# Mobile speed camera vans... anyone know how they work?



## 75013 (Feb 22, 2017)

Was in a rush to work this morning and razzed past one doing 40 in a 30. I was worried so I decided to give up trying to get to work on time and do a reassessment of the situation. He was in a layby right near my house, but was parked side on to the direction of traffic with cars either side of the van obscuring the side windows for most of the approach, with all the black tinted the windows closed.

Every other time I've seen a speed van actually operating they've been in line with the traffic with the rear door window open with the camera easily visible, usually the operator himself visible next to the camera.

I think in this case it might not have been operating/ was setting up as this layby is less of a layby and more of a car park so the only time of day when they get a clear run is after 9am and before 5pm when the cars aren't there. All other times people are wanting to either park or un park.

I am interested in the whole window open window closed thing... If they can operate the camera and laser with the window closed then why do they usually do it with the window open even in the winter?


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## 75013 (Feb 22, 2017)

Forgot to add, the copper was sitting in the front seat of the van in a dayglo coat... so unless there are two people operating the vans he wasn't at the desk!


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## BLUE(UK) (Jan 9, 2008)

charlysays said:


> Was in a rush to work this morning and razzed past one doing 40 in a 30. I was worried so I decided to give up trying to get to work on time and do a reassessment of the situation. He was in a layby right near my house, but was parked side on to the direction of traffic with cars either side of the van obscuring the side windows for most of the approach, with all the black tinted the windows closed.
> 
> Every other time I've seen a speed van actually operating they've been in line with the traffic with the rear door window open with the camera easily visible, usually the operator himself visible next to the camera.
> 
> ...


 There's cameras front and rear, windows open doesn't mean much as far as I'm aware. Just gotta hope you got lucky to be honest.

Even though I don't speed, whenever I go by any camera I think 'fcuk!!' Haha.


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## 75013 (Feb 22, 2017)

I usually see them using the rear window with it open, rarely if ever see them using the side windows. If I get a ticket I'll do my best to get an awareness course. Got caught doing 80 in a 60 at 3am about 2 years ago by a hand held gun and didn't get a course then (first offence on a clean 10yr old licence), 3 points and £100 fine. Didn't really affect insurance but I expect another, totalling 6 points might well.

Looked up the local speed safe website and they use the LTI 20/20 which is a laser speed measuring device with a DVD recorder. The ACPO guidelines which officers are expected to follow specifically warn against using the laser through glass, so it shouldn't have been operating but could have, and the guidelines aren't set in stone lol.


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## BLUE(UK) (Jan 9, 2008)

charlysays said:


> I usually see them using the rear window with it open, rarely if ever see them using the side windows. If I get a ticket I'll do my best to get an awareness course. Got caught doing 80 in a 60 at 3am about 2 years ago by a hand held gun and didn't get a course then (first offence on a clean 10yr old licence), 3 points and £100 fine. Didn't really affect insurance but I expect another, totalling 6 points might well.
> 
> Looked up the local speed safe website and they use the LTI 20/20 which is a laser speed measuring device with a DVD recorder. The ACPO guidelines which officers are expected to follow specifically warn against using the laser through glass, so it shouldn't have been operating but could have, and the guidelines aren't set in stone lol.


 I'm certainly not trying to preach about not speeding, at one point I had 9 points but luckily 3 came off a few months after receiving the last 3 so it wasn't too bad.

Personally, I wouldn't stress over it. If you get points then so be it, take it as a lesson learned.

Also, I thought that the speed awareness course was for the first 3 points?


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## 75013 (Feb 22, 2017)

Nah its cool, I'm usually careful with 20s and 30s because of the survival rate statistics... im less careful with 40, 50 , 60 and 70. How much did your insurance go up with 9 points? Most companies, having done some experiments on quote sites hike the price more for a single serious offence than a couple of SP30s... so all points were not created equally lol.

Apparently you get one awareness course every 3 years but it's at the discretion of the police as to whether you get offered it and if they're not running any courses at the time they might not offer it. Also they won't offer it if you're well over the limit like I was doing 80 in a 60. At the time I just took the points but I know people who wrote a grovelling letter asking for a course and were given one. That is what I shall do. In the meantime I need to appeal £105 worth of driving lane infringements in Cardiff city centre from two weeks ago which I was pretty much unaware of at the time haha!


