Dave R

Loads of unmarked vans about....

YorkshireSimon

Waiting for the post

Possibly on the Friday morning, leaving Cardiff City away from City Hall towards the M4, little bas$%rd video van parked on the other side of the fly-over. Was following Ford WRC car number 27 at the time and wasn't paying much attention. Was doing about 38-40 in the 30 bit, so lets wait and see....

Cheers

YorkshireSimon

RESSE

iTrader: (1)

Very nearly got zapped by an umnarked van going from Service Area to Llandovery - kind biker coming towards me gave a warning - thanks mate

555 Markus

Could have been done on Thursday returning from the Shakedown. Was doing about 83mph on the M4 when I approached a supsicious looking van parked on the hard shoulder [img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img]. 12 days to wait and see.

Got warned a few times by other motorists flashing, and generally stuck to the speed limits as I left plenty of time to get to stages. Most vans were white and clearly marked too, although there was one dark blue van parked on the A470 in the dark happily nicking away [img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img].

Mark

snowcrash

yeah there were a few vans around...

P20SPD

iTrader: (1)

waiting for the post, possibly twice

could say emma was driving

worst was yesterday between junction 37 and 38, you know the one where they said for car park M, goto junction 37 (just so you go through the speed trap) and then we will take you on the back roads to junction 38.

Doing approx 90, saw it, stamped on brakes down to about 40 (no one behind me) and then went upto 60.

Buggers

johnr

I'm originally a Port Talbot boy and was back visiting family at the weekend. Radio Wales said that in a 2 hour period on Friday one of the vans over the M4 around Pyle caught something like 300 speeders (or thereabouts anyway, I forget the exact figure but it was high). Apparently most were doing between 80 and 100 but two were going over 130!!!!

John

pbee

Does anybody know what technology these vans use.

ie Radar, Laser or are they based on the specs system ??.

did anybody have a radar / laser detector that picked the van up ??.

tommy555

Had a snooper S5 redar detector in our van and it did'nt pick up the mobile vans!!

Dave R

After we saw the van and watched the shakedown, we stopped for a chat with the copper inside.

These vans use laser and in that case set the 'nick' threshold at 41mph in a 30 and nicked loads of rallycars!!!

The reason the detectors don't pick them up is that the laser's on a tripod in the van and can acuratley aim the 6 inch square beam fall in the number plate and nowhere near dash mounted detectors.

B@5t@rd5!

Flat 4x4

Could be wrong but isn't that because they use Laser out of the back windows in the white vans in Wales ?

I'm used to looking out for these, but the dark blue one they have (mentioned above) is very hard to spot - it nearly caught me out on the A40 near Raglan last week. This can be a 'very fast road'.

SCOSaltire

be interesting to know if there were significantly more accidents in the area due to the speeding...

i doubt if there was...

good evidence that speeding is not the major cause of accidents.... bad driving and awareness skills are imho...

5903

I live in South Wales and one accident directly under a bridge with a camera van on it !

My laser jammer is fitted directly under my number plate, and believe me has never been so busy as a result of all those camera vans last week !!

Would love to have seen the policemans face when they are unable to get a speed reading !!

Nils

Paulo P

iTrader: (42)

I went last thursday with my sister and saw two camera vans luckily I was driving so I saw them and stuck to the limit. My sister then went again on saturday and went past a camera in a 30 at 40 and got caught She got her NIP in the post on wednesday morning so they weren't hanging about

Paul

Andrew Timmins

My NIP arrived yesterday

EXCESS SPEED 70 M.P.H. AUTO CAMERA DEVICE
RECORDED SPEED 81 M.P.H.

A465 ABERDULAIS NEATH

It says this allegation is supported by photographic/video evidence.

Has anyone had any sucess at not getting points and a fine by asking to see photographs, calibration certificates etc? No point in saying I don't remember who was driving as I guess the camera would be facing me.

I supose I'll just have to face the music

[Edited by Andrew Timmins - 11/21/2002 11:44:57 AM]

Riftzone

tommy555 - which logic mode were yer using ? the uk recommended mode (logic 3) doesnt pick up ku band and therefore not mobile gatso's. i always run logic 2....

mutant_matt

Andrew,

Did the NIP come recorded (of any type) delivery?

