Subarussian

In the last few days I noticed that on several roads there were 2 cables (parallel, about 10-15" apart) running across the road. I remember reading somewhere about the speed trap of a similar nature.

So were they speed traps or just normal cables?

Andrei

S600BYY

don't panic' 1 cable or 2 cable's are just traffic count meters you will probabbly find they are on a road they intend to do road works on or have just compleated works, however 3 cables are speed cameras

S600BYY

ChrisB

Traffic counters usually have a small metal box chained to a nearby post as well.

Chris.

Subarussian

Yeah, I think that's it.

Thanks guys!

Markus

yup, just traffic monitoing. interesting thing is that in Tunbridge Wells they now have GATSO's , however, the traffice counter things have been placed after the GATSO, wonder if the GATSO's are live, my theory is that they are not and that they 9the council) are seeing how many cars go through, and possibly how many slow down (dunno if the counters can meeasure this?)

Floyd

iTrader: (9)

I got caught by running over 2 wires/tubes that were on top of the road. They went to an unmarked car which had a bloke on a radio. Around the corner there was a road block and the whole queue of traffic that I was in, were pulled and given a ticket.

Normally I would have seen the tubes but it was Monday morning auto pilot time where you're stuck in some gigantic snake of traffic to work.

Don't let your gaurd down!

SimonH

I take it they had something more concrete than a bloke with a radio. Was there a printout of your speed (and proof that it was you)or a photograph?

johnfelstead

the 2 wire speed trap is very old tech. I havent seen it used since 1991.

It was rigged up to a similar box as a vascar and measured the time your front wheels took to pass over both wires.

It was common practice to hide in a sideroad and have a bike cop further up the road to stop you. You could then be shown the reading on the unit, just like with vascar, no printouts required by law.

i am still cautious to this day when i see 2 black wires accross the road and always look to see if there is a grey box chained to a post at the end of them to confirm it is just a traffic counter.

Floyd

iTrader: (9)

Yes it was a while ago, and they didn't have any photo's, just a man who radio'd my plate ahead.

They had me 'banged to rights guv' or something! 45 in a 30. just paid up quietly with a car park full of other law abiding citizens.

F

DavidRB

Single wires are for traffic density surveys, double wires for speed measurement. Nowadays they tend to be used just for "data gathering", i.e. they record the speeds of vehicles passing over them, but the data isn't used for prosecutions, just DoT surveys.

There was a double-wire one on the main road near where we live recently, at the point where a 40 zone becomes 50mph. Someone was killed stepping off the barriered refuge crossing last year, so I suspect we're due for a camera soon.

Peter L

Subarussion

Where were the offending cables? I know of a few where you may have been driving recently and have seen a few grey boxes chained to lamposts next to them.

Peter

Subarussian

A316 west-bound after the Whitton roundabout (road works area).

Also a few others but can't remember where.