Safe Speed Forums

Here's the situation:

Today whilst following a colleague to a conference, we were travelling down the Hagley Road in Birmingham (which I know well) when the traffic in front started to slow down and would eventually become stationary. As I started to pass the GATSO camera I was already slowing down and as the cars in front came to a halt the camera flashed twice. Also, whilst then stationary and stopped over the white stripes used to measure speed, I thought the camera flashed a third time - unless I just imagined this.

The hagley road is a dual carriageway, and at this part the road was four lanes, two in each direction with no division in the centre (obviously long white lines!) with some cars in free moving traffic on the opposite side.

Should I be concerned, or is this just a malfunctioning camera - what would happen?

P.S. I was in the right hand lane of traffic, and 1 car in front on the left was a policecar! They were'nt speeding either!

If you were vitually stationary then this should be picked up when they see the photograph(it's still processed by a human). In theory it should just go in the bin, but if you do here something I would strongly suggest you have a look at the photo yourself as it's been reported in the media of people being sent speeding fines despite being at a standstill. Apprently the cameras can be triggered by panel and shutter vibrations on commercial vehicles that are stationary.

Of course, it could just be a malfunctioning camera.

If you were nearly stationary, then you probably won't hear anymore, but keep a note of the time and date just in case.

I was following my colleague who was travelling in her car and I was behind her in mine and neither of us where speeding.

If it was malfunctioning - how do these get picked up? If the photo shows lots of cars slowing down and stationary including a police car then you are probably right - it should go into the bin!

I will make a note in my diary about the date and time / circumstances.

Any further ideas/responses? What should I do if I get a letter - how do I go about getting Photo evidence? Anyone else requested this in Birmingham? Or am I just worrying too much!

Thanks.

Two photos are taken, roughly half a second apart. The operator should check the speed against the distance the car has travelled using the markings on the road.

But since we have seen people prosecuted for over 400mph this obviously does not always happen.

How close were you to the speed limit? And are you definately sure you were under it? They haven't sneakily turned it into a 30 limit from a 40 or anything like that? Homer is right when he says they take 2 photo, and therefore can tell how far you have travelled. If you were only slightly under the limit that may not be picked up, but if you were well under the limit they should notice that you haven't travelled very far.



Just noticed this bit, I really don't mean to sound picky or anal, but that would make it a single carriageway, despite it having two lanes in each direction. It only becomes a dual carriageway if there is something physical like a crash barrier seperating the two directions. Just thought I'd mention it as it can make a difference to the speed limit, although only on national speed limit roads when talking about cars.

On previous cameras down that road which I had already passed, I was definately doing 30 on my speedo, but as I said, I was definately slowing down at this one so under 30 to stationary - of this, I AM SURE!

As for the dual carriageway, it is divided along most of the hagley road with grassy sections, railings etc, this is just a small stretch with no seperation.

Do speed cameras randomly test? Also, if they flash, does that automatically mean they have film in?

Thanks.

It was a 40mph limit in june, i think the changed it Sept/Oct. The limits on Birmingham roads seem to go up and down all the time. The cams always seem to be behind trees

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If you visit the site: http://www.wmsafetycameras.co.uk/cameras_b2.php then this shows a map of birmingham and the fixed cameras. When you hover over the camera in question on the A456 Hagley Road in Edgbaston heading Out Of the City (OOC) it says speed limit 30, but also in brackets states: "Overlap with cam 135 zone". The camera on the other side of the road then states "Overlap with cam 132" zone. Does this mean that the camera behind me could actually have been taking a photo of cars on the other side of the road? No other camera's on the map say that they have any overlap.

I would be interested if anyone could shed any light on this.


P.S. In response to the previous post, the particular part of the Hagley Road I'm talking about to my knowledge has always been 30mph, so I definately didn't speed because I didn't know that it had changed in the past! On the map linked above, I'm talking about the second camera on the A456 heading out of the city.

Thanks.

It must be faulty. I was driving home from work a couple of weeks ago at about 3 in the morning and passed it at exacltly 30mph indicated and it flashed. the next day a colleague told me the same thing ahd happened to him at exactly 30 too.


regards

Roger

Malvern, Worcs

Was that the one by TGI Fridays going out of the city? If it was that'll stop me from worrying!

I know I was only doing thirty, and I've been over it again in another two days now with no problems!

I assume you havn't heard anything in the post - its normally 14 days isn't it that you will receive a notice?

Thanks.

Yes, the Notice of Intended Prosecution(NIP) must be served with 14 days. However, I believe the time limit can be extended if the car is registered with a company and it takes a while to investigate who was actually driving at the time.

I'd say you should be fine now though.