Illegal speed testing

Thou shalt not put a camera on a down hill slope.

Define downhill? Is there a specific gradient or will the fact that if I stop my car, put it in neutral and it rolls enough to make it a hill? Should I be allowed to belt down the range to the coast at 210km/h simply because it’s down hill?

Speed limits are still legal limits no matter how steep it is.

farnarkler said :

Surely it shouldn’t matter where a speed camera is positioned??

I’m pretty sure I’ve read a report on the interwebz somewhere about the guidelines for use for mobile speed cameras in NSW. IIRC it was the hand held type. It stated that it was unable to be used at the bottom of hills and, as suggested, I’d always figured it had something to do with the waves, or the vibe, or somesuch.

Of course, NSW is not necessarily the same as ACT and this was a few years ago as well.

Generally, I agree with the if you speed and get busted you cop it on the chin approach. But if there are guidelines for use of cameras, then one would expect the guidelines were made for good reason and that they should therefore be followed.

p1 said :

“HIGHWAY Patrol officers could not book anyone in a back street.

I am interseted in this Urban legend. Has anyone heard it? Is the poster suggesting that people drive from the back seat? Or jump there after being pulled over?

it was supposed to be that a highway patrol officer wouldn’t be found in suburbia…

they would be found, wait for it, on a highway.

love to see someone try to get away with speeding on a back road past a police car.

Police are police, regardless of where they are.

“HIGHWAY Patrol officers could not book anyone in a back street.

I am interseted in this Urban legend. Has anyone heard it? Is the poster suggesting that people drive from the back seat? Or jump there after being pulled over?

When Speed Camera where first introduced into Canberra, there was plenty of information for the public both on the RTA website and at the Government Shopfront. Including procedures for them to operate the camera’s by. Funny enough this information is very hard to find and obtain these days. I have tried the web site, nothing and in years gone by when I have had to go to a Canberra shopfront I have always look for the little booklets they once had.

The procedures are there to ensure not only safety but fairness for the Canberra Community. They were published at the time the speed cameras where introduced. So the Government of the day did not get a back lash.

Some of the rules I remember where for mobile speed cameras:

Speed Camera had to be at least 200m past a posted speed sign.
Speed Camera will not be used to enforce road works or school zones.
Speed Camera will/maybe should not be used down hills.
Speed Camera will not operate in one area for longer than 30 minutes. (I love this one when you go somewhere see a speed camera on the side of the road, only come back 50 minutes later and its still there).
Automatic vs manual operation of the camera, the camera was not suppose to kept on automatic for longer than 15 minutes. (Which is half the time).

I wonder if the information has been recalled and not publicized due to drivers within the ACT writing in to complain about their ticket in the mail. However, I am not sure if there has been a change in the procedure for use over the years.

I think what came out last year / year before were the guidelines for taking a reading based on the manufacturer of the guns.. IIRC they have to be a certain angle and the like and resulted from the ‘wrongful’ catching of sydney busses.

I agree Xbikee there has never been a rule… just a myth.

I remember years ago when the Hume Highway used to still go through Jugiong… the cops had a field day sitting at the bottom of the hill into town where it went from 100 to 60 half way down it.

No such ‘rule’ … never was, never will be. What “may” have happened is that a seniopr officer suggested/ibstructed radar operaters way back not to do the hills. His opinion and instruction as the boss of the day. Sounds like the old furphy that “HIGHWAY Patrol officers could not book anyone in a back street. Also kind of like (well, not really) the other furphy about speeeding ticket quotas. Never was, never will be.

No such rules exist in the ACT in regards to a downhill grade as to whether a fixed or mobile speed camera, or even a hand held device can be operated.

“Does anyone know if the report I read was correct and if so, have they changed the laws or are they illegally testing for speed?”

Is the report correct…..no
Are they illegally testing for speed…………no