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Speed cameras in Ireland - a guide

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Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 36,169 ✭✭✭✭ED E


    Have to agree with Pat here. If you're able to adjust for road conditions, traffic et al then you can limit yourself to the speed limit too.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 221 ✭✭khamilto


    Patww79 wrote: »
    This post has been deleted.

    God forbid we use statistics and evidence when setting policy or making an argument :rolleyes:

    Speeding is speeding and walking is walking, yet again you're making faux-profound statements that are meaningful only to unimaginative gob****es.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 26,658 ✭✭✭✭OldMrBrennan83


    This post has been deleted.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,065 ✭✭✭✭Odyssey 2005


    Cops had a speed check as you exit the tunnel in limericks today heading towards Shannon. Wonder how many ppl have had accidents there.:) Pure revenue exercise.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,327 ✭✭✭highdef


    khamilto wrote: »
    Excess speed over the speed limit was found to be a factor in only a small minority of vehicular accidents resulting in death.

    Excess speed for the conditions (without exceeding the speed limit) were found to be a factor in far more.

    I'm sorry if you like a black and white world devoid of complexity, unfortunately that isn't the world we live in.

    Please don't preach when you are woefully ignorant of the topic you are preaching about.
    Assuming you have a driver's licence, that privilege also means that you agree to adhere to the rules of the road. There are many roads where I think the limit is way too low however that gives me no right to drive faster than the posted speed limits. I can't make up my own rules and regulations simply because I don't agree with them. I just accept them fully. If I decide that I personally think that I should be able to drive above the posted speed limits or that I should be able to drive in a bus lane because my personal beliefs are that I think traffic will flow better.... Or whatever.... Then I should hand back my licence because I am then ruling myself by my own rules and have no right to be in possession of a driver's licence.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 221 ✭✭khamilto


    Patww79 wrote: »
    This post has been deleted.

    I take it you don't drive at all? Or take the bus?

    If you do, you're a hypocrite. ALL LIVES MATTER after all, and by getting in any kind of vehicle you are putting those lives at risk. Aren't lives in the lower percentage brackets worth as much? I look forward to your posts in the future on life in Ireland where the only means of transport is your own two feet and a bicycle. I'm sure it will be a riveting read, fully of depth and subtlety and nuance.

    @Highdef - where did I ever advocate that people break the speed limit? Or state that I did? The most I would ever do is go 2-3 km/h over on the Motorway and I'm far more likely to be doing under it with cruise control on. Just because I advocate against speed cameras, the emphasis on speeding enforcement over other kinds of bad driving behaviour, or the arbitrary nature of speed limits that aren't based on any kind of factual basis - doesn't mean I'm stating people can break the law willy nilly. To frame the argument as such (as Patww79 seems incapable of doing otherwise) is a textbook straw man fallacy.

    However, have you ever jaywalked? Paid cash in hand to a tradesman or not checked if they're registered for VAT? Burned non-smokeless coal in a smokeless area? There are countless laws that I am sure you break on a regular basis, as do we all. Why are you on a high horse and pontificating loudly about speeding?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,004 ✭✭✭ironclaw


    Folks, take the handbags off the thread. The whole point of this thread is to educate people about how they may be caught. At least people are armed with some sense about how the systems are measuring their speed, what they do with that info or how they act on it, I couldn't care less.


  • Posts: 14,344 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Not directly speed van related, but hopefully a stance and a bit of common sense will prevail perhaps, going forward?


    http://www.meathchronicle.ie/news/roundup/articles/2017/05/02/4139294-judge-says-drivers-caught-going-a-few-kilometres-over-speed-limit-should-not-be-prosecuted/


    (Paraphrased)
    A judge has said that drivers who are a few kilometres over the speed limit should not be prosecuted... A Dundalk man had been clocked driving at 60km per hour in a 50 zone... Striking out the summons, Judge Dunne said that his was a court of law but it was also a court of justice and the particular driver was "only a few kilometres over."


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,327 ✭✭✭highdef


    20% over is quite a fair bit, considering the drivers speedo was probably reading a few KMPH again over 60. A 50 limit usually means that it's a built up/urban area and therefore there are many distractions/obstacles/pedestrians etc around. In these kind of situations, hitting a pedestrian at 60 versus 50 can very easily be the difference between life of death.

