Tiger_kpt
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Registered: 2nd Apr 05
Location: Retford, Nottinghamshire
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Driving to the gym tonight in Doncaster down Bawlby Road and do what I usually do and drive through an amber light. As I reached the end of the traffic lighted junction (by which time the light may have turned red, but was clear, maybe. IMAO)...
I saw the dreaded FLASH... FLASH F*CKING FLASH from a camera.
On later inspection it was a GATSO (labelled) camera mounted on a high pole in grey colour. No yellow markings on it what so ever. I know that in the place and way it was mounted and by the shape of the box that it wasn't a speed camera (wasn't breaking the limit anyway). But it was a traffic camera (probably a traffic light camera).
Just wanted to ask you guys that if they have "done" for this. Is it the full £60 and 3-points to the license from one of these f*ckers?
Not sure as I heard that if a camera wasn't marked in yellow anywhere then it wasn't a police camera, as all police cameras (by law) have to be marked yellow on at least one face.
And if it is a council camera and not a police camera. I also heard... that the council can only issue you with the £60 fine and by law can't issue points.
Not greatly bothered about getting a fine, can live with it. But can't be doing with the points really. Anyone also know how long points remain on your license for? I heard 5-years at the moment. Knew it USED to be three years.
Also, do traffic cameras run off a film? Which needs reloading/reknewing all the time? Or are they digital? Am just thinking that if they are film based then there's a good chance that there wasn't any film in it and so was a "dud-flash" so to speak. As also heard that at any given time, there is no more than 50% of all cameras fully functioning/loaded with film.
What are you views on the above? Any info that may help with my queries would be appreciated people. Thanks for reading. Cheers 
[Edited on 15-12-2005 by Tiger_kpt]
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James_DT
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Registered: 9th Apr 04
Location: Cambridgeshire
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Yellow cameras mean they're part of some scheme where the money goes back into the roads or something. They don't have to be yellow.
Also, I'd imagine that most cameras are digital these days.
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CorsAsh
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Registered: 19th Apr 02
Location: Munich
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Think it's 3 years for points still.
Also, as far as I'm aware, the cameras on traffic lights dont have to be marked up, they can just be good old battleship grey.
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Tiger_kpt
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Registered: 2nd Apr 05
Location: Retford, Nottinghamshire
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Yeah it was Battleship grey in colour. Oh yeah, it also flashed with a bluey-white light. Forgot to mention that. Also heard that traffic light cameras flash with an orangy light and speed cameras with the white-bluey light. But I was definitely below the speed limit. So..... FOOOOK knows. Any more info or opinions. The camera was marked with a GATSO sticker too. And definitely a traffic light placed one rather than a speed camera.
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James_DT
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Registered: 9th Apr 04
Location: Cambridgeshire
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What are the chances that another car set it off?
EDIT- Did it look like this?
[Edited on 15-12-2005 by James_DT]
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Tiger_kpt
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Registered: 2nd Apr 05
Location: Retford, Nottinghamshire
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Yeah looked exactly like that to be honest mate. Same colour. Mounted the same and lens pointing towards the centre of the traffic lighted junction's road.
It is possible that another car set it off. But not 100% to be honest. Was dazed from the flash. IMAO. But do KIND OF remember thinking that there was another car a bit behind me that crossed the amber later than I did.
But can't visualise it. LOL. MAY have been wishful thinking.....
..... a bit like a Mirage ;-p
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Tiger_kpt
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Registered: 2nd Apr 05
Location: Retford, Nottinghamshire
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The sticker on that pic of the camera you supplied James (bottom left of the camera box), says GATSO blah blah blah. Definitely the same camera.
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James_DT
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Registered: 9th Apr 04
Location: Cambridgeshire
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The traffic light cameras are also made by Gatso. That's definitely a traffic light camera, although it can read your speed (but this isn't an issue for you).
Minimum fine is 3 points and £60 as usual.
I was wrong about the yellow speed cameras. Fixed speed cameras do have to be yellow.
http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_rdsafety/documents/page/dft_rdsafety_039813.hcsp
[Edited on 15-12-2005 by James_DT]
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Tiger_kpt
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Registered: 2nd Apr 05
Location: Retford, Nottinghamshire
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Are the above a film-based (wet-film) camera? For instance: need reloading?
As the common speed GATSO camera are wet-film run and need refilling. And apparently only ever 50% maximum of them are "active" (not dummy flashes) at any one time in the UK. Probably takes more damn time and tax payers money to maintain and reload these shhhoooooot inventions. As well as the hefty fine we get. Oh... and the three points.... meaning increased insurance premium..... which i'm sure the Government will get hold of a proportion of somewhere down the line. Robbing Barstuards.
As may have been a dud-flash. Maybe. LOL.
