Police in the UK are now using a new type of long range speed camera that uses a ‘Paparazzi’ style telephoto lens to catch Motorists speeding, as well as other driving offences…
The new type of long range speed camera was tested at the start of the year in Gloucestershire across 35 different locations, and detected 1,325 driving “offences” in a one month trial.
It detects speeding, as well as other driving offences up to 1km away:
Now the “Long Ranger” — as they’ve been dubbed — speed cameras are now starting to be seen in other parts of the UK.
They are designed to catch drivers for Speeding, as well as all kinds of other motoring offences, including not wearing a seatbelt, eating a sandwich and drinking a can of drink or bottle of water while you sit in traffic jams that have been caused by “smart motorways”!
The RAC have apparently polled over 2,000 drivers on their “RAC Opinion Panel” and claim that 59% were in favour of the use of these long range speed cameras!
I’m reasonably sure that if we conducted the same poll with BTST Members, the numbers would be quite different…
The question that comes to my mind — assuming that the results are true and not propaganda of course — is:
In which other area of their lives would this 59% of people be in favour of being spied on with a telephoto lens?
Would they accept it while walking down the street? Or while in their home?
I can accept that long range speed cameras could potentially catch a few drivers here and there who don’t really deserve to be on the road because they cause a genuine danger to other Motorists.
But at what price?
Do the British public really believe that such technologies are for their benefit rather than for the generation of revenue, and an ever more aggressive attempt at exerting control over the population?
I personally find that hard to believe but…
What do you think?
Are long range mobile speed cameras a good thing or a bad thing, and why?
Let us know in the comments below!
All the best,
Adam
P.S. If you haven’t yet got a copy of the 2019 Template Letters (~83% success rate at getting speeding tickets cancelled according to Member field reports!), you can get them here.
At the time of writing (11:48am Monday), there are 148 copies (of 500) still available.
I think it’s an outrageous example of “Big Brother” intruding into our lives, and should be resisted. There has I believe always been a tacit understanding between the general public and the police that we should be made AWARE when we’re being spied on – hence the yellow speed cameras. This is a thin end of a wedge.
It is all about CLIMATE CHANGE: they will impose further restrictions as soon as they can, anthing to stop us using cars on the road. How they expect any business to be carried out and goods to be delivred they have not got an answer to trhat. If we ALL stop taking foreign holidays and not using airlines to get to our holiday destinations, more airlines weill go bust, hotels you name it wil be affected. Never mind that Girl in Sweden or whereever she comes from will no douby be pleased.
Yet they won’t bother to come out to a burglary!
The police have better things to do. How can they tell if you had the engine switched on/off when sitting in a queue on the phone or taking a drink?
How will they like it when dash cams have tele lenses taking video of blue light runs to McDonalds? Yes I do know someone who got off with a few words when they challenged a cop doing just that!
Adam do you have a jamming device for these things please?
the people in these vechiles are police staff not policemen/woman
It’s the thin end of the wedge as you say. They are quite prepared to criminalise motorist, but should a real crime be committed then don’t expect any help because they’ll all be out catching the easy target the motorist…..
you are a snow flake commenter.
I strongly object to being spied on! Yet another money making scheme & the innocent motorist suffering ☹
The authorities need to make hay whilst the sun shines. They have got all current drivers as cash cows but potential drivers will look at the running costs ie. Obsene insurance costs, road tax, fuel, parking and congestion charges add to that the zero tolerance on car crime issues and there inevitably fines NEW car drivers will think again on whether it’s worth never mind if they can actually afford it.
“Safety” cameras have 25% of the square root of bugger all to do with “safety” and absolutely EVERYTHING to do with making money. These stealth taxes need to be removed. (Quite apart from the big brother/intrusive aspect of it all!)
I couldn’t agree more with this comment
59% approve !!!!! Look at all these comments. Not one approve. Money making scam full stop
100% agree richard.
I was always under the impression speed cameras, sorry Road Safety Cameras, were for accident reduction and prevention and therefore logic dictates they are highly visible. This must mean a successfully sited camera doesn’t earn any revenue and the accident rate is Zero.
Oh hang on a minute, our wonderful government has starved our police and local authorities of cash, who now need another source of money without being seen to raise taxes especially as they have to pay Private companies to run our services including the Road Safety Cameras……
Am I naive or cynical?
I see there are several posts berating people for speeding or not living up to their own saintly existence. I’m afraid these people are seriously deluded if they think they never break the law or rules of the road, and are probably the type of person to sit at exactly the speed limit according to their car’s speedometer (which is probably 5-10% higher reading than the true speed). They are as poor drivers as the tailgaters and need to read the high code again, it says words to the affect of; do not impede other road users.
Everyone needs to be more considerate to each other and we would all benefit from more driver/rider training.
As for these new cameras, they are simply for revenue. Unfortunately any minor misdemeanor will probably attract points as well which are worse than the fine in the long run.
I think big brother spying again is utter nonsense and quite ridiculous against motorists again, if I am in a traffic jam in the hot weather no one will stop me drinking water and become dehydrated!
get dehydrated, fall asleep or collapse at the wheel!!! very counter-intuitive!
Can we also stop the police officers driving with Coffees in their hands?
Since Prince Phillips accident on the A149, speed limit has been reduced to 50 mph, monstrous yellow posts are appearing with average speed cameras and goodness what else on their tops. Being the main route to the NW Norfolk tresorts this will have an adverse effect on holiday traffic but obviously a boost to revenue!
Well said Alf
I totally agree. Not only in the hot weather but at any time if in a traffic jam, when on a long journey you are always told to carry water, but now it seems you are not allowed to drink it. When one is in need of a drink under these circumstances, exit from the vehicle (if pouring rain take umbrella) consume some liquid then return to the vehicle.
Just remember Big Brother is watching you!
You are “driving” if the engine is running, I expect that is why some modern cars switch off the engine whenever stopped — so you can have a drink without breaking the law. Seriously, this points to many legal arguments – honestly gov I had my engine switched off. I am also very careful now, not to pull over into a bus lane to let an ambulance pass, or a police car.