    Having said that, if the driver has no other convictions for speeding or bad driving, then it would hopefully be a wake up call for the the future and his or her common sense will prevail.


  • Posts: 14,344 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    highdef wrote: »
    20% over is quite a fair bit, considering the drivers speedo was probably reading a few KMPH again over 60. A 50 limit usually means that it's a built up/urban area and therefore there are many distractions/obstacles/pedestrians etc around. In these kind of situations, hitting a pedestrian at 60 versus 50 can very easily be the difference between life of death.

    Having said that, if the driver has no other convictions for speeding or bad driving, then it would hopefully be a wake up call for the the future and his or her common sense will prevail.


    Judge took that into consideration according to the article.

    He added that if the driving had taken place in a housing estate it would be a different matter.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,327 ✭✭✭highdef


    Judge took that into consideration according to the article.
    Apologies, I didn't read the full article, just the quoted part. Sounds like a fair judge!


  • Registered Users Posts: 159 ✭✭lamb stew


    GM228 wrote: »
    As the ANPR records the evidence in relation to the speeding the Gardaí do not need to pull you over in this instance, but generally they will. In relation to the OPs question, the ANPR can only detect speed from vehicles in front of the Garda car.

    The Gardaí only need to pull you over when using hand held speed guns.

    But does the garda car have to be travelling behind the car for it to catch cars in front of them using ANPR, or can the car be stationary


  • Posts: 14,344 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    lamb stew wrote: »
    But does the garda car have to be travelling behind the car for it to catch cars in front of them using ANPR, or can the car be stationary


    I've obviously missed the discussion in the thread in regards to ANPR, but I don't believe a speeding ticket can be issued based on ANPR use?

    As far as I know, if you want to use ANPR it's just recording the speed the Garda car is travelling at (much like a dash cam?). So in order for a Garda to show that you're over the limit, they would need to pace you for a little while to demonstrate your speed?

    But i believe they would have to do you for careless or dangerous driving? I don't think they can say you did X speed and issue a speeding ticket for it? Could be wrong of course.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,004 ✭✭✭ironclaw


    lamb stew wrote: »
    But does the garda car have to be travelling behind the car for it to catch cars in front of them using ANPR, or can the car be stationary

    Some Garda cars, and I'm told its a very low number, are equipped with ANPR plus K band radar for measuring speed (The system is known as 'ClearTone'). They can measure a car in front of their car, either while the Garda car is stationery or moving.

    A Garda will pull you to issue a ticket, they won't use it issue a ticket retrospectively. As was mentioned before, too much red tape to not pull someone over for 5 mins and have a word. Imagine the outcry if a ticket was issued but the same car was involved in a fatality a few km's up the road? I've heard anecdotally that some Gardai show motorists their dangerous / speed driving on the in-car video itself. It would also double as evidence in proceedings related to dangerous driving.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,922 ✭✭✭GM228


    lamb stew wrote: »
    But does the garda car have to be travelling behind the car for it to catch cars in front of them using ANPR, or can the car be stationary

    Both vehicles must be moving.


    ironclaw wrote: »
    Some Garda cars, and I'm told its a very low number, are equipped with ANPR plus K band radar for measuring speed (The system is known as 'ClearTone'). They can measure a car in front of their car, either while the Garda car is stationery or moving.

    A Garda will pull you to issue a ticket, they won't use it issue a ticket retrospectively. As was mentioned before, too much red tape to not pull someone over for 5 mins and have a word. Imagine the outcry if a ticket was issued but the same car was involved in a fatality a few km's up the road? I've heard anecdotally that some Gardai show motorists their dangerous / speed driving on the in-car video itself. It would also double as evidence in proceedings related to dangerous driving.

    All ANPR fitted vehicles (which is about 150 traffic and non-traffic vehicles except the i30s) are fitted with the Cleartone system provided by Cleartone Telecoms PLC.

    Cleartone is not in addition to the ANPR, it is the ANPR system and all ANPR Cleartone systems have integrated Puma SE6 DOT speed measuring devices.

