15-car warning about a Speed-Camera Van

kerry4sam

Yesterday evening as I was driving, this on-coming car flashed me so I slowed down & flashed them back (saying thanks!) and then the next flashed me and then again after. In total 15 cars flashed me within space of minutes.
I slowed right down not exactly sure what I was driving upto. Honestly thought with that much warning by motorists there was some crash / collision and I should expect ES on the road somewhere ahead of me.

Kept motoring on, speed down and low and behold what do I see - Only a damn speed camera van! 15 cars flashed me to warn about a damn speed-camera van in a place it normally is, not like it was hidden or in some unusual spot.

I laughed on passing it, pure relief tbh that it was not a crash or collision but how come people are upping the warnings about speed-camera vans?

Surely if someone is speeding above the limit they deserve to be caught?

Thanks,
kerry4sam


/Mods: Please move if you have a more appropriate place for this

Gokei

kerry4sam wrote: »

Yesterday evening as I was driving, this on-coming car flashed me so I slowed down & flashed them back (saying thanks!) and then the next flashed me and then again after. In total 15 cars flashed me within space of minutes.
I slowed right down not exactly sure what I was driving upto. Honestly thought with that much warning by motorists there was some crash / collision and I should expect ES on the road somewhere ahead of me.

Kept motoring on, speed down and low and behold what do I see - Only a damn speed camera van! 15 cars flashed me to warn about a damn speed-camera van in a place it normally is, not like it was hidden or in some unusual spot.

I laughed on passing it, pure relief tbh that it was not a crash or collision but how come people are upping the warnings about speed-camera vans?

Surely if someone is speeding above the limit they deserve to be caught?

Thanks,
kerry4sam


/Mods: Please move if you have a more appropriate place for this

Fair play to them. It's drivers like that I owe my licence to. Only 6 points, instead of being of the road.

Healio

kerry4sam wrote: »

Surely if someone is speeding above the limit they deserve to be caught?

Would you rather they were caught speeding or actually slowed down (like you did)?

Snickers Man

kerry4sam wrote: »

how come people are upping the warnings about speed-camera vans?

Surely if someone is speeding above the limit they deserve to be caught?

Is this a troll post?

This attitude baffles the hell out of me. I have heard several people say, although I never believed them, that they were or knew people who were pulled by the guards for warning oncoming cars about speed checks.

I think such an attitude is bizarre. It is the first duty of law enforcement to ensure people keep to the law, not try and catch out those who break it unwittingly.

Surely the correct attitude should be that that single camera van caused all the traffic within probably a five mile radius to slow down, rather than catch just one errant who may have been slightly over the speed limit. Surely this is a good thing?

I remember years and years ago watching a program about CB radios (ask your dad) in America and the British TV reporter asked the cop was he not worried that CB users would alert people to the presence of a traffic cop and the number of tickets written would go down.

"Sure," said the cop. "That's what we're trying to do. A single patrol car on a stretch of road causes all the traffic to slow down because everybody within CB range knows we're there."

Sounds sensible to me.

Dr_Colossus

Not to mention some of the speed limits are a shambles. For instance the N3 section that by passes the M3 toll towards Dunshaughlin has a 60km/h speed limit despite it being a wide 4 lane road. Also the N6 road towards Galway has a 80km/h speed limit just because it bypasses the toll when other N roads that don't bypass motorway tolls generally have a 100km/h speed limit.

corktina

It's surely not the same thing flashing for a camera van as it is for a Gard. Can't be illegal in my opinion

djimi

Snickers Man wrote: »

Is this a troll post?

This attitude baffles the hell out of me. I have heard several people say, although I never believed them, that they were or knew people who were pulled by the guards for warning oncoming cars about speed checks.

I think such an attitude is bizarre. It is the first duty of law enforcement to ensure people keep to the law, not try and catch out those who break it unwittingly.

Surely the correct attitude should be that that single camera van caused all the traffic within probably a five mile radius to slow down, rather than catch just one errant who may have been slightly over the speed limit. Surely this is a good thing?

I remember years and years ago watching a program about CB radios (ask your dad) in America and the British TV reporter asked the cop was he not worried that CB users would alert people to the presence of a traffic cop and the number of tickets written would go down.

"Sure," said the cop. "That's what we're trying to do. A single patrol car on a stretch of road causes all the traffic to slow down because everybody within CB range knows we're there."

Sounds sensible to me.

The point about the speed cameras is that they are supposed to be random and as such act as a deterrent. Its not much of a detterent if you know where they are going to be, and will proceed to speed until you are within 100 yards of them.

Guy:Incognito

Healio wrote: »

Would you rather they were caught speeding or actually slowed down (like you did)?