Yes ambulance or police car come down and you are forced into the bus lane. A couple of weeks later you get a ticket.
It’s absolutely ridiculous.
The speed detection device has always been capable of long range detection up to 1000m. All they have done is upgrade the camera lens. It doesn’t make detection any easier as the operator still has to target the vehicle using the Head up display on the device. The operator is not allowed to use the monitor to target vehicles.
Yeah of course they wouldn’t use the monitor to target vehicles. Heavens above!
It strikes me ALL authorities dealing with motorists are endeavouring to make the motorists lives as unpleasant as possible
WHY?
its just another tool to extract money from the motoring public.
Just another way to hound motorist for there money
They are great for the drivers that drive at great speed and are a danger on the roads but lets be realistic, do we drive with our eyes fixed on our speed to make sure we don’t go over the limit, that would be dangerous driving. We all, at times, have crept over the limit, even for a few seconds without realising it. To try and catch people out who are having a bit to eat or drink in a traffic jam but you are allowed to smoke whilst driving! Surely it takes your eyes off the road, lighting up, looking to see where the ash tray is while aiming the lit cigarette and all whilst driving!
I do so agree with you Lou, I think it is disgusting that you are allowed to smoke but should not have a gulp from a water bottle! There are so many times when you may be distracted for a moment, but smoking in cars should be banned.
I bet you don’t smoke.
i never speed 29mph and 69mph on the motorway never had a speeding ticket/parking ticket
seems all the people on here are lawbreakers complaing as the have been caught
only one word for you. Arsehole!
we have problem about drinking a water and being spied do not show yourself good boy I can’t believe u that u have not speet even one time u are such a dis…. person
You speedo is slow set to 3 miles above your actual speed so you do 25 in a 30 zone and piss of every one on the motorway because you are doing 60 you have a lee way to move above your speedo reading with out fear of prosecution use it
This is such b******* smart motorways yes smart for the government should be smart cash cow motorways there’s obviously too many drivers on the road and this is the only way they can reduce numbers by catching people speeding in other words the soft target playing with people’s lives making criminals out of your everyday Joe just trying to get on with his life if and earn money to pay more taxes to the government and politicians wages we need a revolution
You never break the speed limit??? Really???
You must drive a Honda Jazz!!
Great coment Lou,
how many drivers that smoke light up WITHOUT taking eyes off the road ????????
must be damn near impossible !!!!!!!!!!!
Hi Adam, I love your research and appreciate you taking the time to keep us up to date. I hate being spied on but at the end of the day, it’s simple, don’t speed and all in the world is good.
I do have one problem which I can’t get anyone to comment on. There is an ULEZ in London and will no doubt be rolled out across the country as it makes money in big quantities. Also in London and the surrounding area, we have a growing number of 20 MPH speed zones. When I drive at 20 MPH I am in 2nd or 3rd gear spewing out an increased amount of fumes. When I drive at 30 MPH I am in 4th of 5th gear and consuming much less fuel. What planet are these people on?
Probably a different one to you. Which one are you from?
Well said the lower speed limits that are excessively low and the consumption of an all depleting natural resource and the extra pollution added to already high level of toxins we inhale. I don’t live in London and rarely visit now but did have my first driving lesson in London. Now if I drive there there are so many restrictions it makes for accidents as your constantly looking at the next sign and flashing lights and that’s without following your day Mac in an area you no longer know. London is a nightmare for those who live or commute via car to. I do not envy you or anyone. Re these cameras,if they actually caught speedsters yes,or tail riders who try threatening behaviour but in summers like we’re having for people stuck in long jams in this heat!!! Use on motorways perhaps or high accident routes yes but don’t invade every rd with another money grabbing scheme!
Some of these Officers should “do a real days work”, and spend their time looking for REAL offences which go undetected and unsolved instead of “tick-box compliance. They would do well to remember that we fund their salaries, and we are their employer.
Is there a law then which says you can’t eat or drink whilst at standstill(ie in a traffic jam)?
I believe its “driving without due care and attention” Tony…
They would have a hard time proving I was driving without due care and attention, whilst eating or changing the cd tuning a radio station or for that matter following the sat nav, unless I was veering from side to side or being erratic, I would always contest any such charge.
If you’re stationary – are you driving?
Spot on. – Well said.
Actually, I drive without due care and attention all the time. My car has a manual gearbox and I take one hand off the steering wheel whilst changing gear. I fully accept that at this time I am not in full control of the vehicle and it’s a fair cop. “Oh no he isn’t”, I hear you cry.
It’s all about the money!
Few good comments on there. Totally unacceptable and of course this is! yet another! penalising money making intrusion on the motoring public. I think I may have had one of these cameras pointing in my direction heading down the M1 last week. At first I thought it was just an enthusiastic photographer but after seeing your article Adam I’m pretty sure it was the police on the overhead bridge.
I find the smart motorways infuriating, when I see the speed limit lowered I slow down as I don’t want to get caught by the cameras but I find it just causes confusion amongst drivers and with so often the conclusion of my favourite pet hate,,, someone then will proceed to tailgate me. Often see other drivers fly past me either ignoring or oblivious to the reduced speed limit. If anyone can explain how they are maintaining to speed past me I would much appreciate it. :)
My pet hate is motorists like you causing me to tailgate them. GET OVER!
Yes, quite disgraceful; surely more for money raising than anything else. Possibly the authorities/police have taken the idea from the French system which uses calibrated binoculars(‘Jumelles’) and how the French police can spy on you from across the other side of a valley.
I had personal experience in Dorset recently; the police had secreted a van in a layby alongside but still distant from a very fast dual carriageway at 7-30PM in the evening! At a time when a large area of Dorset was probably only covered by a very few police officers, they can still fund (probably) overtime to coppers to catch unwary motorists. Quite amazing!
I live in a 20mph zone which operates for 24hrs per day, 7 days per week and 365 days per year and this is backed up with speed bumps on the main thoroughfare. I accept that there is a school on the route and I do not object to 20mph at school times.This is reasonable but why do I need speed bumps as well which do potential damage to my car. I wonder if drivers will be spotted doing more than 20mph from one kilometre away on a sunday afternoon with no schoolchildren in sight. Telephoto lenses from this distance away is a step too far. We accept cameras both fixed and average speed. If the road in question needs speed restrictions, then put cameras on it and release some policemen to do other jobs.
