Do Speed Cameras Work Both Ways?

Pross

I was travelling down North Road in Cardiff earlier and going through a fixed speed camera site, along with another car, at exactly 30mph but the camera flashed. There was an ambulance going the other way at the time with blues and twos going so the only thing I can think is that is what triggered the camera. Does anyone know if the fixed Gatso cameras can be triggered by oncoming vehicles? Presumably the camera people check all photos before issuing a notice? I've no concerns that I may have been speeding as I know the site well and had one eye on the speedo but I don't fancy the hassle of having to argue the point in a few weeks time!

Gizmodo

Pross wrote:

Does anyone know if the fixed Gatso cameras can be triggered by oncoming vehicles?

Yes they can be triggered by oncoming cars, but they can not prosecute oncoming cars. This applies only to Gatso camera (the big square box on top of a pole with white lines on the road)

Other speeding cameras, typically smaller and facing the oncoming traffic, and of course any sort of moveable camera van or officer in a car or on a bike, can of course get you in either direction.

Pross

Cheers, I knew the double lens cameras they use in Nottinghamshire work on oncoming traffic but this is definately the Gatso type so looks like the ambulance set it off.

JohnCleland

They won`t check the photographs, they will issue a NIP, Notice of Intended Prosecution. At this point you need to ask for the photographs and advise them that you were travelling at or below the speed limit.

You should go here http://www.pepipoo.com/ for help.

Gizmodo

JohnCleland wrote:

They won`t check the photographs, they will issue a NIP, Notice of Intended Prosecution. At this point you need to ask for the photographs and advise them that you were travelling at or below the speed limit.

You should go here http://www.pepipoo.com/ for help.

I agree, if there was a camera in the box they may well send you a notice anyway - the camera won't tell them which one of you set it off. So if you do get something in the post, don't just pay it, get it checked out.

Pokerface

JohnCleland wrote:

They won`t check the photographs, they will issue a NIP, Notice of Intended Prosecution. At this point you need to ask for the photographs and advise them that you were travelling at or below the speed limit.

You should go here http://www.pepipoo.com/ for help.

As there would be two vehicles in the photos (presumably one of them the ambulance that set it off), someone would HAVE to check the pics to determine where to send the NIP.

Either that or the software that picks up the number plate to determine where they send it would see it was an ambulance and no notice would be sent out.

Lastly - as the camera has to take several photos to confirm your speed, you;d be able to prove you weren't speeding by the little while lines on the road, etc.

No matter what - if you weren't speeding, you're safe.

lucan

JohnCleland wrote:

They won`t check the photographs, they will issue a NIP, Notice of Intended Prosecution. At this point you need to ask for the photographs and advise them that you were travelling at or below the speed limit.

You should go here http://www.pepipoo.com/ for help.

Of course they'll check the photos. How else will they get the reg. no.? :?

There are two photos taken on each camera activation with a known time between each exposure. The lines on the road allow for an easy confirmation of the speed of the offending vehicle because they make it easy to see how far the vehicle has travelled between each picture being taken. So they will check which vehicle is the one that tripped the camera's sensor before sending out the notice.

Pross

Pokerface wrote:

JohnCleland wrote:

They won`t check the photographs, they will issue a NIP, Notice of Intended Prosecution. At this point you need to ask for the photographs and advise them that you were travelling at or below the speed limit.

You should go here http://www.pepipoo.com/ for help.

As there would be two vehicles in the photos (presumably one of them the ambulance that set it off), someone would HAVE to check the pics to determine where to send the NIP.

Either that or the software that picks up the number plate to determine where they send it would see it was an ambulance and no notice would be sent out.

Lastly - as the camera has to take several photos to confirm your speed, you;d be able to prove you weren't speeding by the little while lines on the road, etc.

No matter what - if you weren't speeding, you're safe.

Cheers, there were actually 3 vehicles (myself and another going one way in two lanes and the ambulance going the other way). Think the camera may have been playing up as it flashed a couple of cars going the other way when I was going home and neither appeared to be speeding!

maddog 2

my motorbike never activated a Gatso when travelling towards it.

and I went past a lot, going VERY fast, and never did one flash.

danlikesbikes

Pross wrote:

Pokerface wrote:

JohnCleland wrote:

They won`t check the photographs, they will issue a NIP, Notice of Intended Prosecution. At this point you need to ask for the photographs and advise them that you were travelling at or below the speed limit.

You should go here http://www.pepipoo.com/ for help.

As there would be two vehicles in the photos (presumably one of them the ambulance that set it off), someone would HAVE to check the pics to determine where to send the NIP.

Either that or the software that picks up the number plate to determine where they send it would see it was an ambulance and no notice would be sent out.

Lastly - as the camera has to take several photos to confirm your speed, you;d be able to prove you weren't speeding by the little while lines on the road, etc.

No matter what - if you weren't speeding, you're safe.

Cheers, there were actually 3 vehicles (myself and another going one way in two lanes and the ambulance going the other way). Think the camera may have been playing up as it flashed a couple of cars going the other way when I was going home and neither appeared to be speeding!

You should be OK as per others the 2 photos will show your vehicle and the relative distance travelled between the 2 photos which are used to determine your speed.

It depends on the model and how they have it set up as some can easily be triggered by vehicles on the other side of the road, whereas some can no be triggered by vehicles on the other side of the road. If you do receive anything in the post you just need to write back to them & it should all be sorted out.

Then once you know it was the traffic on the other side of the road you need to try getting on your bike and setting it off as you ride through. Is a practically stupid and useless thing to do but I have done it a few times on my TT rig and the first time it made me laugh so much I almost crashed into my mate who was riding next to me.

Pokerface

There may not have been film in it. 8)

desweller

Nah, you can't prosecute a GATSO for going too fast.

They're bolted to the floor dontcha know.