They don't slow down though. If anything they keep speeding and assume they'll get warning of anytime they might get caught.

noelf

Dr_Colossus wrote: »

Not to mention some of the speed limits are a shambles. For instance the N3 section that by passes the M3 toll towards Dunshaughlin has a 60km/h speed limit despite it being a wide 4 lane road. Also the N6 road towards Galway has a 80km/h speed limit just because it bypasses the toll when other N roads that don't bypass motorway tolls generally have a 100km/h speed limit.

The N3 used to be a 100km/h road now only 80km/h ridiculous....flashed a white van one night only to see garda sign on the side of it ...

bugsntinas

I know i'll come in for some stick but I have the same attitude as the OP.if people speed they deserve to get caught.yes some of the speed limits are an ass but they on the whole are there for a reason unfortunately you'll always get the knob that thinks it don't apply to them.i know of an instance a few years back in the uk where a camera van was set up and the old bill got wise to people warning on coming motorists about it,i believe an unmarked car was warned,so they parked up on the opposite side and waited for people to flash and then they pulled them.i think they were done for perverting the course of justice or something so it is/was illegal.

ABC101

I can't understand how a driver could get into trouble for flashing the lights.

If there is an obstruction ahead.. ie. speed check or tax insurance inspection etc then by getting oncoming traffic to slow down... you are actually increasing the safety of the Gardai at the check point.

I'm not aware of any law which says "thou shalt not flash the lights before 4 p.m or what not"

bugsntinas

wouldn't really class a speed check as an obstruction!
I can't understand why people are so against speed cameras/vans etc.
does everyone want to speed,have accidents,kill etc just like the idiots that can't be bothered wearing seatbelts or belting up their children in the car.

djimi

ABC101 wrote: »

I can't understand how a driver could get into trouble for flashing the lights.

If there is an obstruction ahead.. ie. speed check or tax insurance inspection etc then by getting oncoming traffic to slow down... you are actually increasing the safety of the Gardai at the check point.

I'm not aware of any law which says "thou shalt not flash the lights before 4 p.m or what not"

Its not an obstuction if its a van/car parked at the side of the road.

I dont actually know what the offense is, but I have also heard of people being pulled over for flashing warning lights to oncoming traffic.

corktina

yes , you could be pulled for obstructing the Gards but only if it is the Gards, rather than a gosafe vanimo

ABC101

djimi wrote: »

Its not an obstuction if its a van/car parked at the side of the road.

I dont actually know what the offense is, but I have also heard of people being pulled over for flashing warning lights to oncoming traffic.

So where they given a fine, penalty points, court summons or verbal warning?

Was it in Ireland or the UK?

Stavros Murphy

djimi wrote: »

Its not an obstuction if its a van/car parked at the side of the road.

I dont actually know what the offense is, but I have also heard of people being pulled over for flashing warning lights to oncoming traffic.

"That was my brother in law Gard, I was just saying Hi". I drive a road to work every day that is 60kph, for a few miles, of dead, arrow, straight tarmac. Yet it is haunted by the camera vans. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you - I flash my brother in law frequently.

bugsntinas

Stavros Murphy wrote: »

"That was my brother in law Gard, I was just saying Hi". I drive a road to work every day that is 60kph, for a few miles, of dead, arrow, straight tarmac. Yet it is haunted by the camera vans. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you - I flash my brother in law frequently.

you said it right there,it's a dead straight road with a 60 limit.they obviously know people speed.

djimi

Stavros Murphy wrote: »

"That was my brother in law Gard, I was just saying Hi". I drive a road to work every day that is 60kph, for a few miles, of dead, arrow, straight tarmac. Yet it is haunted by the camera vans. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you - I flash my brother in law frequently.

I dont disagree with you, and tbh it could be nothing more than urban legend these stories of people getting pulled over for flashing.

djimi

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/caradvice/honestjohn/8640790/Is-it-illegal-to-warn-others-of-speed-traps.html

Best I can find. Doesnt exactly give much detail and no link to a specific case!

_Kaiser_

Yep, I'll always flash whenever I see a camera van/cop with speedgun/tripod - feck em.

9 times out of 10 they're hidden behind bends on motorway-grade roads and it's purely a revenue gathering exercise.

bugsntinas

djimi wrote: »

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/caradvice/honestjohn/8640790/Is-it-illegal-to-warn-others-of-speed-traps.html

Best I can find. Doesnt exactly give much detail and no link to a specific case!

well found so it proves you can get done

ironclaw

Yeah, it is illegal to flash for a Garda. I've seen them pull for it myself and a family member was cautioned for it. The tricky bit is proving you were flashing because of the Van / Speed trap i.e. I was saying hello to a mate, I was warning an oncoming car for not having lights (If it was dark) etc. I'd say it would be tricky to secure a prosecution for it. That said, I hate the vans and will attempt if reasonable to warn others generally by slowing to a crawl to pass if I spot them.

