Can I get nicked for a gatso facing forwards?
Discussion
Was testing out my 335i today on some deresticted roads. Coming back into town, I zoomed through a gatso (classic - not truvelo or new tall gatso) facing me (ie. on the other side of the road). It flashed twice in front of me as I sped through. I thought all this time they can only get you if they catch your 'rear' but then I was thinking, there are white dots on both sides of the road. Can I get nicked for this - or can I truly sleep in peace tonight? I know they sometimes can go off due to interference on the other side of the road.
Edited by merlin5 on Tuesday 12th February 19:50
davido140 said:
Pretty sure you are safe, they are designed for rear facing pictures, no white lines on your side of the road? no way to verify the distance travelled between the two photos.
It was a single lane road in each direction with the camera on one side but dots in the middle of the road were on both lanes. That is why I am not sure if I can get 'done'.Some conflicting information here.
I can tell you quite authoritatively that the traditional film-based Gatso cameras are designed to take forward-facing shots, are capable, do take them, but are not type-approved in the UK and therefore can't be used to prosecute.
This information is over 10 years old, mind, but I haven't heard of them being approved for forward-facing in that time. So basically you are in the clear.
The Truvelo camera, though, is designed, used and approved for forward-facing, so watch out for that.
Edit: The Gatso flashes twice for rear-facing shots and once for forward-facing shots. It can't and won't take a double photo on approaching (ie. forward facing) vehicles.
I can tell you quite authoritatively that the traditional film-based Gatso cameras are designed to take forward-facing shots, are capable, do take them, but are not type-approved in the UK and therefore can't be used to prosecute.
This information is over 10 years old, mind, but I haven't heard of them being approved for forward-facing in that time. So basically you are in the clear.
The Truvelo camera, though, is designed, used and approved for forward-facing, so watch out for that.
Edit: The Gatso flashes twice for rear-facing shots and once for forward-facing shots. It can't and won't take a double photo on approaching (ie. forward facing) vehicles.
Edited by JonRB on Wednesday 13th February 00:15
You are safe. Gatso cameras are not licenced in this country to monitor oncoming vehicles, although they work in both directions in Holland and Belgium. The cabbies in our area use this trick to monitor the trigger-speeds of all our local cameras. One in our area covering a thirty limit does not 'pop' until fourty one!
Traditional gatsos cannot flash forwards due to the flash potentially causing temporary blindness (which when you think about it is not very safe)
Presently three types
!. Rearfacing gatso so as you approach you see the bright yellow rear and it takes a photo of the back of your car double flash with a series of small parralell lines on the road evenly spaced over around 20metres.
Truvelo faces forwards same style box as gatso two round lenses one red one clear takes a pic of the front of car usually two to three lines across the road as you approach.
Specs average speed cams (vultures). Does what it says on the tin.They sit on poles high up street light level over the road and watch your approach. First camera reads your numberplate and the time second camera reads your plate and time averages it out between both times to see if you were over the limit. Its all digital so can issue tickets till hell freezes over.
Presently three types
!. Rearfacing gatso so as you approach you see the bright yellow rear and it takes a photo of the back of your car double flash with a series of small parralell lines on the road evenly spaced over around 20metres.
Truvelo faces forwards same style box as gatso two round lenses one red one clear takes a pic of the front of car usually two to three lines across the road as you approach.
Specs average speed cams (vultures). Does what it says on the tin.They sit on poles high up street light level over the road and watch your approach. First camera reads your numberplate and the time second camera reads your plate and time averages it out between both times to see if you were over the limit. Its all digital so can issue tickets till hell freezes over.
Edited by jimmyb on Tuesday 12th February 23:27
jimmyb said:
Traditional gatsos cannot flash forwards due to the flash potentially causing temporary blindness
They can, and they do - see my earlier post (which you evidently didn't read). It's just the operators usually set the threshold quite high so they don't waste film. jimmyb said:
(which when you think about it is not very safe)
Let's not go there. Cameras cause panic braking which in itself isn't very safe. And anyway, the Safety (sic) Camera Partnership aren't interested in safety, just cash. Edited by JonRB on Wednesday 13th February 00:16
There is a Gatso near me that flashes both ways, it will only capture people going one way (down hill as it happens) when it flashes if you go the other way, up the hill, the flashes go off when you are about level with the camera. You are not even in the shot when it takes the picture, so they just get an empty stretch of road, sleep easy chap!
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