RE: Speed cameras get surveillance
Monday 17th October 2005
Scameras get camerasAttacks on speed cameras have become so prevalent in the Australian state of New South Wales, that the state government has decided to install more cameras. The job of this second tier of cameras, to be installed in 37 sites, will be to watch over the speed cameras, which raised about £23 million for the state government in 2004.
Speed cameras get surveillance
Guardians to watch over the guardians
Scameras get cameras
That's because 109 cameras have been attacked 74 times in the previous two years, at a cost of AUS$110,671 (some £47,000) each to replace. Some have been torched, others have been pried open and had the camera removed.
The state government has tried protecting the scameras in the past with surveillance cameras, but this resulted in attacks on the surveillance equipment -- before the attackers started in on the scameras themselves. Presumably the surveillance cameras will be hardened this time.
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
Discussion
hasn't helped though, they are just attacking the surveillance cameras first!
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,16940438-1242,00.html
[quote=news.com.au]
Drivers' speed camera rage
From:
By Kelvin Bissett
October 17, 2005
Speed cameras
On tape ... men throw newly laid turf over a speed camera
SPEED cameras across New South Wales are being pelted with rocks, hit with sticks, set on fire, covered in graffiti, shot at by guns and smeared by eggs as angry motorists increasingly resort to violence.
These exclusive pictures showing speed camera attacks come as latest figures show the devices reaped a new record of $54.1million in fines in the past 12 months. Pictures Attacks caught on CCTV
In the past two years there have been 74 instances of vandalism, leading to damage bills from a few hundred dollars to $110,000.
The Roads and Traffic Authority has been forced to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on security surveillance equipment at 34 speed camera sites.
The majority of the recorded attacks have caused damage in the region of hundreds of dollars.
But in one instance at Queanbeyan on November 11 last year, $110,671 worth of damage was caused to the Lanyon Drive camera as saboteurs set it on fire.
In July last year at Ourimbah, on the Central Coast, the camera cabinet was forced open and the contents were stolen, causing $6651 worth of damage in an elaborate strategy to ensure evidence for a fine was destroyed.
Despite spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on security surveillance equipment, the devices are still being attacked.
But in some cases, individuals have simply attacked the security cameras first, putting them out of action before moving to the main camera.
Meanwhile, the state's 109 fixed speed cameras snapped more than 1100 motorists a day on the state's roads in the year to June 30, Office of State Revenue documents, obtained under Freedom of Information, show.
The cameras issued a total of $54,069,259 in infringements in the past year, more than $1million up on the previous record set in 2003-04.
The documents show 403,047 fines were collected with some 14 sites around the state responsible for more than $1million or more worth of infringements. Related story RTA defends camera fines »
School zone cameras - which enforce a lower 40km/h speed limit between 8am and 9.30am and 2.30pm and 4pm on school days - are particularly busy catching speeding motorists.
The school zone camera in Macpherson St, Mosman, is the most profitable in NSW, capturing an average 66 drivers a day outside Middle Harbour Public School.
Its $2.979million from nearly 25,000 fines is $420,000 more than in 2003-04.
The second most lucrative site is in the Eastern Distributor tunnel, pulling in $2.394 million.
The twin school zone cameras on the Princes Highway, Kogarah, also do strong business but have slowed down last year as drivers wised up.
The northbound and southbound carriageway cameras generate a combined $4.247million, about $2.5million down on the previous period.
But there is good news for motorists.
This latest record for speed camera revenue is unlikely to be beaten for some time due to reduced fines which took effect from July 1.
The State Government cut the fine for exceeding the speed limit by less than 15km/h to $75 earlier this year.
On the vandalism issue, Roads Minister Joe Tripodi last night urged anyone witnessing speed camera vandalism to contact police.
Mr Tripodi said the gradual installation of security surveillance equipment - now extended to 37 sites - means there has been a reduction in serious vandalism incidents.
He said attacking speed cameras was a crime.
"I have a message for would-be vandals - there is now a greater chance of you being caught and prosecuted," Mr Tripodi said.
The fines come after a torrid year for the cameras on other fronts.
In August, the State Government admitted that a software error affecting the security codes had rendered hundreds of fines invalid.