I live in a 20mph area and find few drivers comply as there’s no enforcement. Makes no difference if there’s young children walking to and from school and it’s usually the Parents/Grandparents of these children that are happy to put other children’s lives at risk but would be the first to criticise other drivers if their child were injured.
I totally agree that this is disgraceful, but then again it might be a wake up call to the ‘middle lane’ drivers who ignore the fact that the left lane is vacant !! I presume that they would utilise their ‘talents’ for this purpose, and not for motorists sat in their cars with their car gears in neutral eating a sandwich in a traffic jam ??? I agree it is a total money spinner.
As I drive around I see appalling and dangerous driving practices but these people seem impervious to being caught but go 2 mph over the speed limit pull into a bus lane to allow a service vehicle to pass get stuck in a yellow box or the red square at lights for cyclists and many other and you are fined I will never believe it has become anything but a money earner
Don’t you just love Britain and it’s ability to screw the British people. Everything about this country is to punish the public, the government are a disgrace to the people in so many ways. The pigs are the gestapo of the corrupt!
So drinking water and eating a sandwich in a traffic jam is now a penalty and fine or is it you have a number plate they indents you because the useless police cannot cat h real criminals so let’s go for the easy option I am disgusted
So we can’t drink water but it’s fine for them to talk on their, not always hands free, radios and look at an apnr screen while they’re driving. Shower of s*** every one of them!
What if the whole of the UK fitted jammers to their cars tomorrow? That can arrest everyone. It’s pathetic and needs to be stopped Soon we will have zero mph zones. If you drive into one accidentally you will be fined for driving out ♂️
At a time when police frequently fail to attend to reported burgularies prefering to talk to victims on the phone it’s gratifying to know that they are able to spend substantial amounts of time and effort in catching speeding motorists.
Hopefully some of those caught will be burgulars rushing away from the scene, though why bother the police aren’t likely to be chasing you, but at least they’ll get a fine, greater punishment that handed out by the courts probably.
Is there any access to how it works to enable its accuracy i all weathers and temperatures to be challenged??
I don’t agree with this at all. If the police spent half as much money and man hours trying to catch actual criminals as they do on the motorist doing 72mph on a 70 mph motorway maybe our country wouldn’t be in such a state with Knife crime etc. Easy target for us motorist
It is just another way to generate cash. I assume it goes to the police. It is not surprising that the police have lost the respect of the public.
Nothing to do with driving but have you noticed from China to Russia to here in ENGLAND the police are always controlling the public whatever the cause.
its all about money, nothing else.
if your in severe traffic you should be able to have a drink of water, it would be wrong not to
I would if given a fine take this to court, as not being hydrated could make your driving unacceptable
and possibly dangerous.
a very angry person who thinks we should plan several days of action like cab drivers, and just drive at 40 MPH and see what difference that makes to traffic, and how much it pleases the police and other authorities.
I would imagine that this is an invasion of privacy.
If your home has cameras, then you cannot point them in to your neighbour’s property.
The data protection act should be able to stop this.
1325 motorists caught in 1 month trial. That’s probably £132.500 income for the police!!! This kind of policing is definitely infringing on civil liberty! The argument about if you are doing nothing wrong then you have nothing to worry about just does not wash!!
This kind of policing is that of a depraved society! The authorities or on witch hunt to criminalised decent law abiding citizens. Britain is out of control and the government and the authorities themselves need to be arrested. The sad thing is that the public is keeping silent about it and no one is saying anything
Wonder how many police drivers (or just police people driving private cars) they have caught and “oh sorry we have lost the record”.
I wonder how many judges or even run of the mill magistrates would have a drink if thirsty.
As a non smoker I agree with the comment about being allowed to smoke. If the offence is not driving with due care and attention how does this relate to being stationary in a traffic jam?
Well having reviewd the whole thing this is another way of extorting money from motorist may be some of these officers woul,fines on criminalsd be better used to taking back control of the streets & cities as i do beleive crime ¬ motorist
are out of control,under a new government with an additional panel the divers to advise police &the like what is the most needed fines on criminals to be increaed to off set the soft sentences theyre be given,
They will try every way possible to bleed us of or money and intrusion in to of lives at home work ect even if your 1 mile over the limits
And just remember, while the Police are using long range cameras for this nonsense their detection rate in solving crimes has fallen to an all time low. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-48780585
“Home Office figures show that in England and Wales last year only 8.2% of crimes recorded by police resulted in a suspect being charged or summonsed to appear in court, the lowest level since 2015 when a new method of counting detections was introduced. For some individual crimes, clear-up rates were even lower: 3.8% for sexual offences; 5.4% criminal damage and arson; 6% theft.”
Wrong priorities and we’re a soft target.
PS – clean licence for 5 years…
There is a problem with long range lens use in regards to detection of speeding offences. Whilst they can capture a vehicle the operator must also be able to see by naked eye the vehicle AND form an opinion as to speed. This is for corroboration purposes as that is required by law, except for ‘temporary’ limits. Another question would be using a laser over that distance might bring into question accuracy affected by beam skid. To land a laser on a flat forward facing surface becomes more difficult over extended range. As for other alleged offences the perception over a distance as envisaged also brings in a question of true and accurate perception.
I don’t condone the committing of any offence, nor do I condone guesswork. Two wrongs do not make a right.
I have always undrestood that Police, Road Safety orgs and Councils have always maintained that visible camera locations or Police with hand held detectors who should be visible, were there as a deterrent not a cash cow. These new cameras raise ominous fears that they are there for cash, and what else?.