    The Cleartone system replaced the old VASCAR system about 7 years ago.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,261 ✭✭✭robbie99


    ironclaw wrote: »
    Some Garda cars, and I'm told its a very low number, are equipped with ANPR plus K band radar for measuring speed (The system is known as 'ClearTone'). They can measure a car in front of their car, either while the Garda car is stationery or moving.

    A Garda will pull you to issue a ticket, they won't use it issue a ticket retrospectively. As was mentioned before, too much red tape to not pull someone over for 5 mins and have a word. Imagine the outcry if a ticket was issued but the same car was involved in a fatality a few km's up the road? I've heard anecdotally that some Gardai show motorists their dangerous / speed driving on the in-car video itself. It would also double as evidence in proceedings related to dangerous driving.

    I'm surprised it hasn't been mentioned here yet, but there was an article in the Examiner last weekend, which I didn't read closely but the gist of it was that Gardai are withdrawing hundreds of prosecutions based on ANPR evidence, including speeding offences, on the advice of the AG because there's no basis in Irish law to prosecute based on ANPR evidence. They gave an example of not being able to prosecute drivers for crossing continuous white lines while overtaking, even though it was recorded on video. Gardai can still stop drivers after their license number has been flagged and check to see if the motor tax disc is in date.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,922 ✭✭✭GM228


    robbie99 wrote: »
    I'm surprised it hasn't been mentioned here yet, but there was an article in the Examiner last weekend, which I didn't read closely but the gist of it was that Gardai are withdrawing hundreds of prosecutions based on ANPR evidence, including speeding offences, on the advice of the AG because there's no basis in Irish law to prosecute based on ANPR evidence. They gave an example of not being able to prosecute drivers for crossing continuous white lines while overtaking, even though it was recorded on video. Gardai can still stop drivers after their license number has been flagged and check to see if the motor tax disc is in date.

    You may have that the wrong way around.

    The only issue with ANPR to arise to date was actually in relation to motor tax detections as ANPR legislation does not cover offences outside of the Road Traffic Acts - motor tax offences come under the Finance Acts.

    In 2014 an pplication for leave to apply for judicial review on the use of ANPR for a motor tax conviction was sought by a motorist convicted for such, he bypassed the Circuit Court appeal mechanism and tried the judicial review route, the application was refused by the High Court.

    Using ANPR as evidence for speeding, crossing white lines etc is legislated for under S81 of the Road Traffic Act 2010 and this has been held on many occassions by the courts.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,898 ✭✭✭KOR101




  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,922 ✭✭✭GM228


    KOR101 wrote: »

    Deadline for Ireland to implement is tomorrow.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,261 ✭✭✭robbie99


    GM228 wrote: »
    You may have that the wrong way around.

    The only issue with ANPR to arise to date was actually in relation to motor tax detections as ANPR legislation does not cover offences outside of the Road Traffic Acts - motor tax offences come under the Finance Acts.

    In 2014 an pplication for leave to apply for judicial review on the use of ANPR for a motor tax conviction was sought by a motorist convicted for such, he bypassed the Circuit Court appeal mechanism and tried the judicial review route, the application was refused by the High Court.

    Using ANPR as evidence for speeding, crossing white lines etc is legislated for under S81 of the Road Traffic Act 2010 and this has been held on many occassions by the courts.

    The article was actually in the Sunday Business Post, but you need a subscription to view it online - https://www.businesspost.ie/news/prosecutions-using-number-plate-recognition-system-void-386451

    I'm pretty sure anpr can't be used anymore for prosecuting speeding offences. Hopefully someone here will have a subscription to confirm.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,922 ✭✭✭GM228


    robbie99 wrote: »
    The article was actually in the Sunday Business Post, but you need a subscription to view it online - https://www.businesspost.ie/news/prosecutions-using-number-plate-recognition-system-void-386451

    I'm pretty sure anpr can't be used anymore for prosecuting speeding offences. Hopefully someone here will have a subscription to confirm.

    It's not actually mentioned in the article what the issue is, but I know there is an issue flagged about ANPR use in relation to detection for motor tax purposes only as I already outlined, road traffic offences are not affected, see the author of the SBPs article tweet.

    https://twitter.com/obraonain/status/858633077693849600
    no road traffic cases involved as RT legislation permits use of ANPR evidence


    Pretty much all traffic and parking offences are covered under legislation for ANPR use.


