We have put together for your a table of the most common types of police speed traps, so you can see which units will alert you to which types of speedtrap.
Please note when reading this chart that laser detection is more miss than hit. Since laser works at the speed of light then if the police or safety camera partnerships are firing their laser speed guns at you then you will only get an alert to say that you have already been hit. The detection principle is based on the possibility of getting some scatter off a car being targetted infront of you in which case you maybe get a few seconds warning. Therefore most of the detector systems on the market now have a database of the common mobile locations instead so they can give you more of an advanced warning, these are given a yellow traffic light to indicate that most mobile traps are covered.
= Alerts Given. = Part Detection. They have a database of common mobile sites rather than a sensor. = Not Covered. = Accident Blackspots = London Congestion Charge Zones = Warnings about Primary & Secondary school locations = European Data - see product for details
** = Laser can be hand held or in the back of a Safety Camera Van. It is hard to detect because a signal is only scattered when the trigger is pulled. Only real safe protection against laser is with a diffuser like the Snooper SLD920 Xtreme, Lidatek LE30 or the Lasertrack LT400.
The police used to have an unwritten rule of allowing motorists 10% plus 2 miles an hour over the speed limit, so in a 30 zone you would get an allowance up to 35 before prosecution. In recent years this has now gone out the window as the police get to keep the money from speeding fines (for re-investing into 'safety' cameras). Penalty point endorsements on driving licences for speeding are usually given along the following lines:
Exceeding the limit between 5 and 14mph - 3 points
Exceeding the limit between 15 and 19mph - 4 points
Exceeding the limit between 20 and 24mph - 5 points
Exceeding the limit between 25 and 29mph - 6 points
Exceeding the limit by 30mph or more - instant banned
You can also be fined up to £1,000 and insurance renewal premiums will also be hefty.
Photos - Police and Other Cameras
These three pictures show the gantry cameras on the M25 used to inforce the variable speed limits. The cameras are the small oblong shapes, 4 in total, one for each lane. The first picture shows the cameras mounted behind a gantry with road signs on but the other two show gantrys with the road signs, making the cameras easier to see. Each oblong camera box houses a K band radar beam emitter and receiver, a camera lense and flash.
Also shown in the pictures is a CCTV camera mounted higher up on the right hand side of the gantrys. These are not used to catched motorists for speeding but to keep an eye open for accidents and emergencies. They are remotely controlled by the police. Another CCTV camera is shown below.
The picture to the right shows traffic monitoring sensors, they are not speed cameras but simple counting devices to measure density and speed of traffic.
Below left is a mini Gatso camera, this works on K band radar and is mostly found in Essex and Dorset. Below right is a 'Prolaser' mobile laser gun, mostly used in the back of 'Safety Camera Vans' these days.
There is a new type of speed warning system appearing on Britains roads which flashes up the speed limit if people are driving to fast. The photo on the left shows the system un-activated while the picture on the right shows the speed limit highlighted as an approaching car has been detected going above the speed limit. Radar is the technology used by these warning systems, the receiver and transmitter is viewable on the top of the pole. Please note that these systems on their own have no camera and cannot prosecute you for speeding.
= Alerts Given.
= Part Detection. They have a database of common mobile sites rather than a sensor.
= Not Covered.
= Accident Blackspots
= London Congestion Charge Zones
= Warnings about Primary & Secondary school locations
= European Data - see product for details
