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PostPosted: Wed May 04, 2005 11:16 
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i just went past a mobile camera van (it said safety cams on the side so it was NOT APNR) at 37mph in a 40mph temp speed limit on a dual carriageway in roadworks, and a flash came from inside it? i didnt know these flashed? the weather was very dull and overcast.

i'm hoping it was flashing the lorry behind me who seemed to be accelerating at that point and he looked to me like he was going over 40mph. just before that the lorry was going about 50 - 55mph (in the 40 limit) before he slowed down, then he seemed to be speeding up again when the flash happened.

or, there was a fixed gatso right behind the mobile van, so it might have been that flashing the car in front of me - and the flash was reflecting off the mobile van. but it looked more like the flash came from the inside of the van from his camera.

or maybe he was flashing me and his camera wasnt calibrated properly - in which case i will have no way of proving it and i am f*cked.

the van was exactly like this

Image

heres the actual camera and the bumf about ithttp://www.suffolksafecam.co.uk/pages/about_cameras.html

Quote:
MOBILE CAMERA VANS
Mobile safety camera vans in Suffolk operate using a Redflex lasercam nt. The vehicles park at the side of the road and the camera equipment is used either from the rear window, side door of the van or from a temporary tripod.

Speed enforcement officers target the laser at a vehicle that they believe to be exceeding the legal speed limit and the laser provides an instant reading. This information is digitally encrypted and stored on a worm drive, similar to a DVD. The lasercam is capable of detecting speeds up to 1km away.



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PostPosted: Wed May 04, 2005 14:28 
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i emailed them to ask if their mobile vans use a flash, and this was the reply

Quote:
The mobile units do not need a flash for enforcement during daylight hours.

Regards

Communications Manager
Suffolk SafeCam



but it was fairly dark-ish at the time so it hasnt really answered my question! i am gonna email them back and tell them my specific story but not say i was driving at the time.


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PostPosted: Wed May 04, 2005 15:06 
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Welcome to SafeSpeed percy!! I'd post a link to your identical topic in MEG but unless readers here are members there they won't be able to see it as it's in a restricted forum!!

If a NIP does arrive as a result of this then get yer ass over to pepipoo as they'll fall over themselves to help. Make sure you read the FAQ first!!


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PostPosted: Wed May 04, 2005 15:09 
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ahem i was trying to stay anonymous


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PostPosted: Wed May 04, 2005 15:26 
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stealthtax wrote:
ahem i was trying to stay anonymous


I'm no sherlock and I worked out who you were :D

Don't panic - fungusis a member here too :D


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PostPosted: Wed May 04, 2005 17:20 
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Yes, the RedFlex cameras can have a flash - Steve on the Cumbria forum said they were going to deploy them. Apparently they can be remotely placed away from the van and can be used in forward or rear facing mode. The flash is supposed to be Magenta, just like the Truvelo.

Gareth


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PostPosted: Wed May 04, 2005 20:10 
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I should bring some posters up to speed here, and apologise to stealthtax (althoug IMHO he and I have nothing to apologise for). We are both members of another forum where certain members have expressed many of the typically unhelpful responses to issues regarding safe speed.

I've drawn attention to stealtax's membership of this forum to readers of that other forum and he's concerned he will receive undue criticism as a result.

Stealthtax (may I call you percy :) ), I'm not always the best ambassador for the policies expressed here, but please don't worry and be assured that there are very respected people here who are not judgemental or confrontational with the speed camera issue.

Safespeed members, please re-assure Stealthtax.


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PostPosted: Wed May 04, 2005 20:22 
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Yep, nothing to worry about here.

I remember stealthtax mentioning something about being given a hard time elsewhere. Best thing to do is read up on Pauls pages (might need to give yourself a week off) then you'll have the facts.

We don't all agree with one another all the time but unless someone comes along with obvious antisocial tendancies (complaining of being done for handbrake turns etc.) then they will get a berating. The normal motorist who makes the occasional mistake has nothing to worry from us.

Oh yeah, back to the subject.

I think the question in this instance has been answered but there is also a mobile gatso which does flash.


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PostPosted: Thu May 05, 2005 11:38 
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i just got this more detailed reply from the scamera partnership so it looks like i am in the clear (i also asked them what speed the camera is activated in case i was doing say 41mph at the time when i thought i saw the flash)

Quote:
The van in place at the Rougham road works would not need a flash unit. The
police operator would specifically target vehicles that he believes are
exceeding the speed limit.

We do not operate below ACPO levels, it's a myth that the cameras operate at
zero tolerance (along with many other myths). ACPO guidelines are speed limit
+10% + 2mph. So for a 40mph area enforcement starts at 46mph.

I would also refer to your description of the 'mobile van trap'. As the speed
limit is very clearly signed and drivers are warned constantly through the
roadworks with camera warning signs it hardly constitutes a trap. The speed
limit is in place for driver's safety and the safety of the contractors who have
to work directly beside the road.



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PostPosted: Thu May 05, 2005 17:00 
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Quote:
"It hardly constitutes a trap"



Oooh, touchy.


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PostPosted: Thu May 05, 2005 20:39 
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Quote:
I would also refer to your description of the 'mobile van trap'. As the speed
limit is very clearly signed and drivers are warned constantly through the
roadworks with camera warning signs it hardly constitutes a trap.


dictionary.com wrote:
trap1
n.

1. A contrivance for catching and holding animals, as a concealed pit or a clamplike device that springs shut suddenly.
2. A stratagem for catching or tricking an unwary person.


Looks like they need a dictionary.


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