Making GATSO's Flash

Secteur

Not sure which forum to put this thread in...

Anyone like to try and make them flash?

There's two 30mph ones on two separate nice downhill stretches near me.

Kieran_Burns

That's completely immature and an attitude that will not be tolerated on this forum.

You should be ashamed of yourself.



(I keep trying to get the village warning sign to flash at me in a 30... once that is done I'm going for the 40mph one as I leave work not a gatso but one of those ones that tells you your speed)

Secteur

Now, I didnt specify that I liked to make them flash - ;-) - just posing the question!

Obviously I dont condone dangerous cycling, but at 0630hrs on a Sunday morning, on a deserted downhill road, it's VERY tempting to make them flash!

bails87

I've set off one of the flashing signs in a 30 zone, there's a camera that should be doable too, I've tried once before, but had tired legs after a week of commuting so 'only' did 31-32 past it.

EKE_38BPM

I think I've set one off once.
There was a car right behind me and I think the driver was so determined to overtake me that they didn't notice the camera until it flashed, whereupon it slowed down and backed off. I'm not sure if it was me or the car that set it off, but it did flash and the car was doing about the same speed as me (36 mph) as we passed the camera.
I've also been stopped by the police for speeding in a 30 zone.

There is a camera in a 40 zone near me just after a nice downhill section. If the camera was about 30 metres earlier I'm sure I could set it off, but as the camera is on a rise I lose a bit of speed and 'only' go past it at about 42 so I've never triggered it as cameras are set to about 10% above the speed limit.

The only reason I was going so fast (on all of those occassions) is because I was being chased by paparazzi and feared for my safety (hey, that excuse worked for David Beckham).

Kieran_Burns

Well - I have been stopped by the Police (twice) while speeding on a bike. The second time I was congratulated! (and then told to calm down )

but these were in the days of my heady (and dumb) youth, and I reckon I *could* trip the 30mph one, every time I get to it, I can't be bothered :roll:

desweller

Never made a GATSO go but those warning signs are fair game! There's one on the descent into Edge that's easy to trigger (40mph+ going into a 30 zone).

Expecting jeremyrundle to toddle along at any moment to tell us how irresponsible we're all being...

Secteur

I hadn't considered that the police would stop a speeding cyclist.

I presume these stops are after speeding through speed-traps where they'd have proof?

Out of interest, what is the consequence - do they fine you?

dhope

Secteur wrote:

I hadn't considered that the police would stop a speeding cyclist.

I presume these stops are after speeding through speed-traps where they'd have proof?

Out of interest, what is the consequence - do they fine you?

Don't think they can fine you as you've no speedometer and could quite legitimately claim you had no way of being aware of the speed you were doing.

EKE_38BPM

Me: (Pedaling hard in top gear)
Police: (Driving up behind me, turn on blues and twos)
Me: (Shoulder check to confirm its for me then hand up to acknowledge them and indicate to pull over then stop)
Police: (Pull up behind me and get out of car)
Me: (Trying to calm my breathing down)
Police: So, Lance, you in a hurry?
Me: Not really, just enjoying the good weather
Police: Do you know how fast you were going?
Me: Yeah, I've got a speedo (trying to supress a smile)
Police: Well, I was doing 36 behind you and this is a 30 zone. Speed limits apply to cyclists too, so slow down. Save it for the velodrome
Me: Will do, cuntsable
Police: Hmmm. Good speed though. Off you go.
Me: See ya

thelawnet

Secteur wrote:

I hadn't considered that the police would stop a speeding cyclist.

I presume these stops are after speeding through speed-traps where they'd have proof?

Out of interest, what is the consequence - do they fine you?

Speed limits don't apply to cyclists except a few places like I think Bournemouth sea front and Richmond Park..

http://www.astounding.org.uk/ian/cyclel ... imits.html

You can tell PC Plod to leave you alone.

Twostage

I've done one of those that tell you how fast you are going. It's at the end of a downhill bit and therefore easy. I'd like to set off a flash but haven't managed it yet. How would you know by the way as you can't see the flash in your rear view mirror, well not on my bike anyway.

It does seem to be the case that speed limits apply only to motorised vehicles but cyclists can be done for dangerous cycling. Something along the lines of "likely to cause injury or damage to property in the opinion of a safe and competent cyclist".

Confusedboy

Think speed limits apply to everybody, and dangerous cycling can be done at any speed, like driving without due care and attention.

Many years ago in my wild and impetuous youth I was 'pulled' going down a hill in Barry by a plod in a panda car (that's how long ago it was) who claimed I was speeding and looked like he was going to book me. I wriggled out of it by explaining that bicycles are not fitted with speedometers, something which seemed to be news to him, and he reluctantly let me off with a warning.

I would be very proud of myself if I set off a GATSO on a level road. If charged, I would want a copy of the photo to frame.

Twostage

I knew I wouldn't be able to stop myself...

The road traffic act 1984' section vi - speeding offences apply only to motor vehicles :-

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1984/27/part/VI

The 1991 act introduces dangerous cycling :-

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1991/40/section/7

Section 7 above is very specific about what constitutes an offence, doing more than 30 on it's own wouldn't qualify, there would need to be other factors.

