Speed cameras in Ireland - a guide

DMcL1971

I passed a speed van in the dark last night, when I might have been a little bit over the speed limit. There was no flash from the van. Does that mean that I am alright, does there have to have been a flash in order to have been caught?

ironclaw

DMcL1971 wrote: »

I passed a speed van in the dark last night, when I might have been a little bit over the speed limit. There was no flash from the van. Does that mean that I am alright, does there have to have been a flash in order to have been caught?

No speed van in Ireland emits visible flash except in extremely rare circumstances (i.e. An older Garda van) Generally speaking, they are all invisible (to the human eye) as they are infrared.

Do not take a flash or no flash as an indication of if you have been caught or not.

mikeecho

margio wrote: »

It doesn't explain everything

Continuw reading posts 2, 3, 4, ETC

DMcL1971

ironclaw wrote: »

Do not take a flash or no flash as an indication of if you have been caught or not.

Looks like I'll have to wait and see then.

shawboss

What is the law with unmarked garda cars using speed guns to catch people, i thought that garda are meant to be visable when carring out speed checks

ironclaw

shawboss wrote: »

What is the law with unmarked garda cars using speed guns to catch people, i thought that garda are meant to be visable when carring out speed checks

There is no such law in place, never has been and never will be. A Garda can conduct a speed check on any road, using any equipment in an overt or covert manner.

shawboss

ironclaw wrote: »

There is no such law in place, never has been and never will be. A Garda can conduct a speed check on any road, using any equipment in an overt or covert manner.

Covert manner would that not be intrapment

Lmklad

shawboss wrote: »

Covert manner would that not be intrapment

Entrapment is where you are induced/coerced by the police into committing a crime.

ironclaw

shawboss wrote: »

Covert manner would that not be intrapment

By definition:

In criminal law, entrapment is a practice whereby a law enforcement agent induces a person to commit a criminal offense that the person would have otherwise been unlikely to commit. It is a type of conduct that is generally frowned upon, and thus in many jurisdictions is a possible defense against criminal liability.

Lone Shark

Question for people - can these Gosafe vans see across the barriers on dual carriageways?

I could pretend it was for a friend but I think we all know I'd be kidding no-one. It was on the N6 on Monday afternoon, I was travelling eastbound and the van was parked on the westbound side, underneath the flyover at junction 10. I was after getting some bad news at home and so wasn't concentrating as much as I should have been, so I was still at around 110-115kmph, i.e. motorway speed. I appreciate there is no excuse for that in the sense that it's well signed and I know the area well, but they just caught me on a bad day. My only likely get out now is that the Van can't snap across the barricades, but I'm guessing that's something of a forlorn hope.

I'm carrying six points from back in 2012/13 (I received one notice perfectly fairly and then started to pay much closer attention. However I then got notice of two offences in the post in the space of two days, one for 72kmph in a 60 (fair enough, again) and one for 84kmph in an 80 (very harsh I thought), both after 11pm at night on the same trip). Basically this would be absolutely crippling for me since I have to cover over 20000km with work in a year and not driving is not an option. I'm absolutely meticulous since then for obvious reasons, but they just caught me on a bad day and frankly, paying the amount of insurance I'd have to pay on nine points would be next to impossible. It would nearly be a better option to deliberately get caught again, lose my licence and go back to zero in six months time.

Anyone with any sliver of hope for me?

ironclaw

Question for people - can these Gosafe vans see across the barriers on dual carriageways?

To answer this question, you are safe. They cannot 'see' over the railing / hedge of the central median because if you think about it, how could they possibly see you plate? Secondly, its not technically feasible to do so with the radar unit employed.

I'm unfamiliar with the road in question, but if its the standard two lane in either direction with a decent central median, then you are fine. If its a single lane in either direction with only a lick of paint between them, expect points.

I appreciate there is no excuse for that in the sense that it's well signed and I know the area well, but...

/Entire Paragraph of Excuses

No offence and I mean this in the best way, if you want to speed, no matter the day, accept the consequences of your actions like a mature and responsible adult. I'd say 99% of this forum break the limit on a daily basis, some of us more than others, but yet it's everyones else's fault when we get caught.

Accept the consequences, or slow down and stop the excuses!

Lone Shark

ironclaw wrote: »

To answer this question, you are safe. They cannot 'see' over the railing / hedge of the central median because if you think about it, how could they possibly see you plate? Secondly, its not technically feasible to do so with the radar unit employed.

I'm unfamiliar with the road in question, but if its the standard two lane in either direction with a decent central median, then you are fine. If its a single lane in either direction with only a lick of paint between them, expect points.



