New kid in town

[levensnevel]

Sad news from the country that gave you the Gatso speedtrap.
Dutch police have found a new device to catch speeding motorists which is even beter.
All laser detectors and GPS based detection systems are rendered useless.
It originates from Germany and is nicknamed 'lichtschranke' as it works with rays of light.
You can find full details on:
www.radarfalle.de/technik/ueberwachungstechnik/eso4.php
So be extra carefull because I am pretty sure that these devices will cross the channel pretty soon

Levensnevel

[tuscan_v8]

But it is in dutch!

[philshort]

Its always too dark and dismal here for that to work then!

[levensnevel]

Sorry Tuscan,

that is not Dutch; the website is in German .
If I have some time to spare I will try to translate the essence of the article into English.

Levensnevel

[Neil Menzies]

quote:
But it is in dutch!

Go to http://world.altavista.com/sites/gben/pos/babelfish/trns select "German to English" and enter the URL...

Not great translation, but it sort of works..

[levensnevel]

So Neil,

You are warned now, so don't complain if you are caught
In our country the Police is using this mobile device between fixed speedtraps. And it is difficult to detect when you drive along the road.

Levensnevel

[Marv]

But remember this device isnt approved for use in the UK so we should be safe from it for a while. Acording to reports Specs took 6 yrs or something like that to get approved..

[WalterU]

"Lichtschranke" translates to light beam or light guard. Basically, its two light beams a fixed distance apart, you trigger a timer when your drive through them. Your speed is calculated based on the time you take between beam 1 and 2.
No rocket science, but because it doesn't use laser or radio waves, its undetectable. I've been cought by one in Germany.

Rgds, WalterU

[hertsbiker]

yeah, but can it be logged with Geodesy?! if so, then no problem!

[nonegreen]

It can certainly be made ito a sepository! for President Blair???

[WalterU]

quote:
yeah, but can it be logged with Geodesy?! if so, then no problem!

at least in Germany these are not stationary systems. The bosche use them as mobile systems, so no logging possible. Radar detector won't get them either.

Rgds, WalterU

[WoodE]

Thats one ugly speed cam.

They could atleast make it look nice, after all, we are gonna be paying for it if it comes over here.

Wonder what Tony's reply would be to us asking for a prettier camera instead of banning the mis-use of them.

Interesting...

[mel]

Isn't an "attractive speed camera" a bit of an oxymoron.

[Nick M (nmilton)]

For some bizarre reason it reminds me of the robot from the Short Circuit films.

www.johnny-five.com/

I *really* need to get out more....

[guysh]

There will be a way to deflect the light or screw up the signal somehow - there always is....

[mattjbatch]

quote:
There will be a way to deflect the light or screw up the signal somehow - there always is....

Unfortunately these things work like the trip lazers like in mission impossible. ie activated when the light beam broken. That means it would be almost impossible to deflect the light around your car without setting up some sort of elaborate system of lenses or mirrors at the road side. It'll be a bugger when they get over here.

Matt

[Marshy]

So a couple of maglites pointing sideways gaffa'd to the front of my car won't do it???

[Nick M (nmilton)]

Maybe we should all take the piss and get timing struts fitted to the front of our cars !!

[WoodE]

timing struts?

Sorry, don't know owt about cars bar how to drive em (and the basic stuff like pistons etc)

[WoodE]

quote:
Unfortunately these things work like the trip lazers like in mission impossible. ie activated when the light beam broken. That means it would be almost impossible to deflect the light around your car without setting up some sort of elaborate system of lenses or mirrors at the road side. It'll be a bugger when they get over here.

Matt

So they take your speed by having you pass through the light beam, which then detects how long the beam is broken for?

If not, then they rely on light being returned to the camera? in which case water will deflect it.