Speed camera mega-thread ***Read first post before posting***

pa990

paddyjoe1993 wrote: »

do they let you off if your just a few km over.?

there is a margin of error, it seems to be 8km/hr
so anything doing 8 over will escape a ticket, but 9km over will get a letter in the post

yeppydeppy

Has anyone else noticed that the frequency of the van's has dropped in the last few weeks? When they were released on society earlier this year I was seeing them once or twice a week on my commute. Lately I've seen one in the past 3 or 4 weeks.
Also, I past two in as many days in June and both times I guess I was about 10km over the limit - I didn't get any tickets or notification. Is it true they run out of film?
I also heard recently that if you do get a ticket and contest it in court the judge has to throw it out, making the van's useless, is there any truth to this?

Dr.Crump

Are they operating any "Unmarked" vans?
I passed a van today, was dark silver and had rear windows tinted just coming out of galway city on N59. It was parked about 100 meters from the 100K sign but was in the 50 zone. I passed by this van at about 60 ish.
Im not sure, could have been some plumber pulled over for all I know.

But do they operate unmarked vans and do they operate ever on places not listed in red on the garda map?

Cheers.

jimmynokia

cyclopath2001 wrote: »

Ironic, maybe.

Were you parked in the middle of the road while you took this picture?

does that really matter where it was taken if somebody pulled up at a reasonable distance infront behind or the side of the van and took it you would still find something to complain about

jimmynokia

Dr.Crump wrote: »

Are they operating any "Unmarked" vans?
I passed a van today, was dark silver and had rear windows tinted just coming out of galway city on N59. It was parked about 100 meters from the 100K sign but was in the 50 zone. I passed by this van at about 60 ish.
Im not sure, could have been some plumber pulled over for all I know.

But do they operate unmarked vans and do they operate ever on places not listed in red on the garda map?

Cheers.

yes there is many unmarked vans there is a few pics of them in the thread

-Corkie-

Dr.Crump wrote: »

Are they operating any "Unmarked" vans?
I passed a van today, was dark silver and had rear windows tinted just coming out of galway city on N59. It was parked about 100 meters from the 100K sign but was in the 50 zone. I passed by this van at about 60 ish.
Im not sure, could have been some plumber pulled over for all I know.

But do they operate unmarked vans and do they operate ever on places not listed in red on the garda map?

Cheers.

Quite possibly a Garda Gatso van opposed to a go safe van.

ToadVine

Anyone see a big white van marked Garda on the Newbridge - Kilcullen road this afternoon? It was on the wide stretch of road between Newbridge and Athgarvin. I think I might have been caught ... I was coming out of Newbridge doing just over 70km/hr ... I think the speed limit is 60km/hr there

JamesBond2010

They are very bored this month.they are around a lot. The funds must be low.

barura

One on the <snip location> at the moment, just before <snip location>. At the fly over as some have called it in this thread. I was doing 70km/h Could have sworn it was 80km/h but next speed limit sign about 200m after the gards said 60km/h. Was I in the wrong?

ironclaw

pa990 wrote: »

there is a margin of error, it seems to be 8km/hr
so anything doing 8 over will escape a ticket, but 9km over will get a letter in the post

The margin for error is on your side i.e. Your speedo, not theirs. If you knew you were doing exactly 2km/h over the limit then you would be done. Their equipment is accurate to +/- 1 km/h. So technically, in a 60km/h zone and your "true speed" was 62km/h you could be legally done. The +2Km/h allowing for an inaccuracy in their reading. Bearing in mind, if your true speed was 62km/h, your speedo would most likely be reading 65km/h or more.

There can be a large difference between your true speed and your speedo speed (Generally about 5 - 10%). What I generally say is if you are 5km/h as per your own speedo, you could be facing a letter. +10km/h on your own speedo, your most likely looking like a letter.

Damien360

ironclaw wrote: »

There can be a large difference between your true speed and your speedo speed (Generally about 5 - 10%). What I generally say is if you are 5km/h as per your own speedo, you could be facing a letter. +10km/h on your own speedo, your most likely looking like a letter.

