Goosed by a Gatso

[monkimagic]

Was driving passed a Gatso Camera yesterday on great Northern road, I was coming back from Dyce and it was the camera just before the Hadigan roundabout on the 40 stretch, As I passed it I checked my speedo, 40 mph exactly ! I was side by side with an old dear in a Micra, she was doing the exact speed as me. :I

It was snowing heavily & dark so I was wiping my visor with my glove which i slowed down ever so slighty for as I came off the throttle.

Then the Camera double flashed. The old dear looked as I looked then she pointed at me as if to say “was it you “ ?. I signed “No was it you” ?, then she looked at her speedo and signed “No !”
I looked in my Mirror, not another car in sight. sh*t !:eek:

What con you do, we went on our way.

I was definatly doing 40mph, I know Gatsos give you a little room ! 10%
Can a camera be effected by snow ?
Can a camera get it wrong?
Can a camera be effected by spray ?

I know if this comes through my letter box I am goosed but I am not having it. I will fight this because I know for a fact I was doing 40 and no more.:disapprove:

Has anyone got advice on this ?

Monki

[Scottie]

In a car doing 40mph usually means doing 35mph is it the same with bikes. Maybe it was one of those cameras without film and just set to flash every so often.:question:

[The Dogfather]

Were the road markings obscured? If they were fight it as I think they measure you speed by the progress you make past them....

[Laura]

Thats how I understand it, if the marks are obscured then the camera cant read your speed correctly.

Failing that pray that it had no film in it!

[KenL]

quote:Originally posted by Laura

Thats how I understand it, if the marks are obscured then the camera cant read your speed correctly.

The camera detects your speed by radar. If you are travelling faster than the trip speed set for the camera, it will take 2 pictures x seconds apart.

The 2 pictures are examined (don't know if this is done manually or not) and using the road markings, the distance you travelled in x seconds allows the speed to be calculated using Speed = distance/time.

I would think if the snow was covering the markings, they can't do you. I would certainly ask for the pictures if you are done.

I also think the camera may have just been acting up due to the cold weather.

[Burple]

Surely when the pictures come back they'll see that both you and the car are side by side for both pictures..

If you were side by side and one of you was breaking the limit, the one who was going faster would surely be further in front of the other in the second pic?

...And surely the camera has been tested and calibrated to work in all conditions likely to occur?

Definitely ask to see the pics if anything comes of it!
Feckin' sassin' frassin' revenue cameras! :mad::mad::mad::mad:

[zimbo]

The governments money boxes... :evil:

Hate those things!! Grrrrr :mad:

[S7JGW]

It might be confused with 2 cars at the same time. I got double flashed on the dundee road with 2 cars side by side and never heard anything.
Jim

[monkimagic]

I was on my bike but dont suppose that matters, I was definatly doing 40 si I will contest it til the end.

Monki

[AndyP & Lenore]

I've driven past a Gatso before, doing the legal limit, of course.... then about 300 yards past it, with no cars in sight, it does a double flash for no reason known to man. I often think that if someone was driving thorugh that at the time and they were doing the limit they'd be thinking... "Oh no.... but I was doing the limit!" :D

[john]

All the cameras on Gt Northern road will detect a vehicle travelling in the opposite direction if they are doing more than 50mph so there was likely a vehicle going the other way that you did not notice;)

either that or the snowflakes were speeding:D

[Big Col]

Why do they detect cars going over 50? They can't prosecute with a front pic from one of those cameras anyway? Or is it just the design of the camera and not intentional?

[KenL]

quote:Originally posted by Big Col
Why do they detect cars going over 50? They can't prosecute with a front pic from one of those cameras anyway? Or is it just the design of the camera and not intentional?


I think they do it as a reminder to slow down. I think they will one day change those cameras so they can prosecute if you are driving towards them. Gives better evidence of who was driving!

[Big Col]

I think the reason they can't prosecute with them is because they flash and this can be viewed as too big a distraction or even dazzling when driving at night. Is there not also some weird thing about privacy laws too?

[KenL]

quote:Originally posted by Big Col
I think the reason they can't prosecute with them is because they flash and this can be viewed as too big a distraction or even dazzling when driving at night. Is there not also some weird thing about privacy laws too?


They do flash you if you speed towards them, apparantly :p

There was some people trying to get out of being done on the grounds that you did not have to self incriminate yourself or something. This was thrown out though by some European court, I think.

[Big Col]

I know they do flash when you head towards them but I think the flash is the reason they cannie do you for it, weird I know.

[KenL]

It would be easy to design the camera so that it didn't flash in daylight, then they could do you heading towards them.

I think I'll phone my local chief constable to suggest this :evil::p:D

[S7JGW]

I got a double head on flash from the last camera comin into Fraserburgh from Peterhead in the dark it doesnt half blind you for a while. I think it is quite dangerous.
Jim

[Big Col]

They already have cameras that can do you from the front anyway.