No offence and I mean this in the best way, if you want to speed, no matter the day, accept the consequences of your actions like a mature and responsible adult. I'd say 99% of this forum break the limit on a daily basis, some of us more than others, but yet it's everyones else's fault when we get caught.

Accept the consequences, or slow down and stop the excuses!

First and foremost, thanks for the clarity - that's an immense relief, genuinely. Yes, it's a two lane each way dual carriageway with a concrete barrier in the middle, of approximately 4 feet in height. I guess I wasn't sure if the height of the van would have allowed it to see over it.

And my explanation was just to show why I was so concerned, and the background to why I got to six in the first place - I genuinely don't think any of what I said could be interpreted as saying that I deserve to get away with it, merely that it was a bad day due to personal circumstances which is why it happened. I didn't want to speed at all - just my mind was elsewhere, which I accept would be of no consequence to anyone involved in an accident that I played a part in.

Genuinely, I am keeping it to the limits every day, as I pointed out I'm covering a lot of ground and driving is key to my livelihood, so I pass speed checks at least once or twice a week. Anything else and I'd be off the road by now.

sheff the ref

If a van is parked on a rural road

(a) Can they detect you from the front of the van AND the rear of the van?
(b) Can they detect you if you are coming up a hill from an out of view spot?
(c) Can they detect you coming around a bend?
(d) How close can they detect you from?
(e) If you are over by say 10km/h and brake quickly, can you get the speed down sufficiently within sufficient time?

pa990

sheff the ref wrote: »

If a van is parked on a rural road

(a) Can they detect you from the front of the van AND the rear of the van?
(b) Can they detect you if you are coming up a hill from an out of view spot?
(c) Can they detect you coming around a bend?
(d) How close can they detect you from?
(e) If you are over by say 10km/h and brake quickly, can you get the speed down sufficiently within sufficient time?

Did you read any of this thread?

sheff the ref

pa990 wrote: »

Did you read any of this thread?

There are 29 pages, was hoping someone who is familiar with the content of the topic could summarise for me

moleyv

Sorry if it has already been answered, I couldn't go through all 40 pages.

Is there an identifiable difference between garda and go safe vans?

ironclaw

(a) Can they detect you from the front of the van AND the rear of the van?

They detect your speed going towards or away from the rear doors of the van only. There is no detection equipment on the front (Drivers end) of the van.

(b) Can they detect you if you are coming up a hill from an out of view spot?

Honestly, what does common sense tell you? If you can't see an object, how can you possibly tell how fast its going?

(c) Can they detect you coming around a bend?

Again, see above.

(d) How close can they detect you from?

Roughly two and half times the width of the road away from the rear doors.

(e) If you are over by say 10km/h and brake quickly, can you get the speed down sufficiently within sufficient time?

Depends. How far are you away when you brake. Its an instantaneous an reading so you'd want to be a decent distance away or have a car in front of you.

Is there an identifiable difference between garda and go safe vans?

Yes. But to the average driver it makes no difference. A van is a van, it fulfills the same job.

sheff the ref

Thank You for your responses to my queries.

ironclaw wrote: »

They detect your speed going towards or away from the rear doors of the van only. There is no detection equipment on the front (Drivers end) of the van.



Honestly, what does common sense tell you? If you can't see an object, how can you possibly tell how fast its going?



Again, see above.



Roughly two and half times the width of the road away from the rear doors.


Depends. How far are you away when you brake. Its an instantaneous an reading so you'd want to be a decent distance away or have a car in front of you.



Yes. But to the average driver it makes no difference. A van is a van, it fulfills the same job.

JMSE

Between Borris-in-Ossory and Roscrea in the dark last night I entered a signed speed camera zone doing near 90km/h. Noticing the sign I dropped down to 80 just as I noticed the marked gosafe parked up ahead on the left, he was definitely emitting 2 different lights.

So as I was already braking and worrying that I'd be nabbed, I pulled over and stopped about 2 or 300 metres back from the van. It was dark so was interested to see what kind of lights were coming off the back of the van. There was a red beam (like a laser) very noticeable, as I first noticed the van. That stopped around the same time as I pulled up. There was also a low power flashing beacon on the rear rhs above the door area. After a short while the beacon stopped too.

Over the 15 mins that I sat there, there did appear to be faint flashes coming from the rear lhs roor area as cars passed but I think that this is probably down to reflections of headlights off whatever is up there above that rear left door.

Thats all I can say but I do wonder what the red laser that seemed to be picking me up means, and whats the significance of the beacon that stopped.

ironclaw

JMSE wrote: »

Thats all I can say but I do wonder what the red laser that seemed to be picking me up means, and whats the significance of the beacon that stopped.