I would have agreed with you up to a few weeks ago. My Mondeo was always about 5 to 10% out against my sat nav. The error was less when the speed increased. But, my current insignia is 2km/hr over the sat nav speed across the whole range of the speedo. Much less margin of error.

pa990

ironclaw wrote: »

The margin for error is on your side i.e. Your speedo, not theirs. If you knew you were doing exactly 2km/h over the limit then you would be done. Their equipment is accurate to +/- 1 km/h. So technically, in a 60km/h zone and your "true speed" was 62km/h you could be legally done. The +2Km/h allowing for an inaccuracy in their reading. Bearing in mind, if your true speed was 62km/h, your speedo would most likely be reading 65km/h or more.

There can be a large difference between your true speed and your speedo speed (Generally about 5 - 10%). What I generally say is if you are 5km/h as per your own speedo, you could be facing a letter. +10km/h on your own speedo, your most likely looking like a letter.

Their equipment is accurate to +/- 1km, but a ticket will only be issued when a vehicle is registered travelling more than 8km/h.

The 8km/h info came to me from someone involved in the processing of the fines.

pippip

barura wrote: »

One on the <snip location> at the moment, just before <snip location>. At the fly over as some have called it in this thread. I was doing 70km/h Could have sworn it was 80km/h but next speed limit sign about 200m after the gards said 60km/h. Was I in the wrong?

Sorry, never seen this before. Why are the locations removed?

-Chris-

We need to take advice on whether it's obstruction of justice to report the location of a speed trap while it's operating.

ironclaw

pa990 wrote: »

Their equipment is accurate to +/- 1km, but a ticket will only be issued when a vehicle is registered travelling more than 8km/h.

The 8km/h info came to me from someone involved in the processing of the fines.

Sorry but unless you can quote a source I'd would not take that advice or give it. That is openly saying there is a leeway, which I'm pretty sure has been disproved by a Garda interview at the time these vans were introduced. I'm sure their is a link buried somewhere in this thread. I'm open to correction, but to the letter of the law, if your clocked by a van doing 62km/h in a 60km/h, allowing for a +/- 1km/h discrepancy, your speeding and thus can be legally issued a fine. In fact in Irish law, they don't even have to prove the equipment used was working or calibrated.

Allowing for +/- 1 km/h and an addition 8km/h just seems like pub talk to me, similar to the mythical Gardai +10km/h.

I was told that Gardai give +10km/h when they are shooting laser, which is hogwash because a mate was pulled for 63km/h in a 60km/h, and I was there for the issued ticket (His speedo read well over the limit as well at the time)

pa990

Well I'm not gonna name names, cos this guy works in the fines office, but feel free to disregard my info.

But if you can find someone who has received a speeding fine by a camera van for 8km or less over the limit, please do upload a scanned copy.
I'll eat my hat if you can


edit:
also the +/- 1km/h discrepancy, simply refers to the fact that the machine is accurate to within that in the readings that it provides, there is not an additional 1km/h allowed.

edit 2:
the radar device is only accurate to within +/-3km/h or 1.5% whichever is greater

pa990

ironclaw wrote: »

.......That is openly saying there is a leeway, which I'm pretty sure has been disproved by a Garda interview at the time these vans were introduced. I'm sure their is a link buried somewhere in this thread. I'm open to correction, ......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mjHqIf-jsQ

he kinda avoided the question.. wouldn't it have been very easy fot him to say that there would be zero tolerance.

i wounder why he didn't say that there would be no tolerance.. maybe because there is a tolerance ..

channelsurfer2

is this location now allowed to be mentioned(the n4 one that was edited in the previous post due the possibility of the speed trap still be operational) as i wouldnt mind actually knowing the exact location ...thanks

barura

Actually, all I really wanted to know was the speed limit in the area I was at. Was it 60 or 80? Didn't know it was against rules to post locations....

channelsurfer2

if its going into town from liffey valley to the just past palmerstown to the shell garage at the hospital on the left its 60kph.. then it goes to 80 kph for a while until you reach the traffic lights where it drops to 60kph up to the lights at the kilmainham junction..

barryoc1

Just wondering, do the camera vans catch for speed, cars comin from either direction or can they only catch cars comin from one direction. If so, front or back of van?

