Speed camera mega-thread Read first post before posting

IngazZagni · 08-11-2010 6:42pm

I heard an ad on the radio just there about the introduction of speed cameras in mid November. In general I would have no problem with speed cameras it's just placing them on certain roads that have a ridiculously low speed limit I would have a problem with. For example the Waterford ring road has a 60km/h limit which is ridiculous and then the smaller roads leading off them have 80km/h limits. Also the city centre 30km/h zone is a bit over the top in many areas and I would be pissed off if I was caught doing 40k in a 30k zone even though the road is big, the traffic is quiet and there is little pedestrian activity.

Anyway we'll see how it goes. Having said that I would turn a blind eye to the M.A.D group if they formed over here.

2hellr2conaght · 09-11-2010 10:36am

Ok ok. cameras here and there but are the new cameras are only meant to be at 300 or so black spots that are listed on the Garda website? I have to go to work so if someone could post a link I'd be greatful.

Idleater · 09-11-2010 10:48am

2hellr2conaght wrote: »

if someone could post a link I'd be greatful.

pick the county from the list.

AugustusMinimus · 09-11-2010 10:54am

2hellr2conaght wrote: »

Ok ok. cameras here and there but are the new cameras are only meant to be at 300 or so black spots that are listed on the Garda website? I have to go to work so if someone could post a link I'd be greatful.

The locations still aren't up on the Garda website.

I know I'll be keeping a close eye there and here for when they first appear. Will be loaded into the sat nav quickly enough.

I'm guessing though that these cameras will be literally everywhere if past actions by the Gardai are anything to go by.

AugustusMinimus · 09-11-2010 10:55am

Idleater wrote: »

pick the county from the list.

Is that not an old list the Gardai were working off of ?

johndoc · 09-11-2010 12:07pm

duckysauce wrote: »

any way around these

Yes there is

……………….. TRAPSTER.
It’s a free smart phone app (iPhone, HTC, Nokia, Samsung – there is a full list of supported phones on their site)

It alerts you to road conditions a driver needs to be aware of e.g. dangerous bend, school area, camera vans*, manned speed traps*, known enforcement points*, garda check points*
(* on the basis that these traps are in place because it’s a safety initiative rather than revenue driven or whatever)

It works by mapping your location as you’re out and about. As you approach a known enforcement point, it will alert at a user defined distance away - 400m or whatever
This gives you time to adjust your driving style to allow for the “dangerous road condition” that the NRA/Gardai have identified (and may be in attendance at)

The most common alert I get is ‘known enforcement point’ – this is a spot where a trap has been repeatedly reported by users.
It will be either low, medium, or high confidence level depending on how many times or how often its reported.

You need to create an account and become a user when you start to use the app. This allows you to make reports.

Say you are driving along and see one of our parked up friends. The app knows your location so, you hit the report button on the front screen, select report type, and hit confirm. The location of the ‘van’ and the time the report was made are recorded.
Any users within 10km of you when you report, get an immediate alert with this info (users can vary the size of the area they get alerts for).
e.g. when I got into the car this morning, I switched on the app. Straight away, I got an alert for a ‘van’ parked on the R110 at a location I knew I’d be passing.
It had been reported an hour earlier so likely still there. As I approached, I was aware and adjusted driving style to suit.

The app is only as good as the users inputs and the number of them though. I’d say there aren’t that many out there, but I get to hear of 3 or 4 traps close to wherever I’m located every day.
Imagine if this thing really caught on and there was an army of users out there. As soon as a van set up, it would be reported to every user in no time.

So again to the question (and I paraphrase) “is there anything we can do”,
I tell you, yes there is

.

Idleater · 09-11-2010 12:46pm

AugustusMinimus wrote: »

Is that not an old list the Gardai were working off of ?

Sounds quite like the current campaign to me:

garda website wrote:

Excessive or inappropriate speeding continues to be a significant contributory factor in road traffic collisions. As part of the Road Safety Strategy 2007 - 2012 and An Garda Síochána's strategic goals, a targeted approach to speed enforcement will be undertaken in order to significantly reduce the incidence of fatal and serious injuries and improve road safety.