    Here's an ANPR speed detection from yesterday.

    https://twitter.com/GardaTraffic/status/861144986582212608


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,004 ✭✭✭ironclaw


    GM228 wrote: »

    Here's an ANPR speed detection from yesterday.

    There is a subtle difference here.

    Blowing past a Garda car at 100km/h in a 60km/h, assuming the Garda car are doing 60km/h (Which will show on the Cleartone device) is a slam dunk for speeding. If they had to do 100km/h to catch and keep pace, then that's where the 100km/h would come from. This is slightly different to the ANPR system leveraging the radar element to get the speed of the van.

    I think most posters are wondering if the use of the radar system alone, not pacing, is actionable under legislation.

    As regards that Tweet, I'm curious how they permitted a van to run two reds and squeeze a bus before they stopped him. Surely passing out at nigh twice the speed limit should have immediately lit blues?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,922 ✭✭✭GM228


    ironclaw wrote: »
    I think most posters are wondering if the use of the radar system alone, not pacing, is actionable under legislation.

    The answer is yes, legislation provides for this, but currently the use of the Puma system requires both vehicles to be moving.


    ironclaw wrote: »
    As regards that Tweet, I'm curious how they permitted a van to run two reds and squeeze a bus before they stopped him. Surely passing out at nigh twice the speed limit should have immediately lit blues?

    I would imagine the van driver was reluctant to stop at first and they gave chace, eventually perhaps stopping, or there were two lights close together which the van shot through before realising they were behind him?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,004 ✭✭✭ironclaw


    GM228 wrote: »
    The answer is yes, legislation provides for this, but currently the use of the Puma system requires both vehicles to be moving.

    Wait, why do both vehicles have to be moving? Radar works when moving and not moving, you're just factoring in your speed. Plenty of systems do this. Is the Puma system simply a pace / time over distance measurement?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,922 ✭✭✭GM228


    ironclaw wrote: »
    Wait, why do both vehicles have to be moving? Radar works when moving and not moving, you're just factoring in your speed. Plenty of systems do this. Is the Puma system simply a pace / time over distance measurement?

    Yes, Puma is a DOT measuring device which uses lasers, not radar.

    I know the Cleartone/Puma system is also linked to the CANBUS system of Garda cars and reads their speed pulses also.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,004 ✭✭✭ironclaw


    GM228 wrote: »
    Yes, Puma is a DOT measuring device which uses lasers, not radar.

    I know the Cleartone/Puma system is linked to the CANBUS system of Garda cars and reads their speed pulses also so perhaps that is why both vehicles are required to be moving?

    Still doesn't answer the question as to why both vehicles have to be moving. Static laser is available (Vitronic Polyscan for example) and from inspection of Traffic Corp cars, there isn't any visible laser source assuming the laser is being used to measure distance between the car and the car in front.

    Do you have a source for the use of laser? I'm not doubting you, I'd just rather read it for myself.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,922 ✭✭✭GM228


    ironclaw wrote: »
    Still doesn't answer the question as to why both vehicles have to be moving. Static laser is available (Vitronic Polyscan for example) and from inspection of Traffic Corp cars, there isn't any visible laser source assuming the laser is being used to measure distance between the car and the car in front.

    Do you have a source for the use of laser? I'm not doubting you, I'd just rather read it for myself.

    Edited my post*, there are no laser or radars which is why both vehicles are required to be moving.

    *I ran this by my brother who is trained on them.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,261 ✭✭✭robbie99


    GM228 wrote: »
    It's not actually mentioned in the article what the issue is, but I know there is an issue flagged about ANPR use in relation to detection for motor tax purposes only as I already outlined, road traffic offences are not affected, see the author of the SBPs article tweet.

    https://twitter.com/obraonain/status/858633077693849600

    Ok, so with the tweet, the author is admitting to fake news! The article says that RT offences (incl. speeding & crossing continuous lines) have been dropped on the advice of the AG and then the author denies the whole point of the article by tweeting "no road traffic cases involved as RT legislation permits use of ANPR evidence".
    GM228 wrote: »
    Pretty much all traffic and parking offences are covered under legislation for ANPR use.