Yet again the motorist is being used as a cash cow, I never thought it was illegal to eat or drink whilst driving providing it was in a safe manor, it’s a shame the police don’t spend more time catching real lawbreakers like rapists, grooming gangs and burglars, It is bjg brother yet again going power mad
I was caught speeding by one of these at a mobile cameraman in Scotland . I saw the van and checked my speed which was ok. I was coming from behind d the van and after I passed the van, just over a mile further up the road I sped up to 70 in a 60. I asked for the photographic evidence which they provided and evidenced that I was more than a mile from the camera. 3 points and a fine
I can actually see the reason behind using a telephoto lens. I am a commercial photographer and have suggested it as a means of catching cyclists, thousands, (and I mean thousands) of whom blatantly break bye-laws and road traffic laws in my area: (West Sussex coastal towns).
Perhaps the time has come for Adam and his team to start lobbying for cyclists to be compelled to have number plates and insurance, as they have to in Holland. I think you’d get a lot of very supportive car and van drivers on your side.
So cannot eat a sandwich whilst stuck in traffic, yet Police drivers can use their talking button holes with
one hand whilst driving.
It’s been proven that their are far less accident’s on the German autobahns than on our British camera ridden so called motorway’s. These camera are a distraction and a hazard, not their for safety reasons, all about “MONEY”.
Totally disgraceful extortion.
Time for a concerted campaign to remove the blatant conflict of interest.
NEW RULE: All fines must go to charity (or maybe a fund to compensate victims of uninsured and hit-and-run drivers). Not a single penny should be available to any level of government nor NGOs.
The NEW RULE should apply to all fines, not just motoring fines.
This allows genuine safety measures to be applied, but removes the incentive to entrapment.
Working as a chauffeur based in Nottingham, my driving hours were very varied. (I’m now retired) My range of work would take me as far north as say 200 miles, to/from any point south. However, to and from airports/meetings in London would account for around 85% of my work.
Annual mileage would be around 45,000 per annum.
Being on time to meet or to arrive at a destination was frequently critical. Clearly, given the state of our highways (road works, new or maintenance; accidents were a regular challenge) potential delays were always looming.
Exceeding the speed limit became quite a regular ocurrence! And yes, such speeds were with the agreement of the client if seated in the vehicle.
It’s all very well for the police to have modern day technology to catch speeding vehicles/drivers, over which we have no control, but such techno makes no allowance for the ‘professional’ driver.
We can all comment/moan about this growing police activity; unless we professional/long distance drivers can get together and develop a protest group, NOWT WILL CHANGE.
All we can try is to invest in techno to assist us in defending our position, or to be able offer information to mitigate ours circumstances.
There is no ‘ONE SIZE FITS ALL’; Central Government and Regional Police Forces just want to use the motorist as ‘cash cows’, and milk it for all its worth. Why would they do otherwise?
It’s all about the money, money, money. Let’s face it, the roads have reached saturation point hence the “dumb motorways” with the hard shoulder removed. No matter what government is in place they all want to remove vehicles off the roads so they are making life as difficult as possible for the driver. I suspect there will be much more costs imposed on drivers in the near future.
I think removing lots of vehicles off the road Ken would lose lots of revenue for the government. Can you imagine if half the vehicles alone were removed, the loss of in revenue would be £billions.
Talking of cash cows. They set another type of trap on motorways. “TIREDENSS KILLS – TAKE A BREAK”. Drove off the motorway into a dimly lit car park on a service station and had a nice long sleep. Woke up in the morning to find the car had been clamped since I hadn’t staggered across the car park and paid for parking in advance as instructed on a notice high up in the corner of the car park. Can’t remember how much it cost me but a LOT.
Cross the channel and you can sleep free of charge on any service station. This is becoming rip-off Britain.
Extorting money from motorists is a top priority for the Police/Govt, they are spending billions on smart motorways that do not help with traffic but generate lots of money for them and now we have this telescopic lens potentially coming into play. It’s absolutely disgusting how we are robbed on a daily basis, Con Charge, ULEZ, buy diesel cars not so many moons ago, it just goes on and on.
It was estimated in 2016 that there were 1milion drivers on our roads without insurance, can anybody tell me what they have done about them?
Please forgive me if I don’t hold my breath.
So the government are cash cows so why are they allowing more vehicles not having to pay road tax and using it to repair and improve roads I mean the new low emission and electric which are mainly the rich can afford
There’s more to it with the long lenses. I accelerated round a horse box on a bit of dual carriageway which was coming to an end. So I went from about 75 to just over 90 and back to about 75. Then I saw the camera several hundred metres from where I’d been going fastest.
Ticketed at 91mph. (3 pts).
With a long lens you an track something coming towards you over a much longer distance, and pick the maximum speed.
Do you think doing 90 just to get past a slower vehicle is ok? It’s not.
Yet again this is just another way of extracting money from the unforeseen motorist. However, we all know it will not stop here. Eventually the police will have access to the transponder on your car and will not require cameras to slap you with some sort of fine. Do not be surprised that people in the future will have to be chipped so the police can track all your movements. They have done it with dogs!!!”
This is absolutely outrageous, pure revenue generation and not at all about safety! I also had no idea you were not allowed to eat or drink while driving or sitting in a traffic jam – how utterly ridiculous, if you are stuck in a 4 hour traffic jam you are going to need to eat and drink. I was fined after being stuck in a jam for over 4 hours, for taking a pee, I had actually climbed into the bush out of sight and was told by the idiot police officer it was public indecency, what a twat! No…I was busting for a pee because of an accident they were taking so bloody long to sort out. In South Africa when an accident happens the road is not closed like here in the UK, the injured people are swiftly removed and everything possible is done to get traffic flowing asap, unlike here where they take forever! Thanks for the heads up about these cameras, so much bloody control in this world, take me back to the 70’s!
Boris has promised to put more police on the beat, was it 2,000.
As there are a decreasing number of police stations around the country i suppose they will have to hide all these new recruits behind speed cameras and do something worthwhile like grabbing more unsuspecting motorists never mind the innocent victims of physical crime caused by relaxing drug controls, no member of the public has asked for this, knife jacking, breaking and entry, assault caused by excessive alcohol on a Friday/Saturday night, molestation offences that occur while the new recruits spend a cosy night tucked up in bed to be fresh and ready for another tiring day spent behind a long range telephoto lens catching unsuspecting sandwich eaters in stationary cars to help pay for their salary which is something like £40,000 plus
We need people who can challenge these tickets in court to do so. Look at the recent mobile phone case that has just been fought won & will lose the police millions in fines….