In another setback, a camera on Spit Hill, near Mosman, was removed earlier this year after the RTA admitted it had erroneously recorded 13 buses speeding.
NRMA motoring and services general manager Brett Gale said the record fines "highlight the need for all motorists to stick to the speed limit, especially in school zones".
He said 75 per cent of NRMA members support speed cameras, providing they are in areas with a speed-related crash history and are well sign-posted. [/quote]
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,16940438-1242,00.html
[quote=news.com.au]
Drivers' speed camera rage
From:
By Kelvin Bissett
October 17, 2005
Speed cameras
On tape ... men throw newly laid turf over a speed camera
SPEED cameras across New South Wales are being pelted with rocks, hit with sticks, set on fire, covered in graffiti, shot at by guns and smeared by eggs as angry motorists increasingly resort to violence.
These exclusive pictures showing speed camera attacks come as latest figures show the devices reaped a new record of $54.1million in fines in the past 12 months. Pictures Attacks caught on CCTV
In the past two years there have been 74 instances of vandalism, leading to damage bills from a few hundred dollars to $110,000.
The Roads and Traffic Authority has been forced to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on security surveillance equipment at 34 speed camera sites.
The majority of the recorded attacks have caused damage in the region of hundreds of dollars.
But in one instance at Queanbeyan on November 11 last year, $110,671 worth of damage was caused to the Lanyon Drive camera as saboteurs set it on fire.
In July last year at Ourimbah, on the Central Coast, the camera cabinet was forced open and the contents were stolen, causing $6651 worth of damage in an elaborate strategy to ensure evidence for a fine was destroyed.
Despite spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on security surveillance equipment, the devices are still being attacked.
But in some cases, individuals have simply attacked the security cameras first, putting them out of action before moving to the main camera.
Meanwhile, the state's 109 fixed speed cameras snapped more than 1100 motorists a day on the state's roads in the year to June 30, Office of State Revenue documents, obtained under Freedom of Information, show.
The cameras issued a total of $54,069,259 in infringements in the past year, more than $1million up on the previous record set in 2003-04.
The documents show 403,047 fines were collected with some 14 sites around the state responsible for more than $1million or more worth of infringements. Related story RTA defends camera fines »
School zone cameras - which enforce a lower 40km/h speed limit between 8am and 9.30am and 2.30pm and 4pm on school days - are particularly busy catching speeding motorists.
The school zone camera in Macpherson St, Mosman, is the most profitable in NSW, capturing an average 66 drivers a day outside Middle Harbour Public School.
Its $2.979million from nearly 25,000 fines is $420,000 more than in 2003-04.
The second most lucrative site is in the Eastern Distributor tunnel, pulling in $2.394 million.
The twin school zone cameras on the Princes Highway, Kogarah, also do strong business but have slowed down last year as drivers wised up.
The northbound and southbound carriageway cameras generate a combined $4.247million, about $2.5million down on the previous period.
But there is good news for motorists.
This latest record for speed camera revenue is unlikely to be beaten for some time due to reduced fines which took effect from July 1.
The State Government cut the fine for exceeding the speed limit by less than 15km/h to $75 earlier this year.
On the vandalism issue, Roads Minister Joe Tripodi last night urged anyone witnessing speed camera vandalism to contact police.
Mr Tripodi said the gradual installation of security surveillance equipment - now extended to 37 sites - means there has been a reduction in serious vandalism incidents.
He said attacking speed cameras was a crime.
"I have a message for would-be vandals - there is now a greater chance of you being caught and prosecuted," Mr Tripodi said.
The fines come after a torrid year for the cameras on other fronts.
In August, the State Government admitted that a software error affecting the security codes had rendered hundreds of fines invalid.
In another setback, a camera on Spit Hill, near Mosman, was removed earlier this year after the RTA admitted it had erroneously recorded 13 buses speeding.
NRMA motoring and services general manager Brett Gale said the record fines "highlight the need for all motorists to stick to the speed limit, especially in school zones".
He said 75 per cent of NRMA members support speed cameras, providing they are in areas with a speed-related crash history and are well sign-posted. [/quote]
.... will they never learn? 
