CCTV catching traffic offences

whyulittle

There is a piece in the local paper today about a number of people getting penalty points for using mobile phones while driving. None of them were caught by a guard, so they are presuming that they were caught by recently installed CCTV cameras.

Thing is, I thought I read before the cameras went in that they can't be used for such things - that they are only for public order or reviewing crimes after they have happened.

Anan1

Pretty clever if they are, IMO.

Atlantic Dawn

Most likely caught on ANPR cameras in Garda cars. Plenty more people talking on their phones recently while driving.

-Corkie-

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Most likely caught on ANPR cameras in Garda cars. Plenty more people talking on their phones recently while driving.

I have never seen as many people talking whilst driving and texting :mad::mad:. I was only thinking today why dont the goverment increase the fine for this up to 200 euro along with other motoring offences. They would generate lots of money so much so that they could give van owners a break..:). I was going to start a thread on it but im to lazy to..:cool:

Atlantic Dawn

-Corkie- wrote: »

I have never seen as many people talking whilst driving and texting :mad::mad:. I was only thinking today why dont the goverment increase the fine for this up to 200 euro along with other motoring offences. They would generate lots of money so much so that they could give van owners a break..:). I was going to start a thread on it but im to lazy to..:cool:

Yes €500 a throw would cover the cost of running the ministerial limos for the year

opinion guy

whyulittle wrote: »

There is a piece in the local paper today about a number of people getting penalty points for using mobile phones while driving. None of them were caught by a guard, so they are presuming that they were caught by recently installed CCTV cameras.

Thing is, I thought I read before the cameras went in that they can't be used for such things - that they are only for public order or reviewing crimes after they have happened.

Crimes like using the mobile phone whilst driving perhaps ?!?

bop1977

This to me is the same as the speed cameras. It's great to catch someone on the phone and send them a fine in the post but what if they crash a few hundred yards down the road what has this camera done to prevent the driver from using the phone in the first place.

We need to have a high visibility police presence on our roads, not some papa ratsie (spelling?) taking photos and sending tickets in the post.

Anan1

bop1977 wrote: »

This to me is the same as the speed cameras. It's great to catch someone on the phone and send them a fine in the post but what if they crash a few hundred yards down the road what has this camera done to prevent the driver from using the phone in the first place.

Nothing. The idea is that getting a ticket might make them think twice about doing it again.

jaffa20

What if you were making an emergency services call though?..

Guy:Incognito

bop1977 wrote: »

This to me is the same as the speed cameras. It's great to catch someone on the phone and send them a fine in the post but what if they crash a few hundred yards down the road what has this camera done to prevent the driver from using the phone in the first place.

We need to have a high visibility police presence on our roads, not some papa ratsie (spelling?) taking photos and sending tickets in the post.

If a Gard is'nt catching them either way, the cameras are freebies. Better to catch them remotely as not at all.

jaffa20 wrote: »

What if you were making an emergency services call though?..

Then you'll have little problem proving it.

MySelf56

jaffa20 wrote: »

What if you were making an emergency services call though?..

Call is call doesn't emergency or causal phone sex call. As matter you can still match CCTV time + time of your call (usually log can be requested from service provider if you need it)

ShiresV2

MySelf56 wrote: »

Call is call doesn't emergency or causal phone sex call. As matter you can still match CCTV time + time of your call (usually log can be requested from service provider if you need it)

Negatory. Read the legislation:

It will be a defence for anyone charged with the offence of holding a mobile phone while driving to show that they were:

• Using it to call the Gardai, an ambulance, fire brigade or other emergency service
• Involved in or acting in response to a genuine emergency

cyclopath2001

bop1977 wrote: »

We need to have a high visibility police presence on our roads, not some papa ratsie (spelling?) taking photos and sending tickets in the post.

This is just so that people would hide their phones when they knew there would be a certainty of being caught? And then use them afterwards?

The cost of this would have to be financed by hugely increased fines. And it's impractical to have a policeman with a camera every 300 metres. Far more cost effective if people just assume they could be caught and adjust their behaviour.

djimi

cyclopath2001 wrote: »

This is just so that people would hide their phones when they knew there would be a certainty of being caught? And then use them afterwards?