“The High Court has today handed down a Judgement, which clarifies the offence of using a mobile phone whilst driving. The conclusion is that the offence is not committed unless it is proved beyond reasonable doubt (by the Prosecution) that the phone was being used for an ‘interactive telecommunication function’ at the time of the alleged offence.”
Source:
pattersonlaw.co.uk/high-court-clarifies-law-on-mobile-phone-usage
Challenge all fines, if not in court then by writing to the police with queries about the ‘offence’. They have to respond, it costs them time & money & if we all did it the system would collapse.
What if you are stationary in a line of traffic, and you grab a quick slurp from
a can of pop, you cannot tell if you were moving or stationary from a long range photo.
surely it should be ok to grab a drink is stationary ? .
It’s becoming a police state. Will be listening what we say in our cars next
There is a limit to the technology, the longer the range at which they want to take your photo the higher up the camera is going to have to be mounted to see over the obstacles in front of you. It must record you, you actions and your licence plate. And in going up higher the more visible the camera becomes and if a remote unit the more weather affected it is too.
Another thought, You want a drink of water or a sandwich, sit in traffic behind a truck! Look at the picture, you can’t see what’s going on behind those trucks on the right hand side and the cameras were probably sitting on an over-bridge at the time.
I’m going to open myself up to endless abuse here, now, with this comment.
I’m using technology to help me to be a lot smarter about how I drive and how much I speed, and up to present, touch wood, I’m ok so far.
Now if they could use these long range lenses to do something about those absolutely morons who need a sat nav to tell them every 10 seconds to move to the empty lane to their left, then I’m in favour of long range lenses. It’s even worse now, with 4 lane motorways. THEY DONT KNOW IF THEY SHOULD BE IN LANE 2 OR LANE 3…. ..
Without middle lane d*^k heads, there would be any under takers. Which is the biggest crime, undertaking or staying in the middle lane?
After entry into the Metropolitan Police I was put on a Police driving course and attachment for two weeks. I left after one week as I realized the idea of enforcing traffic laws was futile. For the same reason Traffic camera cars are the same. They do NOT stop ‘exceeding the speed limit’ . If they did why are they still operating 20 years after they started? .They are a failure. One reason is that they do not operate at night or in bad weather, are seldom seen on Motorways where they are needed or major roads where the most serious injury accidents happen.Mostly they catch local users of Rural or local roads where residents are going about their chores or business on roads than know. They are in these cases with civilian operators anti social and unnecessary. Many modern cars are smooth and silent and can go over 30 mph unless you have constant attention to the speedometer which in its self is dangerous. There is also the implied threat that if you go to Court you will incur Court charges. But whatever you say there are retired traffic officers content to sit in a van and staff in headquarters to send out the NOIP and staff in Southend on Sea to send out the necessary paper work and collect the fines. This abuse of local drivers will go on it gathers over £2 million a year.
A lot of good comments there, Michael. As you say, I try and drive to the conditions. With good awareness and assessment of the situation, rather than constantly looking at my speedo. That’s why I got done, recently, for doing 35 in a 30mph.
Very much looks like another cash generator from the motorist.
I drive in London 3/4 days a week if in a 20mph zone and a bus behind I always drive at 10mph, and in the middle of road because its a safety zone. We dont want any children hit by the buses that are now not prosecuted for blocking box junctions, speeding, who pull out impeding on coming other road users, drive through temporary red lights.
I could go on, all of the above I have complained to Police officers present at the time. Action taken 0.0, my score of most Police forces in UK today.
The police often ask for public help but recently I’ve seen abuse of position:
Crossing roads with offspring away from lollipop warden
Parking in bus stops.
Parking on double yellow lines.
Tailgating.
Exceeding speed limits.
Frankly, I support the police and the community but there seems to be a lot of bad apples
in the force at the moment.
Memo from chief constable, to all police
Please note don’t bother with burglaries, shop lifters, illegal travellers, we can boost our crime success rate on sitting targets namely the motorist.
Why is the drivers are getting prosecuted for eating at the wheel or whilst driving. whereas the smokers don’t seem to be affected in the same way. If a smoker drops a lit cigarette in a moving vehicle then surely that is even more dangerous as they try to retrieve the burning cigarette or it catches the car alight?
The easy target – motorists!
The Police no longer solve Crimes they target motorist to boost the coffers. Motorist are easily identified and generally don’t answer back.
They also spend unlimited an mounts on the technology to catch Motorway speeders, despite the huge drop in road deaths and the fact that Motorways are the safest roads in the country. We need Policemen to Police our drunken hooligans ridden towns not make television programmes a about car chases.
I find this unbelievable if it’s true.
As with many of the comments, serious crimes go unchallenged and unsolved, blamed on funding.
Yet, here we have new tech, and money is no object to them?
Why? Because “It will pay for itself by way of fines”, is that in any way fair to the majority of law abiding citizens going about their normal working day.
I drive over 40k miles pa, not had a fine or speed course for over 3 years and a clean licence, lucky? Maybe.
But being aware of what you can and cannot do helps. Those middle lane hogs (MLH) cause so much frustration not just to me as a driver but to our professional HGV drivers, yet they get away with this behaviour daily, with impunity.
So, now you can be caught picking your nose and get done but smoking is ok?
Where are we going?
Enforce the current law on MLH and those dangerous drivers, but for God’s sake leave us normal, law abiding citizens alone and cut us some slack please.
The motorist is the easiest catch for the police. Catching burglars and people who do harm to others requires actual policing. I was just recently done for doing 35 in a 30mph. Nice wide road, not in a built up area. But, it’s an easy catch for them. And I never saw where they were. Obviously well hidden. As for the survey by the RAC? What a lot of nonsense and they should be thoroughly ashamed, at putting out such lies.
Charles Walker makes the salient point about how cars in future will be ‘tracked’ as a matter or routine, whatever the car of the future may look like.
