Mobile speed cameras

[EPApolice]

There has been a mobile speed camera parked in my area once a week for the last couple of months. Its a Falcon ute with a high canopy on the tray. So the camera would therefore be in the rear and forward facing on coming traffic. Is this the case with all these cameras, Ford Territory's and the like. I'm in NSW so don't know what goes on in the other states. If this is the case then its good news for anyone who might have an interest in motorcycles.

[hybrid]

Most of the ones I have seen have a camera setup in the bullbar area. Not sure about the rear.

[JonW]

In the UK and EU they used Transit Vans with blacked out rear windows to film through the back, but Ive never really noticed mobile cameras here as they were in such small numbers and now all cop cars have their own.

[BRG1200]

I live on a main drag, or what passes for one in sleepy SA. The Rozzers often park a speed trap car in front of our house.
They're usually quite easy to spot if you have your wits about you, parked in a conspicuous position, nice modern middle sized saloon with an extra aerial.
Black plastic box on the front end, like a big black ice cream tub.

[JonW]

Interesting, I dont think Ive ever seen on round where I live, also close to a main drag, but NSW.

[EPApolice]

I had only seen two mobile cameras ever before this tosser took up residence near me. I always give him a toot of the horn as I go past in the truck. Also the car is the same but the scum bag behind the wheel is different every time.

[hybrid]

The thing that annoys me the most is that they are generally all private companies.

The fact that a business like Macquarie is getting into the speed camera industry is a pretty obvious cause for concern as to whether they are really a "safety" device.

[JonW]

They put them in accident black spots donchaknow... or more like, places where they can reap the best return on investment. hmm... We have a red light / speed camera on the junction by our house. Everyday when i use the junction I see it flash, no joke. people will speed and jump the lights thru that fixed camera without a second thought. Amusingly and ad appeared a few weeks back on hoarding about 2km away that proclaims the local red light / speed camera has reduced accidents by some amazing amount, yeah right. It also showed a pic of the camera at the junction... but of course it was just a random pic, not the actual camera or junction, leaving me even more cynical.

In the UK they did the same thing with non-cops doing the donkey work and all sorts of grannies and such would stand on motorway bridges with an approved mobile saftey camera, no doubt safe in the knowledge they were doing social good slowing down those nasty dangerous speeders, Imagine them tutting and pushing the buttons... and of course, also earning a few quid for each one they caught.

I like the idea that the cops do it and the poor sap behind the wheel is some guy who's been bad and this is a penance for him, but I very much doubt it. Most traffic cops these days seem to have to get a quota of tickets each shift, that leads them to those tactics they used on the Pacific Hwy etc. That is not policing. Imagine if they had to catch a murderer a day, they'd soon be engineering the killing people right left n center and then 'finding' the culprits as fast as they can, wherever they could. sigh...

[BRG1200]

Last bit is a fair point of principle Jon, it is engineering the "crime" to support the revenue stream

[JonW]

The cops would be the first to say that small things lead to big; weed to hard drugs, steeling from shops to armed robbery etc. So engineering speeding tickets and crossing white lines seems to me to be the start of someting bigger... just sayin...

[2TInstitute]

I live on a main drag, or what passes for one in sleepy SA. The Rozzers often park a speed trap car in front of our house.
They're usually quite easy to spot if you have your wits about you, parked in a conspicuous position, nice modern middle sized saloon with an extra aerial.
Black plastic box on the front end, like a big black ice cream tub.

Get a big fukoff mirror on a stick and reflect the sunlight right into that box, when they ask what your doing say your making solar energy.

[2TInstitute]

If I was rich and felt like shitting them I would just follow the vans around with 1 or 2 Pantechs and park either side of them

[hybrid]

They always sit in a 50k zone near my place that is a super wide road with industry on one side. 50k is ridiculous and they know it.

That's why they are there. They park their car behind a cement wall where it cant be seen, and they stand behind the cement wall poking their theft device over the top.
They got me there on my LC one night, I think I was doing 63 or something. Flying you know... dangerous to all those around me.

Every time I see them there, I feel like standing down the road with a sign saying "Sly Police hiding ahead".

As with Lozza, I'm sure this would be my favourite passtime if I didn't have to work.

[EPApolice]

That mobile turd was back in his usual spot this morning at 5.06am, pitch black. I didn't know they were allowed out at night or in the dark.

[JonW]

Jeez Pat what were you doing up t 5am?

I reckon they catch speeders at all hours of the day like that, any chance they get to grab their quota. For cop traffic cars they park up and catch speeders while waiting for call outs, and I expect the private companies contract for certain hours, so morning and evening rush hours is probably a waste of time on busy roads, after hours when people think they can get away with it is better for business :/