cameras at night?

[dan1981]

This may be a basic question?!

Can the police use mobile cameras after dark? eh camera vans / hand held cameras etc?

I only ask as i thought that any sort of speed detection device had to be visable at x amount of metres.

Any ideas?

[JustinP1]

dan1981 said:

This may be a basic question?!

Can the police use mobile cameras after dark? eh camera vans / hand held cameras etc?

I only ask as i thought that any sort of speed detection device had to be visable at x amount of metres.

Any ideas?

If you are wondering if they do follow the Code then the answer is no.

However, in practical terms it will make it very difficult to assess the speed of a car by eye and thus use the 'zapper'.

That said, they don't usually bother with that either. So... I would say a reduced risk, but I have seen these guys do everything so don't rule anything out...!

[FiveStar]

AFAIK they do not use scamera vans at night BUT bib are allowed to use the zappers whenever they want

[Just_a_guide]

FiveStar said:

AFAIK they do not use scamera vans at night BUT bib are allowed to use the zappers whenever they want

they do use scamera vans at night.

[JustinP1]

Just_a_guide said:

FiveStar said:

AFAIK they do not use scamera vans at night BUT bib are allowed to use the zappers whenever they want

they do use scamera vans at night.

Exactly as I said then!:

JustinP1 said:

If you are wondering if they do follow the Code then the answer is no.

However, in practical terms it will make it very difficult to assess the speed of a car by eye and thus use the 'zapper'.

That said, they don't usually bother with that either...

I suppose it is not coincidence but irony that when such operational issues where the operator has ignored or 'overruled' the ACPO Code of Practice that they just repeat the mantra 'Just a guide' and hope the questions go away....!

Edited by JustinP1 on Thursday 8th November 14:59

[Just_a_guide]

JustinP1 said:

Just_a_guide said:

FiveStar said:

AFAIK they do not use scamera vans at night BUT bib are allowed to use the zappers whenever they want

they do use scamera vans at night.

Exactly as I said then!:

JustinP1 said:

If you are wondering if they do follow the Code then the answer is no.

However, in practical terms it will make it very difficult to assess the speed of a car by eye and thus use the 'zapper'...

I suppose it is not coincidence but irony that when such operational issues where the operator has ignored or 'overruled' the ACPO Code of Practice that they just repeat the mantra 'Just a guide' and hope the questions go away....!

and how does the night time cause conflict with ACPO

[dan1981]

so am i correct in thinking there is a distance that they have to be visable from? or is that just fixed cameras?

and if i am correct how does that work in the dark? surely you can always come back with the "i couldn't see him it was dark"

[Just_a_guide]

dan1981 said:

so am i correct in thinking there is a distance that they have to be visable from? or is that just fixed cameras?

and if i am correct how does that work in the dark? surely you can always come back with the "i couldn't see him it was dark"

head lights work sir?

[dan1981]

they do indeed but depending on from how far away i'm meant to be able to see the camera i don't think they illuminate that far!

infact if anyone asks i'm pretty sure they don't!

[supermono]

I saw a policeman using what appeared to be a laser type thing Tuesday evening on the bit of road between Esher and the Isles of Silly or whatever those daft roundabouts at the A3 are called...

It was about 1950 and dark.

SM

[JustinP1]

Just_a_guide said:

JustinP1 said:

Just_a_guide said:

FiveStar said:

AFAIK they do not use scamera vans at night BUT bib are allowed to use the zappers whenever they want

they do use scamera vans at night.

Exactly as I said then!:

JustinP1 said:

If you are wondering if they do follow the Code then the answer is no.

However, in practical terms it will make it very difficult to assess the speed of a car by eye and thus use the 'zapper'...

I suppose it is not coincidence but irony that when such operational issues where the operator has ignored or 'overruled' the ACPO Code of Practice that they just repeat the mantra 'Just a guide' and hope the questions go away....!

and how does the night time cause conflict with ACPO

By the fact that it is dark which will make a visual assessment of speed to evidential standards from the microscopic changes in the distance between and size of two (or one) headlights a bit of a farce!

Also, on a non-evidential matter but a safety one for both parties, ensuring that the operator (if outside a van) will be clearly visible to the oncoming driver.

Of course, as I said this will not make a shread of difference anyway!

Edited by JustinP1 on Thursday 8th November 15:46

[Cooperman]

'Callaghan of the Cumbria Silly Camera Pratnership' claims that they use theirs in the dark and that they are effective. How effective they would be in clocking me in my rally car with twin 130W PIAA spotlights pointed at them can only be imagined. I doubt they could even look in the general direction of the car. However, on dipped headlights alone it would be a different matter.

[TripleS]

Cooperman said:

'Callaghan of the Cumbria Silly Camera Pratnership' claims that they use theirs in the dark and that they are effective. How effective they would be in clocking me in my rally car with twin 130W PIAA spotlights pointed at them can only be imagined. I doubt they could even look in the general direction of the car. However, on dipped headlights alone it would be a different matter.