That this hasn’t already become part of the annual MOT is quite incredible given the way the nanny state watches over our every move & surely can only be a matter of time before all new cars are fitted with such a device, perhaps even without the owners knowledge!
Soon, there will be absolutely NO part of our lives that isn’t shared with video camera & other recording type device every step of the way – 1984 has truly come to the 21st century, as nailed by George Orwell!
Charles Walker makes the salient point about how cars in future will be ‘tracked’ as a matter or routine, whatever the car of the future may look like.
That this hasn’t already become part of the annual MOT is quite incredible given the way the nanny state watches over our every move & surely can only be a matter of time before all new cars are fitted with such a device, perhaps even without the owners knowledge!
Soon, there will be absolutely NO part of our lives that isn’t shared with video camera & other recording type device every step of the way – 1984 has truly come to the 21st century, as nailed by George Orwell!
Well said Charles Walker – this is absolute Orwellian life in the 21st century!
Have you any link to the technical data of this camera. Specifically what is it using to project on to the target vehicle and receive back to its monitor? With the current equipment I was able to prove successfully that the equipment could not differentiate between my vehicle and the one in front of it, when I was second behind another vehicle approaching the police equipment. The camera shot produced by the police as the final frame of 25 had the cross hares on my number plate but still showed the wing mirror of the vehicle in front, more of which would have been in the shot in frame 1.
Just drive properly…
The police are the villains. Thieves who take advantage of our situation, because we need to drive to make a living. So many people have problems and we are worrying if next letter will be a speeding fine. Why don’t they go after the idiots who hog lanes. We are being victimised.
All this Orwellian crap is why I will NEVER buy another new vehicle.
My current line-up is 1961, 1978, 1990, 1994, 1999, and 2010… “They” can go stuff their selves…
It’s another ridiculous money making scheme, there are some drivers who deserve to be caught but others who are careful drivers can easily and unintentionally creeping over the limit who are going to be spending more time watching the speedometer than the road, safety measure I think not
What is the danger by drinking when stationary?Definitely dodgy scheme.
When vehicle is moving and driver is distracted,there is a real danger on the road.I consider a distracted driver a danger on road,not a fast driver.However within some limits.
The law regarding driver being distracten when stationary with engine running is just to make money.
I think it’s gone too far. If only the police took this much effort into smaller crimes like: theft, assaults and other crime, we wouldn’t be in such a mess. The government are doing this for profit. I agree with catching speeders but it’s gone too far in its endeavour. Has anyone noticed how speed limits are being reduced from 50 to 40 or less? Is this to catch more of us out? As for not being able to drink when your stationary is rediculas!
There has been a slow but irrevocable erosion of peoples rights for many decades now and at the forefront has been the motorist. The monetary cost from road tax, fuel, insurance, repair and servicing costs have contributed immeasurably to the coffers of the exchequer. This latest cash generating ‘stunt’ is typical of those in power using public money stolen from hard working taxpayers to fund their next generation of surveillance systems in order to extract money. Birmingham, my home city, has more than 200 defunct Gatso speed cameras which at £250,000 each or thereabouts plus the expense of the ‘flash’ unit saw council taxpayers shelling out more than £50 million for speed cameras that are no longer financially viable according to the council. What members of the council, if any, take responsibility for this shameful waste of our money? No one! Government without responsibility is not government at all. A change of system needs to happen. One that is fair and forces councilors and MP’s to take responsibility or be prosecuted. If and when this happens motorists and all taxpayers will have a great weight lifted from them. The sooner the better!!
You are a bit late with this info. Thames Valley Police have been using this system since at least 2017. They are currently trialing a version which works after dark. My information comes from the Open day they held at their Training Centre near Newbury in 2017 where they demonstrated the equipment and told us that it takes less that 1/300th of a second to take a speed reading.
As usual, it’s all to catch people. Nothing to do with safety. Senior police officers act more like a police state every day. Join the dots. If you commit a serious crime the cops don’t want to know. If in court for a serious crime some liberal judge gives a slap on the wrist. Speeding or parking or driving in a bus lane you are a serious threat to humanity! Pathetic! How I hate what my country has become.
Phew I smoke I also get thirsty and peckish and fully accept that theres a time a place to eat and drink. But it really pisses me off when people start voicing THEIR opinions on banning smoking in cars ..in my car piss off how long before this crew stop you smoking in your home fucks sake don’t these people realize this sort of attitude just gives authorities more scope to and excuses to pull drivers over. It’s the bloody extremes we have in our society that makes us the most observed ie CCTV. And most punitive all holier than thou hypocrites. While don’t have a clue …….
There is a simple way to put this initiative of the police’s out of action. In fact it could remove all speed cameras ever. All people need to do is not speed. Speed limits are set for a reason. Rightly or wrongly they are set. If people didn’t exceed this limit then accidents would hopefully be reduced and there would be no requirements for speed cameras. Everyone that has an issue with speed cameras obviously wants to break the speed limit. If your going to do it then that’s the chance you take. This whole page / drive protect is designed to make Adam’s bank balance bigger and allow you speeders to get away with speeding. The more you speed the more ways the police find to catch you.
I must admit, I think the same.
I have read every one of the above and what keeps coming back to me is how I feel I see the POLICE AS A BUNCH OF THUGS in black with crew cuts and tattoos all the way up their arms. The one thing that also keeps hitting me is one day the public are going to turn on them as you can only take people so far and there are more of us than them for every push there are also returns to pay so if you keep giving like they do then they should be prepared for the come back it will happen it always does and they wont win so the fact they think they are GOD ALMIGHTY is the worst dream they can have the people will crush them this world is changing and so is the youth i fear they will not put up with for long they already hate authority just one small push is all it will take the authority’s underestimate them and do so at their perrill there is always some out there just waiting to start them off you can now laugh but dont do it too loud if i were you. this country has turned to shit the police are corrupt and think they own it they i think are soon to find out they don’t all the police bosses must be small men like Hitler or Putin all trying to rule the world and we all know what happened to them right.
They are about to recruit 20000 new ones, to secure this many standards, already low, will probably drop even lower. God help us all then.
