Article: Private firm set to run speed traps

MickFarr

edmund_f wrote:

do like your sig though, always was a cat person

Thanks, Isn't she beautiful!

edmund_f

big..

totally off the point.

jayok

Errr.. hmmm... I actually already installed cameras in my car (one for front and one for rear)

I am into electronics and a while ago I thought it would be cool to simply do this! Tiny cameras are so cheap these day and the recording hardware is very cheap. Basically a small embedded PC with a hard-disk will give 2-3 hours recording of sufficient quality.

I've never used this for legal reasons but it has happened to me that while queueing in traffic a person on their mobile phone roll-back into me. I got out of the car and she started screaming at me for rear-ending her car. When I corrected her misinformation she shut up. No damage was done but I began to think I'd have to way to prove this if she wanted to claim for whiplash, etc, etc, etc. So I decided as a pure hobby to install the cameras for my own use.

When I drive they are automatically recording and of course they do record stupid driving behaviour but it's not my place to correct this - its simply there for my protection against nutters. Also if I ever see a crash happening I can show interest parties the footage I happen to have. Not from a legal stance don't know about the court legal element etc of this - don't care either. But in reality it would be no different than someone who just happened to have a camcorder.

So watch out for me!

Boggle

question of how may cars/quality of video/direction etc etc would all be one that would be answered by a trial.

Just as an experiment, on your way home this evening have a look out for bad driving. In the original estimation the figure was of one detection per hour. Let us know how many you spot?

I do agree it would be very interesting to do a trial - but your setup is crucial. Where would you propose to put it? Personally I reckon right front facing forward so you can not only see the car in front, but also the car's in front of that aswell as anyone overtaking. Would also be useful if a secondary one was facing backwards as then you could watch for tailgating aswell as build a case for dangerous overtaking.

My problem with the second point is what do you consider bad driving? I reckon it would be either going too fats or too slow (emphasis on too slow these days) but without a connection to the spedometer you can't prosecute on that (although this could be added). Also, you will find it pretty difficult to generally guage if someone is a wreckless driver based on a just few minutes footage ...

yankinlk

Boggle wrote:

Fight the bloody thing. never got a ticket before but what I do know is that when accused of something you HAVE to be furnished with ALL the details so that you can adequately prepare a defence. Not knowing where said offence occured (if that's what you meant) is grounds for a dismissal. You could be able to prove you were the other side of the country for all they (and you at the moment) know!!!

See thats the thing. The car is was Gatsoed in is a company car registered in someone else' name... so that person would get screwed if I dont reply that it was me driving... so i cant fight it realistically.

I love Ireland but this crap reminds me of home... the big brother menatlity, your just another number. I hope we arent going to continue on this path.

yankinlk

grrr. Finally found out the stretch of road i was gatsoed on. Turns out that stretch of road is 80 km on the way out of the city, and 60km on the way in. Same road, different speed limits! And the bit of road lies between two roundabouts so it doesnt make ANNNNNY sense why one direction is set slower than the other.

I went the speed limit on it the other day and had 20 annoyed cars sitting on my bumper.