Mobile Speed Camera Van Detection Direction

jim208046 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jun 06, 2007 Posts: 2

When reporting mobile speed camera vans you have asked for as much detail as possible

- Police mobile van parked on pavement at the top of Centenary drive on the right hand side of the junction with Hawton Lane. Checking west to east traffic. Van was positioned on the opposite side of road to direction of travel
- Mobile speed camera van spotted in the lay by, catches traffic in either direction

How do you know which way the vans detect, I assume that the van does not need to be on the near side of the road that is being monitored?
Regards
Jim

MaFt · Posted: Fri May 29, 2009 11:36 am Post subject:

if it is in a van pointing out the back then i would assume single direction. if it is a copper outside a van with camera on a tripod or handheld then it could be reversible - but only mark it as such if it WAS seen in use both ways!

MaFt

pcaouolte · Posted: Fri May 29, 2009 12:51 pm Post subject:

If it's a van with the camera pointing out of the back can they check your speed after you pass them (as you are moving away from them)?

I ask this because I have seen them parked on the "wrong" side of the road, facing the traffic, and have never known if they are detecting traffic coming towards them on the opposite side of the road or travelling away from them on their side of the road.
_________________
Paul

MaFt · Posted: Fri May 29, 2009 5:52 pm Post subject:

hmm... good point... didn't think of that!! i might just pull up and have a chat with our local operator next time i see him...

MaFt

adamwolfe · Posted: Sat Jun 06, 2009 9:27 am Post subject:

Hallo All,

This is a question I have often wondered about as well. I seem to remember reading a post somewhere that some vans also have camera facing the front? I often report "Seen Again" cameras and more often than not they are listed as being "Reversible" with visible cameras pointing out of the back of the vehicle. Should these be edited? Again they are often shown as "reversible" but with a detection direction shown as well. I wonder that if there are cameras facing only one way then would we assume that they are NOT reversible? mmmm.....
_________________
Adam

M8TJT · Posted: Sat Jun 06, 2009 9:44 am Post subject:

adamwolfe · Posted: Sat Jun 06, 2009 9:59 am Post subject:

DennisN · Posted: Sat Jun 06, 2009 10:15 am Post subject:

I think in theory most mobile vans could be reversible - simply park the thing facing the opposite direction!

What I'd say is submit your best judgement on it. As far as I'm aware, most of the mobile cameras can trap both approaching and receding traffic, so it's not necessarily a case of which way it's facing anyway.

In my experience they generally seem to trap approaching traffic - as I get there, the camera is looking out at me as I approach - I don't think he's looking over my shoulder past me at traffic running away from him on the other side of the road.

Another judgement I make is "logic". Does it seem likely that the camera can take sight on a vehicle at the other side of the road? Is there enough vision? Will oncoming traffic block his view of receding traffic? Is it dual carriageway where a central barrier would block the line of sight?

It's all quite difficult sometimes and short of pulling up and knocking on his window to ask him, there's no definitive answer.

So, best judgement please and the Verifyer will do the same - we sometimes ask for it to be logged as reversible, sometimes say it can't be. We very rarely ridicule a submission and when we do, it's perfectly obvious that any of you would laugh at it too (I once posted here a picture of an alleged farm gate in the middle of Builth Wells High Street Very Happy

). If everybody tries to do their best in the interests of the database and users, we can ask no more.
_________________
Dennis

If it tastes good - it's fattening.

Two of them are obesiting!!

adamwolfe · Posted: Sat Jun 06, 2009 10:43 am Post subject:

Thanks for your reply DennisN.

falkirk81 · Posted: Sat Jun 06, 2009 2:37 pm Post subject:

My mum gone 'done' by a mobile SCP van near where we live, and it photographed her from behind. You could clearly tell it was her by the long hair. So I guess they can work photographing traffic coming towards AND away from the SCP van.
_________________
Tomtom GO 1005 LIVE

iPhone 12

M8TJT · Posted: Sat Jun 06, 2009 3:13 pm Post subject:

An expensive 'heads up' on what they can or cannot do. Crying or Very sad

I it does however settle a fairly long outstanding discussion. I suppose that we must now consider this more closely when verifying SCP van sites

scarymonkey · Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2009 6:57 pm Post subject:

A colleague of mine (typically he is usually the one driving very very slowly) thought the camera van couldn't get you when you are travelling away from them. £60 and 3 points later he now knows they can. As far as I am concerned the only directional cameras are fixed single direction 'gatso' type and mobiles when on dual carriageways. On a single carriageway road a mobile unit is always capable of operating in both directions.

Motormouse · Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2009 11:51 pm Post subject: Speed camera vans

I was caught by a moble van on the opposite side of the road, I had my sat nav on and it alerted me, I marked it as seen again, but as it was on the opposite side of the road I did not think it catching the cars that were driving away from it, but within 14 days I got a NIP doing 36 in a 30 MPH zone, but luckily I was able to do the speed choice course instead of getting the points, so mobile camera vans do work in both directions no matter what side of the road they are parked, I have the NIP to prove it, P.S it was not a dual carrageway road.

Privateer · Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 2:49 pm Post subject:

I attended the Three Counties Show, near Malvern, on Saturday 20th June 2009. The Gloucestershire Safety Camera Partnership had a stand at the show with a couple of Safety Camera Vans and a motorbike.

I spoke to one of the civilian camera van operators and he confirmed that once set up and running the camera/laser system can capture vehicles both approaching and driving away from the van. Therefore mobile Safety Camera Van/Motorbike sites should always initially be considered as reversible. Obviously if the site is located on the side of a dual carriageway then it may not be possible for the operator to target the opposite direction, especially if there are any visual obstructions (trees, bushes, fencing, etc) in the central reservation.

In the case of vehicles with only a rear number plate (e.g. motorbikes) the external CCTV cameras on the Safety Camera Van can be used to record that information and when the van goes back to base then the number plate of the speeding vehicle can can be determined from the recorded evidence.

Regards,
_________________
Robert.
iPhone 6s Plus, iOS 14.0.1: iOS CamerAlert v2.0.7
TomTom GO Mobile iOS 2.3.1; TomTom (UK & ROI and Europe) iOS apps v1.29
Garmin Camper 770 LMT-D

M8TJT · Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 3:14 pm Post subject:

And of course, hand helds can point either way as well. Confused

Perhaps a policy needs setting amongst the management and verifiers, in so far as if a cam has got a possibility of pointing either way, then we should class them as reversible unless the site really is a one way only possible (just round a tight bend etc.).

	PocketGPS
	Web