16 replies to this topic

[Mini-Mad-Craig]

Hi all,

 

As per title, what kind of camera is this? I've been reading about the HADECS3's and wanted to know if this is a general CCTV camera or not?

 

[robminibcy]

Looks like cctv but could also be anpr. There are speed cameras positioned above each lane on many of the over head gantries though :-\

[Midas Mk1]

Variable speed limit camera I think? They're being added near me, and are on leeds section of the m62 (royal pain, as they can go from 70,50,60,50,70 after each one).

Just I'm always wary if they're still functioning when the speed limit is off on them

Edited by Midas Mk1, 07 October 2014 - 05:07 PM.

[markyB]

Its the highways agency cameras to monitor traffic flow and accidents/breakdowns. The variable speed cameras are usually on the back of the gantry.

[Cooperman]

It is important to know and understand what the various types of speed camera are and how they operate.

It always amuses me when I see cars slow for an average speed camera then speed up after they have passed it, apparently not realising that those av. speed cameras are really only clock cameras which don't record the speed, just the time. They then take the time to travel to the next av. speed cam and work out the average speed over the distance between the cameras.

Then there are the Gatsos which are only approved to check by taking a photo of the rear of a car, so it doesn't matter if they are facing you what speed you are doing, even if one does flash as you pass it.

There are web sites which explain each type.

[robminibcy]

It is important to know and understand what the various types of speed camera are and how they operate.
It always amuses me when I see cars slow for an average speed camera then speed up after they have passed it, apparently not realising that those av. speed cameras are really only clock cameras which don't record the speed, just the time. They then take the time to travel to the next av. speed cam and work out the average speed over the distance between the cameras.
Then there are the Gatsos which are only approved to check by taking a photo of the rear of a car, so it doesn't matter if they are facing you what speed you are doing, even if one does flash as you pass it.
There are web sites which explain each type.

I often see cars (and trucks) cruising by through average speed camera zones and wonder I they know something I don't! I know normal speed cameras cant get you going forwards but there are some normalish looking ones that get vehicles coming towards them. I believe though that most motorway cameras are variable with speed limits but are conventional in that they get you from behind rather than forwards or average speed.

[Dan]

The Gatsos on various bit of the M25 are being moved from the back of the gantry to a platform beside it above the hard shoulder because people know where to look for them. A lot of the new platforms are hidden in trees.

But that is a CCTV camera.

[Ben_O]

I use the M25 quite often and if there are no signs warning of a variable speed limit then i will travel at up to 70MPH

 

If the average speed camera's are in place and it says to do 50MPH then that is exactly what i will do until the national speed limit sign makes an appearance again.

 

I laugh at the people that slow down for them and then speed up, it's hilarious!

 

If your car is taxed, MOT'd and insured, you have a valid licence and you drive safely and to the speed limits, then you have nothing to worry about any of the camera's.

 

I may sound like an old woman but that has helped me keep a clean licence for 12 years.

 

I think Marky B is right though, just the cameras that the highways agency uses to monitor traffic flow.

 

Ben

[Dan]

You know the cameras in the variable limit sections aren't speed averaging don't you? They are just normal Gatsos. Specs cameras (averaging cameras) haven't been permanently installed on the M25 anywhere I've seen, they just pop up in roadworks temporarily. They are the ones on the blue masts with 2 or 3 arms at the top.

[HarrysMini]

 

It is important to know and understand what the various types of speed camera are and how they operate.
It always amuses me when I see cars slow for an average speed camera then speed up after they have passed it, apparently not realising that those av. speed cameras are really only clock cameras which don't record the speed, just the time. They then take the time to travel to the next av. speed cam and work out the average speed over the distance between the cameras.
Then there are the Gatsos which are only approved to check by taking a photo of the rear of a car, so it doesn't matter if they are facing you what speed you are doing, even if one does flash as you pass it.
There are web sites which explain each type.

