A2 - Sun in the Sands - Northbound - Flashed at 52
Discussion
So I'm mozying along the A2 going towards carnary wharf tonight at 8:52 and wonder past the nice Gatso camera by the "on slip" from the Sun in the Sands and have the fright of my life when Mr Gatso bursts into life (twice) I almost shit myself whilst looking a the speedo which is saying 52 (I know Von would say that I'm speeding) but 52MPH? Surely not.
The only saving grace (I hope) is that a 52 plated (dark coloured and no I didn't get the rest of the reg plate - but I was a car or two behind it as I went through the Blackwall tunnel) VW beetle that's over taking me, which brings me to the next bit - the car was going past me by the time Mr Gatso flashed his welcome message - how the dickens can I prove it was the car next door that caused the camera to activate.
I don't suppose a friendly Met based TrafPol would mind dropping me a PM to clarify how the person in the Sidcup processing unit (which happens to be a 5 mins drive from me) will know that it wasn't me and the car next door - cos I'm convinced that the car next door set it off, but was going past me when the camera flashed and I don't know if my car will be blocking the others plate
I am cacking myself right now as I was looking forward to nice cheap insurance next year (4 years no claims, no points etc etc)
I would ask the old man - but he retired from the MPD 5 years ago and wasn't Traf Pol. I suppose I now have to hold my breath until Friday 10th November to be in the clear
Cheers
Mike
The only saving grace (I hope) is that a 52 plated (dark coloured and no I didn't get the rest of the reg plate - but I was a car or two behind it as I went through the Blackwall tunnel) VW beetle that's over taking me, which brings me to the next bit - the car was going past me by the time Mr Gatso flashed his welcome message - how the dickens can I prove it was the car next door that caused the camera to activate.
I don't suppose a friendly Met based TrafPol would mind dropping me a PM to clarify how the person in the Sidcup processing unit (which happens to be a 5 mins drive from me) will know that it wasn't me and the car next door - cos I'm convinced that the car next door set it off, but was going past me when the camera flashed and I don't know if my car will be blocking the others plate
I am cacking myself right now as I was looking forward to nice cheap insurance next year (4 years no claims, no points etc etc)
I would ask the old man - but he retired from the MPD 5 years ago and wasn't Traf Pol. I suppose I now have to hold my breath until Friday 10th November to be in the clear
Cheers
Mike
michaeljclark said:
So I'm mozying along the A2 going towards carnary wharf tonight at 8:52 and wonder past the nice Gatso camera by the "on slip" from the Sun in the Sands and have the fright of my life when Mr Gatso bursts into life (twice) I almost shit myself whilst looking a the speedo which is saying 52 (I know Von would say that I'm speeding) but 52MPH? Surely not.
The only saving grace (I hope) is that a 52 plated (dark coloured and no I didn't get the rest of the reg plate - but I was a car or two behind it as I went through the Blackwall tunnel) VW beetle that's over taking me, which brings me to the next bit - the car was going past me by the time Mr Gatso flashed his welcome message - how the dickens can I prove it was the car next door that caused the camera to activate.
I don't suppose a friendly Met based TrafPol would mind dropping me a PM to clarify how the person in the Sidcup processing unit (which happens to be a 5 mins drive from me) will know that it wasn't me and the car next door - cos I'm convinced that the car next door set it off, but was going past me when the camera flashed and I don't know if my car will be blocking the others plate
I am cacking myself right now as I was looking forward to nice cheap insurance next year (4 years no claims, no points etc etc)
I would ask the old man - but he retired from the MPD 5 years ago and wasn't Traf Pol. I suppose I now have to hold my breath until Friday 10th November to be in the clear
Cheers
Mike
The only saving grace (I hope) is that a 52 plated (dark coloured and no I didn't get the rest of the reg plate - but I was a car or two behind it as I went through the Blackwall tunnel) VW beetle that's over taking me, which brings me to the next bit - the car was going past me by the time Mr Gatso flashed his welcome message - how the dickens can I prove it was the car next door that caused the camera to activate.
