Evening all,just got flashed (at 3am) by gatso that gave almost zero reaction from radar detector.Should i expect a strong signal from an active gatso or am i history! thanx chris

 

If it flashed you the radar was on, the big question is was there any film in it, you've gotta ask yourself, do you feel lucky? Well do Ya?

 

Radar detectors generally detect the radar reflections off other cars as they pass through the forward-facing GATSO beam. If it was 3am, I presume there was little other traffic to reflect from?

Andrew

 

Go ahead Gatso, make someone elses day!

Seriously though, frequency strength can vary a lot due to weather/ traffic etc etc. You say ALMOST zero reaction? What detector were you using?

Did it flash once or twice?

[This message has been edited by sunilp (edited 02-11-1999).]

 

If the Gatso was able to detect you & flash - it must have been active, although that doesn't mean it had a camera or/and film in it.

 

My current radar detector does not detect a gatso until your right on the thing - Uniden LRD - they are crap. But good to know if its a false one

As others have said I presume it flashed twice to work out your average speed, and if you were going fast through it, i.e over 30 over speed limit, if you dont receive your Notice of intended prosecution within 14 days, see a solicitor. Not worth bothering if only 3 points and £40.

 

When they run out of film they power-down to a lower power level (still flash though) I read on one of the excellent speedtrap sites.

Yes detectors supposedly do use "reflections" from other vehicles, but my V1 gives the same advance warning whether there is other stuff around or not.

I used to have a uniden.hmm I'm saying nothing on the "quality".

 

Not all gatso's flash twice. I got flashed once about 2 weeks ago, 7 days later i got the letter with a court hearing. 54 mph in a 40.
such is life

 

Blow Dog.

It may be worth looking at the evidence. You have the right to do this. A Gatso Has to take two photos to establish the distance you've travelled and prove it.
If it DID only flash once, and only one photo was taken, you can not be prosecuted.
There should be details of where to look at the pictures on the form they sent you.

Stef.

 

most people dont know this, you cannot be prosecuted on a gatso if you are doing less than 11 MPH over the limit.
I got a prosecution notice that said i was doing 51 in a 40 limit, knowing the above i wrote back saying "i was not doing 51MPH", i did not say i was not speeding.
They droped the charges.
If it is marginal contest it.
Where did i get this info? My mate was a police special. Did you know the police regularily give themselves a map of where all active GATSO cammera's are each month. Talk about looking after the boys!

 

As far as I am aware, you can be prosecuted at any speed above the posted limit. The current Home Office guidelines are Speed Limit+10%+2mph (35 in 30, 46 in 40 etc).

 

John,

Tell us more.........re 11mph and the logic behind your letter vs them...please!

 

Take a look at the Association of British Drivers website for their lowdown on what's legal and what's not. They offer all sorts of advice about when you can sensibly contest a speeding conviction. They are not after twisting the law to encourage speeding, but they have a real issue with abuse of speed camera use for monetary gain by the Police and local councils. You'll be surprised at how badly the motoring public is being fleeced and how dangerous these cameras can make our roads!
The site is

 

i am just going off personal experience and what my friend knows, who was in the police specials for a long time.
The logic behind the letter was that i believed i was just under 51MPH as i was braking hard when the first flash went off. There is no question i was speeding but i did not think the photographic evidence would stand up in court. I believed they put 51MPH on the notification to proscute as that is the lowest value they could use from a gatso in a 40MPH limit. I did not want to have to lie to a court by saying i was not speeding, i meerly stated the fact that i was not doing 51 MPH.

 

Do what I do - close your eyes as you go through - you can't see them - they can't see you - works every time!

 

Going through sideways is even better

 

Your talking B@ll@X on all counts!

 

This thread is over 6 years old ... cut the fella some slack

Pete

 

Why bring up a thread from 1999 ????

 

ACPO also give guidance on what are the "allowable" deviations from a speed limit and the prosecution advice here

 

appeared on my new posts for some reason didnt look at the date

 

I believe these are called Truvelo's not Gatso's, they are much narrower than a Gatso.