Speed detection van parked halfway across hard shoulder

mcwhirter

On the N2 this afternoon I spotted a speed detection van parked up.

It was parked halfway across the hard shoulder and not completely off the road.
Surely this could cause an accident, there is reason why those hard shoulders are there and they are not for speed detection vans to block them.
I cannot see any benefit of this van other than a revenue maker.

I can see it causing an accident rather then preventing them.

Our man in Havana

They can do as they like.

Keith186

You should report it to the gardai for being parked in a dangerous place.

Complaining about it here wont make a difference, Garda might take a spin past it to check it out though.

doolox

I saw a Garda car on a double yellow line in a nearby shopping centre to where I live. I'd love to report them to their superiors but do not know them personally. How I'd love to get them in trouble for all the tickets and bull nonsense on the Lucan bypass.

There is definitely one law for them and one law for the rest of us.

Reminds me of the Post and Telecoms van parking illegally all over Galway in the '70's when they were part of the govt and couldn't be fined...........

Our man in Havana

Keith186 wrote: »

You should report it to the gardai for being parked in a dangerous place.

Complaining about it here wont make a difference, Garda might take a spin past it to check it out though.

What can they do? Nothing is the answer. Go Safe have carte blanche to do what they like.

working fool

i dont think there aloud park like that
i seen one of them out measuring how far off the road he was one morning .
so there must be some requirement envolved ?

Our man in Havana

doolox wrote: »

I saw a Garda car on a double yellow line in a nearby shopping centre to where I live. I'd love to report them to their superiors but do not know them personally. How I'd love to get them in trouble for all the tickets and bull nonsense on the Lucan bypass.

There is definitely one law for them and one law for the rest of us.

Reminds me of the Post and Telecoms van parking illegally all over Galway in the '70's when they were part of the govt and couldn't be fined...........

They still can't be fined.

Our man in Havana

working fool wrote: »

i dont think there aloud park like that
i seen one of them out measuring how far off the road he was one morning .
so there must be some requirement envolved ?

They have an exemption whilst executing their duties.

working fool

Our man in Havana wrote: »

They have an exemption whilst executing their duties.

sayint that this was one of the private company vans doing this ..
where he was parked was fairly dangerous and it was 4am too

Mycroft H

Our man in Havana wrote: »

They have an exemption whilst executing their duties.

Link?

I'd imagine AGS are exempt from certain ROTR while carrying out their duties but a private contractor?

questionmark?

Our man in Havana wrote: »

They can do as they like.

Ah no they cant! Like everyone including the guards they are subject to the law of the land.

mcwhirter

Keith186 wrote: »

You should report it to the gardai for being parked in a dangerous place.

Complaining about it here wont make a difference, Garda might take a spin past it to check it out though.

I rang the gardai, they said speak to the RSA!

Says it all really

-Corkie-

A go safe van parks in a farmers entrance near Killarney. The farmer placed a large rock at the entrance so he could not park there. I passed it the other nite and the van was at the gate parked almost on top of the rock and was stradling the yellow line.

mickdw

We should post photos here of them parked dangerously and then let some of the media folks at them. Would surely do more about dangerous practice than the gardai.

PCPhoto

you mean like these :

Dont know if these would be considered safe but it was parked on a cycle lane (up on the footpath) outside the Phoenix park on Friday evening (Chapelizod Road)

not even 100% it was a garda/Go-Safe van ....but it was taking pics of vehicles...camera and flash pointing out the back towards traffic - no person in the van (I looked), no markings on the van I photographed all 4 sides.

to the untrained eye it looked like a van just parked up at the side of the road

corktina

It's a Gardai one. No doubt it hads pictures of you photing it...

jimmynokia

to the op why.did you not take photo?
could of got it into a newspaper.
and for the van in chapelizod thats terribly unsafe and illegally parked

eringobragh

PCPhoto wrote: »

you mean like these :

tuttut bus drivers eyes not on the road

PCPhoto wrote: »

to the untrained eye it looked like a van just parked up at the side of the road

I crawl past any transit type van I see parked up, 2 saves in fairview so far :cool:

Berty

Van with glass rear doors = Slow down.

Mr Simpson

eringobragh wrote: »

I crawl past any transit type van I see parked up, 2 saves in fairview so far :cool:

Me too, the garda one is always around the bend in fairview.

eringobragh

mmcn90 wrote: »

Me too, the garda one is always around the bend in fairview.

outside brophies opticians @ 8:30am in the morning...the only part where you can actually break the speedlimit in rush hour

one night @ 12:30am, parked in the parking bay in front of the pedestrian bridge...completely invisible.

but too be fair It makes more sense on them sticking cameras in the likes of fairview then on the dual carraigeway.

I treat fairview like a 24/7 speedtrap

Chris_Heilong

how about just driving the speed limit??