Stevo_666

I've tried to but I can't, even on a bit of a downhill Not sure if I'm just not fast enough or whether my lean profile isn't enough to trigger the thing. Though I can set off those speed advisory signs....

Must try harder next time

SimonAH

There's an advisory jobbie on the Malpas hill on the way to Newport but it's a 40 and I can't red it on the fixie as I'd rip my legs off - keep trying though!

Aidy

As above, speed limits aren't applicable to cyclists.

Despite a bit of trying, I've not managed to get a speed camera to go off.
I think there's more to it than speed, I've certainly gone past some in 30 zones at 40+...

gaz545

Went through one on Coombe Lane, Croydon at 38mph and it didn't set off
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bi8FPNeT6G4

EKE_38BPM

Interest vid Gaz. You do open yourself up for stupid abuse in the comments section though.

Maybe bikes aren't big enough to set cameras off? I would have thought that they would be considering that small motorbikes are not that much bigger than a fat bloke on a bike, not that I'm calling you fat (just big boned)!

Anyway, that is why I didn't claim to have set the camera off in my earlier post, I guess it must have been the car that was up my chuff.

Aidy

I've set off a few of the warning signs before, but I think they're more sensitive.

Still haven't quite worked out how motorcycles manage to set them off when cyclists can't [0].
I'm wondering if the greater cross-sectional area of the motorcycle gives the radar a better object to bounce off of.

[0] I still suspect it's possible with the correct road positioning and speed, but I've not found it yet.

[Edit] Hmm, possibly it's worth trying with something reflective (tin-foil?) attached to my back... [/Edit]

EKE_38BPM

Maybe lycra is radar absorbing so we are all stealth cyclists?

Headhuunter

Twostage wrote:

I knew I wouldn't be able to stop myself...

The road traffic act 1984' section vi - speeding offences apply only to motor vehicles :-

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1984/27/part/VI

The 1991 act introduces dangerous cycling :-

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1991/40/section/7

Section 7 above is very specific about what constitutes an offence, doing more than 30 on it's own wouldn't qualify, there would need to be other factors.

Without making it compulsory by law for cyclists to have a speedo, I can't see how any law regarding speed could be applied to cyclists. It's interesting that there is a bye law at Richmond Park that ALL TRAFFIC should stay below 20mph. How is a cyclist without a speedo supposed to know what speed he or she is doing?

I read on here a while ago that the authorities in Greenwich Park were stopping cyclists "speeding" down the hill and threatening them with a fine for speeding... It would be very interesting to know if they ever issued any fine and if they were able to make it stick, despite the fact that the cyclist surely could legitimately claim to not know what speed he or she was travelling at...

EKE_38BPM

Without a speedo, any speed limit should be unenforcable to cyclists, but if a cyclist was stopped at 50mph in a 20 zone, I think it would be reasonable to assume to apply the fine.

Twostage

I can imagine a scenario here where my garmin 405 is called to give evidence against me in court (the turncoat :evil: ).

Wonder what the rules are for horses ?

(by the way and completely OT I was surprised to find out that garmins are popular with horse riders, especially in the states, and that they do heart rate monitor straps for horses so the rider can ensure the horse is not being pushed too hard in endurance riding.)

EKE_38BPM

I was surprised when I was told that if you push a horse too hard (not literally) it could keep going until it's heart explodes. I guess the horsey HRM makes perfect sense if that is true.

Tricycleboy

Rather concerned about this Richmond Park speed limit. I live up the road and regularly use it for a spin and hit 35- 40 mph or thereabouts at various points, obviously overtaking cars etc as i go.

I had absolutely no idea there was a blanket speed limit rule- i may be more careful when the fuzz are about, as it seems i've been doing nearly double the speed limit on occasion :shock:

I'm certainly not the only cyclist at it too! See Richmond park 3 lap challenge thread and work out the average speed of the Cat 1/ TTers...

EKE_38BPM

A friend got stopped by the police in RP a while back. He got a fine I think. No speedo either but he said the police's radar clocked him at 34mph.

desweller

Ignorance doesn't usually wash with the law, so arguing that you've got no speedo isn't going to get you very far. Like arguing that you've got no breathalyzer so didn't know you were over the drink drive limit.

stubs

Theres a 30 mph one at the bottom of Parbold Hill in Lancashire thats easy peasy to set off. you can tell you have been gatsoed on a cloudy day because the flash bounces off the trees. If a tin box doesnt get in your way 50 mph is no problem if you have the bottle on the bends.

Twostage

stubs wrote:

Theres a 30 mph one at the bottom of Parbold Hill in Lancashire thats easy peasy to set off. you can tell you have been gatsoed on a cloudy day because the flash bounces off the trees. If a tin box doesnt get in your way 50 mph is no problem if you have the bottle on the bends.

Respect to Stubs, first past the post

dhope

gaz545 wrote:

Went through one on Coombe Lane, Croydon at 38mph and it didn't set off
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bi8FPNeT6G4

I know the limits don't apply to bikes, and there wasn't a thing dangerous about the video so I'm not having a go, but...

gaz545 wrote:

Obviously i know how fast i'm going because i have a GPS unit but whilst going down this hill i was not looking at it!

Could I use this when driving? Sorry officer, I just wasn't looking at the speedo