Camera van range?
Discussion
Hi Guys,
After a bit of info here.
This morning, there was a police van parked on a road right after it goes from 60mph limit to 30 mph limit. IT wasn't very visible and spotted it too late. Anyway, here is the scenario:
The van was parked with the front of it towards me, hence cameras pointing towards the direction I was driving in. I spotted the van as I passed it and was doing probably 37mph (GPS speed), but my speed fell to 30mph about 5-10 meters after passing the van.
1. Is that distance enough for the cameras to catch me?
2. Do they have a minimum focus range?
3. Where is the NIP sent? is it to the address on the V5 of the car? or to the address on the licence of the registered keeper? (They are different addresses in my case due to being a student living away).
I am aware I should of not been speeding and I am happy to accept the fine and points/SAC, just need to know what to expect as my car is registered at my parents main address and they are away for a few months travelling, so won't get my NIP in time. Might have to get someone to go by and collect the post
Cheers guys
After a bit of info here.
This morning, there was a police van parked on a road right after it goes from 60mph limit to 30 mph limit. IT wasn't very visible and spotted it too late. Anyway, here is the scenario:
The van was parked with the front of it towards me, hence cameras pointing towards the direction I was driving in. I spotted the van as I passed it and was doing probably 37mph (GPS speed), but my speed fell to 30mph about 5-10 meters after passing the van.
1. Is that distance enough for the cameras to catch me?
2. Do they have a minimum focus range?
3. Where is the NIP sent? is it to the address on the V5 of the car? or to the address on the licence of the registered keeper? (They are different addresses in my case due to being a student living away).
I am aware I should of not been speeding and I am happy to accept the fine and points/SAC, just need to know what to expect as my car is registered at my parents main address and they are away for a few months travelling, so won't get my NIP in time. Might have to get someone to go by and collect the post
Cheers guys
You should be fine.
I remember a nervous wait after driving towards a camera van that also had some sort of camera/equipment mounted in the front behind the windscreen. I think an internet search at the time suggested it was a video camera to record bikers plates. I never heard anything anyway.
I remember a nervous wait after driving towards a camera van that also had some sort of camera/equipment mounted in the front behind the windscreen. I think an internet search at the time suggested it was a video camera to record bikers plates. I never heard anything anyway.
I may being wrong here but I always thought that the cameras only catch approaching vehicles.
I guess the tech behind it should work both ways but I've only ever seen them facing against the traffic, probably because as you've demonstrated, if drivers see it, slow down and then get their speed read checked, it's going to catch far fewer people speeding.
If anyone can answer the range question for when you're approaching them on a bridge and the cameras are pointing at you, that would be rather useful!
I guess the tech behind it should work both ways but I've only ever seen them facing against the traffic, probably because as you've demonstrated, if drivers see it, slow down and then get their speed read checked, it's going to catch far fewer people speeding.
If anyone can answer the range question for when you're approaching them on a bridge and the cameras are pointing at you, that would be rather useful!
omblad0n said:
Just to clarify the van didn't have a front opening for camera. I do get your point of it wanting to catch vehicles approaching, but maybe it was intending just that for the traffic on the other lane.
Either way, does anyone have any idea about the address question?
Cheers
address ref. the car - they have no idea who the driver might be...Either way, does anyone have any idea about the address question?
Cheers
Uncle Ron said:
I may being wrong here but I always thought that the cameras only catch approaching vehicles.
I guess the tech behind it should work both ways but I've only ever seen them facing against the traffic, probably because as you've demonstrated, if drivers see it, slow down and then get their speed read checked, it's going to catch far fewer people speeding.
If anyone can answer the range question for when you're approaching them on a bridge and the cameras are pointing at you, that would be rather useful!
Upto 1000 metres but typically up to 6-700... and they get you both ways if they are sneaky enough as in this picture... across two lanes of oncoming traffic and through a gap in the hedging and armco running in between both carriage ways...I guess the tech behind it should work both ways but I've only ever seen them facing against the traffic, probably because as you've demonstrated, if drivers see it, slow down and then get their speed read checked, it's going to catch far fewer people speeding.
If anyone can answer the range question for when you're approaching them on a bridge and the cameras are pointing at you, that would be rather useful!
CaptainMorgan said:
You didn't notice it until you'd driven past it?!
Noticed the van was from the police it as I got within 20m of it, when it became fully visible as it was after some mid height grassy patch, and my first thought was that its just a parked police van (I've driven that road 2 times a day 5 days a week for 9 months and never saw any sort of camera there, be it mobile fixed or hand held gun). Only when side by side with it the thought crossed my mind that it might be a camera van, and as I passed it I saw the hatches at the back and slammed on the brakes hence by the time I was 5-10m away I was =<30mph . If there would of been camera hatches at the front I would of noticed before being side by side with it.Uncle Ron said:
I may being wrong here but I always thought that the cameras only catch approaching vehicles.
My Dad thought the same until he got a letter in the post after thundering past a camera van on the opposite side of the carriageway while laughing to himself that it was pointing the wrong way to catch him!I may have laughed a fair amount when he asked me how he possibly could have been caught...
Uncle Ron said:
I may being wrong here but I always thought that the cameras only catch approaching vehicles.
I guess the tech behind it should work both ways but I've only ever seen them facing against the traffic, probably because as you've demonstrated, if drivers see it, slow down and then get their speed read checked, it's going to catch far fewer people speeding.
If anyone can answer the range question for when you're approaching them on a bridge and the cameras are pointing at you, that would be rather useful!
The tech behind it is luckly slowed down by legislation.I guess the tech behind it should work both ways but I've only ever seen them facing against the traffic, probably because as you've demonstrated, if drivers see it, slow down and then get their speed read checked, it's going to catch far fewer people speeding.
If anyone can answer the range question for when you're approaching them on a bridge and the cameras are pointing at you, that would be rather useful!
The camera tends to be in a window at the BACK of the van. The operator MUST assume you are speeding before pointing the laser at you (which is man operated). So the operator can only be looking in 1 direction at any one time with the camera meaning it is either front OR rear mounted as 2 man operating teams would be rather inefficient.
If we didnt have this type of guideline you are right. With modern technology a 360degree ANPR linked camera that catches 100% of vehicles going past for speeding, tax, MOT, insurance etc etc would be possible. But expensive.
The Wookie said:
My Dad thought the same until he got a letter in the post after thundering past a camera van on the opposite side of the carriageway while laughing to himself that it was pointing the wrong way to catch him!
I may have laughed a fair amount when he asked me how he possibly could have been caught...
Well ill learn his lesson in that case, having gleefully speeded into the distance on a couple of occasions!I may have laughed a fair amount when he asked me how he possibly could have been caught...
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff