Flashed by GoSafe van

Rocrules

Hi all.

I got flashed as I passed a GoSafe van on N17 between Tuam and Galway (Galway bound) this morning.

I'm very sure that my Speedo was reading between 97 and 100 km/h in the 200m or so run up to the van because I had my eye on it. There is a bend in the road before this, so it's not like I was clocked from afar or anything like that.

I don't think there was any traffic going in the other direction.

Have I been done in error, or do the vans flash every car that passes?

Thanks.

Wolverine_1999

Was it a red flash? I assume the limit is 100 on the stretch of road.

Vicxas

Make sure there wasnt any special speed restrictions in place there, go safe vans love them.

Rocrules

The limit is 100 and there are no special restrictions.

I thought that the flash was white. I wasn't looking at the van the whole time, I was keeping an eye on the road and the speedo. When I was within 20-30m I'm sure I saw a flash like a regular camera would make.

spunk_monkey

I thought those vans used IR flash, which is invisible to the human eye..?

seamus

Could have been the sun flickering off a window for a second. As said, I don't think these vans flash, only GATSOs do.

grumpymunster

Strangely last winter something similar happened to me on the N7 near Dunkerrin. White flash as I approached the van, was under the limit but also thought had been done in error. That was about 8 months ago and heard nowt so fingers crossed same for you.

Rocrules

I don't think it was the sun because it would have been behind the van at the time (I think).

I'm going to go on the assumption that all is well.

Thanks for the replies folks!

hidinginthebush

I got flashed by one (a white flash, like from a camera), granted I was doing 63 km/h (according to the fine, which I believe) in a 50 km/h zone, fine received in the post about a week later. Are you sure you weren't in a restricted speed zone OP?

Rocrules

I am positive the speed wasn't restricted. I guess I'll find out soon enough. Any way to dispute this if I do get a fine?

TouchingVirus

It comes from the Gardai in Thurles I believe, the only way to dispute it is to not pay the fine and show up in court.

Magown3

They may have been calibrating the camera.

Alternatively, they could have just arrived and speed check the first 5 vehicles regardless of if they are breaking the limit or not, just to make sure the equipment is working.


I'm just guessing here so don't take my nose off

Vicxas

Maybe you had a nice car and the Gosafe van driver wanted a pic

hidinginthebush

Rocrules wrote: »

I am positive the speed wasn't restricted. I guess I'll find out soon enough. Any way to dispute this if I do get a fine?

You receive a letter in the post with a fine for €80, and letting you know you have 2 points on your license when the fine is paid. If you dispute it (which you're more than obliged to, and in your case, probably should), you go to court. Though if the appeal fails the fine gets bumped up to €120, and you receive 4 penalty points on your license.

BronsonTB

Lady in work got a fine even tho she was below the limit. Rang up the gaurds, they looked into it...Turns out the camera guy had the limits set wrong for the road he was monitoring..All fines for that day were quashed without if going near court. So OP it is worth checking with the local station just on the off chance they didn't have he limit correctly set for the road. If it is the case I'm sure you're not the only one getting a ticket in error.

ironclaw

Rocrules wrote: »

Hi all.

I got flashed as I passed a GoSafe van on N17 between Tuam and Galway (Galway bound) this morning.

I'm very sure that my Speedo was reading between 97 and 100 km/h in the 200m or so run up to the van because I had my eye on it. There is a bend in the road before this, so it's not like I was clocked from afar or anything like that.

I don't think there was any traffic going in the other direction.

Have I been done in error, or do the vans flash every car that passes?

Thanks.

You weren't flashed by a GoSafe van. They are all IR flash for the simple reason that flash (i.e. White, like a camera) is dangerous to road users. In addition, IR gives better contrast between black and white, which is ideal for the system.

What makes you think it was a GoSafe van?

What markings did the van have?

And specifically, where did the flash come from? i.e. The inside the rear window or the top left of the roof at the rear


Also, check out my post here: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=73410319&postcount=2024

Rocrules

It was definitely a gosafe van. No doubt whatsoever. It was red and had all the markings. I've seen it in the same spot a few times and always expect to see it at that location whenever I pass.

There was an odd looking dark box-shape on the top-rear-left too (what is that by the way?). The flash looked like it came from inside the right-rear window.

If I do get a fine, I'll know by the alleged speed whether it's a mistake or not. I'm now starting to doubt what speed I was doing! What if it had crept up to 101 or 102? My speedo isn't digital so there's a chance of a very small amount of inaccuracy. Plus, the big numbers are in mph. But I'm still pretty sure that my speed was under 63mph on that stretch.

I know some say that these speedos can be out by up to 10%, but I always drive in camera locations as if my dial is reading correctly.

hidinginthebush

Ah, well mine was deffo a Garda van, plain white, no markings, just a blinding flash as I went past So you could be in the clear!

BronsonTB

Rocrules wrote: »

There was an odd looking dark box-shape on the top-rear-left too (what is that by the way?).

A camera - You may not have heard but some of these vans have been attacked by vandals. Outside Van activity is now being caught by a seperate camera.

MugMugs

BronsonTB wrote: »

A camera - You may not have heard but some of these vans have been attacked by vandals. Outside Van activity is now being caught by a seperate camera.

Or yer man inside was keeping himself amused and having a bit of craic with his Phone

pa990

Rocrules wrote: »

There was an odd looking dark box-shape on the top-rear-left too (what is that by the way?). The flash looked like it came from inside the right-rear window.
.

thats the Infra Red Flash unit.

The radar unit and camera are inside the van looking out the rear drivers side window

ironclaw

Rocrules wrote: »

.

There was an odd looking dark box-shape on the top-rear-left too (what is that by the way?). The flash looked like it came from inside the right-rear window.

There you go. The smoking gun as to why you weren't caught.

Some points to note:

• GoSafe DO NOT FLASH visibly.
  
• GoSafe have no visible flash unit
  
• GoSafe have no flash inside the van

The "flash" was most likely a reflection off the camera lens from your windshield (You said the sun was behind the van i.e. Reflecting off your windshield)

pa990 wrote: »

thats the Infra Red Flash unit.

The radar unit and camera are inside the van looking out the rear drivers side window

Thank god someone around here can use their head.

Rocrules

Some points to note:

• GoSafe DO NOT FLASH visibly.
  
• GoSafe have no visible flash unit
  
• GoSafe have no flash inside the van

That is good to know thanks.

The "flash" was most likely a reflection off the camera lens from your windshield (You said the sun was behind the van i.e. Reflecting off your windshield)

I'm not sure about this. The window is blacked out, well from the outside anyway. How big is this camera lens? The sun was low in the sky and my windscreen is at an angle. It doesn't seem likely that I saw the sun's reflection bouncing off my windshield on to a camera lens behind a darkened window.

I hope you're right though...

Rocrules

Some points to note:

• GoSafe DO NOT FLASH visibly.
  
• GoSafe have no visible flash unit
  
• GoSafe have no flash inside the van

Good to know thanks.

The "flash" was most likely a reflection off the camera lens from your windshield (You said the sun was behind the van i.e. Reflecting off your windshield)

I'm not sure about this. The sun was low in the sky, my windscreen is at an angle. The van's window is blacked out. I can't see how I would have seen the sun's reflection through this darkened window from a small camera lens.

I hope you're right though...