I know a GoSafe van isn't a Garda operation, however it is fulfilling the role of one. So makes it kinda grey I'd say as regards 'perverting the course of justice' i.e. You are wilfully preventing an authority from catching someone committing an offence. 'Sure everyone does it' isn't much of a defence in front of a judge.

_Kaiser_

bugsntinas wrote: »

well found so it proves you can get done

.. in the UK. Not necessarily here.

Of course with the way "enforcement" in this country works they can always come up with something else if they wanted and their "word" will be taken as gospel :rolleyes:

(Which would be fine if we had a professional, accountable police force but as recent events have shown that's just not so)

bugsntinas

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

Yep, I'll always flash whenever I see a camera van/cop with speedgun/tripod - feck em.

9 times out of 10 they're hidden behind bends on motorway-grade roads and it's purely a revenue gathering exercise.

I really don't understand this attitude.isn't there a website that tells you where they are?so why would you speed on these roads in the first place?yes they do create revenue but they also do the job of slowing people down as if ya know they're about wouldn't you slow down?
if you think they hide take a look at this lot

http://english.controleradar.org/hidden-speed-camera.php

the simple message is "don't speed don't get points"

Stavros Murphy

bugsntinas wrote: »

you said it right there,it's a dead straight road with a 60 limit.they obviously know people speed.

Well, here's the rub, auld fruit - the boreens going off either side are 80kph. And they're blind bended death-traps. Some tool with a clipboard, a degree in traffic management and the common sense of a geranium set the 60kph limit. When the straight runs out, and it gets dangerous and bendy, guess what, it's 80 again. Go figure.

_Kaiser_

bugsntinas wrote: »

I really don't understand this attitude.isn't there a website that tells you where they are?so why would you speed on these roads in the first place?yes they do create revenue but they also do the job of slowing people down as if ya know they're about wouldn't you slow down?
if you think they hide take a look at this lot

http://english.controleradar.org/hidden-speed-camera.php

the simple message is "don't speed don't get points"

I don't spend my driving day being overly concerned about the speedo reading - I drive appropriate to the prevailing conditions..

So, if it's raining heavily, lots of spray and poor visibility, I'll slow down, or if it's a built up urban area with schools and/or shops around I'll take my time regardless of the arbitrary limit... but equally if it's a wide, clear, practically empty motorway I'll drive according to those conditions too.

Nul point incidentally

Stavros Murphy

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

Yep, I'll always flash whenever I see a camera van/cop with speedgun/tripod - feck em.

9 times out of 10 they're hidden behind bends on motorway-grade roads and it's purely a revenue gathering exercise.

A lad on the N7 did a cool thing in a Volvo there the other day - he warned following traffic by pulsing his brake lights in a very funky way. If you are that driver, I salute you. Kudos.

bugsntinas

maybe just for Ireland the eu could have the speedo removed then everyone can have a merry old time guessing their speed or maybe not.i don't speed everyone drives too slow attitude going on too often

_Kaiser_

bugsntinas wrote: »

maybe just for Ireland the eu could have the speedo removed then everyone can have a merry old time guessing their speed or maybe not.i don't speed everyone drives too slow attitude going on too often

No guesswork required.. if you know your car and are observant you should be able to tell your approx speed without having to have your eyes glued to the speedo.

bugsntinas

Stavros Murphy wrote: »

Well, here's the rub, auld fruit - the boreens going off either side are 80kph. And they're blind bended death-traps. Some tool with a clipboard, a degree in traffic management and the common sense of a geranium set the 60kph limit. When the straight runs out, and it gets dangerous and bendy, guess what, it's 80 again. Go figure.

I agree with you totally how the hell can they say you can drive around country single track lanes at 80 but does that really give people the right to break the speed limit on other straight roads?i don't travel up north or midlands and I remember seeing a bit about one of the motorways where it was 3 lanes I think and it was 60 then went into single windy and rose to 100 madness.

Riva10

bugsntinas wrote: »

well found so it proves you can get done

At least in the UK.

JohnBoy26

bugsntinas wrote: »

I really don't understand this attitude.isn't there a website that tells you where they are?so why would you speed on these roads in the first place?yes they do create revenue but they also do the job of slowing people down as if ya know they're about wouldn't you slow down?
if you think they hide take a look at this lot

http://english.controleradar.org/hidden-speed-camera.php

the simple message is "don't speed don't get points"

No the map only tells you where they could possibly be. It doesn't give you a pin point location.

bugsntinas

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

No guesswork required.. if you know your car and are observant you should be able to tell your approx speed without having to have your eyes glued to the speedo.

again I kind of agree I know when i'm doing 50 'cause the car judders a bit but there are a lot of people and you've gotta agree that just don't give a ****e about speed limits,road markings etc.

