MTayler

Right then, I can accept I was a tad over the limit but can't accept what I saw and am hoping someone on here knows a thing or two about mobile speed cameras.
Now then, going down an A road at about 85 mph, up in the distance I see this black box on a tripod at the side of the road.
The van controlling it is parked behind a large bush / tree so is not visible ( could only just see the front wheel ).
The van has NO markings on it at all and is dark burgandy in colour ( only noticed this as i passed it ).
I guess by the time I realised, I was doing about 78-79 mph so am now concerned about points/fine .
My question is though, is this legal
I have tried looking up info on the web and nothing specific but am pretty confident that the vans and or the cameras had to be clearly marked up and in some cases a sign placed at the side of the road notifying of mobile safety cameras.
I was going back out that night so took the same route and my camera and took some pics with it all set up so have got evidence that the van was hidden and the camera was plain black with no markings.
Anyone got some views on this ?.

Cheer's.

Mark.

Stainy

/me gets popcorn and a medium diet coke for this (awaiting replies)

chocolate_o_brian

iTrader: (22)

agree a can of worms here, but hes got a fair point. whenever there has been mobile speed cameras described as above (van side of road with camera on tripod) in scunny, theres been clear markings to warn of this. also the van/car has usually been there too in clear site.

end of the day, you were speeding, but you have a fair point, as no one is perfect...

try PePiPoo: Helping the motorist to get justice

gazza-uk

visable "sign written" vans are a guidence only, theres no rule to say they cant do this, if you were going 80mph chances are your real speed was 77, so I suspect you will be ok at this.... providing it was a NSL dual carridgeway ?

long 14 days coming up...

MTayler

Okay just found this on PePiPoo ;


Visibility of Police Officers Who Are Performing Speed Checks
ACPO Traffic Enforcement Guidelines are also not mentioned in the law, but they unambiguously state that traffic officers performing speed checks should do so from a position that's clearly visible to the public.

"31.2 The operator must be clearly visible to the public and the target vehicle throughout the check."

So, if you see a Traffic Officer hiding behind a bush or working from inside an unmarked transit van, why not stop and ask them if they realise that their conduct is breaching the ACPO guidelines - please don't forget to ask them for their name, number and the contact details of their Chief Constable so that you can write a letter of complaint about the officer's conduct.



At the end of the day I agree that I should not have been speeding but none of us are law abiders everyday and these things happen.
However I don't like the idea of some idiot hiding his van and not making himself visible, entrapment perhaps ?.

Mark.

explore

most camera vans are hired speed trappers and not police them selfs so not sure everything will apply

MTayler

Ah, so if they are hired or contract ( explains the plain colour van ) they should have more of a duty to abide by the law ?.
The fact I have photographic evidence of how they set themselves up should also be a plus on my side, I think .

Mark.

suffolkdar

It's all legal and above board, They have those cameras and vans here in suffolk as well as the brightly painted ones usually on the A140.They are not easy to see and they often park the vans in peoples drives etc out of the way!,The key point is that the road has speed camera warning signs every 300 yards or so, So theres plenty of warning. They must catch thousands every year,I for one try not to use that road,and if I do I stick to the speed limits.

Pigfrog

are you sure it was a speed camera and not an automatic number plate reader looking for untaxed/uninsured cars?

Chelspeed

Sounds like ANPR to me too. Wait 14 days for no nip to arrive to be sure but I wouldn't worry too much.

Chris L

Black box on a tripod is almost certainly a mobile Gatso. There does have to be reasonable warning. Check for speed camera signs on the road in question. If there is a sign then the actual trap can be anything up to 2 miles away.

J_sca001

Sounds like you were had with the lazer gun.
No vehicle needed, marked or otherwise, and no sign stating speed enforcement required either.
If an officer has several complaints in the area he covers regarding speeding, or even if he just wants to carryout speed enforcement all he needs to do is take the lazer out with him and collect his victims.
We all speed,Just the luck of the draw.
I personally think Traffic Officers are the "Fourth Emergency Service" Runs and hides!!

Luminous

iTrader: (3)

A lot of these vans have "highly visible" markings, but in such places that when they are setting a trap you cannot see them. Like the back of the van, or on the the door they have opened and is now concealed.

Not sure on the legality, you have found pepipoo, good luck with your case

J_sca001

I can only speak for West Mercia Police.
The speed enforcement vans you see which are marked up, most are run by the local council just tax collecting, fookin scum!!!

Neilg7777

iTrader: (9)

Go on to a bad housing estate no police, Go on a road and hey there they are lazy wanting no sh**. 3 Police cars and 4 police people on my road the other day checking tyres hum hum no crime about then. No wounder people are starting to hate the police.

And as for your speeding well you got a subaru not a smart car

I think that they have to put signs up as it is a deterant not a way to catch people otherwise why would they put any signs up, And all the top boffs would be loaded.

mike2.5subaru

I got caught by one of these, but I was lucky to get away with it. In a company van, the said time was out by 20 minutes so at the stated time I was not in the van A photo was requested and the drivers face couldn't be seen due to the reflection of the sun (not much chance of that with this weather)

Neilg7777

iTrader: (9)

Dont no with all that water on the windscreen

J_sca001

And the point of sitting outside a known criminals house would achieve what????They rarely **** on their own doorstep

Criminals don't steal things from their own houses they travel by various means, stolen cars criminal "Pool" cars, and loads of other means, alot of what you see on the roads will be ANPR van's which pick up vehicles for various reasons, crime and non crime. They have a very high criminal detection conviction rate.
But then again you also get revenue making local council scum in their vans making extra revenue.

However, point taken, it does look crap!

Jimpreza

I got done by a tripod ages ago. U'd defo know if u'd got caught as u'd have seen the flash.

Neilg7777

iTrader: (9)

Was not thinking to big,(god what estate do you live on) police presence what i ment to busy getting there £60 rather than stopping 10 lads scaring old people.

Community Police is the way to go at least they want to try

rob2006

iTrader: (1)

I know this doesn't help you but interesting all the same....

A friend enjoys his Sunday blast on his bike and phones the local police station every Sunday to request mobile speed check sites. Without fail he's given details of times and roads where police etc are going to be conducting these on that day....

He avoids those roads and enjoys himself.

Since finding this info out i always make a call should i decided to take a trip south... just in case.

The closest fixed speed camera to me is about 160 miles away. But then i do live as far north as you can get.

J_sca001

Point taken Neil.

I live in a nice quiet area, I just happen to work and Police a **** hole

MTayler

Don't think all tripods have a flash anymore what with modern technology and all so don't think I can rely on not seeing a flash ( which I did'nt ).
Thanks for all the input so far guys .
Lets give it the 2 weeks and see what happens, I take it after this time i'll hear no more about it then ?.

Mark.