GAZZER

Just recieved this from a friend thought it might be interesting.
Gaz

Be aware of the new speed cameras which are being erected the complete length of the ‘A’ and ‘M Roads. They are recognised by a tall blue coloured poles and a small aerial pole next to it.
We may have a possible stay of execution, due to the privacy law up-holding these unit for being switched on. At the moment it is being debated within Parliament. SPEEDCHECK SVVD or SPECS went on-line last week-end on the M1, netting 4,300 offenders in a single day.
The system does not use instantaneous speed like the cameras we’re all familiar with, instead measuring the average speed of every vehicle over a distance of about a mile. How? By reading your license plates and matching them up camera-to-camera. Kent and Leicestershire police are so impressed with it that systems are being erected in their enforcement areas too.
This is a new system which has now entered service after successful trials on the M1 and M20 in the UK. SPEEDCHECK SVDD (Sureway Video Detection Device) is a system similar in concept to the GATSO, but with a new twist. SVDD deploys cameras at either end of a measured baseline, (up to 500 metres) to monitor vehicles 24 hours a day.
Using machine vision, vehicle number plates are read, and the precise time of each observation recorded and as a vehicle passes the second camera, the number plate records are matched, and an average speed for the vehicle is calculated. If this is above the trigger speed, then the vehicle’s identification is recorded along with it’s speed. It is also flashed up on a huge illuminated sign further down the road to embarrass the driver into slowing down.
When triggered, the detection technology used in these cameras automatically records the date, precise time, location and speed of the offending vehicle, along with a detailed image of the front of the vehicle, which clearly records the number plate, make, model, who is driving and colour of the vehicle.
There’s five overriding reasons for the habitual speeder to be afraid of this system. Or may be there could be the implication of a sixth reason, What if s/he is not your fulltime other half!
1. It works 24 hours a day.
2. Needs no film!
3. Uses no flash!
4. Uses no radar!...So, bad luck all those of you who think that radar detectors work.
5. It’s been proven to be over 99% accurate in almost all weather conditions.

It doesn’t do spot-speed checking. A GATSO can only check the speed of a vehicle within a certain range, so the tactic most drivers use now is to slow down for the camera and then speed up again once past it. SPEEDCHECK measures average speed over a known distance. So if you do 60 mph under each camera and then speed up to 80 mph in between, your average speed is likely to be near 70 mph - 10 over the limit imposed, you’re nicked. SVDD say this means that the system can impose a far smoother flow of traffic eliminating slow-fast driving that the GATSO cameras provoke.
Because it’s automated, the system is entirely self-sufficient. It’s hooked up to the DVLA computers, and can automatically process the fines and send out notices in the post. It’s Big Brother. Don’t believe for a moment that this technology will only be used to catch speeders. It can be used to keep track of where every single car in the country is at any given moment in time once the network of these things becomes broad enough.
Warning to M25 Motorists. There are 60 new cameras that start operating on the M25 on Monday 14 June 2001. These are between the A3 and M40. They are digital and linked direct to computer, use no film or flashgun. They can deal with 60,000 tickets EVERY HOUR. The cameras are also (apparently) linked and can workout your average speed between them. So, if you speed up between them and slow down as you approach them, if your average speed is over the “legal limit + No %” threshold you may well get a ticket.......

Neil Smalley

These are already in service, in Nottingham and are supposed to be being installed in Glousecter.

They do work as above, but because people know they are there the scheme has'nt been the success the council wanted(I.e did'nt bring in enough money). This means the scheme is under question.

see

ZAZ

My understanding was that the blue posts are for the Traffic Master system not law enforcement. On the A14 and other roads there are systems that measure your speed over a distance but these are grey boxes similar to the Gatso and face towards you.
I may be wrong!

mutant_matt

This sounds feasible if it wasn't for the fact that the devices mentioned sound exactly like Trafficmaster poles.

Where did you get this info and can anyone confirm it for certain with no "my mate says" type stuff?????

Matt

Deputy Dog

I think you'll find these are trafficmasters, a closer look you'll also find a label, saying that they are not speed cameras, as some of the early one were vandalised because people thought they were speed cameras!
Work on the same principal though,NIR cameras, OCR and timed distances, the data is fed back via rf link to milton keynes.....scary thing is though, after trafficmaster are done with the info...the data might just by accident get moved onto somewhere else?????

Chris.Palmer

The orignal mail is an email virus that is spreading across the whole country with intent to scare-monger and propagate itself. It was formed by collating a series of media hype articles together, some fairly recent and hypothetical, some old (up to 7 years old!).

Now please allow me to re-tell the story -

An initial trial of SPECS at M1 J21 and M20 J8 was run during the 1993-1995 period - Although no vehicles were prosecuted during testing (as it was NOT a legally approved system) on the first week-end of the trial on the M1 4,300 offenders were caught in a single day (and reportedly this included the Chief Constable of Leicestershire!).
SPECS was finally given Type Approval in April 1999.

