Police speed camera vans operating at night, in the dark ?
 

I was out last night around 8.30ish, so dark, on an urban ring road, 40mph limit, well lit with street lights, a couple of cars in front, everyone travelling below 40mph. Parked up on the grass verge, side lights on, was a Police speed camera van. Now I was always under the impression that these vans did not operate in the dark. Yes, the radar speed detection element will function but with the rear of the van facing oncoming traffic-headlights on then are they still able to read a number plate or even a rear plate from traffic travelling in the opposite direction ?
Cheers
JBL.

Not all of these vans are operating speed cameras, often they have ANPR systems. A lurking police pursuit car is a clue.

It's a scam mate, they just write you up for what ever number they think they can get away with, much like they do in the daylight. :lol1:

LOL

ANPR cameras are certainly capable of reading a number plate with headlights/rear lights on, as the image blacks out the light from the lights. I use one on my driveway approach to my home.

You could just stick to the speed limit though :thumb:

Believe it or not…I was !

JBL

Scumberside do it. They tend to drop a big lamp/light thing near the van, so I assume that's an IR flash or something as it's not used during daytime scamming.

Well done for catching speeding, untaxed, uninsured or disqualified drivers.

The number plate image can be inverted black white to aid reading

Thats some fookin driveway:) do you fine yourself if your speeding.....:lol1:

:rolleyes::lol1:

i believe that some of our "cash strapped" police forces have updated their camera vans with new kit that enable them to milk the motorist round the clock now

OMG - upholding the law around the clock - whatever next!

You could just keep an eye on the speed dial on your dash board and use the middle peddle a bit more.

I got caught speeding at night time by a hand held gun

i never thought they used them at night but the police dude said they have done for years

to make things worse i was in my diesel mondeo at around midnight only car on the road apart from a traffic car hiding on a disused slip road.

Respect for the law helps if you expect people to obey it.
'Speeding' and speed enforcement is a joke, it doesn't deserve any respect.
There is a general acceptance from the public regarding urban limits but the authorities are way off course with what they are doing on Motorways currently and enforcement in general in NSL areas.

And what do you suggest....

Stop pretending it is needed and just admit they want it. End the con.

As to why they want it, politics, big business, enviromental targets, driverless cars, public transport.....on and on. Very little to do with safety directly, so let us stop pretending that concerning ourselves with strict adherence to a 70mph limit in any way benefits those subject to it.

Again thanks for the comments.
I was always under the impression that speed checks could not be done at night because of the inability to read the number plate, it now appears that this is not the case so thanks for answering my initial question.
Again I repeat it was just that question. There was no sub-plot, no speed issue etc, neither myself or the other vehicles on the road at that time/place were exceeding the speed limit.
Cheers
Brian.

So we will have no restriction for speed on the roads then - people can just make it up as they go?

And increasing speeds = increasing injuries

Motorways and NSL roads are at polar opposites on the scale of least to most dangerous roads in this country, and by a big margin, so what exactly was the point you were making here? Too much enforcement on one and not enough on the other, too much on both? Something else entirely?

Nice try, are you hoping that anybody reading your response assumes I said something and doesn't bother checking?
I specifically referred to the difference between urban and 70mph areas. At no point did I suggest no limits in either case.

I was focussing on the word 'enforcement' rather than the precise class of road. NSL enforcement is a joke. I was referring specifically to 70 NSL.
I apologize for not excluding the 60's and thereby allowing you to pull me up.
As to your point, if we include the 60's then you are correct that speed enforcement is very thin on the ground, although the nature of 60's in that they are often rural with lots of corners and dangers would mean applying any meaningful speed enforcement would be very costly. Also self-regulation by drivers results in the massive majority generally obeying the 60's (give or take a little) as they drive at a speed they feel comfortable at. The cliche 'inappropriate speed' here is probably very apt, so it is questionable as to how productive enforcement might be.
That comfort zone has a far greater number of people exceeding the 70 limit on Motorways and Dual-carriageways. Speed enforcement here is a very productive business on all levels. And very cynical.

OK, thanks for clarifying. I wasn't at all trying to pull you up, I genuinely wasn't sure of the point you were trying to make.