DAVE-W

Anyone got any idea on what tolerance these vans operate at?

I know the ones in Dyfed Powys are set at 40 in a 30mph area.

Reason I ask is that I was sitting at just below 80 on the M4 near Bridgend on Saturday morning (definately around 78 and less than 80), came over a brow and there it was.....sitting on a bridge.

My Bel Euro 550 didn't even flinch...no beeps, nothing (I know that detectors give little prior warning for laser but surely if I was lasered directly it would have beeped???)

What do ya reckon guys?

Dave

Fatman

I don't know for sure - with regional differences an' all. However, I'd be VERY suprised if they had you. They're not interested in anybody doing 80 or below (would end up bagging 75% of cars, or more - unworkable). They're really after those doing 90+. Here's hoping...

Little Miss WRX

Does it detect from the rear oooh er?

Some don't/aren't as effective detecting from the rear?

Turkish1

Went past this mobile camera myself on four different occasions last week, on four different days. Havent they got better things to do than sit on top of a bridge watching cars go past all day long.
Turkish 1

(p.s. lucky I spotted it or I think I would of been heading for another three points)

Nevetas

You'll be fine under 80, sometimes lazer detectors are bad because they give you false confidance therefore making you drive faster with less concentration. Then again they can be useful for them Gatso's

sammyh

iTrader: (1)

I know that bridge - it seems to sneak up on you, I always slow down around there.

Mufasa

I know it too, if your heading east it pops up at you over the brow of the hill [img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img] . My snooper has never bleeped when approaching it (seems to bleep at almost every other electrically powered thing in the world though! )

I had lost my snooper for a week or so and was doing 85mph on a deserted A48 when I spotted a van in the entrance to a what I think was a garden centre near Pont Abraham. It looked bigger than I thought camera vans were, it was high top transit sized so I only lifted off a bit to check it out, I was extremely p!ssed off to see it was a camera van and the camera in the back looking at me. I must have gone past it at about 80, and spent the next month expecting an NIP. Never arrived though

Gaz Jones

I got done by a laser camera in a van, 53 in a 30mph zone.
In the ford focus as well!!!
took about 2 months to come through, 3 points....

tried to say it was the girlfriend, but i had to go and identify myself and it was.........you guessed it.....ME

The picture was clear as crystal, no getting out of it.

bugger

gaz

Mufasa

Been over three months now, and was about the time my very similar looking mate from Oz was over

TaviaRS

and last week I saw some true poetic justice:

there I was driving along the M4 at an indicated 80 overtaking stuff in the middle lane. White van comes up behind at a hell of a speed, so I move over and watch him fly off. Must have been doing about a ton. As he went by I noticed that he was one of the unmarked camera vans. Well, as I went by the junction I notice marked police car come down the slip road with lights on. Yes, he pulled the camera van! Made my day that did.

bugwaan

You lucky lucky bstards!!!
In Melbourne Australia they set the camera to a tloerance of 3kmh.
So where we can only drive at 60kmh they get you got doing 63kmh. Its an absolute joke.
Same on the freeway...103kmh in a 100kmh zone and they bust you.
Now they are bringing in a law to take away your licence for one month if caught doing 25kmh over the limit & for 1year if caught at 40kmh over the limit.
We have cameras that get you if you go through a green light too fast (ie: 1kmh over) and also get you going through an amber light.
Melb Vic Aust is the absolute pits for driving....All they want to do is police the roads and let the real crims go about their business. I hate it.
Scumbag politicians!!!

DAVE-W

I had thought that anything around 80 or below was not looked at on the motorway but thought I'd get your opinions (bit like ask the audience )

So here's hoping counting the days

Dave

scoob_dood

I'm also pretty sure they have to send you the NIP within 14 days:

"The notice must be sent to the Registered Keeper within fourteen days. If your notice arrived after this, it means that you have already been named as the driver/keeper/hirer."

taken from : http://www.derbyshire.police.uk/safetycameras/index.htm

I assume this means if you are tagged by a camera/speed gun but they don't stop you to confirm the driver's ID ?

- Jon

Fatman

Dave, did it look like http://www.ukspeedtraps.co.uk/police205.htm?

DAVE-W

No...it was definately a speed camera van...had a big camera picture on the side.

Had a chat with the guy in Radar direct yesterday who said that they have independently tested the Bel 550 with their own laser equipment and if I had been lasered it would definately, 100% have sounded a warning. Also confirmed what has been said above, that they generally don't bother with anything below around 85mph.

I got no beeps from the 550 , plus the fact I was at just under 80 so should be ok so fingers crossed touch wood n all that, its looking ok!!!

Dave

ajm

-------------------------------------------------------
"The notice must be sent to the Registered Keeper within fourteen days. If your notice arrived after this, it means that you have already been named as the driver/keeper/hirer."

taken from : http://www.derbyshire.police.uk/safetycameras/index.htm
-------------------------------------------------------

The way this reads is a bit cheeky... it makes it sound like it still counts even if it arrives late! The explaination below makes it clear that all NIP's must be issued witin 14 days!

http://www.speed-trap.co.uk/Accused_Home/Rules_useage/The_Law.htm

Fatman

Sounds promising, Dave - hope you're in the clear.

I just got a Bel-550, too. Do you know how directional the laser sensor is? I mean - the laser is generally aimed at the number plate and headlight area of the car, and it's quite a tight beam. How much scatter would be detected if the device was mounted on the windscreen? I'm happy with radar signals in that position, but perhaps the device should be as low as possible to catch any laser radiation?? Ideas, anyone?

DAVE-W

My detector is mounted as low as possible on the screen without being blocked by the wipers.

This is the general position where radar direct mounted theirs when testing and they had no problems at all.

I read another review of an independant test somewhere that found that if the laser was being targeted on a car which was two cars ahead of them the Bel550 still picked up enough scatter to give a warning.

What a good little gadget this is

Jammer next on the shopping list just to be sure

Dave

speedking

Mufasa: AFAIK the high topped vans with cameras mounted high are tax evasion cameras. These check registration and that tax disc is displayed and current. They do not also check speed. You should have no probs as long as tax is in order IMHO a good thing.

Edited to add URLs for unofficial and oficial views.

abd
dvla
staffordshire police

[Edited by speedking - 9/10/2002 9:02:43 AM]