gatso for lorries

mevans08 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Mar 18, 2009 Posts: 15

Hello this is my first post - go easy on me ! I am an HGV driver and would like to know if anyone can confirm whether or not there are any single, stand alone Speed Cameras active in the UK that can differentiate between cars and lorries and automatically apply the different speed limits accordingly. For example on a dual carriageway the speed limit for cars is 70mph but 50mph for lorries - is there a Gatso or similar that can 'catch' cars over 70mph and lorries over 50mph ? Or is this just an urban myth Question

253 · Posted: Sun Feb 28, 2010 9:49 pm Post subject:

Personally - I have no idea.

But I have heard the same stories as well.

A quick Google came up with a few sites that say 'some' Gatso cameras can differentiate, but doesn't go on to say which ones.

ukspeedcameras.co.uk has some useful information. I cannot say how reliable it is or comment on the site itself.

Bob
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mikealder · Posted: Sun Feb 28, 2010 9:50 pm Post subject:

Welcome to the forum, height finder cameras do exist and can differentiate between cars and HGV, perhaps Alix776 one of the other moderators can add some information regarding where these exist as he drives HGV for a living, I will send him a PM with a link back to this thread - Mike

falkirk81 · Posted: Sun Feb 28, 2010 10:27 pm Post subject:

Yes, GATSO cameras can tell the difference between a car doing 60mph in a NSL zone, and a 40t lorry that should be doing 40mph.
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Andy_P · Posted: Sun Feb 28, 2010 10:40 pm Post subject:

May I refer you back to a previous topic Gatso technology - HGV/Car Differentiation??

It starts with a rather embarrassing quote from me, saying that Gatsos COULDN'T tell the difference between a truck and a car, but I then do a bit of research and have to eat my words...

It includes some pictures I found of the internal control box, which clearly shows they have the capability to have TWO speed settings, one for trucks and one for cars.

On the first pic you can see there are TWO sets of switches with numbers for entering the speed limit settings in mph ("40" and "41" in this case). Next to the lower set you can clearly see a picture of a car. Next to the upper set is actually a picture of a lorry, but it is obscured by the top cover in that picture.

In the second picture (a km/h version), everything is a bit blurry, but you can definitely see the picture of a lorry.

The yellow rotary switch between the two sets looks like it is used to select the upper, the lower, or both settings, giving the possibility of dual speed detection for different vehicle types.

How often it is used like this, I don't know, but it is certainly possible.

mevans08 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Mar 18, 2009 Posts: 15

Thanks for the replies so far - but my experience with HGV's is that speed cameras only work based on the speed limits for cars. So long as HGV drivers don't exceed the speed limits for cars it seems we aren't going to be caught by a speed camera - despite the fact that by law we should only be doing maximum 40mph where car limits are 60mph and 50mph (on dual carriageways) where the car limits are 70mph ? If there are speed cameras that can tell the difference it would be good to know about them - maybe
PocketGPSWorld could produce an 'HGV Version' of the speed camera database that identifies these 'dual purpose' cameras ? I for one would certainly be more than happy to pay extra for 'HGV camera' protection and I'm sure fellow HGV drivers would too !

Andy_P · Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2010 12:47 am Post subject:

alix776 · Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2010 3:24 pm Post subject:

Yes these cameras do exist there's 2 on the a556 into and out of northwich and most of the a17 is covered with them they are also present on the a1 between newcastle and bewick.
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TonyIshUk · Occasional Visitor Joined: Aug 10, 2005 Posts: 52

Slightly O/T but I know that in France there are cameras which ""monitor"" speed and lanes on some autoroutes.

They catch HGV in the wrong lane which should be using downhill or uphill crawler lanes, and excessive speed in the down hill lanes.

Mind what the French do Rolling Eyes

Rgds

rick007 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Apr 22, 2005 Posts: 1

Hi
3 points on A303 50MPH on a 50MPH limit road but 40MPH for truck at 3.35am
i was so happy

Andy_P · Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2010 11:01 pm Post subject:

Sorry to hear that Rick. Where you caught by a Gatso or by a police mobile / camera van etc?

TonyIshUk · Occasional Visitor Joined: Aug 10, 2005 Posts: 52

A passing thought really with regard to sensing vehicle types.

I drive a Motor Caravan ( Someone has to Rolling Eyes

)

And for the SAME model the gross weight can be 3.500 ton, 3.800 Ton or 4.25 ton, each weight has differng VED and speed restrictions.

In a 3.5 ton, I can use the outside lane @ 70 mph (or more in France) as a car. A 3.80 or 4.25 I become a different class of vehicle and have the same speed restrictions as a commercial vehicle. You can see why a lot of m/homes are plated @ 3.50 ton. ( Some horrifically overloaded !)

Quite what a sensing camera (and Intercepter Plod) make of this I dont know, and would not know until the bonnet is lifted and the weight plate inspected.

I know that a Peage Toll automatic tickets, often the wrong class calculated and payment charged. Its a bu**er of a job claiming back the difference. Can be a couple of hundred euros, if you do a UK / Spain trip in both directions and get caught.

Rgds

(the happy camper Wink

)

Andy_P · Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 7:09 pm Post subject:

As it seems the Gatso system just has preset "big" and "small" settings, I guess they just take the picture and then manually check the registration number against the DVLA database. If the speed you were doing is OK, they throw the ticket out.

DennisN · Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 12:40 am Post subject:

Andy_P · Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 1:27 am Post subject:

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