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## BLUE(UK) (Jan 9, 2008)

charlysays said:


> Nah its cool, I'm usually careful with 20s and 30s because of the survival rate statistics... im less careful with 40, 50 , 60 and 70. How much did your insurance go up with 9 points? Most companies, having done some experiments on quote sites hike the price more for a single serious offence than a couple of SP30s... so all points were not created equally lol.
> 
> Apparently you get one awareness course every 3 years but it's at the discretion of the police as to whether you get offered it and if they're not running any courses at the time they might not offer it. Also they won't offer it if you're well over the limit like I was doing 80 in a 60. At the time I just took the points but I know people who wrote a grovelling letter asking for a course and were given one. That is what I shall do. In the meantime I need to appeal £105 worth of driving lane infringements in Cardiff city centre from two weeks ago which I was pretty much unaware of at the time haha!


 Yes, all points aren't equal as they ask the type of offence e.g. SP30 or whatever.

I cant say that my insurance went up a lot, two were for speeding on the same stretch of the M5 around midnight and were both for just under 100mph although I was actually clocked higher on the gun, the cop did me for what he followed me at(luckily uphill) as he agreed that it's 4 lanes wide and no traffic and I was willing to accept under 100mph as it was still just an SP70 and 30quid at that time(almost 20yrs ago).


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## DappaDonDave (Dec 2, 2013)

It users "lasers" and can be operated from the side or rear window.

Fingers crossed for you. They hide in a few places on my commute and there's always a daft cvnt trying to overtake me in the 30 just before it goes 50, coppers are often hid around a bend and catch the numpties. I even beeped one chav in his Corsa to warn him as he overtook. He shat himself.


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## UK2USA (Jan 30, 2016)

charlysays said:


> I usually see them using the rear window with it open, rarely if ever see them using the side windows. If I get a ticket I'll do my best to get an awareness course. Got caught doing 80 in a 60 at 3am about 2 years ago by a hand held gun and didn't get a course then (first offence on a clean 10yr old licence), 3 points and £100 fine. Didn't really affect insurance but I expect another, totalling 6 points might well.
> 
> Looked up the local speed safe website and they use the LTI 20/20 which is a laser speed measuring device with a DVD recorder. The ACPO guidelines which officers are expected to follow specifically warn against using the laser through glass, so it shouldn't have been operating but could have, and the guidelines aren't set in stone lol.


 Our traffic guys have forward and rear facing laser and they both operate through the windshield/back window without problems, don't really see why the glass would be a problem....maybe your guys don't wash their cars enough


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## 75013 (Feb 22, 2017)

Well this last 2 weeks I've not broken any speed limits so it's had the desired effect. I was a bit pissed with myself for a day then wrote it off as a lesson. Tomorrow will be the 15th day since I went past the camera van and so far no NIP. Fingers still crossed but less tightly ?


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## Gavinmcl (Jul 1, 2010)

you wrote it off to teach yourself not to speed?


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## Sasnak (Oct 11, 2016)

If you were doing 40 according to your car speedo you were probably only doing 36. I understand that they allow 10 percent on that which will still put you over but I've been past at similar speeds and never heard nothing. You'll know in a few days


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## BLUE(UK) (Jan 9, 2008)

Sasnak said:


> If you were doing 40 according to your car speedo you were probably only doing 36. I understand that they allow 10 percent on that which will still put you over but I've been past at similar speeds and never heard nothing. You'll know in a few days


 It used to be 10% + 2 and still is by a lot of county police.


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## The-Real-Deal (Dec 5, 2014)

Shouldn't be speeding in the first place....What would happen if a child ran out in front of you at that speed!


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## monkeybiker (Jul 21, 2010)

Natty Steve'o said:


> Shouldn't be speeding in the first place....What would happen if a child ran out in front of you at that speed!


 I've not seen many children that can run at 40mph.


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## ausmaz (Jul 14, 2014)

monkeybiker said:


> I've not seen many children that can run at 40mph.


 Inb4 disclosure?


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## 31205 (Jan 16, 2013)

I've seen them facing from the rear and seen them parked on bridges side on with the window open.

You'll know within a couple of days cos those f**kers are quick at getting the news to your letterbox!

40 in a 40 though you should get offered the speed awareness course as the limit is 42 in a 30. I got the course at 42mph.

I know you can only do one course in a 3 year period but not sure if getting 3 points for speeding less than 3 years before another speeding offence makes you ineligible for a speed awareness course.


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## 75013 (Feb 22, 2017)

sen said:


> I've seen them facing from the rear and seen them parked on bridges side on with the window open.
> 
> You'll know within a couple of days cos those f**kers are quick at getting the news to your letterbox!
> 
> ...


 Same, seen them on the motorways. Because they aren't an automatic camera the operator can usually be seen sitting next to the device. Also the guidelines say they're not supposed to use them through glass. Windows were closed on this van and didn't have a full view of the road (also in the guidelines) due to cars parked next to the van. My speedo overreads a bit according to my sat nav. 40 would be about 37. On the motorway 77 is showing about 85mph on my speedo.

http://gosafe.org/education/speed-awareness-course.aspx

yesterday was the 14th day since the offence so they should have already got the NIP to me. Technically they've missed the boat but they like to beg to differ.


