19 August 2008

Barton Highway Speed Cameras

| GungahlinGrrl
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Since the beginning of this term when my son started weekly flute lessons in Melba, my husband has collected two fines and my father one fine heading back into Gungahlin from the Barton Highway fixed speed cameras.

We are not habitual speeders (at least, not the ones picked up by well labeled and visible speed cameras) so I would like to find out where we can access the statistics for this particular camera.

I am very interested to hear if others have been “pinged” by this camera, and feel it unlikely they were speeding at the time.

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Growling Ferret8:16 am 20 Aug 08

Despite what is commonly thought, Safe-T-Cam takes pictures of all vehicles.

A murder conviction in Canberra probably 5 or 6 years ago was aided when it was proven that the murderer’s car had passed through the Safe-T-Cam at Marulan and passed back hours later, contrary to the denials of the accused that he had left Sydney that day.

The point-to-point cameras are in Victoria on the Hume near Craigieburn on the new bypass – there are 4 cameras at each location that take front and rear numberplate shots of both lanes, then a distance later anotehr set are snapped. They work – my cousin was pinged earlier this year…

bd84, A “sensor” senses things, and a “censor” cuts the good bits out of dirty movies.

Crossing over to the other side of the road would be a neat trick given that many of them are on dual carriageway sections. And I’m highly dubious of the “turning off the headlights” claim. Also, the “safe-t-cam” thing advertises itself as “combating speed and fatigue” so I think the earlier poster was right to claim that it does distance-over-time speed calculations.

BenMac said :

I think you will find that those camera’s operate over a time distance equation. (So I’ve been told anyway)

IE; time travelled over a certain period over a certain time equals a speed.

Basically if your doing 120kph before the camera and hit the brakes as your passing it, it’s going to register that you were speeding.

I also heard that these cameras, and the ones on the Tuggeranong Parkway were these types of cameras, but the way I read that they work is:

If you pass through 1 camera (ie Barton Hwy southbound next to Gold Creek) at the speed limit, nothing will happen. But, if you then speed the entire way to the next camera (near overpass at Barton Hwy and Gungahlin Dr) and slow down through the 2nd camera, it will fine you.

Why?

Because when you pass through the 1st camera, it’ll take your picture reguardless. Then when you pass through the 2nd camera, it will take your picture again. It will then read your number plate, and calculate the time it took you to pass through both cameras. If your time is quicker than the time set by the camera (time it would take at speed) then you will be fined because it knew that somewhere along your trip, you sped.

Therefore, don’t speed between 2 speed cameras.

They’re not that kind of camera, the only difference between the cameras is some are censors in the road and others are infrared censors. I think you will find the Parkway Cameras are a good example where the ones near Cotter Rd are road censores (you can see the censors on the road similar to traffic light censors) and the ones near Hindmarsh Drive that have been sitting complete for almost 2 months have no road markings so they will be the infrared censors.

The only point to point cameras in Australia are in Victoria and live on the new section of the Hume Freeway just as you get into the outskirts of Melbourne and on an almost totally flat section of road as from their testing found that they were hard to accurately calibrate.

As for the safety cam on the major highways, they record numberplates of heavy vehicles at multiple points to stop drivers driving for extremely long periods of time i.e. 24 hours straight and they don’t actually act as speed cameras. From what i’ve heard the drivers enjoy avoiding them by turning headlights off or crossing over to the other side of the road.

Felix the Cat8:51 pm 19 Aug 08

GungahlinGrrl ?- as smeeagain suggested get your speedo checked. Have you got new/different tyres or upgraded to mag wheels on your car? A different tyre/wheel size can make your speedo read incorrectly ie you think you’re doing 100km/h but in actual fact you might be doing 110km/h.

I believe there is an “unofficial” ~10% tolerance with the speed cameras. I know I’ve passed the one on the Tuggeranong Parkway while not concentrating at approx 110km/h one day and never received a fine.

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy7:05 pm 19 Aug 08

I certainly haven’t. And I haven’t been caught by a camera, either. Thus, it would appear that cameras catch the occasional brain-fader, but do nothing to stop those choose to drive a few km/h above the speed limit.

/cue Woody M-C whinging about me…

“We are not habitual speeders”

Have you guys thought of, you know, NOT speeding at all?

The speed vans are another matter, but would you expect any less from the ACT “snake-in-the-grass” police?

H1NG0, these cameras are operated by the ACT Government. Nothing to do with the Police.

I think you will find that those camera’s operate over a time distance equation. (So I’ve been told anyway)

IE; time travelled over a certain period over a certain time equals a speed.

Basically if your doing 120kph before the camera and hit the brakes as your passing it, it’s going to register that you were speeding.

I also heard that these cameras, and the ones on the Tuggeranong Parkway were these types of cameras, but the way I read that they work is:

If you pass through 1 camera (ie Barton Hwy southbound next to Gold Creek) at the speed limit, nothing will happen. But, if you then speed the entire way to the next camera (near overpass at Barton Hwy and Gungahlin Dr) and slow down through the 2nd camera, it will fine you.

Why?

Because when you pass through the 1st camera, it’ll take your picture reguardless. Then when you pass through the 2nd camera, it will take your picture again. It will then read your number plate, and calculate the time it took you to pass through both cameras. If your time is quicker than the time set by the camera (time it would take at speed) then you will be fined because it knew that somewhere along your trip, you sped.