    Here's an ANPR speed detection from yesterday.

    https://twitter.com/GardaTraffic/status/861144986582212608

    Just being picky now about this tweet, but it says that they'll be prosecuting for dangerous driving rather than for speeding. The gardai should be able to do this based on their own eyewitness testimony, without relying on the ANPR.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,922 ✭✭✭GM228


    robbie99 wrote: »
    Ok, so with the tweet, the author is admitting to fake news! The article says that RT offences (incl. speeding & crossing continuous lines) have been dropped on the advice of the AG and then the author denies the whole point of the article by tweeting "no road traffic cases involved as RT legislation permits use of ANPR evidence".

    I can't view the article so can't comment on it, but the tweet would have been sent after the article went to print so perhaps he used his tweet to clarify the issue?


    robbie99 wrote: »
    Just being picky now about this tweet, but it says that they'll be prosecuting for dangerous driving rather than for speeding. The gardai should be able to do this based on their own eyewitness testimony, without relying on the ANPR.

    They can, but the ANPR would be considered as prima facia proof of such including the speed.

    The more evidence the better the chances of a successful prosecution.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,644 ✭✭✭✭punisher5112


    I was pulled about 2 years ago in a vehicle which is limited to a set speed and was tol d I was doing 20km/h over what it was at.... Now I wasn't done but then I wasn't doing that speed either.

    I was done another time where I was over by 10km/h but was done for doing 22km/h over but was thrown out as I could show wasn't doing it.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,293 ✭✭✭✭Mint Sauce


    Sneaky Go Safe Van, slight turn and creast in the road, parked in a gap off the hard shoulder, meant did not see him till about 20-30 metres out. I thought they were suppose to be visable. Speedo was only a few kph over, so with tolerances, allowances, etc, am hoping should be okay, but still, sneaky spot I thought.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,327 ✭✭✭highdef


    Mint Sauce wrote: »
    Sneaky Go Safe Van, slight turn and creast in the road, parked in a gap off the hard shoulder, meant did not see him till about 20-30 metres out. I thought they were suppose to be visable. Speedo was only a few kph over, so with tolerances, allowances, etc, am hoping should be okay, but still, sneaky spot I thought.

    Not visible actually makes so much more sense. Should help to catch those that decide to speed much better,


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,293 ✭✭✭✭Mint Sauce


    highdef wrote: »
    Not visible actually makes so much more sense. Should help to catch those that decide to speed much better,

    Cant argue too much there, as the limit is the limit, would still be pretty gutted for a few km over on a wide national road though. Over in a built up area now, no excuse if you are caught.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,615 ✭✭✭grogi


    highdef wrote: »
    Not visible actually makes so much more sense. Should help to catch those that decide to speed much better,

    What is the purpose of speed enforcement? Catching those who speed or making people not speed at all?

    Let's see...

    If the vans are hidden, but very rare, people will keep speeding in hope they will not get cough. If the vans are visible, people will keep speeding except for the points where the van is parked.

    If the vans/cameras are everywhere, regardless if they are visible or hidden, drivers will slow down. You won't speed if you are almost certain there is a camera hidden somewhere or if you see one...

    To sum up - few vans make little difference to the overall speed on the roads... It makes perfect sense to hide them and generate some revenue in the process, because they don't achieve anything else... ;-)


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,280 ✭✭✭Riva10


    robbie99 wrote: »
    Ok, so with the tweet, the author is admitting to fake news! The article says that RT offences (incl. speeding & crossing continuous lines) have been dropped on the advice of the AG and then the author denies the whole point of the article by tweeting "no road traffic cases involved as RT legislation permits use of ANPR evidence".



    Just being picky now about this tweet, but it says that they'll be prosecuting for dangerous driving rather than for speeding. The gardai should be able to do this based on their own eyewitness testimony, without relying on the ANPR.

    Hopefully the Gardaí's eyewitness testimony will be more reliable than their testimony during the Water protest evidence. :(


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 509 ✭✭✭DanWall


    khamilto wrote: »
    God forbid we use statistics and evidence when setting policy or making an argument :rolleyes:

    Speeding is speeding and walking is walking, yet again you're making faux-profound statements that are meaningful only to unimaginative gob****es.