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## 75013 (Feb 22, 2017)

Natty Steve'o said:


> Shouldn't be speeding in the first place....What would happen if a child ran out in front of you at that speed!


 I know. I'm usually very careful with 20s and 30s because of this. Not careful enough! In this situation there are no houses around, a deserted tennis court on one side of the road and a green on the other. I wanted to attend a speed awareness course when I got caught speeding last time doing 80 in a 60 but I was too far over the limit. Obviously the fine and points wasn't effective at stopping me speeding.


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## The-Real-Deal (Dec 5, 2014)

charlysays said:


> I know. I'm usually very careful with 20s and 30s because of this. Not careful enough! In this situation there are no houses around, a deserted* tennis court on one side of the road and a green on the other.* I wanted to attend a speed awareness course when *I got caught speeding last time doing 80 in a 60 but* I was too far over the limit. Obviously the fine and points wasn't effective at stopping me speeding.


 Not only a speeder but a repeat offender ..... Are the highlighted places not ideal places for children to play!

No sympathy from the Steve'o matey. Take it on the chin and learn by it.

How would you feel If you killed a child or anyone else for that matter?

If the worse thing happened. How would that persons family or the entire community feel toward you?

Would you be able to live with yourself ?

How Would your family feel?

I don't want to bust ya balls mate but this sort of thing does happen and lives are ruined.


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## 75013 (Feb 22, 2017)

I'd feel like killing myself mate... it would be appaling. Thanks for your post though, it's brought up some things I've not thought about for a long time and made me cringe. Unfortunately I repeatedly can't or don't connect brain to my body controlling the car. I get a kick off an empty road and acceleration, speed and the car wallowing and sliding on the corners. Living in a rural area where there are no fixed cameras, few traffic cops (like literally a couple only) sparse population (nearest large supermarket 17 miles, nearest set of traffic lights 17 miles) there's nothing stopping you apart from your own will. Driving back from places late at night I sometimes won't see another car for 20 miles. Luckily I'm more likely to splatter myself into a rock outcrop or a tree than kill someone else at night but there's always a risk of a drunk wandering home etc or an enthusiastic cyclist. Point taken mate. Hopefully I've had a reality check.


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## The-Real-Deal (Dec 5, 2014)

charlysays said:


> I'd feel like killing myself mate... it would be appaling. Thanks for your post though, it's brought up some things I've not thought about for a long time and made me cringe. Unfortunately I repeatedly can't or don't connect brain to my body controlling the car. I get a kick off an empty road and acceleration, speed and the car wallowing and sliding on the corners. Living in a rural area where there are no fixed cameras, few traffic cops (like literally a couple only) sparse population (nearest large supermarket 17 miles, nearest set of traffic lights 17 miles) there's nothing stopping you apart from your own will. Driving back from places late at night I sometimes won't see another car for 20 miles. Luckily I'm more likely to splatter myself into a rock outcrop or a tree than kill someone else at night but there's always a risk of a drunk wandering home etc or an enthusiastic cyclist. Point taken mate. Hopefully I've had a reality check.


 Good on ya fella.... I know what you mean when your on the open road. It sounds like you live in Scotland lol... There's some lovely bits of road up that way heading into the highlands. If you drive over the limit on roads not designed for excessive speeds you take a chance, not only of getting caught but increase the risk of an RTA. If that means you hit someone else or simply loss control and go off the road, there will be some poor c**t who will have to scrape the bits up after you.


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## 31205 (Jan 16, 2013)

charlysays said:


> Same, seen them on the motorways. Because they aren't an automatic camera the operator can usually be seen sitting next to the device. Also the guidelines say they're not supposed to use them through glass. Windows were closed on this van and didn't have a full view of the road (also in the guidelines) due to cars parked next to the van. My speedo overreads a bit according to my sat nav. 40 would be about 37. On the motorway 77 is showing about 85mph on my speedo.
> 
> http://gosafe.org/education/speed-awareness-course.aspx
> 
> yesterday was the 14th day since the offence so they should have already got the NIP to me. Technically they've missed the boat but they like to beg to differ.


 honestly mate I got caught and it took about a day to get the letter. Must have hand delivered the ****er.

I reckon you're safe now.


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## 75013 (Feb 22, 2017)

Cool cool... two other people I know who sped past it on the same morning more or less same time didn't hear anything either. Lucky escape! Shall be more careful as I really don't want an accident or another 3 points!


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