205 months

Friday 14th August 2015
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Geekman said:
lbc said:
I think he was bullstting you.

I thought the scammers had people back in the office on minimum wage looking through the footage and posting the NIP's?
That's what I thought beforehand as well. But then surely if that was the case he'd simply say "sorry - you've got to wait 2 weeks" rather than going to all the trouble of taking my number and reg, and then calling me later?
Maybe he just said it to avoid confrontation. Saying that you would just have to wait two weeks or worse still 'yes, i caught you' would be like a red rag to a bull to some of the nutters out there.

I thought it was all done automatically with ANPR, digital footage, etc as well. He did phone you back right enough though so could be legit. Seems a bit odd though and i'm surprised he did.

LoonR1

26,988 posts

207 months

Friday 14th August 2015
quotequote all
Geekman said:
LoonR1 said:
Is it 35mm film that he reviewed?

My understanding was that registrations are read automatically, photos produced digitally and all submitted electronically for mass production of NIPs as per the data received. I'd be amazed if camera operators go home and review the "film" manually.
I'd be very surprised if it was 35mm film - I had a brief look around the van whilst talking to him and it was all very high-tech, with LCD screens etc, it looked brand new to me.

He said that he had to stay there for another 40 minutes, and then he'd take a look through the film, so it sounded to me like he looks through the footage after finishing at each site.
Ermmmmm .................. whoosh on the film

wack

2,103 posts

236 months

Sunday 16th August 2015
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I thought those vans were made like securicor vans so the public can't get at them , I bet he shat himself when you knocked on the door

agtlaw

7,415 posts

236 months

Sunday 16th August 2015
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LoonR1 said:
Is it 35mm film that he reviewed?

My understanding was that registrations are read automatically, photos produced digitally and all submitted electronically for mass production of NIPs as per the data received. I'd be amazed if camera operators go home and review the "film" manually.
Film = video. That's unattended automatic speed cameras.


tapereel

1,860 posts

146 months

Sunday 16th August 2015
quotequote all
LoonR1 said:
Is it 35mm film that he reviewed?

My understanding was that registrations are read automatically, photos produced digitally and all submitted electronically for mass production of NIPs as per the data received. I'd be amazed if camera operators go home and review the "film" manually.
Your understanding is mistaken.

Not sure where you are getting your information from.

The operator described by the OP would most probably be using video recorded to a CF card or DVD. If CF card it can be reviewed on-the-spot and DVD reviewed at the end of recording or back at base. Some operators do review their recordings on return to base; if someone has asked a specific question, like the OP did, they may well look for something specific. Some operators would simply respond to a question like the OP made with "you will need to wait and see" that will be, in my opinion, the most common and practical answer.

agtlaw

7,415 posts

236 months

Sunday 16th August 2015
quotequote all
I've today written a short and not too detailed 'blog' post about portable speed meters:

http://www.counsel.direct/news/2015/8/16/how-do-po...


LoonR1

26,988 posts

207 months

Sunday 16th August 2015
quotequote all
tapereel said:
Your understanding is mistaken.

Not sure where you are getting your information from.

The operator described by the OP would most probably be using video recorded to a CF card or DVD. If CF card it can be reviewed on-the-spot and DVD reviewed at the end of recording or back at base. Some operators do review their recordings on return to base; if someone has asked a specific question, like the OP did, they may well look for something specific. Some operators would simply respond to a question like the OP made with "you will need to wait and see" that will be, in my opinion, the most common and practical answer.
I'm not getting it from anywhere. It was my opinion of how it worked, which is wrong and I'm happy to be corrected.