I don't suppose a friendly Met based TrafPol would mind dropping me a PM to clarify how the person in the Sidcup processing unit (which happens to be a 5 mins drive from me) will know that it wasn't me and the car next door - cos I'm convinced that the car next door set it off, but was going past me when the camera flashed and I don't know if my car will be blocking the others plate
I am cacking myself right now as I was looking forward to nice cheap insurance next year (4 years no claims, no points etc etc)
I would ask the old man - but he retired from the MPD 5 years ago and wasn't Traf Pol. I suppose I now have to hold my breath until Friday 10th November to be in the clear
Cheers
Mike
I've flashed that one before (Oct 04 IIRC) and nothing came of it. Good luck!
gently bentley said:
Is it not the case that it flashes twice to prove movement of the vehicle and for time speed distance calculation to prove speed?
As far as I know you will be fine.
As far as I know you will be fine.
Yep - the before and after shot!!! Allows them to count the distance beween the first and last white line drawn on the road
I normally travel a tad under the limt past a camera - I work in IT and have a distrust of some types of computers and software
I'm hoping the camera was setup using normal formula of speed limit plus 10% plus 2 which gives 57 and there is no way in all things sacred I was going over 57
I believe this is called "sods law"
Mike
Ok, first thing to say is DO NOT WORRY.
A few points; the first is that when there is no film in the camera they use a less accurate (read un calibrated) radar attached to the flash to maintain the camera's working appearance - because it is un calibrated it is POSSIBLE it may flash for a non-speeding speed.
Another point is that (I don't know the camera off hand) but sometimes cars coming the other way can set it off it caught just at the right time (for anyone that knows it, the camera in Sittingbourne is good for this).
The third point, and most crucial to your sanity for the next 14 days, is that it is VERY easy to see which car set it off if two cars go through. Simply put there will be two photographs and in both those photographs two cars; yours and his. His car would have covered, say, 8 lines in between the photographs (where let's say 7 means you're speeding) and your car would have covered 6 lines.
I received all this information from having spent a day in the Kent&Medway Camera Partnership office and this is how, when there's two cars in picture, they decide it. So, if you weren't speeding YOU ARE COMPLETELY OK!!!! There were some instances whereby both cars were very close to the speeding threshold but because they were both maybes and the lines were not definitive, both cars were cleared and pic simply kept on file.
I hope that goes someway to keeping you sane!
A few points; the first is that when there is no film in the camera they use a less accurate (read un calibrated) radar attached to the flash to maintain the camera's working appearance - because it is un calibrated it is POSSIBLE it may flash for a non-speeding speed.
Another point is that (I don't know the camera off hand) but sometimes cars coming the other way can set it off it caught just at the right time (for anyone that knows it, the camera in Sittingbourne is good for this).
The third point, and most crucial to your sanity for the next 14 days, is that it is VERY easy to see which car set it off if two cars go through. Simply put there will be two photographs and in both those photographs two cars; yours and his. His car would have covered, say, 8 lines in between the photographs (where let's say 7 means you're speeding) and your car would have covered 6 lines.
I received all this information from having spent a day in the Kent&Medway Camera Partnership office and this is how, when there's two cars in picture, they decide it. So, if you weren't speeding YOU ARE COMPLETELY OK!!!! There were some instances whereby both cars were very close to the speeding threshold but because they were both maybes and the lines were not definitive, both cars were cleared and pic simply kept on file.
I hope that goes someway to keeping you sane!
Isn't there something about only one car being in the shot too?
Anyway, there is (supposed to be) a manual check, and it will be bloody obvious that the other car was going faster from what you've said - you shouldn't be worrying. If anything turns up hen post again, but I can't see it happening.
Anyway, there is (supposed to be) a manual check, and it will be bloody obvious that the other car was going faster from what you've said - you shouldn't be worrying. If anything turns up hen post again, but I can't see it happening.