An Garda Síochána, in conjunction with the National Roads Authority, have completed an extensive analysis of the collision history on the road network where speed was a contributory factor. Sections of road have been identified where a significant proportion of accidents occurred whereby, in the opinion of the investigating Garda, a safe speed was exceeded.

Based on this analysis, a list of Speed Enforcement Zones has been developed with the aim of providing information to motorists in order to raise awareness of speeding in these zones. An Garda Síochána will utilize these zones in order to direct speed enforcement activity in a proportionate and targeted manner.

These zones will be reviewed and updated on an ongoing basis through continuing analysis, feedback, and sharing of information with other stakeholders.

Each county's zones are available to view by following the links below:

-Chris- · 09-11-2010 1:11pm

Most satnavs have this functionality - they alert you when you're near a speed trap location.

johndoc · 09-11-2010 1:52pm

Noted Chris. My sat nav alerts for fixed cameras that were on its database last time I updated (last year some time).
However, this is a ‘live’ system that users update in real time.
*
For example, the alert I got this morning.
I know the road in question regularly has traps. When I set off today, I knew definitively that another user spotted a trap, that it was a van with a camera pointing out the back, its exact location, and the exact time it was there.
*
That’s for live traps. The system also alerts for ‘known enforcement points’. They are either green, amber, or red.
As above, red are ones that get the most reports. So even with alerts for non-live traps, I have an indication of how regularly they are enforced and when they were last reported, maybe 3 days ago.
*
My sat nav is just over a year old – have they got capabilities like this these days?

questionmark? · 09-11-2010 1:57pm

Passed one of these revenue generators on saturday night on an R road. Just so happended it was on the widest, safest part of the whole section of the road :rolleyes: It was parked on the hard shoulder with the parking lights left on.

rebellad · 09-11-2010 1:58pm

Can I ask why are people getting so worried about this, if you stick to the speed limits then you won't ahve to worry about what van is parked where.

-Chris- · 09-11-2010 2:03pm

johndoc wrote: »

My sat nav is just over a year old – have they got capabilities like this these days?

I don't think any Satnav is as "live" as the one your suggesting.

Would the info be similar to that available at http://www.irishspeedtraps.com? They've been established a while, I'm sure they've a pretty decent database built up.

questionmark? · 09-11-2010 2:17pm

rebellad wrote: »

Can I ask why are people getting so worried about this, if you stick to the speed limits then you won't ahve to worry about what van is parked where.

How about a complete review or speed limits in the country i.e. a formor N road that had a serious amount of traffic but a new motorway was built so now it has a 80kmh limit the same limit as a boreen with grass in the middle. Or the new dual carriageway in waterford with a 60kmh limit.

If they stick them in places that will help reduce deaths no prob but shooting fish in a barrel i.e. lets say a certain road near nass is nothing but raising money thats the problem.

Anan1 · 09-11-2010 2:29pm

questionmark? wrote: »

How about a complete review or speed limits in the country i.e. a formor N road that had a serious amount of traffic but a new motorway was built so now it has a 80kmh limit the same limit as a boreen with grass in the middle. Or the new dual carriageway in waterford with a 60kmh limit.

If they stick them in places that will help reduce deaths no prob but shooting fish in a barrel i.e. lets say a certain road near nass is nothing but raising money thats the problem.

Be proactive, get on to your local TD about it.

Not · 09-11-2010 2:39pm

rebellad wrote: »

Can I ask why are people getting so worried about this, if you stick to the speed limits then you won't ahve to worry about what van is parked where.

