Hi. I'm just wondering what the law is regarding having Mobile Speed Camera Vans stationed next to GATSO's.

I received a ticket, my fault I was over the limit but was already slowing as I go past the GATSO every day.

It's a 70mph dual carriageway which drops to 60 about 500 yards before the camera, then returns to 70 again. There have been no recent incidents here, any reason the Police would do this?

Just seems like a way to make money from those passing the '60' signs still just over the limit as they slow down.

I'd go with the latter, perhaps the GATSO was out of order, so they guessed making it even more obvous by sticking a whacking great white van next to it would give drivers a better opportunity to slow down.

Not a making money scheme at all. If you didnt speed, theyd make no money. Cameras are placed in areas of high risk or more so, proven high risk/accident areas.

Money making scheme.

Nothing you can do about it rather than slam on the brakes next time you see the sign dropping the speed limit for no reason whatsoever and hope nobody hits you from the back.

Many of these speed traps here in London, some of them have the reduced speed limit only for a couple of hundred yards in the middle of nowhere.

Just consider it another tax for the luxury of having a car.

Don't get upset for things you cannot change.

Money making scheme.

Nothing you can do about it rather than slam on the brakes next time you see the sign dropping the speed limit for no reason whatsoever and hope nobody hits you from the back.

Or drive within the speed limit, and remain aware of the driving environment.

When the speed limit changes the signs don’t leap out at the last minute.

Read the road ahead and reduce speed in advance of the sign : there will then be no need to “slam on the brakes”!

Just seems like a way to make money from those passing the '60' signs still just over the limit as they slow down.

The speed limit drops from 70 to 60, a whole 10 mph, and you can’t slow down in time?

Sounds like you aren’t paying attention or were already going over 70 prior to the limit decreasing ......

Money making scheme.

Nothing you can do about it rather than slam on the brakes next time you see the sign dropping the speed limit for no reason whatsoever and hope nobody hits you from the back.

Many of these speed traps here in London, some of them have the reduced speed limit only for a couple of hundred yards in the middle of nowhere.

Just consider it another tax for the luxury of having a car.

Don't get upset for things you cannot change.

you REALLY need to stop giving out bad advice

Speed trap in middLe of nowhere and only 200 yards to reduce speed.

My God what speed are you doing if you can't reduce your speed over 200 yards. Breaking the limits?

Same old story.

Gatso are placed at high accident spots.

It could be where there is a junction coming up, 70 to 60 is reasonable.

Could be pedestrians cross etc etc.

The best excuse I hear is my car is not designed to go 20mph.....

Well yes it is, your attitude is not designed to drive at 20mph

you REALLY need to stop giving out bad advice

What advice is bad?

That there's nothing the op can do?

If you want to give false hopes and tell the op to appeal and go to court, by all means do that, but it will be a hopeless and costly exercise.

T

Or drive within the speed limit, and remain aware of the driving environment.

When the speed limit changes the signs don’t leap out at the last minute.

Read the road ahead and reduce speed in advance of the sign : there will then be no need to “slam on the brakes”!

Sounds like you don't drive.

In a dual carriageway while everyone is going 70mph and there are no obstacles or bends but just straight road ahead, it is not unusual for drivers to pay attention to the traffic rather than street FURNITURE.

Dropping the speed limit just for the purpose of the camera is a clear money making scheme.

There's no other reason for the limit to be dropped in a straight line in the middle of nowhere.

Going with the flow of traffic... No defence.

Speed limits are not dropped for no reason. Their is always a reason.

Junction coming up.

School zone

Blind hill

Etc etc

You might not agree with the reason but that's no excuse.

To the OP.

Give the location of the gatso and we will google street view it

Sounds like you don't drive.

In a dual carriageway while everyone is going 70mph and there are no obstacles or bends but just straight road ahead, it is not unusual for drivers to pay attention to the traffic rather than street FURNITURE.

Dropping the speed limit just for the purpose of the camera is a clear money making scheme.

There's no other reason for the limit to be dropped in a straight line in the middle of nowhere.

Then in your scenario, the drivers are at fault.

Speed limits are there for a reason.

Not for you to ignore because everyone else does.

And again, the speed limit doesnt drop just because theres a camera.

The camera is there because theres a historic trend of people speeding on that stretch of road/driving dangerously, or many recorded accidents on that stretch.

Sounds like you don't drive.

In a dual carriageway while everyone is going 70mph and there are no obstacles or bends but just straight road ahead, it is not unusual for drivers to pay attention to the traffic rather than street FURNITURE.

Dropping the speed limit just for the purpose of the camera is a clear money making scheme.

There's no other reason for the limit to be dropped in a straight line in the middle of nowhere.

I do drive.