The beacon, anecdotally as I've nor has anyone I trust ever seen it, is most likely for safety. An unlit, pretty un-reflective van on some of our roads is a danger to the person it (Ironic and all as that is)

While I can't outright dismiss the 'red laser' you saw, it certainly plays no part in the speed detection. The system is radar based with infrared flash. Some people are more sensitive than others to the flash, which you will see as a lamp to the top left of the rear doors. There is no red laser on or part of the van. The best explanation I can give is most likely again a red warning beacon / light strip, possibly LED based hence the intensity of the light you observed. The vans have been known to illuminate, reported as orange and now red with yourself, as cars approach again most likely for safety.

Lardy

ironclaw wrote: »

The beacon, anecdotally as I've nor has anyone I trust ever seen it, is most likely for safety. An unlit, pretty un-reflective van on some of our roads is a danger to the person it (Ironic and all as that is)

While I can't outright dismiss the 'red laser' you saw, it certainly plays no part in the speed detection. The system is radar based with infrared flash. Some people are more sensitive than others to the flash, which you will see as a lamp to the top left of the rear doors. There is no red laser on or part of the van. The best explanation I can give is most likely again a red warning beacon / light strip, possibly LED based hence the intensity of the light you observed. The vans have been known to illuminate, reported as orange and now red with yourself, as cars approach again most likely for safety.

Not all entirely accurate... They do have a red laser, and this is used during set up to make sure the radar is 22 degrees to the road. Also, the orange light over the back door is a work light so the operator can see what he is doing while setting up. The operator had more than likely just finished his set up as the guy was passing and was doing his system setup inside the van.

ironclaw

Lardy wrote: »

Not all entirely accurate... They do have a red laser, and this is used during set up to make sure the radar is 22 degrees to the road. Also, the orange light over the back door is a work light so the operator can see what he is doing while setting up. The operator had more than likely just finished his set up as the guy was passing and was doing his system setup inside the van.

Assumed the poster was describing a van that was set up and operational given the context and what they said. But this is the answer in this scenario!

JMSE

Definitely a red laser so, and not the first time I've seen that but good to know that its only used during set up. Maybe the operator has to have a flashing beacon on the vehicle while he is around the van setting up hence it switching off after a few minutes as I watched, but it was a beacon, not a work light

I would say that all in all the gosafes are adequately reflective i.e. if you dont notice the reflective strips all over it, maybe one shouldnt be out in the dark driving

whizbang

The infrared light can often cause a fluorescence effect on some vegetation, can look green, or even yellow. Most often visible on dirty signs, moss walls etc..

ironclaw

JMSE wrote: »

I would say that all in all the gosafes are adequately reflective i.e. if you dont notice the reflective strips all over it, maybe one shouldnt be out in the dark driving

Would tend to disagree there. Its not as reflective as the road signs around them, which tends for me to think they deliberately opt-ed for a lower grade reflective material. Its certainly sub-par in my opinion. Not impossible to see, but could certainly be better.

braddun

http://radartest.com/Photo-Radar-Test.asp


http://escortradarforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12079&highlight=redflex


bribery


http://theexpiredmeter.com/2014/09/players-in-red-light-camera-bribery-scheme-plead-not-guilty/

ironclaw

braddun wrote: »

http://radartest.com/Photo-Radar-Test.asp


http://escortradarforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12079&highlight=redflex


bribery


http://theexpiredmeter.com/2014/09/players-in-red-light-camera-bribery-scheme-plead-not-guilty/

They are completely illegal in Ireland and the penalties are massive. Do not expect leniency, and one court case will wipe out any 'saving' you feel you are making. And yes, you will be brought to court.

Also, detection range against GoSafe (aka RedFlex), remembering the same tech is used in the USA, is minimal. It is not worth it. You are taking, at best, perhaps 100m and thats IF you have line of sight and IF they are transmitting at the time. Take it from me, for what its worth, having experienced it from the various exotic rallies in the US and in Europe where every day is like being at battle stations. Save yourself the money and just open your eyes.

bobbysands81

Just drove by a marked Garda car in Camolin. There were no Gardai in the car but there was a camera in back window.

Is this likely to be a speed camera or a vehicle registration recognition camera?

pa990

bobbysands81 wrote: »

Just drove by a marked Garda car in Camolin. There were no Gardai in the car but there was a camera in back window.

Is this likely to be a speed camera or a vehicle registration recognition camera?

Its an anpr system.
If there was no one in the car, then is wasn't being used

blackis200

People are learning not to speed. GoSafe revenue is down and they have expanded the network by 200 plus new approved sites.
One crazy place they set up is outside the school in Ballyjamesduff in a 50 zone and I between 2 massive speed humps.