    Some motorway have 100 kph speed limits for no reason, ex about 10 km before arriving in to Cork it changes from 120 to 100 with no change in the road construction. There are lots of confusing speed limits all over the country. In the UK all motorway and dual carriageway s are 70mph, no need to put speed signs up because it's the same everywhere


  • Moderators, Politics Moderators Posts: 40,348 Mod ✭✭✭✭Seth Brundle


    DanWall wrote: »
    Some motorway have 100 kph speed limits for no reason, ex about 10 km before arriving in to Cork it changes from 120 to 100 with no change in the road construction. There are lots of confusing speed limits all over the country. In the UK all motorway and dual carriageway s are 70mph, no need to put speed signs up because it's the same everywhere
    Some motorways have lower speed limits due to peak traffic volumes, short distance between junctions or for lanes being more narrow, etc.
    As for the UK, off the top of my head, the A1 in NI for example has a number of sections which have lower speed limits of 60mph because of crossing points.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,193 ✭✭✭mikeecho


    DanWall wrote: »
    Some motorway have 100 kph speed limits for no reason, ex about 10 km before arriving in to Cork it changes from 120 to 100 with no change in the road construction. There are lots of confusing speed limits all over the country. In the UK all motorway and dual carriageway s are 70mph, no need to put speed signs up because it's the same everywhere

    Well, that stretch coming from glanmire to dunkettle interchange has some sweeping corners on declines/inclines.
    Also you're coming you the end of the motorway, where there are regular tailback of standing traffic on weekday mornings, and on days that a big match is on.

    No point in having traffic zooming down into a complete stop.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 28,944 ✭✭✭✭_Kaiser_


    How effective are these vans at night in the rain?

    Passed one tonight on the way home after just overtaking a line of cars on the motorway and didn't spot it until I was almost beside it :( Was more concerned with the road and traffic than the sneaky van parked on one of the ramps

    Reckon I was about 10kmh over at the time


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,511 ✭✭✭Old Perry


    _Kaiser_ wrote: »
    How effective are these vans at night in the rain?

    Passed one tonight on the way home after just overtaking a line of cars on the motorway and didn't spot it until I was almost beside it :( Was more concerned with the road and traffic than the sneaky van parked on one of the ramps

    Reckon I was about 10kmh over at the time



    Cameras are infra red as far as I know so weather makes no difference unfortunately. .


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,327 ✭✭✭highdef


    _Kaiser_ wrote: »
    How effective are these vans at night in the rain?

    Passed one tonight on the way home after just overtaking a line of cars on the motorway and didn't spot it until I was almost beside it :( Was more concerned with the road and traffic than the sneaky van parked on one of the ramps

    Reckon I was about 10kmh over at the time

    Were you actually about 10kmh over the limit or were you 10kmh over, according to your speedo? If the latter, the over-reading of your speedo combined with the grace allowances generally given should mean that you will be fine.

    If on a motorway, I'll assume that the speed limit was 120. If your speedo was reading 130, then you would probably have been traveling close to 120. That alone would make you alright however you can do a bit over 120 before you'll be nabbed. I don't know what the trigger speed would be however I wouldn't be surprised if you could do up to a real speed of 130 in a 120 zone and still not get done for it.....that would probably read as about 140 on the majority of speedometers. I've heard 10% over the limit (real speed, not speedometer indicated) being the grace amount given which would equate of you being able to do a real speed of 132kmh without being nabbed. If that figure is the case, getting caught should (in theory) be quite difficult to occur as long as you have some sort of reasonable awareness and observational skills.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 28,944 ✭✭✭✭_Kaiser_


    highdef wrote: »
    Were you actually about 10kmh over the limit or were you 10kmh over, according to your speedo? If the latter, the over-reading of your speedo combined with the grace allowances generally given should mean that you will be fine.

    If on a motorway, I'll assume that the speed limit was 120. If your speedo was reading 130, then you would probably have been traveling close to 120. That alone would make you alright however you can do a bit over 120 before you'll be nabbed. I don't know what the trigger speed would be however I wouldn't be surprised if you could do up to a real speed of 130 in a 120 zone and still not get done for it.....that would probably read as about 140 on the majority of speedometers. I've heard 10% over the limit (real speed, not speedometer indicated) being the grace amount given which would equate of you being able to do a real speed of 132kmh without being nabbed. If that figure is the case, getting caught should (in theory) be quite difficult to occur as long as you have some sort of reasonable awareness and observational skills.

