Gatso

[santa claus]

One of santa's little helpers thinks she has been flashed face-on by a GATSO. She says she was "probably going a bit fast" but didn't expect to get it in the face, so to speak.

Anyone know if a GATSO can nab traffic in both directions please? And isn't it a bit dodgy safety-wise if these things can go off face-on?

[staffsMike]

Can't get done head on with those.. Wouldn't worry about it.

oh and, bit obvious but has to be done.

She says she was "probably going a bit fast" but didn't expect to get it in the face

And isn't it a bit dodgy safety-wise if these things can go off face-on?

[Knoxville]

As has been said I wouldn't worry about it, only the digital speed cameras (the real name escapes me) and radar guns can be used for oncoming traffic iirc.

[staffsMike]

As has been said I wouldn't worry about it, only the digital speed cameras (the real name escapes me) and radar guns can be used for oncoming traffic iirc.

Truvelo can, pretty sure they are film based though, with digital sensors in the road.. something like that.

Then you got specs the averaging ones which are front facing also.

[Knoxville]

Those are the ones I was thinking of, knew there were two kinds, seen specs on the motorway never knowingly seen a truvelo though are they the blue ones?

*edit - Yeah they are the -



http://www.truvelouk.com/

Looks like they've got digital cameras waiting being tested for approval now as well.

[Agent]

Interesting info guys - I thought they could get you head on

Guess there are safety issues with that though!

[BUFF]

we've definitely got cameras up here that cover both directions of traffic & with markings on both sides of the road.

[Kimo]

Any front facing speed camera has to use an infra red "flash" for safety reasons as stated above. Most likely reason she thought she got flashed would have been a standard gatso monitoring the other side of the road flashing, either to catch someone speeding or spontaneously flashing as they randomly do.

[jamin]

As mentioned, if it flashes you only need to worry if its behind you. The front facing ones are IR and won't flash. I suppose at least they fon't spoil the suprise of points and a fine though your letter box.

AFAIK The FOV is actually quite narrow on most cameras (ibelieve there are one or 2 exceptions.) partly to capture as much detail of a speeding car as possible. and to clearly capture the position on the witness marks. So it is unlikely that the camera captured images of evidential quality.

The real buggers are the average speed cameras that are popping up everywhere now. ANPR cash machines, nice!

In my travels i don't ever recall seeing a single single speed camera capable of capturing images of opposite lanes of traffic. There are enclosures that are reversible to suit traffic direction and double enclosures, however I am no expert and welcome any correction.

[finlay666]

As mentioned, if it flashes you only need to worry if its behind you. The front facing ones are IR and won't flash. I suppose at least they fon't spoil the suprise of points and a fine though your letter box.

AFAIK The FOV is actually quite narrow on most cameras (ibelieve there are one or 2 exceptions.) partly to capture as much detail of a speeding car as possible. and to clearly capture the position on the witness marks. So it is unlikely that the camera captured images of evidential quality.

The real buggers are the average speed cameras that are popping up everywhere now. ANPR cash machines, nice!

In my travels i don't ever recall seeing a single single speed camera capable of capturing images of opposite lanes of traffic. There are enclosures that are reversible to suit traffic direction and double enclosures, however I am no expert and welcome any correction.

I'm pretty sure from going up and down the M1 enough some of the average ones seem to capture the opposite lane or are set up wrongly. I never mind though, it's not like it's possible to speed when everyone is doing 45 in a 50 in all 3 lanes!

[santa claus]

Thanks for the advice everyone. There's been a few tears so I appreciate it .

[GoNz0]

truvelo do flash, i was following some ****** on the a14 that didnt slow down and saw a red flash get them, face on but the red wasnt so bright as it would blind you, dunno about night time tho, it would scare the crap outa u !

Buff, its one of the oldest trick in the book to fool the ignorant into slowing down putting markings on both sides of the road,

the traffic police are so thick round here they put markings leading away from the camera lens.. ie the back of the gatso with no lens/flash. although they have been known to turn them round, but they never have a lens/flash unit in them.

we call it running the gauntlet as one day they may add a flash/lens.

in heanor they have 4 cams, only 1 at a time has the unit inside, standard practice as they cant afford to have them all active.

[jamin]

truvelo do flash, i was following some ****** on the a14 that didnt slow down and saw a red flash get them, face on but the red wasnt so bright as it would blind you, dunno about night time tho, it would scare the crap outa u !

.

Does the red IR filter over the flash dim the intensity or just turn it red? That does surprise me that they actually flash. The a14 is unlit for the most part between the A1 and M11 too (if memory serves) the shock of a flash then the night blindness that follows could be a bit scary.

[GoNz0]

well it was daylight and i saw it go off, it was at the peterbourgh turning, 11 miles from the A1 island (i know where the buggers are by distance, thats how often i drive it)

the red filter helps by not blinding us as much as we cant register the IR colour like normal white

[hitman67]

we've definitely got cameras up here that cover both directions of traffic & with markings on both sides of the road.

The markings on the far side are to stop people switching lanes to avoid the camera, or to get people over taking.

Truvelo can get you head on as IR Flash. Gatso, be it film or digital, cannot for safety issues.

[badass]

Any front facing speed camera has to use an infra red "flash" for safety reasons as stated above. Most likely reason she thought she got flashed would have been a standard gatso monitoring the other side of the road flashing, either to catch someone speeding or spontaneously flashing as they randomly do.

Either infra red light is visible to me or Truvelos have a very bright but not as bright as a gatso flash with a hint of red in it