Was there not a mention of a case where a police officer was standing at the road side operating a speed gun of some kind, and a car drove towards him on main beam headlights and was nicked for driving without due consideration, or something, because he dazzled the officer? I think the case I'm referring to was in a built-up area, and I presume you're talking about driving on the open road, if that makes a difference - and it maybe should.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

[Just_a_guide]

JustinP1 said:

Just_a_guide said:

JustinP1 said:

Just_a_guide said:

FiveStar said:

AFAIK they do not use scamera vans at night BUT bib are allowed to use the zappers whenever they want

they do use scamera vans at night.

Exactly as I said then!:

JustinP1 said:

If you are wondering if they do follow the Code then the answer is no.

However, in practical terms it will make it very difficult to assess the speed of a car by eye and thus use the 'zapper'...

I suppose it is not coincidence but irony that when such operational issues where the operator has ignored or 'overruled' the ACPO Code of Practice that they just repeat the mantra 'Just a guide' and hope the questions go away....!

and how does the night time cause conflict with ACPO

By the fact that it is dark which will make a visual assessment of speed to evidential standards from the microscopic changes in the distance between and size of two (or one) headlights a bit of a farce!

Also, on a non-evidential matter but a safety one for both parties, ensuring that the operator (if outside a van) will be clearly visible to the oncoming driver.

Of course, as I said this will not make a shread of difference anyway!

Edited by JustinP1 on Thursday 8th November 15:46

Very good point but that is working on the assumption that its pitch black and all you have is head lights…I have never seen a camera van work in these conditions….I have seen them working in street lit areas were there is sufficient light to see cars and movement of the car very well… lets face it we all need work out speed of cars when ever you pulling of junctions, were in fractions of a second your have a perceived distance and speed of on coming cars. (Well some of us do!)

[owenemyr]

My daughter was Zapped at 11.30 pm in winter, and they provided the images.

[JustinP1]

Just_a_guide said:

JustinP1 said:

Just_a_guide said:

JustinP1 said:

Just_a_guide said:

FiveStar said:

AFAIK they do not use scamera vans at night BUT bib are allowed to use the zappers whenever they want

they do use scamera vans at night.

Exactly as I said then!:

JustinP1 said:

If you are wondering if they do follow the Code then the answer is no.

However, in practical terms it will make it very difficult to assess the speed of a car by eye and thus use the 'zapper'...

I suppose it is not coincidence but irony that when such operational issues where the operator has ignored or 'overruled' the ACPO Code of Practice that they just repeat the mantra 'Just a guide' and hope the questions go away....!

and how does the night time cause conflict with ACPO

By the fact that it is dark which will make a visual assessment of speed to evidential standards from the microscopic changes in the distance between and size of two (or one) headlights a bit of a farce!

Also, on a non-evidential matter but a safety one for both parties, ensuring that the operator (if outside a van) will be clearly visible to the oncoming driver.

Of course, as I said this will not make a shread of difference anyway!

Edited by JustinP1 on Thursday 8th November 15:46

Very good point but that is working on the assumption that its pitch black and all you have is head lights…I have never seen a camera van work in these conditions….I have seen them working in street lit areas were there is sufficient light to see cars and movement of the car very well… lets face it we all need work out speed of cars when ever you pulling of junctions, were in fractions of a second your have a perceived distance and speed of on coming cars. (Well some of us do!)

Agreed. We have to assess the speed of oncoming cars at up to maybe 50m or slightly more and if there is a slight chance they are coming too fast we make an educated guess on whether it is safe to pull out, if in doubt we err on the side of caution.

This is completely different to making an assessment of speed to evidential standards which has the power to ban someone and for someone to lose their livlihood.

To be frank this point is a moot point as we all know full well the aforementioned prior assessment of speed has no relevance to most enforcement apart from it's mention in the pre-printed 'witness' statements.

[andyuk911]

Yes just seen tonight in Kent

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

dan1981 said:

This may be a basic question?!

Can the police use mobile cameras after dark? eh camera vans / hand held cameras etc?

I only ask as i thought that any sort of speed detection device had to be visable at x amount of metres.

Any ideas?

[sstein]

supermono said:

It was about 1950 and dark.

SM

They had speed guns in the 1950s



-

Stuart

Edited by sstein on Thursday 8th November 21:57

[goskins17]

[quote=dan1981]This may be a basic question?!

Can the police use mobile cameras after dark? eh camera vans / hand held cameras etc?

I only ask as i thought that any sort of speed detection device had to be visable at x amount of metres.

Any ideas?

The cameras, and hand held devices can be used anytime, and ACPO guide lines state that the officer using the device does not have to be visible, only the officer stopping the vehicle. So we can hide behind stuff and use them. There is no distance at which we must be visible.