Gatso's that flash twice

beefcake · Nova Slayer Joined: 10 Sep 2004 Karma :

Hi

I was riding home from work last night, doing 30mph in a 30mph zone, passed the same gatso that I pass every day, and it flashes me twice.

What does this mean for me? Will I get a ticket? Will they ignore it? I'm sure my speedo is reading correctly. Has anyone else had this, and what was the outcome?

I'm going for my bike licence soon, and I thought that if you get 6 points in the first 2 years then its bye-bye licence? I can do without a charitable 3 points if that's the case.

Deano Rolling Eyes

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Adam_P · World Chat Champion Joined: 23 Jan 2004 Karma :

If they're taking a picture of you (ie: if you're speeding) they flash twice. It needs two pictures to prove the speed you are traveliing at as it judges distance.

If your speedo says you're doing 30mph though it might be faulty. (Your speedo, or the camera!)

All you can do is sit and wait to see if you get a NIP through the post.
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r1_lad · Spanner Monkey Joined: 05 Aug 2004 Karma :

All gatsos flash twice, they take 2 pictures and use the distance you travelled between the 2 pictures to prove your speed in court.
From what i've heard, gatsos trigger at the speed limit + 10% + 2mph (can someone confirm this?), so you'd have to have been going 35mph to trigger it.

Have you changed your sprokets to different teeth? Or changed the size of the wheels from stock? These things can cause the speedo to misread on some bikes.
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conpants · Spanner Monkey Joined: 20 May 2004 Karma :

theres a lot of ways to get out of fines and points
like sending the form back, filled in but not signing it

aparently

...

dont quote me on that though

r1_lad · Spanner Monkey Joined: 05 Aug 2004 Karma :

That loophole has been closed now.
If you don't hear anything in 14 days, you in the clear.

I recommend taking a yogart pot of thermite down to the camera before they take the film out of it Wink

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RS50 -> RS125 -> GSXR600 SRAD -> 02 R1 -> Speed Triple 1050 -> Ducati Streetfighter 1099 -> DRZ400 Superetard

conpants · Spanner Monkey Joined: 20 May 2004 Karma :

oh right, thats cool

stryker · Brolly Dolly Joined: 30 Aug 2004 Karma :

There was one chap in the news a while back. He was flashed while driving his range rover. He knew he'd loose his license so he used his car to pull over the gatso then proceeded to smash it to bits.

In the end they could only do him for criminal damage. Laughing

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Now what?

beefcake · Nova Slayer Joined: 10 Sep 2004 Karma :

The bike is totally standard (no change to sprockets). I pass about half a dozen camera's a day. None flashed this morning. I reckon it must be faulty.

I've seen gatso's flash just once before. I thought they only did that if they were out of film? I've seen a gatso flash twice when there was nothing there (I was coming the other direction on a dual carraigeway). I'll contest it if it comes through. Do they send you the picture straight away. or just the fine? If I'd had known I was going to have my picture taken, I would have washed the bike... Wink

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Gotta get my knee down...

Kickstart · The Oracle Joined: 04 Feb 2002 Karma :

Hi

They used to be set up to flash once when they were not loaded, but they realised that this gave the game away so newer ones flash twice whether they are loaded or not.

They must send the NIP so that it would be normally expected to arrive within 14 days (and from memory the law mentions that it must be sent by 1st class post). They have no burden of proof that they did so, and just because it does not arrive does not give you a get out as they can just turn round and say that they sent it and they will be believed.

They are unlikely to send you the pictures. They prefer a bit of terrorism to frighten you into just accepting the ticket. Some will show you the pictures on request, but many will refuse to show you the pictures until you are committed to going to court while also scaring you with promises of higher fines and costs should you dare to go to court.

In all probability the camera was faulty. Although they must legally double check the readings (it is one of the terms of the homologation for Gatso cameras) they rarely do so, so if the camera was live they will probably send you a ticket. In which case if you are lucky they might admit their fault, but expect them to not answer the phone, or to just pick it up and slam it down or to refuse to deal with you on the phone (we had all 3 on various attempts to contact them for a speeding ticket for one of our cars that had not been on the road in about 6 months and had definatly not been where they said).

