Speed camera question

Stanlex

I was driving on a dual carriage way today in the right lane, there was a Garda standing beside his motorcycle looking through what I presume is a speed check camera thing, ugh, I don't even know. Speed limit was 80, but I doubt anyone was going that speed.

Could he seriously catch everyone on his own with that camera? I mean what use is the camera? I seen a Garda use it before but then stop the person speeding but this guy was just standing there looking through it.

Any idea?

Banjo String

Chinese lantern.

Stanlex

Banjo String wrote: »

Chinese lantern.

First reply is always irrelevant and smart. Getting used to it now!

AnonoBoy

Banjo String wrote: »

Chinese lantern.

Probably just a weather balloon actually.

Or marsh gases.

Riva10

The Gárda was probably using a laser speed gun . It is not a camera . If he had zapped you at an excessive speed he would have stopped you and given you an on the spot. No need to worry.

MS.ing

the thing is do you want to take the bet op

Bog Standard User

Riva10 wrote: »

The Gárda was probably using a laser speed gun . It is not a camera . If he had zapped you at an excessive speed he would have stopped you and given you an on the spot. No need to worry.

not true... speed laser guns also capture your reg plate... they can send the fine in the post.

ScumLord

Maybe he was just taking a photo, was there a lovely sunset behind you by any chance?

cml387

Technology has moved on. It's a laser speed detector and number plate recognition system. He doesn't have to stop you. The machine has read the numberplate,written a fixed notice fine, licked stamped and posted the letter which is on it's way to you as i speak. For a full debate on the in's and out's of speed cameras, their general use and the parentage of those that wield them I suggest the motoring forum.

snubbleste

It was just a hairdryer, he was pointing it the wrong way.

sprained_wang

speeding is one of the biggest cash cows in the state right now , its gotten redicolous at this stage , driving is no longer a remotely enjoyable experience as you spend more time looking out for speed cameras and signs than watching the road , when you come close to the outskirts of a town , the 50 KM sign is often less than twenty metres after a 60 KM one

AnonoBoy

sprained_wang wrote: »

speeding is one of the biggest cash cows in the state right now

Cows are a bigger cash cow I find.

Milk is so overpriced.

snubbleste

sprained_wang wrote: »

speeding is one of the biggest cash cows in the state right now , its gotten redicolous at this stage , driving is no longer a remotely enjoyable experience as you spend more time looking out for speed cameras and signs than watching the road , when you come close to the outskirts of a town , the 50 KM sign is often less than twenty metres after a 60 KM one

At least you admit that you see the signs

sprained_wang

snubbleste wrote: »

At least you admit that you see the signs

its not like you have to be doing 140 KM per hour to find yourself with a ticket , I wish this glib nonsense about how only speed merchants need worry about things would disappear

surely people can see that its in the main , nothing but a cheap and easy way of gouging more money out of us , its got nothing to do with reducing road fatalities

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Riva10 wrote: »

The Gárda was probably using a laser speed gun . It is not a camera . If he had zapped you at an excessive speed he would have stopped you and given you an on the spot. No need to worry.

Whereas a laser speed gun just vaporises you on the spot.

Sir Arthur Daley

ScumLord wrote: »

Maybe he was just taking a photo, was there a lovely sunset behind you by any chance?

He will be in early for The Countryfile Calender 2015.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Damn pervert countryphiles. Should be hung.

Daveysil15

sprained_wang wrote: »

speeding is one of the biggest cash cows in the state right now , its gotten redicolous at this stage , driving is no longer a remotely enjoyable experience as you spend more time looking out for speed cameras and signs than watching the road , when you come close to the outskirts of a town , the 50 KM sign is often less than twenty metres after a 60 KM one

I fecking hate that. I recently got 2 penalty points for doing 63 in a 50 KPH zone. Now I'm always really careful on that road, so I'd be doing about 45 KPH and it just feels like I'm holding up the traffic. I've had a few drivers overtake me already. It's a long straight road and as you've said, its no more than 20 meters from the 60 KPH sign, and then that is no more than 20 meters from the 80 KPH sign. There's actually 4 speed camera signs in the space of about 2 KM.

The Backwards Man

I hate that excuse of ah I was only doing 63 in the 50. Your speedo will be reading around the 70 mark for the camera to detect you at 63, that blatant ignorance of speed limit signs is straying from carelessly negligent to dangerously so.

