Speed Camera's go covert

[wkid_one]

from www.stuff.co.nz (http://www.stuff.co.nz)

Speed cameras will be operating without warning, and in places motorists least expect them, by Easter.

Police plan to do away with speed camera areas and signs during the next two months and, by April, will start randomly targeting areas, including residential streets, where motorists least expect it, national road safety manager Superintendent Steve Fitzgerald has confirmed. (Gee - this is worthwhile)
At present, speed cameras operate only in designated, signposted areas.

Police managers will meet next month to discuss and finalise the aims and goals of the "anywhere, any time" tactic announced by Police Minister George Hawkins and Transport Minister Paul Swain just before Christmas.

It will be the first of a raft of road safety measures that will also introduce the immediate 28-day loss of licence for drivers going 40km/h or more over the speed limit or caught drink-driving twice in four years, and the immediate 28-day seizure of vehicles for three or more drink-driving offences.

There will be a new physical assessment for drivers suspected of taking drugs.

Legislation for these other changes is to be introduced this year.

Mr Fitzgerald said under the "anywhere, any time" tactic, police would set up mobile cameras where a need was identified. This could include normally quiet, residential streets. (so if some old lady complains about you hooning home - be warned!!)

Drivers could no longer learn where speed cameras operated and slow down only when they passed through those areas, he said.

The Government has denied that the tactic is intended to boost revenue (RUBBISH). It probably does not need to do so – in the past five financial years the Government has netted more than $163 million in fines, and latest figures suggest that some people are slow learners when it comes to speeding.

More than 40 motorists every day are still speeding past the country's most productive camera on State Highway 1 in the Ngauranga Gorge. It snapped 16,056 motorists during the year to November 31, and 11,584 of them were fined. (that is because it turns to 80kph on a downhill section with a 'Steep Gradient' warning after a 100kph limit - go figure)

The camera would have brought in at least $926,000 – about $2500 a day.

But it is an improvement on figures released in September showing the camera had snapped almost 25,000 motorists in the year to July 31.

Wellington road policing manager Inspector Allan Boreham said he was not surprised the numbers were so high, given traffic volumes.

"The offending rate as a per centage of motorists is consistent with other sites," he said.

[Hitcher]

Welcome to the Police State that is New Zealand. We hope that you enjoy your ride...
:sly:

[750Y]

bugger. but at least we can only get pinged one way & if we buy a flip up plate holder we'll get pinged even less. as for cars well they're the ones killing everyone so i don't care. oh and it is definitely about the money, it's just plain insulting to be told otherwise by a public servant.

[MikeL]

And BTW how many motorcyclists over the busy holiday period killed themselves through excessive speed?

Now let's see how we can reduce the drowning toll...

A restricted swimming licence for a start.
Instant fines for getting out of your depth.
Covert cameras at beaches with $170 fines for not swimming between the flags...
:p

[mangell6]

Speed cameras are just revenue gathering when on the open road, in built up areas and around schools, etc, don't have an issue.

Now how come the most publicised speed camera (Ngauranga Gorge) still catches 2500 people per day. Some people must be really thick or have a lot of money. I know the camera is there and apply the brakes as I come up to the camera. The signs are big enough as well.

Mike

[Lou Girardin]

Seriously now, you have to be pretty dumb or asleep to get pinged by a camera. Don't you?
There was a good editorial in 'Two Wheels'. One comment was to the effect that senior civil servents on fixed contracts will not upset Govt revenue streams by pointing out that current Police tactics are failing. They want to keep their jobs.
Lou

[Antallica]

Saw my 1st van speed camera today somewhere in between Whangarei & Kawakawa. A few cages were nice enough to warn me, could see the fool for miles away though.

Will suck to not know where they are anymore, but where I live/ride they are never there anyway.

:rockon: Northland :bleh:

[wkid_one]

Speed cameras are just revenue gathering when on the open road, in built up areas and around schools, etc, don't have an issue.

Now how come the most publicised speed camera (Ngauranga Gorge) still catches 2500 people per day. Some people must be really thick or have a lot of money. I know the camera is there and apply the brakes as I come up to the camera. The signs are big enough as well.

Mike No - refer my original post - it collect $2500 in revenue per day. 2500 people per day would mean 1mio motorists would be caught in a year....

[mangell6]

Oops :)

Still pretty dumb though to get a ticket.

Apparently on the Desert Road on Saturday the red vans were out. Those red vans stick out like dogs balls on a highway, people must like their picture taken.

Lou, public servants must do what there masters want, and the current batch of masters do not want to hear anything 'contrary' to their policies.

Mike

[SPman]

Lou, public servants must do what there masters want, and the current batch of masters do not want to hear anything 'contrary' to their policies.
Do any? :beer:

[wkid_one]

Oops :)

Still pretty dumb though to get a ticket.

Apparently on the Desert Road on Saturday the red vans were out. Those red vans stick out like dogs balls on a highway, people must like their picture taken.

Lou, public servants must do what there masters want, and the current batch of masters do not want to hear anything 'contrary' to their policies.