    I'd say I was about 10 km/h in real terms over alright.

    You know the scenario.. line of cars in the dark/rain all tailgating and kicking up spray with an empty lane on their right, so I moved out and overtook them all briskly and moved back in having left enough of a gap to the first one to not blind them with sudden wash of spray either (hate when people do that) - but as I was then slowing down I spotted the (very poor) reflective sticker on the van.

    Oh well, wait and see I suppose.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,862 ✭✭✭statto25


    What is the situation when a car is on UK plates folks? Pretty sure I was over when overtaking a car earlier and never spotted the Go Safe van.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,021 ✭✭✭Miike


    statto25 wrote: »
    What is the situation when a car is on UK plates folks? Pretty sure I was over when overtaking a car earlier and never spotted the Go Safe van.

    EUCARIS system shares information now, as far as I'm aware. You'll get the same as the rest of us


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,862 ✭✭✭statto25


    Miike wrote: »
    EUCARIS system shares information now, as far as I'm aware. You'll get the same as the rest of us

    The car is an import going for VRT this week. Would be UK DVLA have my Irish information to administer points? I have no problem taking my punishment, just wondering what to expect.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,083 ✭✭✭Rubberchikken


    If a driver is driving under or just under the limit and sees a speed van, why would someone 'brake suddenly'?

    I agree with having these vans, don't agree with other drivers warning me that one is ahead. I drive under the limit. Plus personally think they should be unmarked. Also why there should be a site outlining where they are is plain silly.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,021 ✭✭✭Miike


    statto25 wrote: »
    The car is an import going for VRT this week. Would be UK DVLA have my Irish information to administer points? I have no problem taking my punishment, just wondering what to expect.

    Is the car is registered to your Irish address, yip


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,862 ✭✭✭statto25


    Miike wrote: »
    Is the car is registered to your Irish address, yip

    I presume the dealer would have included that info when sending the export part of the V5 away. Ah well I'll know better next time


  • Moderators, Politics Moderators Posts: 40,348 Mod ✭✭✭✭Seth Brundle


    If a driver is driving under or just under the limit and sees a speed van, why would someone 'brake suddenly'?
    Because they are poor drivers who are unaware of the speed limit and/or their speed.
    Plus personally think they should be unmarked. Also why there should be a site outlining where they are is plain silly.
    The fact that they're marked is so that people see them and therefore slow down. If drivers don't see them, they will forget or ignore the speed limit but if there is a garda presence (and I'm inlcuding the private vans) this will help keep drivers under the limit. Don't forget that the gardai have their own vans which are not marked like the private ones.
    The website is to show drivers that on all of these dangerous stretches of road, there could be a speed van with the aim that drivers slow down. However, I'd say most people have not looked at the site since it's launch.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,327 ✭✭✭highdef


    kbannon wrote: »
    The fact that they're marked is so that people see them and therefore slow down. If drivers don't see them, they will forget or ignore the speed limit but if there is a garda presence (and I'm inlcuding the private vans) this will help keep drivers under the limit. .

    I disagree. If drivers don't see the vans and get a fine (or multiple fines), I would say that would be a much better incentive to slow down in general and not just where you see marked vans. If everyone knew that they could be caught on any stretch of road anywhere in the country without knowing they've been caught, you can be pretty sure that speeding would become less prevalent.
    This ridiculous set-up of advertising speed vans only helps to cause traffic problems due to gob****es slamming on the brakes causing brake light tailbacks, not to mention the inherent dangers of braking heavily on a what is likely to be a clear road. Just make the cameras as discreet as possible, completely invisible, ideally. After a few weeks or months of fines arriving in peoples postboxes all over the country, you can be pretty sure that we'd see a complete change in driving habits as hitting a driver in the pocket is the most painful thing to happen, not even mentioning the penalty points that would rack up fairly quickly.

    In an ideal world, average speed cameras all over the place would be great too but I think that is for another thread.


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