In July 2000 the first SPECS System went live - 2.5 kilometres of Nottingham ring road was covered by 6 pairs of SPECS cameras costing £300,000 (You will note that this is a very expensive system). By the end of 2000, Nottingham extended the system to 8 kilometres of ring road and 18 pairs of SPECS cameras. For details of SPECS see manufacturer's web site :

mutant_matt

Thanks Chris and well written.

Matt

pslewis

Thanks Chris - I have held off saying that this was purely a scaremonger type thread ... I get flamed see??!!!

Its good to see a sensible, unemotive, post for once!! write again soon Chris!!

Pete

Denz

?????????????

On the A14 they have these trevelos things,

They Definatly flashed at me!!!!
But i was never notified of points..

what does that mean...i must be special .

thanks
James

nevr

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by Denz:
<B>?????????????

On the A14 they have these trevelos things,

They Definatly flashed at me!!!!
But i was never notified of points..

what does that mean...i must be special .

thanks
James[/quote]

The Truvelo are blue with forward facing cameras used extensively in Northants, they do not flash, your speed is calculated when you cross three pipes set into the road surface prior to the camera, new ones erected on the A43 btw silverstone and brackley

boomer

Chris,

thanks for the info, although it stinks that Jack Straw and the like can be above the law

This thread has made me wonder - although Traffic Master does not collect your whole registration, obviously SPECS does. Now the data protection act allows you to request a copy of all computer stored information about yourself (although this is a simplified statement). Thus could you keep requesting such information (for the price of a stamp) on a regular basis, and swamp the SPECS admin department for what they know about you - and BY LAW they must comply.

Maybe the Orwellian society has an Achilles heel after all!

mb

mixit

This is a big subject, of which I have a great ammount of ill feeling. The main reason for me buying a Scoob now is that I can see the day, in the not too distant future ( maybe 5 years ), when we will not be allowed to enjoy our cars or driving at all. Our Uncle Tone and his chums are well on the way to kicking the British motorist into submission. What with Speed Camera's and other "revenue earners" ... ooops sorry, Trafic Safety Devices, as well as the much talked about Speed restrictors and many many more devices, invented to restrict our freedom. I can see the day when we will all be travelling at 35 MPH, 14 inches from the car in front and not even holding a steering wheel.
I'm no vigilante, but the other week I had to smile when I saw a local Truvelo Camera that had been "Moletoved"

Anyone else want to add to this rant.

P.S Anyone read the EVO article about our ol mate Max Moseley and his "Plans" .

boomer

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by mixit:
<B>I can see the day when we will all be travelling at 35 MPH, 14 inches from the car in front and not even holding a steering wheel.[/quote]

mixit,

isn't this called a "train" - not that they are any safer, faster, cheaper, more eco-friendly, more reliable, better; than the current "car" option?

mb

mixit

Oh ...... I remember trains
Big Smelly things......
Used to work on .. er............ Steam, was it ?

polarbearit

Read the Evo Max Mosley article and wish I hadn't, F1 should not be lobbying against the wishes of the motoring enthusiat IMHO.

I also bought a scooby for now as believe that all to soon it will be a pointless vehicle to own in the UK. When I find it unusably I will swap it for an Audi A2 TDi or something with similar 65mpg fuel consumption and still be over taxed on it because our government belive Diesel to be more polluting than petrol!

We really need someone to lobby more effectively on our behalf!

Jon

Neil Smalley

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR><B>We really need someone to lobby more effectively on our behalf!

Jon[/quote]

Join the ABD

mixit

Yeah, but who ?
Look at the "Dump the pumps" campagne, as an example. I think we were all pretty keen to see the Truckers disrupting everything the first time around, but it all went sour at the second "Non attempt"

As for Max Moseley,and his so called "persuasive" tendencies. I'm sure all the F1 drivers would love to speed round Casino Square at a restricted 60MPH....... No overtaking boys, it may be dangerous !

Neil Smalley

Getting off topic for a while. The second fuel protest was cut back, because of all the floods, rain, rail crashes and general misery in the country. Had this not happened, then I think we would have seen more protests, but not at the fuel dumps, elsewhere.

I for one don't think we'd have seen 2p off and fuel duty frozen had it not been for the fuel strikes. Now every time fuel prices rise, the government get's twitchy. The only shame was that the torys are so wet, they did'nt take the chance to slaughter new labia.

Odd that the foot and mouth is taking so long to bring under control, and it directly affects the one group of people who stood up to blair is'nt it (cue x files music)



[This message has been edited by Neil Smalley (edited 27 April 2001).]