It's the behaviour of the majority of other drivers that's the problem. I would have no problem keeping to the 50, 60, and 80 km limits, but anytime I do I am constantly subjected to dangerous tailgating and overtaking/undertaking(if there's a buslane), flashing lights, blowing horns and all sorts of antics. Being a constant target for road rage is a lot more stressful (and dangerous) than going at the speed everyone else is and keeping vigilant for the speed cameras.

johndoc · 09-11-2010 3:17pm

-Chris- wrote: »

I don't think any Satnav is as "live" as the one your suggesting.

Would the info be similar to that available at http://www.irishspeedtraps.com? They've been established a while, I'm sure they've a pretty decent database built up.

Similar in that it's a database of known enforcement points
Difference is that Trapster tracks your position in a sat nav style and alerts you when you get within a specified distance.
Also, if I drove past a trap 30 seconds ago, and you were in the area, you'd get an alert with type, location etc.
I'm sure irishspeedtraps.com is a valuable tool but this updates with real time info

Or,
Since speed cameras are used to enforce 'Speed Enforcement Zones', which have been developed with the aim of...

Garda website wrote:

...providing information to motorists in order to raise awareness of speeding in the zones. An Garda Siochana will utilize these zones in order to direct speed enforcement activity in a proportionate and targeted manner. (snip..)... speed enforcement will be undertaken in order to significantly reduce the incidence of fatal and serious injuries and improve road safety
(snip..)... These zones will be reviewed and updated on an ongoing basis through continuing analysis, feedback, and sharing of information with other stakeholders

So it's nothing to do with avoiding traps or getting points/fines, it's sharing information and awareness of locations where accidents are likely to occur ;-)

Atomic Pineapple · 09-11-2010 3:26pm

Not wrote: »

It's the behaviour of the majority of other drivers that's the problem. I would have no problem keeping to the 50, 60, and 80 km limits, but anytime I do I am constantly subjected to dangerous tailgating and overtaking/undertaking(if there's a buslane), flashing lights, blowing horns and all sorts of antics. Being a constant target for road rage is a lot more stressful (and dangerous) than going at the speed everyone else is and keeping vigilant for the speed cameras.

Its likely in that case that the speed limit is simply too low for the road.

The limits in this country have become a bit of a joke!

questionmark? · 09-11-2010 4:21pm

Anan1 wrote: »

Be proactive, get on to your local TD about it.

I have in fact i have contacted the three TD's in my constituency in regards to it but as you know its like trying to get blood from a stone. Why? my voice on its own wont truly be heard, a few thousand voices around the country and they'll have no choice but to listen.

Stinicker · 09-11-2010 4:52pm

Private Speed Vans on the top of the County Bounds on the N22 between Kerry and Cork today and again on the overbridge of the South Ring on the Ballincollig bypass.

Private Speed cameras are simply a revenue raising exercise and if you doing 100.01km/h in a 100km zone they will nail you. This country is gone beyond the joke and thankfully my Irish licence is up for renewal in Februray and I will not be renewing it rather exchanging it for a European one instead.

KamiKazi · 09-11-2010 4:58pm

Stinicker wrote: »

Private Speed Vans on the top of the County Bounds on the N22 between Kerry and Cork today and again on the overbridge of the South Ring on the Ballincollig bypass.

Private Speed cameras are simply a revenue raising exercise and if you doing 100.01km/h in a 100km zone they will nail you. This country is gone beyond the joke and thankfully my Irish licence is up for renewal in Februray and I will not be renewing it rather exchanging it for a European one instead.

No they won't.

Stinicker · 09-11-2010 5:11pm

KamiKazi wrote: »

No they won't.

Yes they will and anyone who thinks Private Speed Cameras are a good thing are deluding themselves. There are many many stretches of roads rated at 100km/h perfectly suited to 130km/h and every Motorway is grand at 160-180km/h.

The whole enterprise is operated by Xavier McAuliffe’s Spectra Labs, who is a self confessed "Fianna Fail supporter".

These speed cameras represent nothing more than typcal Fianna Fail corruption and are out to screw every single motorist in the pocket.

Stiffs · 09-11-2010 5:17pm

Stinicker wrote: »

thankfully my Irish licence is up for renewal in Februray and I will not be renewing it rather exchanging it for a European one instead.

