a9 cameras

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Discussion

kiltdscot

Original Poster:

6 posts

207 months

Friday 9th February 2007
quotequote all
I got told a while ago that not all cameras on the a9 have film in them.

However, nw i am tl they are.

Just a double flash south of pitlochry, and bricking it. 20 years of non stop driving, usually m74/m6 person, because of GBH wife

anybody know the truth, if they all have film or not?

KS

extreme-detail

181 posts

212 months

Friday 9th February 2007
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if it double flash that means it working mate

gsinky

46 posts

244 months

Friday 9th February 2007
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I got double flashed at Porthlethen a few months back, never got a 'letter'.
Hopefully you wil be as lucky.

Fingers crossed!

ViperScot

10,087 posts

238 months

Saturday 10th February 2007
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I've been double flashed a few times and nothing came of it. Get a good radar detector and they'll warn you of an upcoming working camera.

Wazza

517 posts

215 months

Saturday 10th February 2007
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I was reliably told that the inner mechanism of speed cameras is very expensive. If there are three cameras in a locality, there might only be one camera mechanism. However, the Police swap them around so you never know which cameras are live and which are not. I don't think that single and double flashing is an indicator of a camera being live though.

Stang

1,754 posts

208 months

Saturday 10th February 2007
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That's not so good. What speed do you think you were flashed at? The penalty might not be to bad.

GetCarter

29,398 posts

280 months

Saturday 10th February 2007
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KS

As I undestand it, on the old gatso's (that are on the A9) they make a camera live and fill it with film, but the flashes last way after the film has run out, so good luck, you may just miss the NIP!

r055

60 posts

208 months

Saturday 10th February 2007
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not sure...
have you tried this website?

www.pepipoo.com/

i'm surprised that cameras still use film - surely they must be digital these days...

R

kiltdscot

Original Poster:

6 posts

207 months

Sunday 11th February 2007
quotequote all
doing between 60 and 70, but speaking to a mate, he reckons that it might be a 50 zone, so dont know what the fine etc will be.

albundy89

493 posts

239 months

Sunday 11th February 2007
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definitely a 50 if you were flashed you can count on them looking for you. sorry.

neilboyd

389 posts

237 months

Monday 12th February 2007
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Maybe all is NOT lost.... it might not have been a live camera after all.

A while ago I was told how you can spot if a camera box is "live" or not. BEFORE you go past it and count the flashes!
(Forgive the non-technical description, but look for yourself next time - you'll see what I mean....)

On the rear of the speed camera box, you will see two cut-out circles approximately 1/3 of the way down the rear panel. These are approx 2 inches in diameter and a foot apart.
If there is NO camera mechanism in the box then an interior metal plate is flush against the back of the box and so these circles are difficult to see (unless, of course, its one of the boxes that have been painted yellow and the inner plate is still grey...!)
If, however, there is a camera mounted inside the box, then the weight of the camera mechanism pulls the inner plate forward - so making the cutout circles much easier to see.

To be honest, I have not (deliberately) tested this theory - but would be interested to hear of anyone who has. However on a trip to Aberdeen many years ago I was in a car which was flashed at. I explained this theory to the driver, who turned around to drive through the camera zone again. No visible cutouts, and (thankfully) no speeding ticket. Whilst this isn't exectly conclusive proof, it does provide some reassurance.

Neil

LEGAL DISCLAIMER: As far as I'm concerned this is just a theory - if you belt through a camera that "looks safe" don't blame me for your points or fine


Edited by neilboyd on Monday 12th February 00:26

r055

60 posts

208 months

Monday 12th February 2007
quotequote all
neilboyd said:

On the rear of the speed camera box, you will see two cut-out circles approximately 1/3 of the way down the rear panel. These are approx 2 inches in diameter and a foot apart.
If there is NO camera mechanism in the box then an interior metal plate is flush against the back of the box and so these circles are difficult to see (unless, of course, its one of the boxes that have been painted yellow and the inner plate is still grey...!)
If, however, there is a camera mounted inside the box, then the weight of the camera mechanism pulls the inner plate forward - so making the cutout circles much easier to see.

Does this one have a camera then?


GetCarter

29,398 posts

280 months

Monday 12th February 2007
quotequote all
r055 said:
neilboyd said:

On the rear of the speed camera box, you will see two cut-out circles approximately 1/3 of the way down the rear panel. These are approx 2 inches in diameter and a foot apart.
If there is NO camera mechanism in the box then an interior metal plate is flush against the back of the box and so these circles are difficult to see (unless, of course, its one of the boxes that have been painted yellow and the inner plate is still grey...!)
If, however, there is a camera mounted inside the box, then the weight of the camera mechanism pulls the inner plate forward - so making the cutout circles much easier to see.

Does this one have a camera then?




no, but it has a sense of humour.

Scrufter

331 posts

212 months

Monday 12th February 2007
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If it was the Camera sighted either North or South around the Balinluig these Cameras typically are always on as it real black spot with cars having to cross a dual carriage way to get too and from the services there

neilboyd

389 posts

237 months

Monday 12th February 2007
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r055 said:
Does this one have a camera then?




laugh


Edited by neilboyd on Saturday 10th March 22:00

Stang

1,754 posts

208 months

Tuesday 13th February 2007
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kiltdscot said:
doing between 60 and 70, but speaking to a mate, he reckons that it might be a 50 zone, so dont know what the fine etc will be.


Well to give you a rough idea. I know of someone rolleyes who was recently caught doing 69 in a 40 zone (save the jokes I have heard them all lol). This was leaving a town on the way to Crail. I received 6 points and £200 fine. These points have not affected my insurance at all. The sickening thing was I had a new £300 Road Angel on the dash and it did not pick it up!!! furious

kiltdscot

Original Poster:

6 posts

207 months

Sunday 18th February 2007
quotequote all
Yes, it was live

GRRRR, 20 years clean licence gone

Well Gutted, what now really annoys me about that road, is how it changes so much between 50, 60 and dual carriageway and 70. About time they make up their mind.

John MacK

3,170 posts

207 months

Tuesday 20th February 2007
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kiltdscot said:
Yes, it was live

GRRRR, 20 years clean licence gone

Well Gutted, what now really annoys me about that road, is how it changes so much between 50, 60 and dual carriageway and 70. About time they make up their mind.



I sympathize with you getting the points, but there is only one section of 50 and it is very well signed, on that bit of the A9. The rest is the same as any other road in the country 60 on single carriageway, 70 on dual carriageway.

You just need to know where the cameras are, what speed they'll do you at and where the police park up.

GetCarter

29,398 posts

280 months

Tuesday 20th February 2007
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Sorry to hear the bad news. I have 6 points from the A9 so know what it feels like.

edp190

333 posts

210 months

Tuesday 20th February 2007
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I'm also an A9 hater! I got all of my 9 points on it. 99 in a 70 (6points and £200) and 82 ( 3 and £60) in a 60. One was a camera van that was hidden and the other was a handheld camera with the police car hidden behind a cliff! Tbh i was lucky to get done for 99 My mum also got done in that 50 zone and she has had a clean licence her whole life! She blames my brother for not pointing it out! rolleyes