Speed Cameras
skyd0g
Posts: 2,540
I was idly wondering...
...what would happen if a friend went through a 30mph speed camera, possibly on a hill, at say 37mph, or thereabouts... ...and the camera "flashed"?
...as his bike has no registration plate, there would be no-way of the police identifying him...
...but alternately, what would happen if a local plod happened to witness the flash of the camera, what would be the consequences then? ...not that I'm condoning anyone to do that sort of thing, of course.
...what would happen if a friend went through a 30mph speed camera, possibly on a hill, at say 37mph, or thereabouts... ...and the camera "flashed"?
...as his bike has no registration plate, there would be no-way of the police identifying him...
...but alternately, what would happen if a local plod happened to witness the flash of the camera, what would be the consequences then? ...not that I'm condoning anyone to do that sort of thing, of course.
Cycling weakly
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Comments
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Some use cables across the road which detect vehicles over a certain weight. Bikes aren't heavy enough. If they were, you'd get all sorts of false speed readings when a bike and car go over the lines together. However, if a whole peloton of riders went over the line simultaneously, enough pressure on the cable could trigger a response.
Others use infra-red tracking, so that objects above a certain threshold of heat radiation (humans are too low) are tracked.
The third type use lasers, just like hand-held speed guns, to detect actual speed. Hard to fool with a small target such as a bike, but possible.
It's usually only the cable type that are connected to cameras though.0 -
Most fixed speed cameras are the Gatso type which use Radar.
I think I'm right in saying that you can't be prosecuted for "speeding" while cycling because the relevant section of the Road Traffic Act specifically mentions motor vehicles. You can be prosecuted for dangerous or careless cycling though, but I think it would be a judgement call as to whether speed alone would qualify for that!'12 CAAD 8 Tiagra0 -
I think I'm right in saying that you can't be prosecuted for "speeding" while cycling because the relevant section of the Road Traffic Act specifically mentions motor vehicles. You can be prosecuted for dangerous or careless cycling though, but I think it would be a judgement call as to whether speed alone would qualify for that!
That is correct. I was pulled over for doing 40+ in a 30 zone (downhill!) on my commute and Plod let me off with a warning, but "dangerous or careless cycling" was what he called it.0 -
There is a loophole somewhere which allows the cops to do you for speeding. A mate of mine got caught doing almost 30 in a 20 zone and got an on-the-spot fine. He was going to take it to court because he's not a motor vehicle and so he thought he had a strong case, but got told by his legal advisor that he wouldn't stand a chance.
Can't remember the details of it, but he had to pay about £150. They confiscated his bike until he paid up.0 -
Corporate Camper wrote:Most fixed speed cameras are the Gatso type which use Radar.
I think I'm right in saying that you can't be prosecuted for "speeding" while cycling because the relevant section of the Road Traffic Act specifically mentions motor vehicles. You can be prosecuted for dangerous or careless cycling though, but I think it would be a judgement call as to whether speed alone would qualify for that!
Radar is no longer in use in the UK......in fact it was stopped some years ago.0 -
Gatsos use radar...0
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Is the Gatso Radar sensitive enough to pick-up on a lone cyclist?
...has anyone (or their friend) managed to set-off a camera, I wonder?Cycling weakly0 -
Same as a motorbike really so, yes...0
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Bhima wrote:Some use cables across the road which detect vehicles over a certain weight. Bikes aren't heavy enough. If they were, you'd get all sorts of false speed readings when a bike and car go over the lines together. However, if a whole peloton of riders went over the line simultaneously, enough pressure on the cable could trigger a response.
Others use infra-red tracking, so that objects above a certain threshold of heat radiation (humans are too low) are tracked.
The third type use lasers, just like hand-held speed guns, to detect actual speed. Hard to fool with a small target such as a bike, but possible.
It's usually only the cable type that are connected to cameras though.
is it me - or is this post a complete load of old shite....??0 -
A mate once overtook a policecar downhill and got pulled over further up the road and warned with 'frantic pedalling' - what a great offence !0
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See this
http://road.cc/node/6442
The offence of furious pedalling was presumably placed on the statute books before the need to create offences for motorised vehicles.Where the neon madmen climb0 -
stevewj wrote:'frantic pedalling' - what a great offence !
