SPECS Average Speed Check Cameras & motorbikes

MrPudding

So, how does that work then? They take a picture fromthe front and then several miles later they take another. The OCR software reads the license plate and they work out your average speed over the distance. If it is great than the limit another camera takes a pic and you get a fine in the post.

Are bikes immune?

MrP

el tel

Bikes are not immune, unless you can obscure your numberplate with your foot as you drive past . There is a picture doing the rounds on the internet of someone doing that in NZ or Oz.

MrPudding

el tel wrote:

Bikes are not immune, unless you can obscure your numberplate with your foot as you drive past . There is a picture doing the rounds on the internet of someone doing that in NZ or Oz.

OK, perhaps I am missing something obvious here. Does you bike have a numberplate at the front?

MrP

el tel

MrPudding wrote:

OK, perhaps I am missing something obvious here. Does you bike have a numberplate at the front?

MrP

I don't have a bike but plenty of bikes do have number plates on the front...

About SPECS - Motorcycles are immune from SPECS cameras and in that respect these cameras are dicriminatory against car drivers on the most part. The issue of bikes not being detectible is primarily due to the general lack of a front number plate. Coupled with that, SPECS cameras can't process square number plates (or irregular shaped plates like on a Rover 75 for that matter).

As well as that, a SPECS camera can only see a single lane of a carriageway and so for a dual carriageway a second camera would be required to fully enforce both lanes. In most cases the gantries only have one overhead camera so if you enter or exit the SPECS zone in a lane that is not monitored you can't be caught speeding.

It would seem that using the present technology SPECS cameras are a bit useless. According to an article I read recently, the SPECS cameras on the A1 in N.Ireland have only resulted in 3 motorists being fined so far...

Krusty_Clown

Plenty of bikes don't have a number plate on the front..
In fact, I don't recall seeing any in years that do (apart from some of those old vintage classics)...

So, as long as the camera is forward facing (facing towards you as you go past) you should be ok. I wouldn't take the p**s though. No reason they can' back it up with a rear facing camera, a gatso, or something simillarly sneaky!

So, did you pick up that GS in the end?

Odysseus

The last time I saw a front reg plate on a bike used daily I was four years old. I'm now thirthy seven
Eidt: As an after thought, [its been that long] you would want a side facing camera to get a bike with a front reg.

Del2005

I read/heard recently that one of the police forces in England have swapped the SPECS cameras around to catch bikers. Can't find a link though.

mackerski

el tel wrote:

It would seem that using the present technology SPECS cameras are a bit useless. According to an article I read recently, the SPECS cameras on the A1 in N.Ireland have only resulted in 3 motorists being fined so far...

There could be other reasons for that. The (I think) three stretches that are monitored are poor quality single carriageway. It isn't a big imposition on a driver to obey the limit, especially when a big yellow gantry reminds you of the consequences.

Dermot

MrPudding

Krusty_Clown wrote:

So, did you pick up that GS in the end?

No. I am so annoyed. Had an all day test ride but the bank fcuked me up cos i have omly been over a few months. Boy, how good was that, a full day on a 1200gs. First bike after passing my test. Beautiful.

Hope to buy a zzr 600 this week, followed by a GSA in march.

MrP

madrab

where are these specs cameras?

MrPudding

madrab wrote:

where are these specs cameras?

There are a couple just over the border on the way to belfast. There are also a few on the M1 here on the mainland (:D) near Milton Keynes. PLus they are popping up in a few more places over here.

MrP

Krusty_Clown

Here's something I've been playing around with for a while:
Garda Hot Spots
Most of these are just Garda raised platforms, so most of the time, are of little consequence.. Only includes hot spots that I've happened upon, so there are more out there, these are just the ones I know about!

What do you think? Any suggestions or improvements?
Will probably be handier when the privatised speed cameras come into force.

I also have these in GPX, if anyone wants to copy them up to a GPS device..

<I just noticed that some of them have shifted slightly, in the GPSVisualizer randering.. There really isn't a speed camera in the middle of Leopardstown Race course!>

echomadman

SPECS cameras can be fooled simply by changing lanes before you get to the next one.

http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/16/uk-drivers-change-lanes-to-outsmart-specs-speeding-cameras/

MrPudding

echomadman wrote:

SPECS cameras can be fooled simply by changing lanes before you get to the next one.

http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/16/uk-drivers-change-lanes-to-outsmart-specs-speeding-cameras/

Not so much use on the single carriage ways onn the A1 where they are.

MrP

Garibaldi

Last I heard, the SPECS cameras could not currently catch bikes, but a new version, with updated software to catch vehicles from behind (sounds vaguely rude) is currently being tested.