What is this camera/thing??

hailstorm · Regular Visitor Joined: Jun 26, 2007 Posts: 78

Went to Swansea over the weekend. I got flashed by this most odd camera thing by the side of the road. Can anyone identify what it is?

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=swansea&layer=&ie=UTF8&z=19&ll=51.62573,-3.934221&spn=0.000816,0.003374&t=k&om=1

Worried I got snapped. I was doing 40 in a 30 zone. Completely missed the speed limit signs.

Privateer · Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 12:40 pm Post subject:

Hi hailstorm,

I've not seen anything like that in my area (Oxfordshire). I've had a quick look at the PocketGPSWorld Camera Guide but I can't see anything there that looks like your camera.

Hopefully somebody else will know what it is.

If you (or anybody else) are back in Swansea, and if it's safe to do so, could you take a few photos from different positions and angles and if possible include a makers name or identification mark and then post those pictures here?

As it's a static camera it's strange that it's not in the database, especially when it appears on Google Street view (which is usually several months old).

Regards,
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Andy_P · Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 12:44 pm Post subject:

Funny... the concrete post doesn't look tall enough to stop that flashy-looking camera getting nicked (or "played with" Twisted Evil

)

Did it actually FLASH you with visible light? If not, maybe it's just monitoring the "Keep Clear" box on the nearby junction?
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M8TJT · Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 1:10 pm Post subject:

hailstorm · Regular Visitor Joined: Jun 26, 2007 Posts: 78

Thanks for the replies. When I drove by for a closer look the appeared to be coming out of the front. While I'm less worried its a speed camera I'm still baffled as to what its function is.

M8TJT · Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 7:53 pm Post subject:

hailstorm · Regular Visitor Joined: Jun 26, 2007 Posts: 78

Laser beams Twisted Evil

Whoops no I meant to put light. Spooky white light.

Seems I'm not the only one. Stumbled across this thread: http://www.sabre-roads.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=15177

Guivre46 · Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 8:16 pm Post subject:

Could it be something that is monitoring air pollution levels?

Edit: spelling!!
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DennisN · Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 9:42 pm Post subject:

I wish I'd seen this thread last night - I must have driven past about 100 yards away today!

It remiinds me of those cameras they put up to detect fog, except I can't see any other one to receive or transmit to/from it.

It's pointing towards a dock area, but probably too far away for navigational purposes.
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253 · Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 10:02 pm Post subject:

Air quality stuff - that's the technical term I think.

Hope the link works

http://www.swansea.airqualitydata.com/cgi-bin/sites.cgi?1005

Maybe it flashes every time it takes a sample or when a vehicle goes by at selected times? I don't know.
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hailstorm · Regular Visitor Joined: Jun 26, 2007 Posts: 78

Awesome. Mystery solved. Thanks Smile

DennisN · Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 10:11 pm Post subject:

253 · Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 10:12 pm Post subject:

Not so quick, I did a sloppy job. Didn't check the Long / Lat, just a quick compare of Google maps.
But I'm almost sure, but not quite.
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AliOnHols · Pocket GPS Verifier Joined: Oct 15, 2008 Posts: 1936

But much quicker than in the other link hailstorm mentioned. Their posts are dated April 2007 and still not resolved.
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hailstorm · Regular Visitor Joined: Jun 26, 2007 Posts: 78

Found the other one Smile

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