What is this?

[andyps]

I have seen tonight, in West Yorkshire, a Ford Galaxy/VW Sharan (dark colour, unmarked) parked at the side of the road with a person inside with a high visibility jacket on. Just outside the car was a tripod about 2ft tall with a unit on it which was about 5-6inch square. This was in the dark, and was parked there for 3 hours to my knowledge.

What is it? I did wonder about stopping to ask, but am never sure what reaction I might get to this.

Any answers greatly received!

[p_green]

if there were some rubber strips running across the road then it is definately a just a mobile speed trap.

then again my knowledge of such matters is limited to making sure that i drive slowly past anything that looks dodgy - too risky these days!!

happy driving!

[dazren]

Either a mobile speed trap or a ANPR unit (numberplate scanner) checking against a DVLA database for untaxed/registerred cars etc. If there were no other police vehicles about it would indicate the mobile speedtrap though.

DAZ

PS - Welcome to the 21st century.

[andyps]

There were other police cars in the area, and when I went past the second time someone looked like he had been stopped - about 1/4 mile up the road.

[Teppic]

If there were police in the area pulling drivers as well then it sounds like an ANPR set-up