Do scamera vans operate at night?
Discussion
BO55 VXR said:
Just wondered as I was travelling up the A1(M) the other evening and noticed a few "vehicles" on the bridges... Some were marked up.. Dont think I was speeding, though.
Afaik there is no reason why they cannot work in the dark. Operators get good overtime as well ....
Local pressure had out lot out in the village at back in the ealry part of this year. Allegedly at 3 locations between 6 and 10pm. Earned about £3600 I heard reported. easily paid the overtime. Mostly locals of course at that time of night and on the roads they chose.
I,v often wondered about this, as I have only ever seen them operating during the day. (And I do drive at night as well). Someone I know recently told me that he reckons he was 'clocked' at 0430, in the dark, by a scamara van parked on a bridge through the current M20 roadworks. Road deserted and no workers to be seen of course. 
catso said:
I have seen a Talivan parked up on the grass central reservation, looking 'ready for action', of a Dual carriageway at night 9.30 - 10ish (no Sean Connery jokes please) in Leicester, full darkness.
Perhaps it does happen rarely, but I do thousands of miles of darkness driving and have never seen them around here (Somerset). I check their website for talivan locations, and they are very accurate in as much as that is where they are on that particular day as advertised, but have never seen them in the advertised location at night. Hence I have all my fun driving at night, daytime driving is no fun at all these days!
I don't believe they operate at night at all. I suppose that there might be the odd exception. There a Poltech camera that's supposed to be operatable at night in Talivans, but I've never heard of a prosecution from one and I don't know its type-approval status.
Basically I don't believe that the video in a normal Talivan works well enough at night.
Basically I don't believe that the video in a normal Talivan works well enough at night.
8Pack said:
Mmmmh! "Drive on full headlamps whenever possible" it seems.......especially approaching bridges......
(funnily enough... when I bought my car.....the full headlamps used to hit the Motorway bridges?.....MMmmmmh? I wonder?)..
(funnily enough... when I bought my car.....the full headlamps used to hit the Motorway bridges?.....MMmmmmh? I wonder?)..
Wonder it the theory works in the daytime as well?Lidar guns work perfectly well at night, the operators have been trained to aim between the headlights (where the plate usually is).
I have seen NIPs with LTI/Lastec photos showing enforcement being done in darkness (at fairly close range). However, night enforcement is a relatively infrequent occurrence.
I’ve not yet seen one done in darkness on a motorway - do not interpret this to mean risk-free motorway speeding: in-car plod can still get you.
I have seen NIPs with LTI/Lastec photos showing enforcement being done in darkness (at fairly close range). However, night enforcement is a relatively infrequent occurrence.
I’ve not yet seen one done in darkness on a motorway - do not interpret this to mean risk-free motorway speeding: in-car plod can still get you.
smeggy said:
Mr_annie_vxr said:
Very rarely will a van work at night. Mainly as they are operated by civilians. I also guess its down to sheer volume of traffic.
Or, it could be down to fear of attack?
A hated Civvie, on their own, in darkness, in the middle of nowhere...
More likely the shift allowance. Any one attacking a camera van would, I'd suggest find themselves in a lot of trouble.
Mr_annie_vxr said:
More likely the shift allowance. Any one attacking a camera van would, I'd suggest find themselves in a lot of trouble.
You might be right; however, all the attacker need to is wear a cap and cover/remove/clone their VRM to evade capture, in just the same way the more determined criminals get away with driving offences!
smeggy said:
Mr_annie_vxr said:
More likely the shift allowance. Any one attacking a camera van would, I'd suggest find themselves in a lot of trouble.
You might be right; however, all the attacker need to is wear a cap and cover/remove/clone their VRM to evade capture, in just the same way the more determined criminals get away with driving offences!
Or not leave a witness...
Lets just say I wouldn't do that job more than just for moral reasons
Mr_annie_vxr said:
smeggy said:
Mr_annie_vxr said:
Very rarely will a van work at night. Mainly as they are operated by civilians. I also guess its down to sheer volume of traffic.
Or, it could be down to fear of attack?
A hated Civvie, on their own, in darkness, in the middle of nowhere...
More likely the shift allowance. Any one attacking a camera van would, I'd suggest find themselves in a lot of trouble.
Oh damn. That's a thought. I'd better not do it then.
I have seen a mobile camera on the A38 in Bristol at the RR flyover. They hide just after the flyover and try to catch people comming over it on their way to the M5.
I've seen it in the twilight and occasionally in darkness.
Of course he may be getting ready to pack up and go as soon as the light fades completely...
I've seen it in the twilight and occasionally in darkness.
Of course he may be getting ready to pack up and go as soon as the light fades completely...
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