Chris_Heilong

Chris_Heilong wrote: »

how about just driving the speed limit??

how about reading the thread before posting inane offtopic cliches

Chris_Heilong

eringobragh wrote: »

tuttut bus drivers eyes not on the road



I crawl past any transit type van I see parked up, 2 saves in fairview so far :cool:

eringobragh wrote: »

how about reading the thread before posting inane offtopic cliches

I was refacing to comments like this one kid, it is also relevant to the post as it covers the whole speedcam issue and why they are needed in the first place.

-Corkie-

Chris_Heilong wrote: »

I was refacing to comments like this one kid, it is also relevant to the post as it covers the whole speedcam issue and why they are needed in the first place.

There is a mega thread to cover all that kid..;)

eringobragh

Chris_Heilong wrote: »

I was refacing to comments like this one kid, it is also relevant to the post as it covers the whole speedcam issue and why they are needed in the first place.

Kid? watch your manners

Chris_Heilong wrote: »

how about just driving the speed limit??

Its not for me I'm afraid :cool:

teednab-el

mcwhirter wrote: »

It was parked halfway across the hard shoulder and not completely off the road.

Ah well if I was driving a big heavy truck on the road and I saw that, I know exactly what I would do to that speed van in my way and I don't think I would have any mercy for it either. I would try to keep them off the road as best I can.

lad12

Sorry for hi-jacking the thread - But I passed one of these white vans outside Rathnew in Wicklow. I was doing 90+ in 80 zone..Seen it in the distance dunno why i didn't slow down..kicking myself ..finally clicked as i drove past and seen in my mirror the glass windows.. just wondering if these vans captures vehicles driving away from it or just does coming towards it? There was no flash as i drove past..And from past experiences there is always a flash when they catch a car driving towards it..Also I thought these vans were going to be clearly marked??

Oh and again it was hanging out on the side of the road..had to move out to pass..parked at a gate into a field..

eringobragh

lad12 wrote: »

Sorry for hi-jacking the thread - But I passed one of these white vans outside Rathnew in Wicklow. I was doing 90+ in 80 zone..Seen it in the distance dunno why i didn't slow down..kicking myself ..finally clicked as i drove past and seen in my mirror the glass windows.. just wondering if these vans captures vehicles driving away from it or just does coming towards it? There was no flash as i drove past..And from past experiences there is always a flash when they catch a car driving towards it..Also I thought these vans were going to be clearly marked??

Oh and again it was hanging out on the side of the road..had to move out to pass..parked at a gate into a field..

new ones (08 year and on)...no flash (IR) and both sides of the road.

Irish Steve

mcwhirter wrote: »

I rang the gardai, they said speak to the RSA!

Says it all really

And if the RSA are true to form, they will come back, despite it being a road safety issue with the comment that "It's outside our area of responsibility" or similar carp to that effect.

I sent a letter to them a while back about bad traffic light design, amongst other issues, and according to them, every one of the issues was "not their responsibility"

Silly me, I thought they were the ROAD SAFETY AUTHORITY
Not a rest home for semi retired semi state cast offs waiting for their pension!:mad::mad::mad:

Our man in Havana

Some of them already have the pension and use it as a hobby.

cyclopath2001

eringobragh wrote: »

tuttut bus drivers eyes not on the road.

Probably startled by the camera flash.

cyclopath2001

lad12 wrote: »

Also I thought these vans were going to be clearly marked?

Then they wouldn't catch the people who deliberately break speed limits, but slow down under the limit if they think they're going to get caught.

Our man in Havana

Unlikely.

cyclopath2001

PCPhoto wrote: »

Dont know if these would be considered safe but it was parked on a cycle lane (up on the footpath) outside the Phoenix park on Friday evening (Chapelizod Road)

Is that your car parked on the path on the opposite side?

eringobragh

cyclopath2001 wrote: »

Probably startled by the camera flash.

IR Flashless camera

cyclopath2001

eringobragh wrote: »

IR Flashless camera

.....The flash from the camera used to take a picture of the white van. You can see the reflection on the van's side and also in the reflective stripes on the bus.

Taking flash photos of traffic at night, is, IMO, not a sensible thing to do. The bus driver was quite obviously distracted by it.

eringobragh

cyclopath2001 wrote: »

.....The flash from the camera used to take a picture of the white van. You can see the reflection on the van's side and also in the reflective stripes on the bus.

Taking flash photos of traffic at night, is, IMO, not a sensible thing to do. The bus driver was quite obviously distracted by it.

The Last Gen Fixed/Van gatsometer currently used by the Garda generated such a flash.(and still does)..any objections to that?

PCPhoto

cyclopath2001 wrote: »

Is that your car parked on the path on the opposite side?

afraid not - I had to pull in a fair bit down the road and walk back up.

