Home Made Speed Cameras
Discussion
www.thisisyork.co.uk/york/news/YORK_NEWS_LOCAL1.html
A NORTH Yorkshire businessman who is sick of speeding drivers racing past his home has taken the law into his own hands - and created his own working speed camera.
Ray Allott, of Knaresborough, was so fed up of traffic racing along Forest Moor Road, between Knaresborough and Harrogate, that he made a portable camera, and caught 137 offenders in one day.
He plans to show the evidence to the police, and has already received inquiries from two schools and a local authority about similar devices.
But police chiefs believe such cameras could be breaking the law if they are left obstructing the highway, and warn that improving road safety is more complicated than simply using cameras.
Mr Allott, 38, said the photographs could not be used in court unless he applied for Home Office certification, which he was considering.
The camera - which looks just like the real thing - is portable and trailer-mounted, so it can be moved if people become accustomed to seeing it in one place.
The device contains an adjustable sensor, which detects vehicles travelling over the 40mph speed limit and takes a picture.
Mr Allott said: "Motorbikes race past here at 80mph and it makes me so angry that people can be so blase about it.
"The box part of the camera is quite straightforward to make, but the electrics are a little more complicated. A lot of it is just common sense.
"Even a dummy camera is enough to slow them down."
One of Mr Allott's dummy cameras on a trailer would cost about £1,600, but if people wanted a real camera and flash, they would need to pay between £6,000 and £7,000.
Sgt Nigel Atkinson, of North Yorkshire Police, said: "Obviously, speed detection devices are strictly regulated by the Home Office and require approval by the Secretary of State before any information gathered by them can be tendered as evidence.
"In addition, I note they are mounted on trailers, which means they will fall under the Road Traffic Act and as such, legally, the placing of them on any land forming a public highway, where any obstruction is caused, could commit an offence.
"Personally I welcome anything which helps change driver behaviour and makes our roads safer.
"Sadly, the answer is not always as easy as wheeling out a speed camera."
The cameras can be viewed on www.speedcamera.biz
A NORTH Yorkshire businessman who is sick of speeding drivers racing past his home has taken the law into his own hands - and created his own working speed camera.
Ray Allott, of Knaresborough, was so fed up of traffic racing along Forest Moor Road, between Knaresborough and Harrogate, that he made a portable camera, and caught 137 offenders in one day.
He plans to show the evidence to the police, and has already received inquiries from two schools and a local authority about similar devices.
But police chiefs believe such cameras could be breaking the law if they are left obstructing the highway, and warn that improving road safety is more complicated than simply using cameras.
Mr Allott, 38, said the photographs could not be used in court unless he applied for Home Office certification, which he was considering.
The camera - which looks just like the real thing - is portable and trailer-mounted, so it can be moved if people become accustomed to seeing it in one place.
The device contains an adjustable sensor, which detects vehicles travelling over the 40mph speed limit and takes a picture.
Mr Allott said: "Motorbikes race past here at 80mph and it makes me so angry that people can be so blase about it.
"The box part of the camera is quite straightforward to make, but the electrics are a little more complicated. A lot of it is just common sense.
"Even a dummy camera is enough to slow them down."
One of Mr Allott's dummy cameras on a trailer would cost about £1,600, but if people wanted a real camera and flash, they would need to pay between £6,000 and £7,000.
Sgt Nigel Atkinson, of North Yorkshire Police, said: "Obviously, speed detection devices are strictly regulated by the Home Office and require approval by the Secretary of State before any information gathered by them can be tendered as evidence.
"In addition, I note they are mounted on trailers, which means they will fall under the Road Traffic Act and as such, legally, the placing of them on any land forming a public highway, where any obstruction is caused, could commit an offence.
"Personally I welcome anything which helps change driver behaviour and makes our roads safer.
"Sadly, the answer is not always as easy as wheeling out a speed camera."
The cameras can be viewed on www.speedcamera.biz
oh really?northernnumpty said:
Mr Allott, 38, said the photographs could not be used in court unless he applied for Home Office certification, which he was considering.
Yeah right, I suspect that considering will be as far as it gets unless he has shed loads of money to burn.
What a plonker. This is just itching for a tyre and a gallon of unleaded.
Have a look at it, it looks like a normal fixed camera on a trailer. When have you ever seen one of those ? Erm, let me think....oh yes, never.
So, what he really is doing is trying to make a few pounds ( or maybe a lot of pounds ) and has managed to get his local rag to give him a load of free coverage.
So, what he really is doing is trying to make a few pounds ( or maybe a lot of pounds ) and has managed to get his local rag to give him a load of free coverage.
Functional and non-functional speed cameras, that look like fakes, on bendy poles with a bit of Dexion strapped to them to stop them bending too much, mounted on a tiddly little trailer that you could lift into the back of a pick-up to save messing around putting a lighting board on it and then chuck into a flooded quarry at your leisure. Or just attempt pull-ups on the horizontal arm so they bend right over and look stupid.
Sgt Nigel Atkinson said:
Sgt Nigel Atkinson, of North Yorkshire Police, said:
"I note they are mounted on trailers, which means they will fall under the Road Traffic Act and as such, legally, the placing of them on any land forming a public highway, where any obstruction is caused, could commit an offence.
Unless of course you are a scamera partnership then you seem to get automatic dispensation from the regulations and you can park where is most inconvienient for the motorist
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It'll be a Forward facing camera alright! 
millsee said:
"In addition, I note they are mounted on trailers, which means they will fall under the Road Traffic Act and as such, legally, the placing of them on any land forming a public highway, where any obstruction is caused, could commit an offence.
Once again the police reveal their hypocracy. Around Leamington (and propably elsewhere)most scamera sites involve obstructing part of the public highway. It's OK for the police to break the law but if a citizen tries to do the same thing then they are threatened with the full might of the police state. Sick.
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