ABC101

Well I don't think it would be that easy to implement... I mean think about it for a second..

You're driving along, obeying the speed limits etc.. and up comes a Garda speed trap... you pass through it with no problems (as you were not speeding etc).

On driving away from the scene... you flash the lights at oncoming traffic.. and suddenly out jumps this Garda waving a red flag on the left....

So you get pulled over for a chat... but whilst you are having your chat with the Garda... the traffic on the opposite side of the road (i.e. the traffic you had been flashing) will be slowing down anyway... rubbernecking etc to see what is happening to yourself, which defeats the purpose of the speedtrap back down the road!

On another point.. I am skeptical if you could be accused of "obstructing Justice".

I suspect (open to correction) but it would have to be proven in a court of law that... on exiting a speed trap, you flashed your lights at oncoming traffic which WAS SPEEDING and hence by your (flashing) actions the oncoming traffic slowed down to a legal speed and hence avoided detection at the speed trap down the road.

I don't have a speed detector on my dash which judges the speed of oncoming traffic ... so if I did flash my lights... I don't know for certain if I am flashing people driving at a legal or illegal speed, unless they are driving excessively fast etc.

At most, if you were pulled over... it would be for a caution... as for getting points, fine etc .... I could not see it happening.

noelf

T

Stavros Murphy wrote: »

A lad on the N7 did a cool thing in a Volvo there the other day - he warned following traffic by pulsing his brake lights in a very funky way. If you are that driver, I salute you. Kudos.

. . . - - - . . .

(mayday) !!

dodzy

noelf wrote: »

The N3 used to be a 100km/h road now only 80km/h ridiculous....flashed a white van one night only to see garda sign on the side of it ...

1. Force you onto the M3 toll - revenue stream
2. Snap you for a speeding fine at a ridiculous speed - revenue stream

Valetta

dodzy wrote: »

1. Force you onto the M3 toll - revenue stream
2. Snap you for a speeding fine at a ridiculous speed - revenue stream

3. Stay at or below the limit - everyone's a winner.

Truckermal

People in cars always flash me to warn of the presence of a speed van more so if I am driving the truck oddly enough other truck drivers don't bother there hole.

cjt156

bugsntinas wrote: »

I know i'll come in for some stick but I have the same attitude as the OP.if people speed they deserve to get caught.

bugsntinas wrote: »

I know when i'm doing 50 'cause the car judders a bit

So people who exceed a posted limit deserve what they get? What do you think of people who fail to maintain their vehicles?

Or are you just happy to 'judder' your way along the road feeling safe because you are keeping to the limit?

corktina

Stavros Murphy wrote: »

Well, here's the rub, auld fruit - the boreens going off either side are 80kph. And they're blind bended death-traps. Some tool with a clipboard, a degree in traffic management and the common sense of a geranium set the 60kph limit. When the straight runs out, and it gets dangerous and bendy, guess what, it's 80 again. Go figure.

Just think of the signs as "national speed limit applies" like the old black bar on white signs. In fact, it would have been a good idea to keep that old sign for situations like this.

ABC101

Does the juddering get worse at higher speeds... or just at 50 kph?

endacl

I sometimes flash people coming towards me if they're hoorin' along. Get a 'thank you' flash in return and they slow down.

It's not an offence if there isn't actually a speed trap down the road. They cool their jets for a few miles. Win-win.

P.K.M.

kerry4sam wrote: »

..but how come people are upping the warnings about speed-camera vans?

It's called courtesy. I like when people flash their lights at me to warn me, I'm appreciative.

kerry4sam wrote: »

Surely if someone is speeding above the limit they deserve to be caught?

Oh God... :rolleyes: I love this holier than thou attitude. "I never speed.."

Gokei wrote: »

Fair play to them. It's drivers like that I owe my licence to. Only 6 points, instead of being of the road.

Absolutely!!

Snickers Man wrote: »

Is this a troll post?

I genuinely thought so too...I can't believe people actually think like this.

Snickers Man wrote: »

This attitude baffles the hell out of me.

Likewise.

Dr_Colossus wrote: »

Not to mention some of the speed limits are a shambles.

Some?? Most are!! I've seen roads with three lanes and has a 60kph or 80kph limit, and then windy, twisty, dangerous back roads with 100kph on them. Doesn't make sense! I reckon these lower limits are put on big open roads to make it easier for the Flash For Cash vans to make their revenue. Fish in a barrel and all that...nothing to do with safety.

MajorMax

Stop speeding and camera vans stop being a problem