Has Anyone been "caught" by a SPECS camera

Harry06

Just wondered if anyone has actually been caught speeding by one of these yellow motorway cameras. The reason I ask is, when ever I travel through roadworks lots of people seem to completely ignore them. Do they know something I don't?
I have some experience of ANPR cameras and they can be extremely difficult to set up and align. Some tend to have very narrow fields of view and are very height restricted. So surely mounting a camera on a great big yellow pole on top of a three lane highway watching all sizes of vehicles must prove a difficult commision.
Don't get me wrong I'm not advocating "zooming" through roadworks. Just curious.
Thanks

TheBrit · Regular Visitor Joined: Jul 18, 2006 Posts: 111

I always set my cruise control in such zones so as not to accidentally go over. Some people obviously dont know the meaning of 'average' though as I still see people speeding between the cameras then slowing down as they pass them. Confused

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JockTamsonsBairn · Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2009 1:57 am Post subject:

Great minds...?
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glo-worm · Occasional Visitor Joined: Aug 24, 2007 Posts: 2

I also set cruise control when going through them, but I was very sceptical that the ANRS would not be effective enough to scan the image process it and get the number plate and then repeat it effectively half a mile later with enough accuracy to work.
However a collegue of mine got caught by the SPECS system on the road works at the top of the M1 in mid-2007 since then I am a convert and believe SPEC's would appear to actually work. By work I mean generate revenue from motorists, not reduce accidents in roadworks! Rolling Eyes

Videodat · Posted: Sat Apr 04, 2009 5:47 am Post subject: Re Specs - do they work

Hi all
The latest News Letter from PGPSW asked whether anyone had actually been caught by SPECS - one of my drivers was (in the company van!) but it was on the permanent 10 mph section by Tower Bridge and he was doing just under 30 mph!
Like a lot of people I've seen many people whizzing through roadworks so I wonder if they work at all temporary sites...... Question

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Darren · Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 10:37 am Post subject:

In last week's newsletter I asked for people who had been caught by SPECS installations to contact me and contact me you did.

I'm saddened to say I was flooded with emails from readers who had fallen foul of the average speed cameras.

I was also contacted by an installer who explained the calibration process and who assures me that they work!

One unlucky driver was fined for driving at an average of 52mph through a 50 zone. So whilst some may not be switched on, they do work, ignore them at your peril.
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Darren Griffin

perussell · Frequent Visitor Joined: May 12, 2006 Posts: 292

a comment and a question.....

I have been told that SPECS cameras are lane sensitive i.e. they work in pairs but only on the same lane e.g. first camera in lane 3 of an M-way would be linked to the next camera in Lane 3. Consequently while not condoning the concept of speeding through these things in any way I have always changed lanes between cameras if I have inadvertently let my speed drift slightly over the limit between cameras (or think that I might have missed a camera). Of course this isn't going to work on single carriageway roads. I'm told that the "next generation" cameras will be multi-lane sensitive.

My question however is this - do they work at night? i.e. can they read number plates in the dark - in fact does ANPR technology work in the dark at all. Somebody tried to suggest to me that infra red detection can determine the difference between the white background and the black letters/numbers albeit I can't personally see how this would be (and I am not about to go belting through one of these at night time to prove or disprove the theory Smile

)

Has anyone been caught by a SPECS in the dark?

druck · Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 2:21 pm Post subject:

The cameras operate in the near infra-red which gives a very similar image to a black and white camera using visible light, rather than far infra-red which sees heat. The have infra-red lamps which aren't visible to drivers, but provide sufficient illumination to recognise plates in the dark.

perussell · Frequent Visitor Joined: May 12, 2006 Posts: 292

Darren · Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 2:26 pm Post subject:

As has been said, they operate in the dark by virtue of the iR illuminators. They are also capable of monitoring multiple lanes although not type approved for that mode (last time I checked).

I wouldn't rely on changing lanes to avoid a ticket if you're speeding through a SPECS zone.
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Darren Griffin

perussell · Frequent Visitor Joined: May 12, 2006 Posts: 292

druck · Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 2:38 pm Post subject:

Darren · Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 2:46 pm Post subject:

JockTamsonsBairn · Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 2:50 pm Post subject:

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