Bishop_Donal

It's clear to me that this thread is attracting two incompatible groups & should be split into 2:

Thread 1:

The do-gooders: Speed cameras are great, because everyone should drive within the limit at all times (regardless of stupid limits). People who criticise anything to do with speedcameras (even if they are parked on blind corners and more likely to kill someone than save someones life) are an unnecessary evil. And certainly anybody who produces photographic evidence of the stupid way they are being deployed should be interned.

Generally, this group will have always wanted to be a speed cop (and get a great thrill when they see a blue light flashing). They believe that driving in the outside lane of multi lane carriageway is entirely appropriate because it's fast enough for them.

Thread 2:

People who are sick of the nanny state: People who want to legitimately criticise the way speed cameras are being deployed because they see it as nothing more than a money gathering exercise. Especially when it is obvious that the way some are being parked that they will cost a life before too long.

cyclopath2001

eringobragh wrote: »

The Last Gen Fixed/Van gatsometer currently used by the Garda generated such a flash.(and still does)..any objections to that?

The issue here is that the photo taker distracted a bus driver.

eringobragh

cyclopath2001 wrote: »

The issue here is that the photo taker distracted a bus driver.

Granted:but still doesn't answer the question about the 17 fixed Gatsos and the x amount of Vans thats out there distracting other drivers...safety as it suits it seems.....

cyclopath2001

Bishop_Donal wrote: »

People who want to legitimately criticise the way speed cameras are being deployed because they see it as nothing more than a money gathering exercise. Especially when it is obvious that the way some are being parked that they will cost a life before too long.

These people criticise cameras when they are on straight roads because it's "perfectly safe to speed on them" and say they should be on narrow twisty roads. Then when they see cameras on narrow twisty roads, they complain that they are 'road hazards'.

cyclopath2001

eringobragh wrote: »

Granted:but still doesn't answer the question about the 17 fixed Gatsos and the x amount of Vans thats out there distracting other drivers...safety as it suits it seems.....

Not having been flashed by such a vehicle, I have no opinion on their effect on drivers. But is is obvious that the flash used to take the picture in this thread did distract the bus driver.

eringobragh

cyclopath2001 wrote: »

Not having been flashed by such a vehicle, I have no opinion on their effect on drivers. But is is obvious that the flash used to take the picture in this thread did distract the bus driver.

Well having been on the wrong end of a fixed camera on the N3 its blinding (thank god the locals burnt the ****in thing) so it's obvious the state are distracting drivers with their shiity legacy scameras

testicle

cyclopath2001 wrote: »

Not having been flashed by such a vehicle, I have no opinion on their effect on drivers. But is is obvious that the flash used to take the picture in this thread did distract the bus driver.

Doubtful, the individual taking the photo distracted the driver as he is currently looking at him instead of the road. A camera flashes at the same time as it takes a photo, not the few seconds before that it would have take for the driver to turn his head.

cyclopath2001

testicle wrote: »

Doubtful, the individual taking the photo distracted the driver as he is currently looking at him instead of the road. A camera flashes at the same time as it takes a photo, not the few seconds before that it would have take for the driver to turn his head.

Before a flash, there's a visibile light focusing pilot light and a red-eye reduction beam. Unless the photo taker was wearing a really short skirt, there is no other explanation for why the bus driver would have been distracted and then temporarily dazzled.

Davidth88

The photo of the camera van on the cycle path is really bad.

A guy on a bike , has to swerve into the road to avoid the van and gets mown down by a bus , nice job !!! ( it could have happened ! )

That is totally and utterly stupid and the people responsible should be fired.

sleepysniper

Ironic how these vans are supposed to be in place for safety, but it seems they are more of a hazard than anything else, between blinding drivers and parking obnoxiously. But, hey, thats the RSA for ya, they have to be made look like the doing something.:rolleyes:...money grabbing bastards.

Seth Brundle

sleepysniper wrote: »

But, hey, thats the RSA for ya, they have to be made look like the doing something.:rolleyes:...money grabbing bastards.

How much money have they managed to grab in total - I wasn't aware that the RSA got any of it.
Incidentally, I've a very heavy right foot and yet never had money grabbed from me by the RSA (or anyone else for that matter)!

Bishop_Donal

cyclopath2001 wrote: »

These people criticise cameras when they are on straight roads because it's "perfectly safe to speed on them" and say they should be on narrow twisty roads. Then when they see cameras on narrow twisty roads, they complain that they are 'road hazards'.

Bull.

Most people argue against speed cameras on straight roads where the speed limit is too low. That is where they are being positioned. It's purely money raising.

I guarantee you if you check the locations where you find the cameras there is an astonishing consistency. They are either immediately after you come around a corner with the back ass of the van sticking out on the road, or on straight stretches where there is a ridiculous limit.

No sane person has an objection to any mechanism that saves lives, but a hell of a lot of people feel that the way these cameras are being used is purely related to how much money can be collected. e.g. N4 at Liffey Valley, how many lives are being saved there? Palmerstown bypass (60 KMPH zone), how many lives are being saved there.......