Loop Hole in SPECS Camera system

[doorman]

Just read this rather interesting article from The London Evening Standard on the fact that SPECS camera's can not actually read vehicle's that change lanes between cameras, I must say I have always had my doubts how how accurate these cameras are. However, I would not condone such action for safety reasons, but, if you did find yourself caught out for one reason or other, it may just save your licence by changing lanes!

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-2337087...

[GKP]

doorman said:

Just read this rather interesting article from The London Evening Standard on the fact that SPECS camera's can not actually read vehicle's that change lanes between cameras, I must say I have always had my doubts how how accurate these cameras are. However, I would not condone such action for safety reasons, but, if you did find yourself caught out for one reason or other, it may just save your licence by changing lanes!

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-2337087...

I'm going to quote you so can't delete it, then show you the date of the article.

//Last updated at 23:07pm on 15.10.06//



Now, go and stand in the corner and think about what you've done.

[AndWhyNot]

I'm sure doorman just used the wrong tense and is referencing the article in case anyone was caught a while back and is still feeling hard done by.

[doorman]

Yes your quite right about the date, I did not spot that as I took the information from the following;

PocketGPSWorld Newsletter :: Carcomm Cradles :: SPECS Loophole Confirmed :: Will free navigation replace PNDs? :: Speedcam Database Updated replaceþ
From: The PocketGPSWorld.Com Team ([e-mail]) on behalf of The PocketGPSWorld.Com Team ([e-mail])
Sent: 11 June 2010 06:37:34
To: [e-mail]

As you can see the date I received this info is current but the story not, apologias, still don't know what the facts are then on lane changing, perhaps some one can enlighten us?

[Silent1]

Loophole now closed, home office approved to track lane changes now.

[GKP]

As above, it was never a tech issue but more a 'Type Approval' one. Once the appropriate bits of paper had the right number of rubber stamps on, then the loophole was no more.

[Stuart J]

I have been told in roadworks at least only some cameras are live, these are I believe the ones that have lights illuminating the road imediately before them, does anyone else know if this is fact or anorther great myth

[SS2.]

Stuart J said:

I have been told in roadworks at least only some cameras are live, these are I believe the ones that have lights illuminating the road imediately before them, does anyone else know if this is fact or anorther great myth

Why not try it and let us know how you get on..




Tip - don't try the above..

[ecain63]

Why is it that nobody sticks to the speed limit in the average speed camera zones? I always sit at the speed limit (normally a 50 zone) for fear that my license will be snatched, yet every man and his dog will quite happily wizz by at 60 or 70, apparently unaware of the cameras. Do they know something we dont?

[Funk]

ecain63 said:

Why is it that nobody sticks to the speed limit in the average speed camera zones? I always sit at the speed limit (normally a 50 zone) for fear that my license will be snatched, yet every man and his dog will quite happily wizz by at 60 or 70, apparently unaware of the cameras. Do they know something we dont?

Yes; what the inside of their local magistrates' court looks like.

[ecain63]

Funk said:

ecain63 said:

Why is it that nobody sticks to the speed limit in the average speed camera zones? I always sit at the speed limit (normally a 50 zone) for fear that my license will be snatched, yet every man and his dog will quite happily wizz by at 60 or 70, apparently unaware of the cameras. Do they know something we dont?

Yes; what the inside of their local magistrates' court looks like.

What im saying is, its not just one or two that are just ploughing through, it seems to be 75% of the other road users. Its like they know the cameras are off or something.

[chr15b]

Stuart J said:

I have been told in roadworks at least only some cameras are live, these are I believe the ones that have lights illuminating the road imediately before them, does anyone else know if this is fact or anorther great myth

and that helps how?

The distance for avg is just longer

[Stuart J]

chr15b said:

Stuart J said:

I have been told in roadworks at least only some cameras are live, these are I believe the ones that have lights illuminating the road imediately before them, does anyone else know if this is fact or anorther great myth

and that helps how?

The distance for avg is just longer

Bad Weekend ??