The cost of this would have to be financed by hugely increased fines. And it's impractical to have a policeman with a camera every 300 metres. Far more cost effective if people just assume they could be caught and adjust their behaviour.

The problem is people dont assume they are going to get caught, much like with hidden speed cameras, so they just carry on using their phone or speeding. At least if there was a visible police force constantly active on the road the chances of being seen and pulled over would be much higher and people would be less likely to chance it.

And the guards wouldnt need to all carry cameras. As the law currently stands in this country all a guard needs to convict you is their word, so if they say they saw you on the phone and it ends up in court then its up to you to prove that you werent, and their word will always be taken as gospel.

rameire

people should be forced as part of their penalty of being caught using a mobile phone to put a handsfree kit into their cars.

i see hundreds of idiots using their mobiles every week, i wish i could shoot them on the spot.

testicle

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Most likely caught on ANPR cameras in Garda cars. Plenty more people talking on their phones recently while driving.

How would an Automatic Number Plate Recognition camera catch people on the phone?

Anan1

testicle wrote: »

How would an Automatic Number Plate Recognition camera catch people on the phone?

It wouldn't, but it would allow a ticket to be issued without stopping when the Garda sees someone on the phone.

DonJose

I'd love to see cameras placed on roundabouts specifically to catch twats using mobiles while trying to navigate roundabouts, yesterday I drove past an articulated lorry about to enter a roundabout with the driver on a mobile :mad:

djimi

While were on the topic of mobile phones, is it against the law to be on the phone while stopped either wholey or partly on the road? Is it like drink driving where once you are deemed to be in control of the vehicle you are breaking the law? The amount of people who seem to think that its okay to just stop their car dead on the road, or else half pull off the road while still partly blocking traffic, to take or make a phone call beggers belief.

monkeypants

rameire wrote: »

people should be forced as part of their penalty of being caught using a mobile phone to put a handsfree kit into their cars.

The expense of buying and installing one would probably encourage it's use. They're not that dear, as long as you don't buy one from someone called Ivor.

mlmcelligott

I dont see why every new car brought into this country isnt automatically fitted with a bluetooth handsfree kit. you wouldnt need a cradle or charging point just a hands free with bluetooth. The government made it against the law to not wear a seat belt because they save lifes. surely a similar argument can be made that pre fitting new cars with handsfree kits would save lives also, no?

whyulittle

djimi wrote: »

And the guards wouldnt need to all carry cameras. As the law currently stands in this country all a guard needs to convict you is their word, so if they say they saw you on the phone and it ends up in court then its up to you to prove that you werent, and their word will always be taken as gospel.

Just to prove this point, another recent article in a local paper. The full thing is worth the read.

He went on to argue that he never saw any Garda car follow him and that Garda Sexton didn’t apprehend him just in his estate but actually at his home. Breslin denied using the mobile phone but Judge Hamill refused this defence saying: “I’ve heard in direct evidence from the garda that you were using a mobile phone. If you say you didn’t notice a Garda car following you, how can you argue he couldn’t have seen you use it ?”

http://www.advertiser.ie/athlone/article/29298

gurramok

What about those camera's hanging over the motorway?

You know the ones(usually a pair) attached to a sign saying '25min to Drogheda'. Are they used in crime detection?

cyclopath2001

djimi wrote: »

At least if there was a visible police force constantly active on the road the chances of being seen and pulled over would be much higher and people would be less likely to chance it.

So, what do you want to do, increase the number of police ten-fold? That's going to cost a lot of money, who's going to pay for it? And, people will still do it once they cannot see the 'visible police force'.

As it stands, I regularly see people trying to conceal handphone use by using the phone's speaker and talking into the mic while holding the phone away from them.

vetstu

gurramok wrote: »

What about those camera's hanging over the motorway?

You know the ones(usually a pair) attached to a sign saying '25min to Drogheda'. Are they used in crime detection?

No, I remember reading when they came out first that they could have been used as average speed cameras as they store all the numbers and calculate the time, but all the data is encrypted so they can't