Matt.

DAVE-W

Saw three vans during the course of the weekend.

One on the outskirts of Llandovery as we were heading towards Halfway stage on Saturday, sitting on the edge of the 30/60mph signs. Saw him well in advance

One on the A465 Neath, near Aberdulais on Sunday, was kinda expecting him to be there somewhere so was firmly sat at 70mph behind a red scooby - Euro550 did go off, so it proves it works

And finally the one on the motorway bridge near Margam on Sunday...being local I know that this is a notorious spot at the best of times, let alone network Q weekend!!!!

Havin seen all the press about the crackdown on speeding for the weekend, I can honestly say I was behaving (for a change )

Dave

Andrew Timmins

mutant_matt

Just regular 1st class.

I don't think it will just go away if I ignore it though, they seem to have tracked me down pretty quickly.

pbee

I thought it was only mini gatso's used KU band radar. (looks like a 12port hub on a tripod). Im thinking the vans are laser based. but I want past one yesterday near cambourne (opposite direction) and my bell 550 didnt make a sound if it was KU it would of done. and I doubt my detector would pick up the laser coming off the traffic coming towards the trap.

Peter

mutant_matt

But Andrew,

If it was regular 1st class then they have no proof that the NIP has been served. With the enormous number of postal convictions now going out, I'd do nothing, regardless of how many letters I got until one of them turned up Recorded. I'd be surprised if they follow it up, there are just too many other willing suckers ready to pay up without question.....

All IMHO

Matt

BuRR

easy for you to say when you're not the one taking the risk!

As far as the BEL550 not picking up the laser..... West Yorkshire for example have 2 types of laser device (one based on the pro-laser that IS detected - which is long range, and a shorter range one that isn't as easily picked up by the scanning devices)

Maybe the South Wales police were using the latter, or technology like it?

Andrew Timmins

BuRR

What would you do if an NIP turned up in the post then? You're in a better position than most to comment on this.

It is my intention to send back the form stating that I was the driver at the time of the alleged offence(because I was). If I am to be fined and given points on my licence I would like to see their evidence before the cheque goes in the post though. What is the best course of action for requesting their proof?

BuRR

yhm

Chris L

We had the scanner tuned in on our way to Margam on Sunday all we kept hearing was the drivers radioing in to say they'd spotted another van. Needless to say Sal's Dad kept exactly to the limit

As regards the A40 - that road is full of local nutters!! We came down there on many ocassions - pooring rain and we were still getting over taken by locals doing 90 plus in their diesel Mondeo's (usually with the fog lights on, blinding everyone - what is it with the Welsh and fog lights??). I'm amazed we only saw one accident on that road when we were down there.

Chris

mutant_matt

BuRR,True! I just think that if they can't prove he ever got the NIP, the whole prosecution is on very shaky ground. Presumably that's why up until recently, the NIP was always sent recorded delivery?

Ta,

Matt

Andrew Timmins

Thanks for the e-mail BuRR.

YHM also (several)

Andrew

scrappydoo

I totally agree with mutant on this. Ive been sent NIP's and as soon as you sent the letter back stating it was you driving you are admitting that you have received their NIP. If it is unrecorded they cant do sh*t. Im a forensic scientist and the police love their evidence and if they cant prove it reached you which they cant (unless recorded) they are on thin ice.

A question for all to think about.

If they send you an NIP within 14 days unrecorded, and you ignore it then 3 weeks after your offence you receive another one requesting information can you get off because they have sent it after the allocated 14 days?

If this is the case, then for all who get an NIP just ignore them. You will get off. Somehow i dont think it would be this easy though, although it might be. Any legal people on the board who can offer advice??


Scrappy

Riftzone

burr/andrew - share it with the group then....

Leg@cy

iTrader: (2)

Scrappy,

I've heard of people ignoring the 1st nip........... only to receive a letter threatening court action and a hefty fine.........