Our man in Havana

The only measure from the back of the van but they can measure both approaching and receding traffic.

pa990

the same questions pop up here time and time again.
perhaps we could have a sticky thread with a list of Questions and true answers about the capabilities of these vans. ie

Accurate to ± 3km/h or 1.5% whichever is greater (source manufactures website)
Camera and Radar system looks out the rear window
All pictures are taken from behind the rear window
All Speed readings are taken from the rear of the van
Speeds are recorded in both directions at he same time
Radar operates on K band (24.0 to 24.25Ghz)
Radar beam measurement angle operates at 22°, thus your speed reading and picture is taken when you are approx 20metres from the rear of the van.
Capable of monitoring multiple lanes at the same time (up to 6 or 8)
The radar beam itself is Horizontal 4.5º & Vertical 15º
Can detect speeds from 20km/h to 300km/h
Capable of taking 195 readings per second

The flash unit is located on the roof of the van, and its an infra red flash, thus invisible to the naked eye.
etc

Mycroft H

pa990 wrote: »

the same questions pop up here time and time again.
perhaps we could have a sticky thread with a list of Questions and true answers about the capabilities of these vans. ie

Accurate to ± 3km/h or 1.5% whichever is greater (source manufactures website)
The radar beam itself is Horizontal 4.5º & Vertical 15º
Can detect speeds from 20km/h to 300km/h
Capable of taking 195 readings per second

etc

Hmmm 300km/h you say :cool:

msg11

barryoc1 wrote: »

Just wondering, do the camera vans catch for speed, cars comin from either direction or can they only catch cars comin from one direction. If so, front or back of van?

Both sides of the road and coming towards or going away. I was watching one the other night on the Malahide road and it was flashing cars coming from town and heading towards town.

How many lanes can the camera catch at once is the question, I say it's two lanes (although it says 6 lanes above, I have seen it on a six lane road and it was only flashing two lanes)

JamesBond2010

pa990 wrote: »

the same questions pop up here time and time again.
perhaps we could have a sticky thread with a list of Questions and true answers about the capabilities of these vans. ie

Accurate to ± 3km/h or 1.5% whichever is greater (source manufactures website)
Camera and Radar system looks out the rear window
All pictures are taken from behind the rear window
All Speed readings are taken from the rear of the van
Speeds are recorded in both directions at he same time
Radar operates on K band (24.0 to 24.25Ghz)
Radar beam measurement angle operates at 22°, thus your speed reading and picture is taken when you are approx 20metres from the rear of the van.
Capable of monitoring multiple lanes at the same time (up to 6 or 8)
The radar beam itself is Horizontal 4.5º & Vertical 15º
Can detect speeds from 20km/h to 300km/h
Capable of taking 195 readings per second

The flash unit is located on the roof of the van, and its an infra red flash, thus invisible to the naked eye.
etc

(Electrical Components)
dont forget they are only cailibtrated from 0c to 70c (so cannot be proven to work below freezing):)

Seth Brundle

JamesBond2010 wrote: »

(Electrical Components)
dont forget they are only cailibtrated from 0c to 70c (so cannot be proven to work below freezing):)

Maybe so, but don't forget that they don't need to prove that they work!

JamesBond2010

kbannon wrote: »

Maybe so, but don't forget that they don't need to prove that they work!

depends if you are a few km over you could argue the case that u were doing the correct speed and the thing was off & not calibrated properly,but thats a whole different thing all together then lots of awkward stuff then u have to do to prove it.
Here is some Technical/backround Info. on the Gatso's
'that Gatso's can allegedly give false readings when the temperature is below 0c because the timing circuitry can be slowed down.

This means that as you pass the camera, the normal half second pause between the two flashes can be delayed.
So it gives the impression that your car or bike has travelled further over the guide lines painted on the road, which are used to calculate the distance you travelled in the half second...
...thus giving a higher speed reading.'

Seth Brundle

May I remind you of section 81 of the Road Traffic Act, 2010 drawing your attention in particular to the part that states:

It is not necessary to prove that the electronic or other apparatus was accurate or in good working order.

JamesBond2010

kbannon wrote: »

May I remind you of section 81 of the Road Traffic Act, 2010 drawing your attention in particular to the part that states:

(was talking about more go safe vans than guards)
forgot about that one, does it say something about records being kept to show the equipment was calibrated Section 6,7,8 of the act there. If Contested.

(not fighting with u):):)