Daveysil15

The Backwards Man wrote: »

I hate that excuse of ah I was only doing 63 in the 50. Your speedo will be reading around the 70 mark for the camera to detect you at 63, that blatant ignorance of speed limit signs is straying from carelessly negligent to dangerously so.

I wasn't using it as an excuse and I accept I was over the speed limit and am more careful now as a result. But 4 speed camera signs on a 2 KM stretch of road is a bit much.

The Backwards Man

Daveysil15 wrote: »

I wasn't using it as an excuse and I accept I was over the speed limit and am more careful now as a result. But 4 speed camera signs on a 2 KM stretch of road is a bit much.

Fair enough, carry on so.:)

ScumLord

ScumLord wrote: »

Maybe he was just taking a photo, was there a lovely sunset behind you by any chance?

There's a lovely sunset right in front of me now!

MadMardegan

Same thing happened to me a couple of months ago.
Asked my friend who's girlfriend is a Sergeant and she said that unless the Garda pulled you over you have nothing to worry about.
The only way you'll get a letter in the door is if it's a speed van.

Daveysil15

What if you're only one or two km over the limit? Would you still get penalised for that?

biko

Yes, definitely maybe.

corner of hells

MadMardegan wrote: »

Same thing happened to me a couple of months ago.
Asked my friend who's girlfriend is a Sergeant and she said that unless the Garda pulled you over you have nothing to worry about.
The only way you'll get a letter in the door is if it's a speed van.

I always find this is the best and most accurate way of getting information , for example my cousins wife is a vet and rather than go to the doctor we ask her for medical advice by describing symptoms over the phone.
Almost as good as anecdotal evidence.

dirtyden

Daveysil15 wrote: »

I fecking hate that. I recently got 2 penalty points for doing 63 in a 50 KPH zone. Now I'm always really careful on that road, so I'd be doing about 45 KPH and it just feels like I'm holding up the traffic. I've had a few drivers overtake me already. It's a long straight road and as you've said, its no more than 20 meters from the 60 KPH sign, and then that is no more than 20 meters from the 80 KPH sign. There's actually 4 speed camera signs in the space of about 2 KM.

Until that final sentence I had some sympathy, 4 speed camera signs but you still decided you had to speed. It's not like you were not well warned about the speed cameras.

MadMardegan

corner of hells wrote: »

I always find this is the best and most accurate way of getting information , for example my cousins wife is a vet and rather than go to the doctor we ask her for medical advice by describing symptoms over the phone.
Almost as good as anecdotal evidence.

If a Garda Sergeant tells me that a Gard with a speed gun needs to pull me over in order for me to be issued with a fine/points then I'll take that as fact.

You say you're going to a vet for your medical advice? Sounds about right in your case...

corner of hells

MadMardegan wrote: »

If a Garda Sergeant tells me that a Gard with a speed gun needs to pull me over in order for me to be issued with a fine/points then I'll take that as fact.

You say you're going to a vet for your medical advice? Sounds about right in your case...

Im just after noticing After Hours threads are supposed to be humourous , did you know that ?

Stavros Murphy

Daveysil15 wrote: »

What if you're only one or two km over the limit? Would you still get penalised for that?

It used to be a lot of leeway, maybe 10kph over, but they have brought in new rules (I think it is from the RSA) that mean the Limit is the Limit, which really pi55es me off - from May 15th you will not be allowed do even 1kph over or you'll get a ticket, which is stupidly harsh and strikes me as just the usual money-grubbing. These rules are already in place in France since earlier last month and are causing speeding ticket numbers to rocket.

crazygeryy

Was he eating a kit kat at the time?

Antar Bolaeisk

Princess Consuela Bananahammock wrote: »

Whereas a laser speed gun just vaporises you on the spot.

http://what-if.xkcd.com/87/

Rubberchikken

i'll be the party pooper and say that limits are limits not targets.
and i think get rid of marked speed vans and signs indicating same and make them unmarked and send out bloody speed fines. might make some muppets think twice about the speed they drive at.

no one is ever going to convince me that they need to be driving past the limit on the road sign.
leave earlier if you need to be somewhere, and whoever said driving must be enjoyable. it's just driving.

truedoom

driving in this country can't be enjoyable anyways! **** roads. **** roads everywhere.

Uriel.

Stavros Murphy wrote: »

It used to be a lot of leeway, maybe 10kph over, but they have brought in new rules (I think it is from the RSA) that mean the Limit is the Limit, which really pi55es me off - from May 15th you will not be allowed do even 1kph over or you'll get a ticket, which is stupidly harsh and strikes me as just the usual money-grubbing. These rules are already in place in France since earlier last month and are causing speeding ticket numbers to rocket.