Mike
It is not like the fecken camera in the gorge moves!

[Hitcher]

I remember some dialogue in Australia a year or so back talking about putting front rego plates on bikes, coz speed cameras can't ping bikes head-on. The PC (politically correct) brigade thought this was an unfair advantage for bikes c.f. other road users... Now wouldn't that look good on the front of your Ducati or Aprilia??
:Police:

[Jackrat]

And BTW how many motorcyclists over the busy holiday period killed themselves through excessive speed?

Now let's see how we can reduce the drowning toll...

A restricted swimming licence for a start.
Instant fines for getting out of your depth.
Covert cameras at beaches with $170 fines for not swimming between the flags...
:p
Hey Mike I belive that in the states you can be fined for not swiming inside the flags.Scary aye. :disapint:

[georgedubyabush]

And BTW how many motorcyclists over the busy holiday period killed themselves through excessive speed?

Now let's see how we can reduce the drowning toll...

A restricted swimming licence for a start.
Instant fines for getting out of your depth.
Covert cameras at beaches with $170 fines for not swimming between the flags...
:p

Now where do I apply for THAT job?... Sitting on the beach all day... covert pictures...

[James Deuce]

I remember some dialogue in Australia a year or so back talking about putting front rego plates on bikes, coz speed cameras can't ping bikes head-on. The PC (politically correct) brigade thought this was an unfair advantage for bikes c.f. other road users... Now wouldn't that look good on the front of your Ducati or Aprilia??
:Police:

Interesting that one, because they were withdrawn on safety grounds - slicing and dicing pedestrians was the problem I believe. Would do wonders for steering in a heavy crosswind.

[MikeL]

Interesting that one, because they were withdrawn on safety grounds - slicing and dicing pedestrians was the problem I believe. Would do wonders for steering in a heavy crosswind.

When were they withdrawn? I recall seeing a few pics of bikes with front plates but whether they were from the 30s or 40s or whenever I don't remember. Didn't look too bad on the old Ariels and AJSs (mounted longitudinally) but to be effective for speed cameras surely they would have to be placed transversely?
:argh:

[James Deuce]

When were they withdrawn? I recall seeing a few pics of bikes with front plates but whether they were from the 30s or 40s or whenever I don't remember. Didn't look too bad on the old Ariels and AJSs (mounted longitudinally) but to be effective for speed cameras surely they would have to be placed transversely?
:argh:

I don't know about New Zealand, but I've been following the Australian number plate issue in AMCN and I believe that they were still a legal requirement in the mid '60s.

AMCN have made the same point you made too, and also made the point that a transverse front number plate would block oil coolers/radiators/air intakes on many modern bikes and a transverse front number plate would require manufacturer input.

I think most speed cameras would still pick up the front plate on a mudguard as they are firing at an oblique angle, not dead ahead. Even basic image manipulation software would allow them to enhance the image to read the number plate.

[Hitcher]

Apparently four youths from Sydney pulled off a trick of breathtaking bravado in order to gain revenge on a mobile speed camera van operating in the area. Three of the group approached the van and distracted the operator's attention by bombarding him with a series of questions about how the equipment worked and how many cars the operator could catch in a day, etc. Meanwhile, the fourth musketeer sneaked to the front of the van and unscrewed its numberplate. After bidding the van operator good-bye, the friends returned home, fixed the number plate to their car and drove through the camera's radar at high speed - 17 times. As a result, the automated billing system issued 17 speeding tickets to itself!!
:shit:

[Yarg]

bugger. but at least we can only get pinged one way & if we buy a flip up plate holder we'll get pinged even less. as for cars well they're the ones killing everyone so i don't care. oh and it is definitely about the money, it's just plain insulting to be told otherwise by a public servant.
can you buy such a holder?? and where??
yarg. :rolleyes:

[ching_ching]

Gidday yarg,

There's a thing called a "Stealth Plate Holder" that I know of but it isn't a flip up plate holder per sè. Try this link:-

http://www.integrale.demon.co.uk/stealth/bike.htm

Was made by folks in the US called HiTechSpeed and here's their link:-

http://www.hightechspeed.com/default.asp

Sounds interesting.

Later yarg (is that Klingon bro?)

ching_ching

[Coldkiwi]

I like those Aussies!!!

you can however gaurantee that they WON'T be putting cameras down quiet residential streets because they won't get enough money will they?

btw, there's also a dark blue van spotted by Uretiti over New Years much harder to spot when its in the shade.

[wkid_one]

Apparently four youths from Sydney pulled off a trick of breathtaking bravado in order to gain revenge on a mobile speed camera van operating in the area. Three of the group approached the van and distracted the operator's attention by bombarding him with a series of questions about how the equipment worked and how many cars the operator could catch in a day, etc. Meanwhile, the fourth musketeer sneaked to the front of the van and unscrewed its numberplate. After bidding the van operator good-bye, the friends returned home, fixed the number plate to their car and drove through the camera's radar at high speed - 17 times. As a result, the automated billing system issued 17 speeding tickets to itself!!
:shit:
I like - a lot!

NOw - where was that speed camera van?