Wet film / non-digital speed cameras - still working ?
Wet film / non-digital speed cameras - still working ?
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Discussion

outnumbered

Original Poster:

4,872 posts

263 months

Thursday 31st December 2020
quotequote all

The running costs of the original non-digital GATSOs (and similar units), with film needing to be loaded/unloaded/developed, are much higher than the always-on digital types that are now quite widely deployed.

So I wondered if any of the old ones are actually still in use, or whether they've been quietly retired and are just acting as a yellow deterrent these days.

Is anyone willing to own up to getting a ticket from one of these older units in the last year ?

Kiribati268

572 posts

166 months

Thursday 31st December 2020
quotequote all
There's one of the old types near my house on a downhill section. Was driving home late one night and completely forgot it was there. Looked down as I passed it and saw 38mph on the speedo, lifted off and thought 'eh, it'll be reet'......

FLASH FLASH.

Cursed myself as a simple error was about to cost me £100 and a day of my time or 3 points.

Heard nothing.....


I have been tempted to set it off again to test it, but I haven't got the balls for it.

outnumbered

Original Poster:

4,872 posts

263 months

Thursday 31st December 2020
quotequote all

Even when they were new, a number of them just had flash units in without a camera. I guess they'd leave all the flash-only and real equipment in place anyway as the flashes add some extra deterrence, even if you're never getting a ticket from it.

KungFuPanda

4,639 posts

199 months

Thursday 31st December 2020
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It used to be urban myth that they flashed twice if they had film in and only flashed once if there was no film.

scottyp123

3,881 posts

85 months

Friday 1st January 2021
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My mate went through one last year and set it off and heard nothing either. Also there is a GATSO just down the road from me, I occasionally use to see a copper by the side of the road changing the film in it but I haven't seen any there for at least a couple of years now. A car in front of me last week did set it off though and it flashed twice, he immediately started driving like a nun but Ibet he never hears anything.


anonymous-user

83 months

Friday 1st January 2021
quotequote all
Since the Corona disease kicked off, I haven't seen a mobile van or traffic/CEO warden.

un1corn

2,143 posts

166 months

Friday 1st January 2021
quotequote all
Kiribati268 said:
There's one of the old types near my house on a downhill section. Was driving home late one night and completely forgot it was there. Looked down as I passed it and saw 38mph on the speedo, lifted off and thought 'eh, it'll be reet'......

FLASH FLASH.

Cursed myself as a simple error was about to cost me £100 and a day of my time or 3 points.

Heard nothing.....


I have been tempted to set it off again to test it, but I haven't got the balls for it.
take your plates off

Drumroll

4,517 posts

149 months

Friday 1st January 2021
quotequote all
flashbang said:
Since the Corona disease kicked off, I haven't seen a mobile van or traffic/CEO warden.
Still out and about in North Yorkshire.

outnumbered

Original Poster:

4,872 posts

263 months

Friday 1st January 2021
quotequote all
flashbang said:
Since the Corona disease kicked off, I haven't seen a mobile van or traffic/CEO warden.
Vans are still out and about in the Thames Valley.

covboy

2,593 posts

203 months

Friday 1st January 2021
quotequote all
outnumbered said:
flashbang said:
Since the Corona disease kicked off, I haven't seen a mobile van or traffic/CEO warden.
Vans are still out and about in the Thames Valley.
And West Midlands

quinny100

1,013 posts

215 months

Friday 1st January 2021
quotequote all
flashbang said:
Since the Corona disease kicked off, I haven't seen a mobile van or traffic/CEO warden.
Vans still operating in Lancashire. Even seen them out on Sundays and late on Christmas Eve.

littlebasher

3,961 posts

200 months

Friday 1st January 2021
quotequote all
Gatso near the end of Parkway into Sheffield regularly emptied. Surprised they've not updated it to a digital device, going on the amount of vehicles it must catch.


outnumbered

Original Poster:

4,872 posts

263 months

Friday 1st January 2021
quotequote all
littlebasher said:
Gatso near the end of Parkway into Sheffield regularly emptied. Surprised they've not updated it to a digital device, going on the amount of vehicles it must catch.
Interesting. So I assume you've seen this being serviced in the last year?

SteveR1979

601 posts

170 months

Friday 1st January 2021
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covboy said:
And West Midlands
And West Sussex

Wozy68

5,436 posts

199 months

Friday 1st January 2021
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SteveR1979 said:
And West Sussex
And Worcestershire (West Mercia)

matjk

1,112 posts

169 months

Friday 1st January 2021
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Never seen as many out on the Herts / Beds boarder , speed cameras and even the old fashioned hand held laser units operated by police .
Mainly in the rush hour, I suspect the lighter traffic allowed people to go a lot quicker so easy pickings for a few weeks

scottyp123

3,881 posts

85 months

Friday 1st January 2021
quotequote all
matjk said:
Never seen as many out on the Herts / Beds boarder , speed cameras and even the old fashioned hand held laser units operated by police .
Mainly in the rush hour, I suspect the lighter traffic allowed people to go a lot quicker so easy pickings for a few weeks
Lockdown = less cars = less speeders = less revenue = more cameras = more revenue = Christmas party still on.

LunarOne

7,316 posts

166 months

Friday 1st January 2021
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un1corn said:
Kiribati268 said:
There's one of the old types near my house on a downhill section. Was driving home late one night and completely forgot it was there. Looked down as I passed it and saw 38mph on the speedo, lifted off and thought 'eh, it'll be reet'......

FLASH FLASH.

Cursed myself as a simple error was about to cost me £100 and a day of my time or 3 points.

Heard nothing.....


I have been tempted to set it off again to test it, but I haven't got the balls for it.
take your plates off
You've really not thought this through!

I'd suggest he buys a banger and registers it in the name of Kermit T. Frog at an address where he can retrieve mail. Then use that to set the camera off, and see whether Kermit ever receives a NIP. No need to respond to the NIP as clearly muppet hands can't hold a pen to fill in the forms. I'm not sure how a summons to Mr. K T Frog would work out...

littlebasher

3,961 posts

200 months

Friday 1st January 2021
quotequote all
outnumbered said:
littlebasher said:
Gatso near the end of Parkway into Sheffield regularly emptied. Surprised they've not updated it to a digital device, going on the amount of vehicles it must catch.
Interesting. So I assume you've seen this being serviced in the last year?
There's often a man with a van parked there dealing with it, saw someone working on it a few months ago

mike-v2tmf

888 posts

108 months

Saturday 2nd January 2021
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There used to be a website showing burnt out speed cameras .....is it still around ?