It dosent help at all unless you want to be the Arse who tucks 6" behind a truck or tight to the side of one through the camera

I was just intrigued to know if its true

[Karlos69]

Stuart J said:

chr15b said:

Stuart J said:

I have been told in roadworks at least only some cameras are live, these are I believe the ones that have lights illuminating the road imediately before them, does anyone else know if this is fact or anorther great myth

and that helps how?

The distance for avg is just longer

Bad Weekend ??

It dosent help at all unless you want to be the Arse who tucks 6" behind a truck or tight to the side of one through the camera

I was just intrigued to know if its true

It shouldn't make any difference anyhow, as I believe the cameras use infra-red to read plates (hence the little IR lamps either side of the cameras).

[arfur daley]

i think we should lassoo a big rope to the camera poles and pull them down

[mikeyr]

ecain63 said:

Why is it that nobody sticks to the speed limit in the average speed camera zones? I always sit at the speed limit (normally a 50 zone) for fear that my license will be snatched, yet every man and his dog will quite happily wizz by at 60 or 70, apparently unaware of the cameras. Do they know something we dont?

Maybe they are going from their (more accurate) GPS readings? Might seem like they are wizzing past but could just be that your speedo under reads(and YES, that IS the excuse I'm going to use if I get done for speeding )!

[Mr E Driver]

My Pogo Alert tells me what my average is and after following a numpty doing 45 I can speed up until it tells me I have averaged 50ish

[M5 Mark]

ecain63 said:

Why is it that nobody sticks to the speed limit in the average speed camera zones? I always sit at the speed limit (normally a 50 zone) for fear that my license will be snatched, yet every man and his dog will quite happily wizz by at 60 or 70, apparently unaware of the cameras. Do they know something we dont?

I know exactly what you mean!

Depends on what speed they are registering is my guess. We all know we are allowed 10% +2 so 57. I stick to 55 to be safe, BUT 55 on GPS is different to 55 on the dial. My thought is people are sticking to 50 on the dial which is more like 46-48 on gps, someone going past at 55 on gps will look way faster..

[snoopstah]

Stuart J said:

I have been told in roadworks at least only some cameras are live, these are I believe the ones that have lights illuminating the road imediately before them, does anyone else know if this is fact or anorther great myth

The cameras use infra-red emitters either side of them to illuminate numberplates.

I suspect that the floodlights are there in some places because:

a) the angle or distance of the camera to the road means that the IR emitters aren't illuminating the plates enough
b) the IR emitters on the camera in question have failed.
c) the people erecting the cameras don't know how they work (just look at the number of Gatso-style markings before/after/near Truvelo cameras)

You can tell if a SPECS camera is working or not by driving by at night and looking for two dull red glowing areas either side of the camera. The IR emitters produce enough red light to be visible (just) in dark conditions. A mobile phone camera or similar will also pick up the IR emitters very clearly (they will show up white).

So if you're feeling lucky then go ahead and ignore the ones that don't have floodlights. They certainly are *designed* to work without needing floodlights, though.

[AndWhyNot]

snoopstah said:

Stuart J said:

I have been told in roadworks at least only some cameras are live, these are I believe the ones that have lights illuminating the road imediately before them, does anyone else know if this is fact or anorther great myth

The cameras use infra-red emitters either side of them to illuminate numberplates.

I suspect that the floodlights are there in some places because:

a) the angle or distance of the camera to the road means that the IR emitters aren't illuminating the plates enough
b) the IR emitters on the camera in question have failed.
c) the people erecting the cameras don't know how they work (just look at the number of Gatso-style markings before/after/near Truvelo cameras)

You can tell if a SPECS camera is working or not by driving by at night and looking for two dull red glowing areas either side of the camera. The IR emitters produce enough red light to be visible (just) in dark conditions. A mobile phone camera or similar will also pick up the IR emitters very clearly (they will show up white).

So if you're feeling lucky then go ahead and ignore the ones that don't have floodlights. They certainly are *designed* to work without needing floodlights, though.

The floodlights are there to illuminate the *driver*, not the numberplate