SAT NAV COULD LAND YOU IN JAIL

[Tommy_Belfast]

Sat nav could take you to jail
Drivers warned it's illegal inside Republic

21 April 2006
Northern Ireland drivers buying into the latest motoring craze for satellite navigation systems were today arned they could be unknowingly breaking the law every time they cross the border.

The second generation of satellite navigation systems are due to hit the shelves in weeks with many including a speed camera detection feature allowing motorists to see exactly where speed cameras are located on the route they plan to take.

While it is legal to use it in Northern Ireland, and in the rest of the UK, it is illegal in the Republic.

A Garda spokesperson confirmed that under Irish law it is illegal to use, or even be in possession of, speed detection equipment.

This means that Northern Ireland drivers crossing the border will be committing an offence simply by having satellite navigation equipment with this feature in their car, regardless of whether or not they're using it. Motorists found to be breaking the law face a fine of up to €1,500 and three months in prison.

Meanwhile, misery for motorists here who had hoped their satellite navigation system would signal an end to arguments in the car about the best route, is set to persist as satellite coverage of Northern Ireland's roads continues to be the worst in the UK.

One of the most popular satellite systems on the market at the moment, Tom Tom, used by around one million people in 16 countries, has "very poor" coverage of local roads, according to Halfords, one of the UK's leading satellite navigation retailers.

"Tom Tom is very poor when it comes to Northern Ireland because the software it runs on, Tele Atlas, does not have a huge amount of information on Northern Ireland roads," said a Halfords spokesperson.

"Tele Atlas don't seem to be forthcoming on paying Ordinance Survey Northern Ireland for maps, because from an economic perspective it's just not viable for them when you compare their unit sales in Northern Ireland to those in mainland Europe."

A statement from Tom Tom said: "Our products use data collected by a leading European 'street level' data provider. We are aware of the fact that in certain areas, the data is not complete.

"We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause you. Unfortunately, as we are not collecting road data ourselves we have limited control over such coverage issues. We can, however, assure you that the data we are supplied with is continually being improved."

Halfords said many big retailers are failing to tell their customers about the limitations of the satellite navigation systems.

A spokesperson for the RAC Foundation said: "It's up to vendors to be responsible and advise their Northern Ireland customers that it might not be worth their while buying these systems because of the poor coverage of Northern Ireland's roads."

[dizzyfergy]

Hi ,just a quick thought ,does this mean that the new AA road maps that have speed camera positions on, is also illegal ,as a sat nav device is only a glorified electronic road map afterall.

[DRP]

Hi
I think that the point has been missed. GPS systems do not DETECT traffic enforcement cameras; it indicates that there is a POI on that section of a map which is a camera.
I am not a law technocrat but as the previous post states are all the new atlases illegal as they show the positions on a map, as dose a GPS.
Same goes with France do not attempt to take a detector over to France as the gendarmes will not be very happy.
Regards
DRP
_________________
Sharing information is the key to a better understanding

Mio M400 WEU, N60I, T1, 2x B2, iCN 510 & lots more

[DRP]

Hi
Perhaps my post was a little hasty.
I have read the report on the new Navman range of GPS and unless I missed a chapter or two. I am unaware that they have incorporated a detector together with a GPS unit.
My detector is larger than my Navman, with forward and backward facing sensors, so combining both into one unit, would increase its dimensions considerably. The report is the opposite of this.
The only mention of this is that the top of the range unit has a camera on board, like the modern day mobile phones, with the ability when connected to your PC & the net, to upload the image to a data base.
Regards
DRP
_________________
Sharing information is the key to a better understanding

Mio M400 WEU, N60I, T1, 2x B2, iCN 510 & lots more

[Tommy_Belfast]

I think it means the POI for the speed camera's, think you are allowed the satnav ok its just if you have POI for the speed cameras it isnt allowed, and apparently on the news here in Belfast it was quoted as only having 3 fixed speed camera's in southern Ireland which I can't confirm as deffo.

Well at least we have been forewarned about the satnav situation and map coverage is poor anyways same as northern ireland where i live coverage is poor only major roads on it, glad I only got it for uk mainland.

[Tim Buxton]

[dizzyfergy]

Got it sorted ,replace all the specs ,gatso and mobile icons on the unit with flowers, frogs and trees and tell the local plod if they stop you that it relates to intresting flora and fauna. Just a big coincidence that the local wild life live around the speed cameras .Sorted

[chris_w]

[Darren]

This is clearly bogus and has probably been hyped up by yet another ill informed journalist. Our Govt's definition of 'detection' does not include GPS based systems as defined in the forthcoming Road Safety Bill.
_________________
Darren Griffin

[Tim Buxton]

[Darren]

[parsi]

http://www.oasis.gov.ie/transport/motoring/road_traffic_speed_limits_in_ireland.html?search=radar+detectors

this is the official line - namely that you can't use a "speed meter detector" in Iireland (much the same as the UK).

To be honest it looks like another half-baked article.

A good indication of legality is the availability of articles - if Argos sell it it must be legal ;-)

[DRP]

Hi Parsi
Good surfing.
I have read the link and the sub links.
As my first post in this thread states, my iCN 510/520 dose not DETECT any thing other than GPS signals..
As far as I am aware for those of you that are a bit new to GPS, all they do is receive low frequency signals from a bunch of US satellites, with the aid of navigation software, it then works out an X/Y coordination, which is the blue arrow on your screen, then placing a moving map below it of the area it has worked out. (Clever little thing).
They do not have the ability to receive X, K, KA, L, VG2 or W bands widths, which are some of the popular frequencies, omitted from various detection methods.

Regards
DRP
_________________
Sharing information is the key to a better understanding

Mio M400 WEU, N60I, T1, 2x B2, iCN 510 & lots more

[Jonboy]

Slightly off topic, if you were caught speeding by a camera in the Republic of Ireland can they persue you even if you have a British registered car?

I know that if you are pulled by a cop car over there they give you a instant on the spot fine (80 euro, i think!).
_________________
Don't follow me....i'm lost too!

[parsi]

@DRP - I forgot to add that I agree with you. I have a 510 as well and it sure aint a detector. And to be honest I doubt that Guards would have a problem with them as they are fully aware of the difference.

@jonboy - anecdotal evidence suggest you'd get off scot-free : plenty of people give out about yellow-plates getting away with motoring offences.

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