Do you have a source for that?

Daveysil15

dirtyden wrote: »

Until that final sentence I had some sympathy, 4 speed camera signs but you still decided you had to speed. It's not like you were not well warned about the speed cameras.

I didn't feel I had to speed. It's not like I was deliberately driving fast or anything. I just didn't notice the fourth camera which was recently added on the road.

GenieOz

Rubberchikken wrote: »

i'll be the party pooper and say that limits are limits not targets.
and i think get rid of marked speed vans and signs indicating same and make them unmarked and send out bloody speed fines. might make some muppets think twice about the speed they drive at.

no one is ever going to convince me that they need to be driving past the limit on the road sign.
leave earlier if you need to be somewhere, and whoever said driving must be enjoyable. it's just driving.

Social domestic and pleasure. The three uses for the majority of road users. Pleasure.

You sound like you have quite a naive and vague understanding of the reasons people have a problem with the speed limits and therefore end up breaking them.

Rubberchikken

I'm anything but naive.
To me its very simple. Rules are rules.

Cant see why so many speed or drive recklessly and then whinge when the proverbial hits the fan.

Never have an ounce of sympathy when I hear about car crashes/deaths from same.

AlekSmart

The Backwards Man wrote: »

I hate that excuse of "Ah I was only doing 63 in the 50." Your speedo will be reading around the 70 mark for the camera to detect you at 63, that blatant ignorance of speed limit signs is straying from carelessly negligent to dangerously so.

True to a point...however,at least one eminent Judge has misgivings as to the calibre of the State's Speed Detection Contractors....

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/judge-angry-as-secret-rules-on-speed-limits-kept-from-him-30073893.html

That Judge has performed some service to this Republic,simply by seeking simple answers from a crowd who obviously consider their operations above scrutiny...

Go Safe official Christopher Quinn told the court that Mr Derwin was driving at 89km per hour in a 80km zone when detected at Drumana, Crusheen on August 25 last.

Judge Durcan said: "Tell me, Mr Quinn, at what level of excess of the speed limit do you commence prosecution?"

In response, Mr Quinn said: "I am not supposed to disclose that, your honour." In reply, Judge Durcan said: "Sorry, you are in court and you are on oath and if that is your attitude I am striking out the prosecution."

Addressing Insp Tom Kennedy of Ennis Garda Station, Judge Durcan said: "Insp Kennedy, you might convey to Insp McDonald that if a witness is asked a question, a witness should answer it."

Other revelations on the foot of this article make for equally intriguing reading....

The GoSafe consortium secured the €80m Garda Siochana contract to operate the network of speed camera vans in 2009. The consortium's most recent accounts show it had operating profits of almost €50,000 a week in 2012.

Since then it moved to place the scale of its profits beyond public scrutiny by going unlimited, which removes the requirement to file annual accounts.

On average, the GoSafe vans detect one speeding motorist per hour working out at 72,000 detections per annum as it is contracted to provide 6,000 hours per month.

This little nugget about Go-Safe becoming an UNlimited company,thus evading the requirement to file annual accounts,just reeks of dubious carry-on and begs the question WHY would Go-Safe feel it needed to conceal it's financials from the gaze of those who are funding it ?

Blatant ignorance,careless negligence and danger are not necessarily the sole preserve of the motorist either...;)

losthorizon

sprained_wang wrote: »

speeding is one of the biggest cash cows in the state right now , its gotten redicolous at this stage , driving is no longer a remotely enjoyable experience as you spend more time looking out for speed cameras and signs than watching the road , when you come close to the outskirts of a town , the 50 KM sign is often less than twenty metres after a 60 KM one

Yeah you cant even text and put on your make up anymore

Daveysil15

losthorizon wrote: »

Yeah you cant even text and put on your make up anymore

Well you could still do that while obeying the speed limit.

Daveysil15

Daveysil15 wrote: »

Well you could still do that while obeying the speed limit.

The GoSafe operators would most likely ignore everything that doesn't involve exceeding the speed limit.

emo72

Bog Standard User wrote: »

not true... speed laser guns also capture your reg plate... they can send the fine in the post.

No good with motorbikes then is it?

5live

Princess Consuela Bananahammock wrote: »

Damn pervert countryphiles. Should be hung.

We are.

Very well hung, tbh;-)

dgt

Maybe he was just taking a level survey