I was pulled over once after a particulay fast downhill to a set of traffic lights which were on red. I knew the sequence of the lights well, so I judged (hoped) that they would change to green in time, which they did....just.
A Police car was sat at the junction and he came after me. He reckoned that I would have gone through on red if they hadn't changed in my favour, I argued it, and he said he had the option of charging me with "furious riding"!
I almost wanted to get a ticket just so I could say I had been training so hard it was officially furious!0 -
BigDarbs wrote:stevewj wrote:'frantic pedalling' - what a great offence !
I was pulled over once after a particulay fast downhill to a set of traffic lights which were on red. I knew the sequence of the lights well, so I judged (hoped) that they would change to green in time, which they did....just.
A Police car was sat at the junction and he came after me. He reckoned that I would have gone through on red if they hadn't changed in my favour, I argued it, and he said he had the option of charging me with "furious riding"!
I almost wanted to get a ticket just so I could say I had been training so hard it was officially furious!
WTF? His argument was that if they hadn't changed you'd have gone through on red?!? Duh!**
"Excuse me sir, but if you hadn't slowed down for the 30mph signs you would have been sppeding. Have a ticket."
Softlad, you are of course (and I'm pretty sure you suspected this...) quite right.
**I sort of see what he means but stil...0 -
softlad wrote:Bhima wrote:Some use cables across the road which detect vehicles over a certain weight. Bikes aren't heavy enough. If they were, you'd get all sorts of false speed readings when a bike and car go over the lines together. However, if a whole peloton of riders went over the line simultaneously, enough pressure on the cable could trigger a response.
Others use infra-red tracking, so that objects above a certain threshold of heat radiation (humans are too low) are tracked.
The third type use lasers, just like hand-held speed guns, to detect actual speed. Hard to fool with a small target such as a bike, but possible.
It's usually only the cable type that are connected to cameras though.
is it me - or is this post a complete load of old shite....??
SoftLad I dont think its you
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Well, I didn't write it, it's a copy and paste job.
I do know the cable thing is true though.0 -
Bhima wrote:There is a loophole somewhere which allows the cops to do you for speeding. A mate of mine got caught doing almost 30 in a 20 zone and got an on-the-spot fine. He was going to take it to court because he's not a motor vehicle and so he thought he had a strong case, but got told by his legal advisor that he wouldn't stand a chance.
Can't remember the details of it, but he had to pay about £150. They confiscated his bike until he paid up.
What an absolute crock of sh*te!!! :evil: :evil: :evil:
You can't be done for speeding, as there is no law requiring a bike to be fitted with a speedo, so how the f**k are you supposed to know you've exceeded any limit!?
You can be charged with 'furious pedalling'... If the officer is really anal about things, but I'd challenge that, if it ever happened to me! :evil:Start with a budget, finish with a mortgage!0 -
hopper1 wrote:Bhima wrote:There is a loophole somewhere which allows the cops to do you for speeding. A mate of mine got caught doing almost 30 in a 20 zone and got an on-the-spot fine. He was going to take it to court because he's not a motor vehicle and so he thought he had a strong case, but got told by his legal advisor that he wouldn't stand a chance.
Can't remember the details of it, but he had to pay about £150. They confiscated his bike until he paid up.
What an absolute crock of sh*te!!! :evil: :evil: :evil:
You can't be done for speeding, as there is no law requiring a bike to be fitted with a speedo, so how the f**k are you supposed to know you've exceeded any limit!?
You can be charged with 'furious pedalling'... If the officer is really anal about things, but I'd challenge that, if it ever happened to me! :evil:
I guess if you are doing 50% more than the speed limit you are going to have some idea. That would in my mind count as furious riding. 20mph speed limits are only set in built up areas. Pedestrians will therefore expect all traffic to be at the limit or below. While a cyclist will cause less damage than a car you also have to remember that cycle braking is relatively inefficient compared to a car.Pain is only weakness leaving the body0 -
Bhima wrote:Some use cables across the road which detect vehicles over a certain weight. Bikes aren't heavy enough. If they were, you'd get all sorts of false speed readings when a bike and car go over the lines together. However, if a whole peloton of riders went over the line simultaneously, enough pressure on the cable could trigger a response.
