26 November 2015

Ask RiotAct: Did I get caught by the speed camera van?

| Zaromerkand
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Ask RiotACT

Hi guys,

On my way back to work today, I drove pass a speed camara white van. I was doing a 70 in the 60 zone. I didn’t realise the van is there; however, I put on my brakes, and was down to 60 right when I just passed it. Am I safe or did I get caught? I did not see any flash or anything. Do the cameras catch you when you drive pass the van or before?

Thanks.

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Manish pokharel10:34 am 27 Apr 22

I am in the same position now, was driving 70 in a 60 zone , but when I checked my dashcam , I was 57kmh when I was parallel to the mobile van. so, wondering if they consider everything from entry to exit to give the fine

Zaromerkand,
I have just had the same happen to me although I was perhaps doing just over the 60. However, I was wondering whether you ever got a fine or what happened!? An update would be great, although realise 2 years ago!

Regards

I am sure RUS will thank you for your generous donation towards their ongoing revenue campaign.

Expect more of the same so that the ACT Govt can fund their Light Rail pipe dream.

shellcase said :

Having not been pinged by a camera van I will accept the word of friends who have been and of a couple of copper friends who have told me how the system works, or has worked. On that basis I reckon I do know what I’m talking about.

I suggest creative_canberran have a cuppa tea, a Bex and a lie-down.

Police have zero to do with speed cameras.

To the OP, if your speedo was showing 70 when you were snapped, you have zero chance of being fined. Also, the range of the cameras is very low.

I won’t tell you what the cameras are set at, but let’s just say the margin is generous (and no, it isn’t 10%).

proman said :

dungfungus said :

shellcase said :

Having not been pinged by a camera van I will accept the word of friends who have been and of a couple of copper friends who have told me how the system works, or has worked. On that basis I reckon I do know what I’m talking about.

I suggest creative_canberran have a cuppa tea, a Bex and a lie-down.

The coppers have nothing to do with the operations of camera vans so please explain what you are actually talking about.

Whilst you are basically correct in regards to mobile and fixed speed/red light cameras, according to ACT policing website…..
“The speed and red light cameras used in the ACT, are operated by staff from the Department of Urban Services, on behalf of the Chief Police Officer of the ACT.”
Obviously, Police can still use their own on board or hand held equipment for speed enforcement duties.

That’s interesting then because the ACT Policing website doesn’t mention the camera vans, only speed and red light cameras which are fixed devices..
So who operates the camera vans if Urban Services and the police don’t?

Shellcase, speed cameras don’t have the range to snap you from a few hundred metres. It is much closer to the van to ensure accuracy. Look at the way the camera is positioned when you go past one, and also consider how bright the flash would need to be to achieve a snap at night. Think about it.

To those that say ‘don’t speed in the first place’, it must be nice to live in a perfect world where you can keep a constant eye on your speedo (that is accurate btw) while driving. You can try to do the right thing but still be a victim of this revenue raising. Keep focussing on speeding as the route of all evil and guess what, people will still crash because there is a hell of a lot more to it then ‘speed kills’.

dungfungus said :

shellcase said :

Having not been pinged by a camera van I will accept the word of friends who have been and of a couple of copper friends who have told me how the system works, or has worked. On that basis I reckon I do know what I’m talking about.

I suggest creative_canberran have a cuppa tea, a Bex and a lie-down.

The coppers have nothing to do with the operations of camera vans so please explain what you are actually talking about.

Whilst you are basically correct in regards to mobile and fixed speed/red light cameras, according to ACT policing website…..
“The speed and red light cameras used in the ACT, are operated by staff from the Department of Urban Services, on behalf of the Chief Police Officer of the ACT.”
Obviously, Police can still use their own on board or hand held equipment for speed enforcement duties.