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…..here is a great idea…if you don’t want to be penalised… concentrate on the management of your vehicle…I don’t want to be driving along side others who don’t think about their driving…if a number of drivers thought more about their actions it would be very difficult to justify the use of enforcement cameras …very simple. Sadly very few of the comments on this site focus on the responsibility of drivers. In any case it won’t matter in the future as the speed of a vehicle will be subject to zonal control via Wi-Fi…Anyway safe driving ..and respect for other road users
I keep reading you cannot eat and drink when driving, this is not the case (While it is not illegal for a driver to eat or drink while driving, the police could still issue penalty points and a fine. This is because it can be a “distraction” and falls under the category of driving without due care and attention. … Avoid distractions when driving or riding such as eating and drinking) so of you are stuck in traffic there is no reason why you cannot take a drink or eat something, without fear of officer knob head taxing you for it no doubt they would call it a fine but it’s a tax trust me I am an idiot.
Abide by the law and you’ve no problem. If it was safe to speed, eat or drink when driving, how come it’s not allowed when you’re learning to drive or doing you’re driving test then!
So if you are stuck in a traffic jam in sweltering heat don’t take a drink of water, let yourself get dehydrated so you can pass our and kill 20 or 30 people when you get back.up to the legal 70mph limit that’s much more acceptable.
When will the police learn to accept that if you are stationary with the handbrake on then it is perfectly safe to glance at your phone, take a drink or even light a cigarette if you so desire ?
Mobile phone law for drivers could be torn up after High Court ruling
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/cars/news/mobile-phone-law-for-drivers-could-be-torn-up-after-high-court-ruling/ar-AAFmCEt?ocid=spartanntp
The law on using a mobile phone while driving may have to be ripped up and rewritten following a landmark High Court decision.
The Court agreed with lawyers for a driver found guilty of using his phone to film an accident scene, who argued that the wording of the law meant he had been wrongly convicted.
The decision could have massive implications for thousands of drivers found guilty of using their phone for everything from taking photos to choosing music, who could see their convictions overturned.
The standard penalty for using a handheld phone while driving is six points and a £200 fine.
Filming an accident
The ruling centred on the case of builder Ramsey Barreto, who was convicted of driving while using a handheld phone after police spotted him filming while driving past the scene of a serious accident in Ruislip, north London.
His conviction was later overturned at Isleworth Crown Court before the Director Of Public Prosecutions challenged the decision in the High Court.
Now the High Court has agreed with Barreto’s lawyers that the act of filming didn’t count as “using” his phone under the wording of the law.
They argued that under the current law, an offence is only committed when a driver is using their phone for “interactive communication” such as calling or texting, and Barreto’s filming with the phone’s camera did not count.
The Crown Prosecution Service argued that the law prohibits any use of a handheld mobile phone but in her judgement Lady Justice Thirwall dismissed this and agreed with Barreto’s lawyers.
Outdated legislation
In her judgement, she said: “The legislation does not prohibit all use of a mobile phone held while driving. It prohibits driving while using a mobile phone or other device for calls and other interactive communication (and holding it at some stage during that process)…. It follows that the activity of the respondent did not come within Regulation 110 and the Crown Court was right to quash the conviction.”
Barreto’s solicitor, Emma Patterson, said: “We are absolutely delighted with the outcome of this case.
“We have been arguing for many years that the legislation in relation to the offence of using a handheld mobile phone whilst driving a motor vehicle has failed to keep pace with the evolution of smartphones.
Read more: Thousands of British drivers are being pursued by foreign police forces over unpaid speeding fines (The Telegraph)
“The increasing multi-functionality of smartphones was, in fact, making a mockery of the law.
“We ended up with a situation where you could hold a Casio calculator performing mathematical calculations whilst driving and you would not be committing a mobile phone offence, whereas doing exactly the same thing on the calculator app on a smartphone, according to the way the Police or Crown Prosecution Service were applying the law, meant you would automatically be committing an offence warranting six points and a hefty fine.
“This is not a loophole argument. This is simply the correct application and understanding of the law as it currently stands.”
Lady Justice Thirwall warned that her ruling did not mean people could legally film and use other non-communications functions.
She said: “It should not be thought that this is a green light for people to make films as they drive.
“Driving while filming events or taking photographs whether with a separate camera or with the camera on a phone, may be cogent evidence of careless driving, and possibly of dangerous driving.
“It is criminal conduct which may be prosecuted and on conviction may result in the imposition of penalties significantly more serious than those which flow from breach of the regulations. The same applies to any other use of the phone while driving.”
Grey area
Francis Noakes, of the Get Licensed Driving School, urged lawmakers to revisit the legislation as a ‘matter of urgency’.
He said: “What this test case shows is that, as it stands, prosecutions are far from straightforward and an offence is difficult to prove.
“The law is designed to prohibit active involvement in communication whilst driving.
“If you use an app that allows you to communicate with other people, you’re committing an offence.
“But there’s now a massive grey area. Is checking the weather on an app an offence? Can you make voice memos in your phone with impunity?
“When it comes to road safety, we simply can’t allow for any uncertainty to exist. I’d urge lawmakers to revisit and tighten the legislation as a matter of urgency.”
All know its money making business for the police.And its true they cant solve knive crimes kids killing each other with knives and guns .they claim not enough police force they is no revenue in trying to stop knive crimes so why should they bother.
Speed cameras are another way of making money off us ordinary citizen. Definitely wasting police time when it could be spent on chasing real crooks. The last person on a crime scene is the police do you ever wonder why? Because there too busy making money for the government as if we don’t pay enough to stay on the road. We should be allowed to drink water to keep hydrated and stay awake behind the wheel. How come there is one rule for ordinary citizen and another for the police there allowed tea and coffee whilst driving to stay alert.
Absolute disgrace, we’re allowing big broth to stuff to us spied on every where we go! And who are these 59% idiots 85 yr old
These long ranger cameras are an infringement on our civil liberties and should be withdrawn immediately
Enough of this big brother stuff, too frightened to get out of their vans sitting there anonymously pressing buttons, these are extremely dangerous precedents and they should be halted, this insidious growth of big brother are very dangerous steps with no common sense, computer generated tick box culture – all really bad news
Absolutely stupid! Stop causing accidents by slowing people down on a smart motorway and crashing into each other due to a surge in vehicles 8 miles away! Sad that every 400 yards there’s a camera looking at us. Switch them off.