I often see cars (and trucks) cruising by through average speed camera zones and wonder I they know something I don't! I know normal speed cameras cant get you going forwards but there are some normalish looking ones that get vehicles coming towards them. I believe though that most motorway cameras are variable with speed limits but are conventional in that they get you from behind rather than forwards or average speed.

 

I was told there is a loophole with avg. speed cameras. If you change lane at least once when going though an avg. speed check. A prosecution can only be valid if you stay in the same lane. 

 

This is what some people have said to me, I'm not saying try it. 

[Carlos W]

As above, that's a cctv traffic monitoring camera, you can access them online.

Truvello cameras can catch vehicles speeding heading towards them, gatso heading away from them.

I find cruise control very useful when going through average speed checks.

[PandO]

Most Sat Nav's will show the actual speed you are travelling at, standard speedo's usually read higher than the true figure. Guessworks has a useful guide which shows the differences that exist for most if not all combinations of gearings (wheels/tyres, final drive for each gear in Minis and give the revs as well. If you have a rev counter (generally more accurate than speedos) you can use this to check your speed accurately. For safety it is not advisable to sit directly beside another vehicle for any distance (especially HGVs) so I find it's possible to lift my speed a little until I have at least one clear lane adjacent to me. 55mph on your speedo will probably not register as 'speeding' by variable speed cameras if maintained for a great part of their measuring window. Some feedback from those prosecuted for electronically issued speeding infringements would be useful. To my mind the cameras that monitor traffic flow should be used to alert the authorities when drivers are using mobile phones whilst driving. Have a safe day all.

[Mini-Mad-Craig]

Thanks for all of the replies guys.

 

I drive on the M25 often now and it's good to know. I was sat in traffic at around 2pm yesterday for about an hour. After fettling over the weekend Rita started sounding a bit tappetty so I opened her up between J7-6 which often helps with the noise on K-Series after they've idled for a while. I'm slightly worried about the brown envelope dropping through the letter box any day soon. I wasn't doing any excessive speed and slowed down well before the gantrys, I was just concerned if there is any cameras on gantrys that face your lane on British motorways. There seems to be so many different types of sensors and cameras over hanging gantrys that it's hard to keep track of.

 

I can safely say I won't be doing it again. The motorway was clear, I'd previously pulled over to offer assistance to a stranded motorist in a Ford Focus who had broken down awaiting recovery back to somerset in the hard shoulder, Rita was sounding a bit rough and generally felt 'different', once I was confident that she was okay I decided to follow the normal routine but it isn't worth the worry of wondering if you did get snapped or not! 

[humph]

The speed cameras on the M62 in Leeds are, as has been said above, mounted on the back of the gantry and are the type of cameras that flash as you go through them, this is the same on the M6, M25, & M40/42. I was quite suprised how busy they were last Sunday as I drove through them for the first time since they've gone live. It was late at night and the cameras over the oncoming carriageway were flashing constantly (like being at a red carpet film premier) as people flew through them. It's pretty distracting for those of us driving in the opposite direction I can tell you. I can only assume that drivers assumed they weren't on because no reduced speed was being displayed.

 

I work for a construction company that does a lot of motoway improvement works and can tell you that there are various ways of setting cameras up, depending on what the client wants in that location (usually based on traffic flow data).  Most, if not all of the rumours about loop holes in the way cameras, espeically average speed, operate are nonsense. Best thing to do is assume they're live and operating and stay within the speed limit, if a camera is not in use it will have a sign on it saying so. A favourite Doh! moment was a friend who went flying through a set of average speeds through roadworks on the M6 late one Sunday night. When they got the inevitable NIP through the post they couldn't believe it as they thought the cameras were only working during normal working hours.

 

The camera above by the way is HA traffic montioring as far as I know.

Edited by humph, 08 October 2014 - 12:40 PM.

[Dan]

The cameras are always busy when they are new to a stretch of road people are used to driving on. The first bit of the M25 I remember seeing permanent cameras on is the section around Terminal 5 and they were put there, along with the variable limit, during the T5 road expansion originally. They were flashing constantly, rumour was that they were taking £100,000 a month in fines.