Don’t speed. Or, better still, don’t drive: walk; take a bus; be enthusiastic about light rail.

shellcase said :

Having not been pinged by a camera van I will accept the word of friends who have been and of a couple of copper friends who have told me how the system works, or has worked. On that basis I reckon I do know what I’m talking about.

I suggest creative_canberran have a cuppa tea, a Bex and a lie-down.

The coppers have nothing to do with the operations of camera vans so please explain what you are actually talking about.

creative_canberran said :

Borderline, gut says you should be fine because speedos are very conservative typically. If in doubt, just ring and ask.

Postalgeek said :

Do the cameras catch you when you drive pass the van or before?

I think you would be safe in assuming they ping you before you drive past the van.

Nope, they can and do go both ways.

shellcase said :

I reckon it’s a safe bet you may consider yourself PINGED and can expect “Greetings from RUS” in the mail.

However, if your speedo was reading 70 your true road speed would be about 66-67, upon adjudication back in the office the Senior may consider letting you off if traffic was light and you weren’t observed to be hooning.

The operator would have snapped you couple hundred metres BEFORE you got to the van, no point braking.

Ditto with radar cars, current mobile gutter-mounted radars have a range of around 600 metres. It’s a jungle out there.

You don’t know what you’re talking about.

Then enlighten us please.

creative_canberran said :

Postalgeek said :

Do the cameras catch you when you drive pass the van or before?

I think you would be safe in assuming they ping you before you drive past the van.

Nope, they can and do go both ways.

I’m aware of that. Irrespective of which direction they are facing, I would imagine the preferred strategy would be to choose the lane that offers the opportunity to ping approaching vehicles rather than waiting for people, having spotted the van and slowed accordingly, to pass before pinging them.

I got pinged on Newman Morris in Oxley a few years ago – it’s the main road through the suburb, yet weirdly it is not 60km/h and I found that very inconsistent. I had not gone past any speed signs.
I was very annoyed, as I was only going 55 kmh!
I hate giving the government free money – I give them enough already.

Having not been pinged by a camera van I will accept the word of friends who have been and of a couple of copper friends who have told me how the system works, or has worked. On that basis I reckon I do know what I’m talking about.

I suggest creative_canberran have a cuppa tea, a Bex and a lie-down.

creative_canberran5:33 pm 20 Nov 15

Borderline, gut says you should be fine because speedos are very conservative typically. If in doubt, just ring and ask.

Postalgeek said :

Do the cameras catch you when you drive pass the van or before?

I think you would be safe in assuming they ping you before you drive past the van.

Nope, they can and do go both ways.

shellcase said :

I reckon it’s a safe bet you may consider yourself PINGED and can expect “Greetings from RUS” in the mail.

However, if your speedo was reading 70 your true road speed would be about 66-67, upon adjudication back in the office the Senior may consider letting you off if traffic was light and you weren’t observed to be hooning.

The operator would have snapped you couple hundred metres BEFORE you got to the van, no point braking.

Ditto with radar cars, current mobile gutter-mounted radars have a range of around 600 metres. It’s a jungle out there.

You don’t know what you’re talking about.

Just blame the cyclists.

Do the cameras catch you when you drive pass the van or before?

I think you would be safe in assuming they ping you before you drive past the van.

The answer to your question will be apparent within about 2 weeks. If a fine arrives in the mail, yes you got caught, if a fine doesn’t arrive then the answer is no (unless you haven’t updated your details).

The jury of the Riotact does however find you guilty and recommends a prevention strategy of not speeding in the first place.

I reckon it’s a safe bet you may consider yourself PINGED and can expect “Greetings from RUS” in the mail.

However, if your speedo was reading 70 your true road speed would be about 66-67, upon adjudication back in the office the Senior may consider letting you off if traffic was light and you weren’t observed to be hooning.

The operator would have snapped you couple hundred metres BEFORE you got to the van, no point braking.

Ditto with radar cars, current mobile gutter-mounted radars have a range of around 600 metres. It’s a jungle out there.

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