Therefore, don’t speed between 2 speed cameras.

Total brainfade recently resulted in the dreaded speed camera fine. The notice advised that a copy of the photograph could be viewed at Dickson,or a copy of the image would be forwarded on receipt of a written request from the registered owner. No fee is involved.

I requested via e-mail, and received a print of the photo in a couple of days. I was advised that an additional 15 days for payment was allowed.

Gungahlin Al said :

But Granny, Minister Hargreaves says that school zones in ACT are different, and therefore don’t need things like flashing lights and stuff.

Hargreavian logic is obviously even worse than the Stanhopian variety (logicalis minimus) …

*chuckle*

I have driven past this camera many times as I also live in Gungahlin, but my foot is not made of lead, and my eyes and memory are decent enough to avoid the thing in the first place. I have never been pinged by a fixed camera. The speed vans are another matter, but would you expect any less from the ACT “snake-in-the-grass” police? Maybe if you are having all these dramas, get your speedo checked to see if it is properly calibrated and if it turns out ok, then I suggest removing your foot from the gas for 200 metres or so. If there were as many patrolling cops as speed cameras, it would be one hell of a safe city.

Gungahlin Al4:28 pm 19 Aug 08

But Granny, Minister Hargreaves says that school zones in ACT are different, and therefore don’t need things like flashing lights and stuff.

You can just go to the speed camera office at Dickson motor registry and view the photos, won’t cost you a cent. They might charge something for a printed copy, but if you can’t tell if it’s your vehicle by looking at the PC screen on the counter, a printed photo probably won’t help…..

Spitfire3, Yeah I know about those. I also heard these were the same, ie over 100metres. I may be wrong. It’s just what I heard.

But these camera’s don’t have the markings on the road like the older ones have???? Whats the go?

Vandam, I think you’re talking about a different type of speed camera system. The Safe-T-Cam setups you see on highways work like that

Spitfire3 said :

You just need to think of them as a voluntary tax system.

*hehe*

Haven’t noticed that many volunteers, though ….

People slow down for a couple of seconds then speed up again. Kind of funny to watch really.

Now the place where they actually would do some good is outside the 40kmh zones near the schools. That would actually force people to slow down in those zones. Hardly anyone slows down for the school zones.

I think you will find that those camera’s operate over a time distance equation. (So I’ve been told anyway)

IE; time travelled over a certain period over a certain time equals a speed.

Basically if your doing 120kph before the camera and hit the brakes as your passing it, it’s going to register that you were speeding.

Even though people are saying request the photo everytime, be aware it costs you like $20 to get the photo.

You just need to think of them as a voluntary tax system. I don’t see how anyone can complain.

Once there are a lot more of them around Canberra, I reckon the govt should then remove all the warning signs placed before them. That way, we’ll all have to rely on our stupid brains to remember when we’re approaching one, or just get in the habit of driving at the speed limit, or start cutting back on luxuries in the family budget.

Good Stanhopian logic … heh heh heh!

amarooresident said :

Granny said :

I pass them often – pretty useless once you know they are there.

You don’t speed though and that’s the point isn’t it?

It certainly does deter speeding for several tens of metres or so, which would probably make it quite an expensive speed free zone. That just leaves the rest of the Barton Hwy.

I swear I’m going back to Internet and typing school.

The above was in response to this from above: “I don’t buy it. For non-functional cameras, I see maintenance people tinkering with them an awful lot (like, once every couple of weeks) and I can also assure you that the innards of the box look very convincingly real, at least at a glance. Maybe the maintenance people are sent out just to enhance the illusion?”

Of all the cameras around the place, I reckon that the Gungahlin bound set is the one most likely to catch you out. I say tear them all down and put up ‘Kinetic art” with stupid latin names! less contoversal?

amarooresident2:17 pm 19 Aug 08

Granny said :

I pass them often – pretty useless once you know they are there.

You don’t speed though and that’s the point isn’t it?

I pass them often – pretty useless once you know they are there.

Maybe it’s time to have your speedo calibrated?

I have been told the cameras near Gold Creek are non-functional and only there as a deterrant

I don’t buy it. For non-functional cameras, I see maintenance people tinkering with them an awful lot (like, once every couple of weeks) and I can also assure you that the innards of the box look very convincingly real, at least at a glance. Maybe the maintenance people are sent out just to enhance the illusion? Seems to me like it would be financially more sensible to just have the cameras working…

I also drive past both sets of cameras, in both directions every day at the speed limit and have yet to be pinged. As has been suggested, if you’re really convinced there was no speeding being done, I’d get pictures.

Ferret,
They’d be more of a deterrent if they were active, as well as being revenue-positive. I think that’d be more likely.

Growling Ferret11:00 am 19 Aug 08

I assume this is the speed camera on the Barton Highway next to Gungahlin Drive?

I have been told the cameras near Gold Creek are non-functional and only there as a deterrant, but I am not prepared to belt past them at 100 just to find out…

I travel past these cameras everyday in both directions at the speed limit and have not been pinged. I would request the photos and make sure that it was your car if you are sure that you weren’t speeding.

ALWAYS request the pictures.
They don’t prove you were speeding, but they often enough have errors in them that make them worth seeing, and appealing.

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