Gatso Vans and entrapment

Our man in Havana

Whats the story about gatso vans and entrapment? I notice that all fixed speed cameras have warning signs advising of their presence but the Gatso mobile vans dont.

Spotted one today at 11am on the N7 at The Pike of Rush Hall between Borris-in-Ossory and Mountrath. White high roof transit, Dublin plates.

Are these laser or radar operated devices?

James

John R

You should be well aware of the speed limit at all times, there is no such thing as entrapment, nobody is forcing you to speed. The only possible loophole is if you are caught in a lower than national limit area that has no speed limit signs up for a certain distance (not sure what the gap between these signs should be though).

Atomic Pineapple

why is it legal to use rader/laser devices to detect speed cameras in the north and its illegal in the south? In england cameras (including gatso vans and mobile cameras) have to have a sign indicating there presence ahead.

Notice that most cameras dont affect speeds in towns or near bad turns, there usually placed on long straights and gatso vans are usually just inside speed limits giving you sweet FA time to slow down after seeing the speed limit signs.

I'm not against speed cameras if there used properly, but hitting motorists for cash really pisses me off, a motorist can lose there license, pay higher insurance, lose there job for just goin a mile or two above the spead limit too often.

while criminials who actually commit actual crimes can usually get of with a small fine or suspended sentence, just doesnt make sense to me, more money should be put into fighting actual crime and not hitting soft targets like motorists.

Victor

Originally posted by Bond-James Bond
Whats the story about gatso vans and entrapment? I notice that all fixed speed cameras have warning signs advising of their presence but the Gatso mobile vans dont.

en·trap ( P ) Pronunciation Key (n-trp)
tr.v. en·trapped, en·trap·ping, en·traps
...
To lure into performing a previously or otherwise uncontemplated illegal act.

So it isn't entrapment. The reason fixed cameras have warning signs is to stop people breaking sharply when they see the camera box.

Originally posted by Bond-James Bond
Spotted one today at 11am on the N7 at The Pike of Rush Hall between Borris-in-Ossory and Mountrath.

Is this the narrow section where you will have a lot of idiots thinking they are still on the motorway?

Originally posted by John R
The only possible loophole is if you are caught in a lower than national limit area that has no speed limit signs up for a certain distance (not sure what the gap between these signs should be though).

I don't think that will work as you can go several miles in Dublin without seeing a speed sign. However, signs need byelaws to support them and this was the grounds used in some recent appeals.

Originally posted by draffodx
why is it legal to use rader/laser devices to detect speed cameras in the north and its illegal in the south? In england cameras (including gatso vans and mobile cameras) have to have a sign indicating there presence ahead.

Laser / radar detectors are illegal in exactly the same way using a scanner for monitoring garda frequencies to help in your bank robbery is illegal. Laser / radar detectors have the sole purpose of assisting you in breaking the law.

Originally posted by draffodx
Notice that most cameras dont affect speeds in towns or near bad turns, there usually placed on long straights and gatso vans are usually just inside speed limits giving you sweet FA time to slow down after seeing the speed limit signs.

To be honest there aren't a whole lot of cameras in the first place. Also the most likely place for people to speed is on long straight sections. Note3 most accidents happen to sober people on straight sections, in good weather and/or during daylight hours (a single factor is the cause of the vast majority of accidents).

Originally posted by draffodx
I'm not against speed cameras if there used properly, but hitting motorists for cash really pisses me off, a motorist can lose there license, pay higher insurance, lose there job for just goin a mile or two above the spead limit too often.

Because they are breaking the law. There is a difference between campaigning against a law and breaking it. By your logic, I could go into AIB on Monday, pull a shotgun and once I don't shout "robbery" or frighten the staff too much, I'm a fair and decent chap out to make some hard earned money.

Originally posted by draffodx
while criminials who actually commit actual crimes can usually get of with a small fine or suspended sentence, just doesnt make sense to me, more money should be put into fighting actual crime and not hitting soft targets like motorists.

~80% of crimes last year was carried out by motorists. Traffic fines at best break even, they don't make money out of motorists (in the UK they estimate the basic speeding fine would need to rise to over £100- €160 before they would pay for themselves).

And guess what, we are no longer part of the UK, so their laws and practices don't apply here.

NeRb666

Originally posted by Victor
Note3 most accidents happen to sober people on straight sections, in good weather and/or during daylight hours (a single factor is the cause of the vast majority of accidents). Because they are breaking the law.

That is not true. Inappropriate speed and illegal speed are two different things. You don't need to break the law to be inappropriately speeding.

Atomic Pineapple

the goverment makes 360million a year out of motorists, including tax, vrt, speeding and other penalties,

I live in Meath, do pass about 4 or 5 speed cameras daily and have never seen an accident anywhere near them, this may suggest they are working but I believe its cos there all on straights were overtaking is safe and more likely to happen, therefore more likely to catch a motorist who is just overtaking a slower car.

If 80% of crimes were commited as motoring offences then thats just proving my point, they are targeting motorists as easy targets, i'm pretty sure more than 20% was more serious crimes than motoring offences, just the gardai haven't prosecuted anyone.

I know of 3 pubs that were robbed over the past month in my area and nothin has been done, i know of 6 people that have had there cars stolen and again the gardai show very little interest in looking for them.

Guy:Incognito

Originally posted by draffodx


I believe its cos there all on straights were overtaking is safe and more likely to happen, therefore more likely to catch a motorist who is just overtaking a slower car.

What part of the law says " keep to the speed limit, unless u r overtaking, in which case drive as fast as u like" if the person is going at the speed limit then u r not entitled to overtake them and if u do u r speeding and r breaking the law.

Originally posted by draffodx

If 80% of crimes were commited as motoring offences then thats just proving my point, they are targeting motorists as easy targets, i'm pretty sure more than 20% was more serious crimes than motoring offences, just the gardai haven't prosecuted anyone.

more people r caught for motoring offences because its a lot easier to stick a speed camera up r send out a gard with a camera to catch people speeding than to catch a bank robber r sum1 who steals a car in the middle of the night with no witnesses.

NeRb666

Originally posted by Stekelly
What part of the law says " keep to the speed limit, unless u r overtaking, in which case drive as fast as u like" if the person is going at the speed limit then u r not entitled to overtake them and if u do u r speeding and r breaking the law.

The law of not getting killed whilst driving on the wrong side of the road overtaking someone. If the person is driving at the speed limit then there is no reason to overtake them. If, however, you are overtaking a truck doing 45 - 50mph, then I think is being reasonably safer to exceed the speed limit in order to pass the truck.

Seth Brundle

you are not allowed to break the speed limit no matter what (unless you are working for the emergency services, bringing a ministers wife home, etc.).
What NeRb666 is suggesting is referred to as discretion.