Speed Camera Alerts: How To Achieve Multiple Lifetime Status

[RobBrady]

Forum member Will Mowat emailed us recently with the following questions:

"It would be interesting to us mere subscribers to hear more about how those guys who are already 'Lifers' go about bagging more cameras. How do they do it? Are they professional drivers who roam the country for their jobs? Are they train-spotter equivalents who devote all their energies to the cause? Do they happen to live in parts of the country where constant changes to cameras/sites mean rich pickings? Do they have amusing stories to tell? Any hints and tips / things to look out for?"

Hopefully, our verifiers (see DennisN's excellent A Day in The Life of a PocketGPSWorld.com Verifier or those who have been awarded multiple lifetime status will help answer Will's questions, but to start the ball rolling, here's a bit of background.

Our members send us 1000's of reports each month for new, altered and removed cameras. We often get details of new cameras even before they are activated. In turn, we award lifetime memberships (1000's so far!) for all previously unreported notifications that have been personally double-checked by our verifiers. This means free speed camera downloads for the rest of the submitter's life.

When we award a lifetime membership, this often results in the member becoming even more enthusiastic with their submissions therefore gaining lifetime status on several more occasions.

Some miss out on free speed camera downloads. So how do multiple 'Lifers' do it?

Right, over to the multiple lifers and verifiers! Why do you believe you are successful at pipping others to the post with your submissions?
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Robert Brady

[Jellyroll]

In my case things became much easier when I enabled screen-capture on my TomTom One. It meant my records were more accurate, easier to follow and easier to upload. If I could use POICapture I perhaps would, but a simple four-tap recording method - capture the route screen with one tap top left, switch to the overview with a second tap bottom right, capture that one to get the coordinates with another top left, then exit back to the route with a bottom right tap again - is easy to do with relative safety when driving, avoiding as it does any dangerous fiddling about with menus.

I also got "lucky" with an awful lot of roadworks on the small variety of routes I use in my regular commute from the Lancashire in the North West to Essex in the South East. Temporary cameras were up and down like...like...things that go up and down a lot in a short space of time. I have also submitted some local mobile camera locations, but each seems to be destined to be pMobiles for now. Maybe I'm the only PocketGPSWorld Camera Spotter in the village.

My admiration is reserved for those who consistently spot new cameras on B-roads and other out-of-the-way routes. I've been on the "continued thanks" list only a handful of times, but each one brought a little moment of pride, and reassurance that my efforts continue to count.

[Privateer]

Bo Peep and I have been members for some time now, if you look to the left you'll see that I joined the forum on 30th December 2002 and Bo Peep joined a little later. Although I didn't get my first SatNav until May 2003, which was TomTom Navigator 2 on an iPAQ 3970.

When PocketGPSWorld started to collect data for the speed camera database Bo Peep and I started to collect the data for most of the fixed cameras in Oxfordshire and a few in the surrounding counties as well. Yes, we're Camera Spotters, which are the equivalents of train-spotters.

This qualified both of us to be Life Subscribers when PocketGPSWorld started to charge for a subscription to the data.

Bo Peep and I became Moderators of the PocketGPSWorld forum on 2 June 2004. When the Verifier group was set up, Moderators automatically became Verifiers.
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Robert.
iPhone 6s Plus, iOS 14.0.1: iOS CamerAlert v2.0.7
TomTom GO Mobile iOS 2.3.1; TomTom (UK & ROI and Europe) iOS apps v1.29
Garmin Camper 770 LMT-D

[GeoffL]

I have submitted reports on a couple of new camera positions, and confirmation of others, since becoming a Lifer.
I do not travel the country and I'm not an anorak!
I have been using PocketGPS database fo a few years now and have been helped by prior reported cameras. I feel it is my duty to report un-recorded ones in order to help others!
I travel about 30 minutes in the morning and again in the evening during the week. I do not travel far over the weekends, so perhaps I am just lucky to find them!
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1 - a TomTom Start 60 Europe
2 - a TomTom 1000 Europe
3 - a Garmin 2545
4 - Samsung Galaxy 3 with maps

[bitsandpcsuk]

I have tried several times to post where i have seen a mobile camera in my local area, there is also one place where the database reports there to be a mobile camera, I travel that road daily and have yet to see the mobile camera that is being reported, so I have mentioned several times and yet to have it removed or get any free life membership

[MaFt]

[shires999]

I personally became a lifer when I spotted the SPECS cameras going up on the M1 to cover the roadworks between junctions 25 and 28 a couple of years ago. They weren't active at the time but I reported them anyway. By teh time it was verified they were then active.
Most of my submissions since then have been road works SPECS. As part of my job I do travel to clients accross the country (mostly motorways) and as such I see a lot of roadworks. Not all the SPECS seem to get captured or they seem to change location on a weekly basis so I just log them and submit it.

[M8TJT]

My guess at reading the opening post that this is an open invitation to the 'Where's my lifetime' people. Only one so far So I was wrong
To those people. Keep trying, we DO appreciate it

[253]

I just kept reporting cams I saw or were repositioned.

As a thought, if you trawl the freebie papers that litter the shops etc, towards the back you will see where the Highways Agency and local authority are going to plan the next lot of road works/closures/white linings / gas/ electric dig up etc.
Usually give at least a months notice, so you could lurk in those areas and see if any Specs are going up or a possibility of a mobile/police speed cam to cover the road works, and pounce.


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Triumph Tbird 1700. And now a Bonnie T100.

[Mally1957]

My gatso camera to give me lifetime membership is on the A408 at Cowley near Uxbridge.

I reported the original camera that was installed and I was not succsesful.
The following day a camera was erected at the same location covering the opposite direction and I was awarded lifetime membership for reporting this.

This may be an example where members may be lucky by reporting any examples such as this that may have been overlooked in the past.

I would say generally you have to be quick a gatso was installed on the A404 Rickmansworth Road near Mount Vernon hospital originally 40 MPH now 30 MPH in the morning and by getting home from work at 3PM was already on the database.
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Malcolm

A now retired Tomtom 940 v9.541.3145439.1 OS:1493118, GPS v1.20 Boot 5.5120, West Europe Map v1025.9386

[AliOnHols]

I became a multiple lifer before I even had a SatNav. I was so affronted by collecting a speeding ticket where the speed limit was ambiguous and open to interpretation depending upon road conditions and confusing signage, I was determined to do my best to ensure that no-body else would fall foul of that particular mobile speed camera. I subscribed to PgpsW just to submit the information.

After that it became a crusade. I would compare several different speed camera web-sites and look for irregularities in positions, speeds, types, etc. etc. If I was passing nearby, I would make a detour to establish the truth and report my findings to which ever web-sites had the wrong information.

At about this time MaFt approached me to see if I would be interested in becoming a verifier. Alas, when MaFt found out that I did not have a SatNAv he withdrew the offer. Not until I had bought a SatNav so that I could install the Verifier files did he repeat his offer.

I still do the same. If I know I have an unusual journey coming up, I'll look at the three or four different web-sites, note any discrepancies near my route, make a detour and submit my findings.

Admittedly, it is easier for me as most of my driving tends to be in Spain or France where there are lots of errors/omissions but I'll often bag another lifetime membership when I do return to the UK using the above method.

Yes, I guess I am an anorak!
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Garmin Nuvi 2599
Android with CamerAlert, OsmAnd+, Waze & TT Europe.
TomTom GO 730, GO 930, GO 940 & Rider2.
SatMap Active 10 & 20.

[bitsandpcsuk]

[MaFt]

[bitsandpcsuk]

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