[Edited on 15-12-2005 by Tiger_kpt]
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Tiger_kpt
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Registered: 2nd Apr 05
Location: Retford, Nottinghamshire
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Yeah just read the that link. Surely if fixed camera housings (as stated) have to be yellow that they can't just be in battleship grey like these traffic camera ones.
Although it does also say on that link that...
"The law requires only that the speed limit should be properly signed. There is no requirement in law to colour cameras yellow or to make them visible. If a camera is not visible, for whatever reason, or it is not correctly signed or coloured this will not invalidate any offence detected by the camera."
Cunning Cnuts! SHOOOT!
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Ian
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Registered: 28th Aug 99
Location: Liverpool
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You drive through the amber lights as you always do? Its about time you got done 
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Tiger_kpt
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Registered: 2nd Apr 05
Location: Retford, Nottinghamshire
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Well no. Not really. If i'm approaching an amber light with plenty of stopping distance I stop. If it'd be more dangerous to slam the anchors on and stop then I carry on straight through and accelerate a little. Simple as.
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Tiger_kpt
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Registered: 2nd Apr 05
Location: Retford, Nottinghamshire
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Anyone know the length of time for points remaining on a license? I know it used to be 3 years a few years back. But recently heard that it was raised to 5 years. That sound right?
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James_DT
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Registered: 9th Apr 04
Location: Cambridgeshire
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quote:
Originally posted by Tiger_kpt
Yeah just read the that link. Surely if fixed camera housings (as stated) have to be yellow that they can't just be in battleship grey like these traffic camera ones.
Fixed speed cameras have to be yellow.
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Ian
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Registered: 28th Aug 99
Location: Liverpool
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I'm sure its a year per point, but it they don't go until they're all gone, if that makes sense.
You've done well to make it flash if its a traffic light cam. They don't go off unless you're well in to the red by a second or so.
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John
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Registered: 30th Jun 03
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Was the camera in front of you?
Afaik they only catch you if you go through with the camera behind you.
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James_DT
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Registered: 9th Apr 04
Location: Cambridgeshire
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Yes, that's correct.
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broster
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Registered: 6th Dec 02
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quote:
Originally posted by Ian
I'm sure its a year per point, but it they don't go until they're all gone, if that makes sense.
You've done well to make it flash if its a traffic light cam. They don't go off unless you're well in to the red by a second or so.
was going ot say that, you need to have gone thru it when it was on red not amber
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Kif
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Registered: 13th Jan 05
Location: Doncaster, South Yorkshire
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Speed cameras HAVE to be yellow if the police force is part of the safty camera scheme. If they are not, the camera does not have to conform to the rules about colours and what not. They can be any colour....
Kyle, the cameras down balby road are not painted yellow because they are traffic light cameras. The ones down that road are not always filled with film and the flash is just a scare tactic. But dont hold me to that, you might of been caught when film was in them.
IIRC they are set (as mentioned above) to go off when you go through on red.
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L33 LEG
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Registered: 6th Jan 03
Location: Blackburn . Drove: Dimma Saxo VTR
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going thru a red light, tut tut tut 
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Tiger_kpt
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Registered: 2nd Apr 05
Location: Retford, Nottinghamshire
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Hmmm. Yeah thing is I never shoot a red light. Was amber when I crossed the line, but may have been red before I reached the furthest line away. Suppose it depends on how they are set up. So maybe a car did go through the light after me and the flash was for him. Hmmm. And yeah the camera was behind me and not in front. Oh well... suppose i'll see when I return from Australia in the New Year. Be a nice late Xmas or New Years present anyway. IMAO.
What do you guys think to that number plate "conditioning" "film" or "spray". Rate it? Or think it's a load of bull?
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L33 LEG
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doesnt matter if it was amber, accoridng to the highway code its okay to go thru amber if its safe to do so. but the police told me that u can never go thru an amber  so no point ion trying to beat them to it, ul get 3 points no matter what
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Tiger_kpt
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Registered: 2nd Apr 05
Location: Retford, Nottinghamshire
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And on the other hand Keith if I did misjudge it then i'm hoping that the cameras weren't filmed up. LOL
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Kif
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Registered: 13th Jan 05
Location: Doncaster, South Yorkshire
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quote:
Originally posted by Tiger_kpt
And on the other hand Keith if I did misjudge it then i'm hoping that the cameras weren't filmed up. LOL
 I hope they were empty as well mate
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Tiger_kpt
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Registered: 2nd Apr 05
Location: Retford, Nottinghamshire
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Can't go through an amber??? That can't be right. Surely. Hmmm. Yet another maoney making scheme for our boys in blue. Highway code says one thing, they say another. Just another contradiction within this messed up country. LOL
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