What next cameras to watch the cameras which are watching the cameras? However then people will attack the cameras which are watching the cameras which are watching the cameras. Clearly then we will require cameras to watch the cameras which are watching the cameras which are watching the cameras.
mmmmm. I'll get my coat.........
mmmmm. I'll get my coat.........
How about the police putting traffic police out there to keep an eye on the scameras........doh! I've just created a vicious circle...... Weren't these things meant to keep the police out there doing their duty of going after the 'real' criminals?
So we can now have overworked and ineffective traffic police being supported by money spinning scameras but to protect them we will need to overwork the police again to make sure that no-one gets angry with their 45,000 GBP devices. Now wouldn't it be best to have that money put into getting new police trained and doing a more flexible job than just watching the traffic?
So we can now have overworked and ineffective traffic police being supported by money spinning scameras but to protect them we will need to overwork the police again to make sure that no-one gets angry with their 45,000 GBP devices. Now wouldn't it be best to have that money put into getting new police trained and doing a more flexible job than just watching the traffic?
eccles said:
i bet the guys making the cameras are loveing it!....they must be raking it in.
>> Edited by eccles on Monday 17th October 14:24
seeing the prices quoted for a gatso as £40,000 plus, the margins must be 'ing huge, cause I can't believe they cost anything like that to build.Einion Yrth said:
i bet the guys making the cameras are loveing it!....they must be raking it in.
>> Edited by eccles on Monday 17th October 14:24
40 grand! Oh well, its only tax-payers money, plenty more were that came from
While it's fun to wreck 'em, in the end the replacements are being purchased with your (tax) money! Wouldn't it be better to just spoof them without damage? Are they radar or laser? If they are radar, an appropriate sized piece of tinfoil placed in front of the camera will render it incapable of "seeing" any cars, regardless of their speed...
I agree with SCORP, most of you guys must have seen insides of the dreaded Scamera. See Safespeed site if you haven't.
At £47,000 ( I still can't believe that ) EACH !!!!.
Somebody is laughing (at us) all the way to the bank.
There will be some bulging back pockets in "the corridors of power", both local and national.
You cannot compete with that level of fraud.
vbr CJ.
ps: how many are there in the UK, multiply that out !!.
At £47,000 ( I still can't believe that ) EACH !!!!.
Somebody is laughing (at us) all the way to the bank.
There will be some bulging back pockets in "the corridors of power", both local and national.
You cannot compete with that level of fraud.
vbr CJ.
ps: how many are there in the UK, multiply that out !!.
What a stupid idea, clearly the amount of revenue from these 37 sites must be keeping the coffers in a good state...just like in the UK!
The UK should now have some of the best, safest, newest roads in Europe with all the revenue generated...huh, fat chance.
Slightly off topic, but Ealing council placed CCTV around a traffic-light r/about watching the traffic and have since roped another set (at a stretch I could smash the cameras only about 6ft off the upper ground) because someone got attacked in the roundabout underpass and not one camera caught the action! Amazing!
The UK should now have some of the best, safest, newest roads in Europe with all the revenue generated...huh, fat chance.
Slightly off topic, but Ealing council placed CCTV around a traffic-light r/about watching the traffic and have since roped another set (at a stretch I could smash the cameras only about 6ft off the upper ground) because someone got attacked in the roundabout underpass and not one camera caught the action! Amazing!
thurman said:
While it's fun to wreck 'em, in the end the replacements are being purchased with your (tax) money! Wouldn't it be better to just spoof them without damage? Are they radar or laser? If they are radar, an appropriate sized piece of tinfoil placed in front of the camera will render it incapable of "seeing" any cars, regardless of their speed...
Better to pay a quid in extra taxes, than be ripped off by a scam, any scam.
(ps
does any one have a gadget that triggers the :cencored: )thurman said:
While it's fun to wreck 'em, in the end the replacements are being purchased with your (tax) money! Wouldn't it be better to just spoof them without damage? Are they radar or laser? If they are radar, an appropriate sized piece of tinfoil placed in front of the camera will render it incapable of "seeing" any cars, regardless of their speed...
Incorrect! Hypothecation or netting orf is what pays for them.
Taxpayers have nothing to do with it.
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