All the best

Keith
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Dom_ · Points Mean Prizes Joined: 02 Aug 2004 Karma :

My dad received two SP30 fines through the post (in the same day) he appealed against them claiming he wasnt driving and hes got away scot free.

allweatherbik... · Nova Slayer Joined: 29 Mar 2004 Karma :

One of the cameras I pass on way to work has flashed twice as I passed it on two occasions within the last week. The first time I may have been slightly over the limit but not by much (32 MPH at the max.) and the second time I was definitely under 30 MPH. On both occasions I was alone on my side of the road but there were cars travelling quite fast on the other side of the dual carriageway although there are no marker lines on that side of the road. I will be rushing to check the mail over the next two weeks. Will keep you posted. Thumbs Up

beefcake · Nova Slayer Joined: 10 Sep 2004 Karma :

Cheers people.
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Gotta get my knee down...

kasandrich · Trackday Trickster Joined: 20 Oct 2004 Karma :

The cameras sometimes flash if someone is speeding in the other direction.

I have had two occassions, one with my caravan on the back, when someone overtook me, the cammera flashed, I was doing 40 (in a 40 limit), the only picture the camera could get was my caravan, but I heard nothing.

The other I was on my bike, went past a camera in a 30, at 30mph, but there was a car coming the other way, speeding, again I heard nothing.

So, if you were behaving I'd say you had nothoing to worry about, in both the above cases I could see myself having to go to court to defend myself. Very Happy

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Richard

CBR1000FM

Mal · Brolly Dolly Joined: 31 Aug 2004 Karma :

I've had that quite a lot. On one of my routes to work there are a couple of cameras, and one is on a 30mph road with 4 lanes. Cars travelling at around 40mph in the opposite direction quite regularly set it off.

Mal

tintin · Traffic Copper Joined: 23 Jun 2004 Karma :

I often set one off on the other side of a road on my way home, once I realised I could do it it often did on purpose, one less fine for another road user....
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G · The Voice of Reason Joined: 02 Feb 2002 Karma :

simon1221 · World Chat Champion Joined: 28 Jul 2004 Karma :

i am guessing you are talking about a car?

i thought you could not get a ticket on a bike as they do not have numberplates on the front Thinking

ps gatsos? Thinking

mattsmith95 · Traffic Copper Joined: 03 Oct 2004 Karma :

Retro-Man · Traffic Copper Joined: 21 Aug 2004 Karma :

just to clarify the camera is able to detect speed and take that happy license loosing snap, but in theory at least all photo's are double checked by a trained agent.

Those markings on the road are the speed check markings, and I seem to remember that if travelling at 30mph or less it will take 5 seconds to travel from the first marker to the last marker. both photos take show position of the vehicle and the time.
This means that given the formula you can work out your speed by seeing how long it took to pass each mark.
sounds to me like the camera is faulty and hopefully if they spot a large amount of tickets being issued that day, This alone should ring alarm bells with them. Also if they only check a handfull and find errors then the whole film will be junked and the camera rectified.

Cheers
Retro
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Retro-Man · Traffic Copper Joined: 21 Aug 2004 Karma :

tintin · Traffic Copper Joined: 23 Jun 2004 Karma :

Ste · Not Work Safe Joined: 01 Sep 2002 Karma :

If you keep setting the camera on the other side of the road off then the local police will have a growing pile of pictures of you and thus will be keeping an eye out for you.

John · World Chat Champion Joined: 27 Apr 2003 Karma :

tintin · Traffic Copper Joined: 23 Jun 2004 Karma :

Maybe I haven't met G but it's his "holier than thou attitude" which is wearing a bit thin.

Most camera don't have any film in anyway, so I doubt the police are really interested. If they were and I get caught then that's my own fault. When I set the camera off I just ride at my normal speed anyway, I just move over nearer the central division.

Bikes are about fun and about being a bit of rebel. I'm sure some people might not agree with me but riding a bike does put you slightly to one side of mainstream society - and that's part of the attraction. Going too fast, acceleration, cornering, riding past a traffic jam of cars, on a bike all of these make you feel superior. Yes we could do without the danger of dozy car drivers and poor road conditions AND speed cameras, but a bike is still a great way to travel and if I want to go too fast and I don't endanger other road users then it's my choice.

Lighten up guys...
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jonboy · Trackday Trickster Joined: 02 Jul 2004 Karma :

Quite agree with G to be honest. I don't want to end up having to fit a reg plate to the front of my bike either.