Others use infra-red tracking, so that objects above a certain threshold of heat radiation (humans are too low) are tracked.
The third type use lasers, just like hand-held speed guns, to detect actual speed. Hard to fool with a small target such as a bike, but possible.
It's usually only the cable type that are connected to cameras though.
...would a moderately embarrassed wildebeest caught wearing stilettos be high enough?
Cycling weakly0 -
Anyone remember Capt Gatso ?0
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I re-worded it, so technically, yeah.
It's from an email I recieved from the "police traffic operational command unit", whatever that is.0 -
No idea about the technology - but the handheld ones will pick up cyclists - a friendly copper shouted out me an my mates speeds as we were coming through a speed trap.
(it was on the flat and even though we'd sprinted - we were clearly not going to break the limits !)
I think Bhima may be getting confused with the things that trigger traffic lights ? Some just dont work for me and I'd either be sitting there until a car came up and triggered it, or I'd have to go through it on red.0 -
Bhima wrote:Well, I didn't write it, it's a copy and paste job.
I do know the cable thing is true though.
No, the cables that cross the road are to count the volume of traffic.0 -
the ones that aren't speed cameras, just the signs that light up when you're going too fast can get cyclists. I regularly get a particular one to light up on a hill when i'm the only traffic around first thing in the morning.0
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I nearly fell off once cycling home in the dark when a voice from behind a hedge called out "23mph, not bad".
I just caught sight of the uniforms & hairdryer as I wobbled on.0 -
ride_whenever wrote:the ones that aren't speed cameras, just the signs that light up when you're going too fast can get cyclists. I regularly get a particular one to light up on a hill when i'm the only traffic around first thing in the morning.
Me too - there's a couple in Plumstead I pass - one tells me my speed as long as there isn;t a car overtaking at the time. The other flashes up "slow down" at a quite sharp bend, and it doesn;t matter how fast or slow I go - it always flashes for me to slow down. :?0 -
And I call bullshit. If he was in a car, the fine would only be £60 IIRC. Other points about speeding only applying to motor vehicles and bicycles not being fitted with speedos are equally valid.Bhima wrote:Can't remember the details of it, but he had to pay about £150. They confiscated his bike until he paid up.0 -
Nuggs wrote:
And I call bullshit. If he was in a car, the fine would only be £60 IIRC. Other points about speeding only applying to motor vehicles and bicycles not being fitted with speedos are equally valid.Bhima wrote:Can't remember the details of it, but he had to pay about £150. They confiscated his bike until he paid up.
He had to pay more for wasting police time. He didn't pay up immediately, had a massive argument, tried to escape, etc. :roll:
He did have a speedo though - a Garmin actually. I'm not defending what he did, it was a tiny residential road with speed bumps. You should know when you're going too fast down one of those. 0 -
Stewie Griffin wrote:Bhima wrote:Well, I didn't write it, it's a copy and paste job.
I do know the cable thing is true though.
No, the cables that cross the road are to count the volume of traffic.
It is true.
Some fixed location speed detection systems use a piezo-electric cable embedded in compound and set just below the road surface ( similar to the ones used for vehicle detection at traffic lights).
The traffic counting cables are a different system.'This week I 'ave been mostly been climbing like Basso - Shirley Basso.'0 -
LangerDan wrote:Stewie Griffin wrote:Bhima wrote:Well, I didn't write it, it's a copy and paste job.
I do know the cable thing is true though.
No, the cables that cross the road are to count the volume of traffic.
It is true.
Some fixed location speed detection systems use a piezo-electric cable embedded in compound and set just below the road surface ( similar to the ones used for vehicle detection at traffic lights).
The traffic counting cables are a different system.
I stand corrected, the "DS2" system works in this way, "How They Work : Rubber strips in the road calculate your speed as you pass over them via the small telltale grey post which sits along side. The DS2 system requires a mobile camera usually in a van to plug into this grey post inorder to photograph you. They cant calculate your speed without the van plugging the camera in the post so watch for it nearby."
http://www.ukspeedcameras.co.uk/index1.htm0