Whats the advantage of doing that?

Stinicker · 09-11-2010 5:23pm

Stiffs wrote: »

Whats the advantage of doing that?

My driving licence will then not be issued by the Irish State and they will not be able to attach Penalty Points to my licence and with Gatso vans on every corner I see this as a way of protecting my right to drive from an illegal corrupt undemocratic Government who are trying hard to tax people of the roads.

emo72 · 09-11-2010 5:30pm

Stinicker wrote: »

My driving licence will then not be issued by the Irish State and they will not be able to attach Penalty Points to my licence and with Gatso vans on every corner I see this as a way of protecting my right to drive from an illegal corrupt undemocratic Government who are trying hard to tax people of the roads.

really? this will work?

Stinicker · 09-11-2010 5:43pm

emo72 wrote: »

really? this will work?

Well at the moment Foreigners driving in Ireland who commit driving offences cannot have penalty points attached to their native driving licences eg. Lithuanian, German etc.

There is supposed to be a system coming in where the Penalty Points will be interchangeable between Irish and British licences due to the whole situation in Northern Ireland. So swapping an Irish licence for a British one would be ill advised.

European licences are all the same thus interchangeability between the states, I can go and swap mine in a European country and use it to drive in Ireland the same as all the Eastern Europeans who use their own licences here.

Any of EEA & EU state Citizens can exchange their driving licences for an Irish one and Ireland also has agreement with Australia, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Japan, Jersey, South Africa, South Korea & Switzerland which will allow for eg. an Australian or Bulgarian coming over to Ireland can swap their native driving licence for an Irish one.

This is about the only loophole around this I know of to avoid getting Penalty points, obviously with the car registered in your name they can still track down the speedster and fine you the €80 just not attach points to your foreign licence. Driving a foreign registered car to avoid this is not advisable as it is illegal to drive a car that is not registered in Ireland except for the purposes of getting it VRT cleared, driving it to the NCT centre etc.

Anan1 · 09-11-2010 5:43pm

Stinicker wrote: »

... and if you doing 100.01km/h in a 100km zone they will nail you.

KamiKazi wrote: »

No they won't.

Stinicker wrote: »

Yes they will

Care to back this up?

Stinicker · 09-11-2010 5:51pm

Anan1 wrote: »

Care to back this up?

A friend of mine recently got caught & fined for doing according to him 61kms in a 60 zone. There is also reports of how this Private firm is going to enforce the speed limit to the absolute tee.

People with Analogue speedometers (especially those in MPH) will run the risk of getting caught when they would not have even realised they were a fraction over the speed limit.

There is something very wrong in a private company having a monopoly on private speed camera enforcement. I am sure that such privatisation of policing duties is against our constitution and I am sure any sane Judge would see likewise.

Anan1 · 09-11-2010 6:07pm

Stinicker wrote: »

A friend of mine recently got caught & fined for doing according to him 61kms in a 60 zone. There is also reports of how this Private firm is going to enforce the speed limit to the absolute tee.

People with Analogue speedometers (especially those in MPH) will run the risk of getting caught when they would not have even realised they were a fraction over the speed limit.

There is something very wrong in a private company having a monopoly on private speed camera enforcement. I am sure that such privatisation of policing duties is against our constitution and I am sure any sane Judge would see likewise.

I thought not.;)

Stinicker · 09-11-2010 6:09pm

Anan1 wrote: »

I thought not.;)

I hope I am wrong howver when it is a private firm doing something it will be all about money.

cruizer101 · 09-11-2010 6:18pm

I've been hearing ads for these on the radio now. Saying they are coming in mid november, which could be anytime from this weekend on really.

There will be a list of the locations of them on the garda website, be interesting to see where they are going.
Although unfortunatly they'll probably just copy and paste a list of all the motorways in ireland.

Speed camera mega-thread ***Read first post before posting***

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Speed camera mega-thread Read first post before posting