I don’t pay attention only to the traffic.

I pay attention to the traffic around me, the conditions around me, and the signs showing the speed limit.

If I choose to exceed the speed limit, I equally choose to accept the potential penalty for exceeding the speed limit!

Then in your scenario, the drivers are at fault. Speed limits are there for a reason. Not for you to ignore because everyone else does. And again, the speed limit doesnt drop just because theres a camera. The camera is there because theres a historic trend of people speeding on that stretch of road/driving dangerously, or many recorded accidents on that stretch.

Anyone who drives knows that most speed cameras are there to make money.

I can point at dozens of them in my area that don't serve any other purpose.

Then of course there's the elite group of respectable people who blame and hate drivers.

Nothing us motorists can do about it rather than accept the fines and points so insurance companies can get richer.

BTW, I only got done once by a speed trap in 25 years driving , before you start saying that I'm a boy racer.

Hang on, then.

Is it a plot to make the insurance companies richer?

The speed camera partnership richer?

Both??

Just who is doing the plotting, and how??

I can point at dozens of them in my area that don't serve any other purpose.

Other than slow you down which is the intended purpose

Anyone who drives knows that most speed cameras are there to make money.

But, equally, you could argue that anyone who drives but does not go past a speed camera location at excess speed does not get points or have to part with any money, and the camera partnership go broke. It works both ways.

And before you counter with, I'm obviously a lover of speed cameras... I'm not, I hate the damn things. I've been driving 35 years but I'm also switched on enough not to travel everywhere at warp 9. The only time I have been 'caught' by a camera in my own car was 75 in a 30 (3am, only car on the road, dry, clear, good vis etc) but that was a genuine emergency and it got NFA'd by the police.

Oh, and I did once get stopped by officers, not long after I'd started driving for doing 36 in a 30. But that was on a dual carriageway and I (wrongly as it turned out) thought it was a 40. That got NFA'd as well.

What advice is bad?

This is:

Nothing you can do about it rather than slam on the brakes next time you see the sign dropping the speed limit for no reason

Not only bad but irresponsible.

There is no need for anybody to "slam on the brakes" when they see a change of speed limit.

Most changes can be accommodated without any braking at all.

The other aspects of your argument are largely obtuse.

Answering the original question, there is no "law"against having Mobile Speed Camera Vans stationed next to GATSO's.

Here is another one ready to point fingers at drivers.

If I am on a motorway and been doing 70mph for miles and miles, the corner of my eye is gonna see a 60 sign and a few yards later a yellow box, automatically the right foot will go full on the brakes to avoid lining pockets of insurance and government.

Then of course everyone else is a great driver like you and never gets caught in these speed trap...

That's why there are so few motorists caught...

I want to use words out of movies like obtuse, but I don't watch tv while driving...

Well that got out of hand quickly,

was just a question so no need to rant at each other.

Yes there is a filter junction just ahead of the GATSO which is clearly marked well in advance

I don't travel at Warp 9 or Slam My Brakes on at every camera.

I simply ease off the throttle as I pass through the speed change sign.

The law technically states that you must be at the new speed as you pass the sign so that's my fault, no problem with that.

The mobile camera

- pointing backwards toward oncoming traffic passing the threshold

- was put in place on the day purely to make money from this.

Everyone is travelling at 60 well before the junction and the GATSO.

Makes zero difference to road safety.

Here is another one ready to point fingers at drivers.

 

If I am on a motorway and been doing 70mph for miles and miles, the corner of my eye is gonna see a 60 sign and a few yards later a yellow box, automatically the right foot will go full on the brakes to avoid lining pockets of insurance and government.

 

Then of course everyone else is a great driver like you and never gets caught in these speed trap...

 

That's why there are so few motorists caught...

 

I want to use words out of movies like obtuse, but I don't watch tv while driving...

If you only see the 60 sign “out the corner of your eye” and “Have to go full on the brakes” to avoid passing it at more than 60 : you aren’t paying enough attention to the road ahead.

“automatically” going “full on the brakes” is an appropriate response to the sudden appearance of a new hazard.

It is below the standard of a careful and competent driver for fixed speed limit signs.

You may not be watching TV while driving but you aren’t paying appropriate attention to the environment you are driving in.

If a police officer could prove it , it would be driving without due care and attention.

I do find the driving does get in the way of me watching tv tho!

If a police officer could prove it , it would be driving without due care and attention.

 

I do find the driving does get in the way of me watching tv tho!

‘Without due care & consideration for other road users’ if another road user is inconvenienced.

Careless driving is the almost identical offence, but doesn’t require another road user to be inconvenienced.

So many goog drivers here on cag.

That's why we see almost no threads about speeding traps...

Hung on...

I believe you all good responsible drivers...(not)