Dont agree in long ranger!! Its just another way to fill the government pockets and fat cat bellies
This is such b******* smart motorways yes smart for the government should be smart cash cow motorways there’s obviously too many drivers on the road and this is the only way they can reduce numbers by catching people speeding in other words the soft target playing with people’s lives making criminals out of your everyday Joe just trying to get on with his life if and earn money to pay more taxes to the government and politicians wages we need a revolution
This is another option for the Police, Councils, and Government of getting extortionate fines from the road users, it should not be allowed it is infringing on our human rights. The cameras will be able to pick up other things which are of no concern to the authorities, How will the Police identify which car to target between there location and the 1km, will foreign vehicles be included as at this moment Kent Police have admitted that they are not prosecuting foreign drivers as the cameras only take the index number and they can’t trace the drivers. The Police need to be taken to court over the use of these cameras, they won’t save lives so lets get them banned now.
Your dash cam shows your true speed. But with new vehicles all have cruise control. If i had that on my van i would all ways use it on motorways . Eating drinking behind the wheel . We all do it. I do all the time. But only when i know its safe.
Okay still not meant to do it. I have more chance of winning lottery. Than being caught AND THEN being prosecuted.
I thought the police force was strapped for cash hence fewer officers to tackle Real Crime but they can find the funds to purchase these cameras and run the scheme.
More big brother and fleecing the motorist yet again.
Another case of Armchair Policing for Profit. Yet you never see a real copper in a car doing some actual policing. So its OK to drive as badly and aggressively as you like, have an unlicensed, uninsured wreck with bald tyres, belching smoke and no MoT – that’s all OK. But break the speed limit or have a brief swig of water and you are public enemy no 1.
Just control and revenue – more slavery – a definite stop using them from me.
It is clearly obvious that this type of equipment is in my opinion is being used to Spy in people, it is not about safety any more it is all about creating revenue. The point I make is that you can’t see them because they’re hiding, no speed camera warning signs, so if you simply get a fine in the post for creeping over a limit somewhere to keep up with the flow of traffic, this has no bearing at all in understanding where or how or why you have have done this nor do they take into account this fact either which then is nothing to do with safety at all. There near existence and technical capability proves they simply wish to hide and catch you out and take your money. The only, and absolute reason I would agree with their us under any circumstance is that they are used to catch driver that are completely breaking the speed limit by a good margin and are clearly not reacting to flow of traffic or avoidance manovering, ie the context of the photograph is absolutely and unequivocally clear that the individual is blatantly breaking the speed limit.
These are just a device to get round the need to make traffic cameras easily visible, and thus remind people of the need to observe limits.
In France , where i drive frequently, they have notices warning you of fixed camera locations, and different signs telling you where random checks are frequently positioned.
why not the same here?
Also, surely it is ridiculous to prosecute for eating a sandwich, taking a swig of water etc, especially when stationary. there is absolutely NO DANGER!
These are just a device to get round the need to make traffic cameras easily visible, and thus remind people of the need to observe limits.
In France , where i drive frequently, they have notices warning you of fixed camera locations, and different signs telling you where random checks are frequently positioned.
why not the same here?
Also, surely it is ridiculous to prosecute for eating a sandwich, taking a swig of water etc, especially when stationary. there is absolutely NO DANGER!
I hope all cars will eventually have automatic speed by GPS. This would make it impossible to go over the speed limit on any road.
Headphone cable casing become brittle and broken at each end, eliminating cable protection, so will soon not work.
Let’s not forget that these laser speed cameras do not measure speed directly, they can only measure distance. So the distance of a car at 2 instances 0.3 seconds apart is used to calculate the cars speed. This assumes that the 2 distances are taken for the same spot on the car, which relies on the steady hand of the operator. The operator is supposed to target the number plate of the car. If these speed cameras are to be reliably operated at 1000m the police will need some pretty remarkable marksmen, for the output to be accurate.
Let’s not forget that these laser speed cameras do not measure speed directly, they can only measure distance. So the distance of a car at 2 instances 0.3 seconds apart is used to calculate the cars speed. This assumes that the 2 distances are taken for the same spot on the car, which relies on the steady hand of the operator. The operator is supposed to target the number plate of the car. If these speed cameras are to be reliably operated at 1000m the police will need some pretty remarkable marksmen, for the output to be accurate.
What will they think of next soldier’s could have done with these in the second world war.
just yet another method to raid the wallets of the drivers. dont worry about rapist’s, stabbers, burglars,there’s no money in them. just chase the motorist’s. There’s money in issuing tickets, and fines. absolutely NOTHING to do with SAFETY.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
lets hope all those cameras get NICKED!
the police should stop all forigners driving on polish plates they have no tax insurance mot piss all I had an accident with one all of a sudden he didn’t speek English the police cant check the plates this guy had been getting away with it 5 years and he told the police hed just come into the country didn’t have a british licence went to court he didn’t turn up theres a surprise
I was caught by one of the long range cameras last week. You do not stand a chance. How do we fight back Adam.
It would seem one solution to is driverless cars that we sit in and let the machine beat the other machine at its own game and no prosecutions for anyone.
the roads and motorways -have not kept with the car very fast growing population -motorways ar the same now as in the 70ys -hence massive traffic jams country wide in my opinion -also modern cares have power steering disc anti skid brakes etc—and not to mention the pothole situation but we don’t hear anything about how dangerous this is -no figures on this menace of accidents -its always the driver at fault –this is my opinion –
Yes,we are car cash cows for government revenue raising.Rubbish roads,rubbish government policies,enough is enough and all motorists should go on strike,if this was in France none of this would be happening they would blockade roads and motorways.Last point is,when all cars are electric we do not have enough electricity generated, barely enough for our needs now,and of course they will introduce road tax,and a tax on the batteries they use,and so on and still the roads will be rubbish.CAR CASHCOWS WE WILL BE FOREVER!!!!
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