Do Gatso cameras always take photos of the back of your car, or can you be photographed when driving towards them? I was under the impression it was always as you drove away from them? I was following a car, with nothing coming the other way, when a camera situated on the other side of the two lane road,facing us as we approached, flashed four times. The white boxes on the road are on the other side of the center line from us. (And yes, I was over the limit - approx 36mph in a 30, for which I am very sorry, especially since I drive past the thing four times every day, so yes, I am stupid too...). Anyone any ideas? (Can't see anything on the speedtrap bible site.)

Ta

 

They can sometimes 'mis-fire' if they haven't been set up correctly. However, if the lines were on the other side of the road we can't follow it up. All that will appear on the photo is an empty bit of road

[This message has been edited by Stuart H (edited 03-07-2000).]

 

I have heard tell of motorcyclists (with obv no front no. plate!) to speed towards Gatsos to get them to flash!

 

Stuart - the white boxes are just on the other side of the center line. I assume this is so that there is a visual check (for the two photos). Why does it make a difference which side they are on?
[Many thanks for your advice...(and I really don't make a habit of speeding..I'm much more aware of it in the scooby than my previous cars, and haven't had a ticket in 17 years...famous last words!)]

 

If the cameras face towards you just get a rubber mask of Bill Clinton... - and claim diplomatic imunity

Mick

 

Depends. The newer ones 'truvelo' with a blue 'arm' that holds the camera unit rely on an infra-red flash and pezo-electric trigger(no radar) and they can take forward facing photo's. These usually have a red lens.

The 'bog standard' Gatso with a white lens and radar can take forward photo's but they are not calibrated for forward facing use. Hence the photo's and evidence cannot be used to 'do you'.

If you saw the flash then I doubt it would be one of the newer infra red units.

This is/was true from the last time I checked up(about 6 months ago)



[This message has been edited by Neil Smalley (edited 03-07-2000).]

 

I was forward flashed by a Gatso whilst overtaking a car (I was on the side of the road with the lines).
It flashed only once though, so I thought nothing of it.
A couple of weeks later I received a speeding ticket for that day and location.
When I asked to see the 'evidence' I heard nothing more about it.

Stef.

 

Going back a few years, I saw a police car speed towards a Gatso (flashing blue lights & siren on at the time) and it flashed twice as he drove through the sensor. All the other cars had practically stopped, so it had to be him setting it off. It's the only forward-facing "hit" I've ever seen (as opposed to the thousands I see on the A40 each year! ).

 

I have a two gatsos a couple of miles from home, one on each side of the road about a mile apart.

I regularly set them off going towards them, about 8-10 mph over the limit does the trick.

Never had a ticket.

 

Yeah Id agree, Ive been flashed from the front more times than I can remember and nothing through, you wont if its a GATSO, wouldnt try it down south where the infras are making an appearance.

If you go quick enough, you wont see the 2nd flash, hence no 2nd pic no evidence anyway!!

 

So the idea here is to pull across to the wrong side of the road and floor it whenever you see a Gatso?

Seriously though I've set off a camera near my house while driving on the opposite side to the camera. May be a calibration issue as since seeing an engineer working on the thing a couple of weeks ago it hasn't happened again.

Joolz

 

Joolz

Try Harder

 

Cheers guys...I can sleep a little sounder...

 

Joolz,

Our local paper once did a story on people trying to drive on the wrong side of the road to avoid GATSOs.

They printed both photo's of a car trying and failing.

Chris.

 

Hope this doesn't upset too many of you.

Local Bobby popped into my Son's school recently, and we got chatting about Gatsos etc. Apparently the ones with the two round windows (sounds like playschool), one of which is pink, are the newer digital machines. These I am told can shoot both ways!

I understand that the ultimate plan is to contect these direct to the National Computer so your ticket arrives at your home almost before you do!

Big Brother is watching you

Josh

 

There's a Gatso in my village , new one too, must get many 'punters' as it just sprung up one day. I saw a motorcycle getting 'caught' when he was approaching it (not going through it). The double flash clearly disorientated him, and he bloody near hit me head on. What a stupid idea, some poor sod could have been killed for the sake of £40.

Where's my hacksaw...

 

jbryant:
well, going on the other side of the road sounds like a good idea, but the Gatso's in my town (Tunbridge Wells) have lines on BOTH sides of the road, now, it's possible that if you overtake you'll still get 'done' as the Gatso does have a rather wide field of view (see diagram on speedtrap) and thus you'd be 'seen' on the other side, other reason could be that it's to fool poor sods coming towards the Gatso that they'll get done, and, as has been mentioned before, unless the camera is TruVello(sp?) then you should not get done.

 

Josh

You still go to school then ?

Back on subject

Did hear from an aquaintance ( Police Officer ) that if they set off Gatso's and are not responding to an incident at the time, they can still get done.

The 'game' , apparantly , is to see who get's clocked at the highest speed when responding.

On Police Camera Action , Mr Popular ( Alistair Stewart ) once reported that people who tried to avoid GATSO's by driving on the wrong side of the road, were still prosecuted.

Also check for Kerb markings in the absence of White Lines on Road.