I know the camera your talking about very well and if you were only doing 52 i would not worry about it at all. I'll second everything that TonyH has said above. The powers that be who deal with these things will know and be able to work out exactly who was the culprit. IF you do get something through the post i'd be extremely suprised.
M3John.
I chatted to a guy at an exhibition who was from scamera aprtnership. I asked why I have passed Gatso's going in the opposite direction and they have flashed me. He said that not all of them actually have the full workings inside and they are in fact dummies and just go off when they detect speeding in either direction.
I have come accorss a few of these, there is one on the A406 between Chiswick Roundabout and another on the A315 heading into Brentford.
Its a really crap idea to do this because if speed past in the opposite direction the camera flashes and the law abiding motorists who in its path on the other side think they are being done!! The poor souls then worry for weeks on end...
I have come accorss a few of these, there is one on the A406 between Chiswick Roundabout and another on the A315 heading into Brentford.
Its a really crap idea to do this because if speed past in the opposite direction the camera flashes and the law abiding motorists who in its path on the other side think they are being done!! The poor souls then worry for weeks on end...
Dino D said:
I chatted to a guy at an exhibition who was from scamera aprtnership. I asked why I have passed Gatso's going in the opposite direction and they have flashed me. He said that not all of them actually have the full workings inside and they are in fact dummies and just go off when they detect speeding in either direction.
Can anyone confirm that it's only these so-called 'dummies' that are triggered both ways, as I've seen loads of Gatso's triggered from the opposite direction?
Prompts the geeky question, if a 'genuine' Gatso can be triggered by traffic in the other direction, could somebody travelling above the limit but below the trigger speed coincidentally get done? Does the Gatso legally have to form an opinion of excess speed before photographing?
blackvanman said:
Dino D said:
I chatted to a guy at an exhibition who was from scamera aprtnership. I asked why I have passed Gatso's going in the opposite direction and they have flashed me. He said that not all of them actually have the full workings inside and they are in fact dummies and just go off when they detect speeding in either direction.
Can anyone confirm that it's only these so-called 'dummies' that are triggered both ways, as I've seen loads of Gatso's triggered from the opposite direction?
Prompts the geeky question, if a 'genuine' Gatso can be triggered by traffic in the other direction, could somebody travelling above the limit but below the trigger speed coincidentally get done? Does the Gatso legally have to form an opinion of excess speed before photographing?
I believe the fully functioning ones cannot be triggered from the wrong direction. Thats what the scamera man told me.
.blackvanman said:
Dino D said:
I chatted to a guy at an exhibition who was from scamera aprtnership. I asked why I have passed Gatso's going in the opposite direction and they have flashed me. He said that not all of them actually have the full workings inside and they are in fact dummies and just go off when they detect speeding in either direction.
Can anyone confirm that it's only these so-called 'dummies' that are triggered both ways, as I've seen loads of Gatso's triggered from the opposite direction?
Prompts the geeky question, if a 'genuine' Gatso can be triggered by traffic in the other direction, could somebody travelling above the limit but below the trigger speed coincidentally get done? Does the Gatso legally have to form an opinion of excess speed before photographing?
Yes VH just explained this on another thread. They measure speed in two ways while taking two photos.
Gixer said:
That camera is well sensitive. I've seen it flash more than any other camera. Even cars on the other carriage way set it off.
yep, I've seen it go off when there has been nothing going north on quite a few occasions. I have also been through there at 55+ and it hasn't gone off. I have also had this and other cameras go off when either being overtaken or overtaking cars with only a slight speed differential but still on the limit. If you were only doing 52, I wouldn't worry about it.
Was on the opposite carrigeway to that that camara today, it was going off like anything! Cars on that side of the road were clearly not speeding, but the side I was on was 'making steady progress'. The progression of vehicles travalling in the opposite direction was causing it to activate. Fear not! 
Edited by peaktorque on Saturday 28th October 21:49
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