Gatsos To Get Smarter The ultimate speed camera is on its way. Auto Express has learned that a futuristic unit which can monitor up to six lanes of traffic at once is under development in Europe. What's more, its digital technology can be used to catch speeding bikers for the first time. It's the creation of Dutch company Gatsometer, maker of the original Gatso camera. The system mirrors the Specs units seen on UK roads, using number plate recognition to work out a vehicle's speed between two points. However, the new invention has two major advantages over Specs. Firstly, it can spot speeders even if they change lanes, and secondly, the gantry-based cameras are rear-facing, so they can detect motorcycles. That means bosses are making a bold claim for their invention - a 100 per cent detection rate. A spokesman for Serco, the UK importer of Gatsometer, said the new device is set to undergo testing for Home Office approval, and could arrive by 2006. "The camera would be ideal for enforcing limits on the new widened sections of the M25, as well as on large multi-lane roads, such as the A406 North Circular in London," he claimed. The system works by taking a digital picture of a vehicle as it enters the timed zone. The number plate is read and stored on a computer, which then starts a timer running. Further along the stretch of road is a second bank of cameras, which reads the registration on exit. If a vehicle is picked up by the second cameras within the preset time for the distance, both images are stored, the exact speed is calculated and a penalty charge issued. As with current Gatsos, it is believed there will be a margin of error above the speed limit. Meanwhile, Gatsometer is also said to be developing a spy camera to enforce one-way systems. It can spot if a vehicle is travelling in the wrong direction and again uses plate reading technology to automatically issue a ticket. Mat Watson
Dear Comrade Toeknee M8 - Supreme Ruler of Ferrari Chat (Uk). The Stradale at Meridien has fledged the nest and is at this very moment testing the efficiency of speed detection devices throughout the length and breadth of England. Let us hope that it has the Road Angel Licence Condom on board.
spoke to a senior police chap today who said that one of the projects in Sussex is the use of the routemaster traffic system to be directly linked to the national police computer. This is supposed (!) to be for tracking stolen cars from a to b and then the boys can pick the offending car up at c. Of course, this chap said, it can also, because it can read number plates at a considerable distance and time between sensors, calculate speed too! Asked about hairspray on the plate and he confirmed that there is an element of truth!
Welcome to the United European Socialist Republic. **** them I say. Is it just me, or has life become increasingly depressing since 'New Labour' came to power? Robert.
Saw this on (to me) Local L.A. News the other night. http://www.nice.com/markets/security.html It can pick up each individual - even amongst hundreds & check them out. Yikes. TV demonstration showed @ 50 people at a park - all were highlighted - some were brought into focus - whether in or out of highlighted focus, each individual's movement was tracked - somewhat akin to doing "predictive behavior." At one point, a cop was babbling about how next up is ability to do facial/eye recognition against database - much like they do in Casinos against banned cheaters already in database, (if you've ever watched a program on Discovery Channel or somesuch, you'll know of what I describe... albeit, poorly). ____ Also reported was a camera mounted on police car, which picks license plate numbers whether front or back of said police vehicle - converts picture to data, then runs check on plates, without piggies having to do anything manually. *weeps*
thats the police force now has a weight problem as the all sit in cars doing nothing when was the last time you seen a copper chase a criminal on foot and catch em
Dear Comrade Steve M8, Well they certainly won't catch 'em now that you've acquired the high speed P100 Wonder Truck Pursuit Vehicle from the Yorkshire Constabulary.
it has been known for a while that spraying your plates with hairspray can confuse cameras, especially those that use flash. Allegedly of course!
totally agree! much more and I'm off to New Zealand, they speak Engish which is more than I can say for much of the UK population and they allow Fcars in tax free!!!
Sadly this c**ntry is becoming more lefto pinko wet by the week. Far too many lesbian femminists getting their way! We need leaders with balls who will get back to basics and deliver what everyone REALLY wants, but sadly are too embarrased to admit it due to needing to appear to be PC! The Police should have one job only and that is to catch criminals and lock up undesirables; and the only way to do this is to get them out of their offices and cars and walk or cycle the streets. A friend of mine is in the Police force and he says the most desirable job is to be a traffic cop because you can be lazy, have a laugh and drive as fast as they want! Bobbies on the beat is what we want, not fatties eating McDonalds from the nearest drive-thru catching innocent motorists doing 37 in a 30 limit. No honest it is not about revenue generation. Ref NZ, top country, lived there for 7 months back in 1990/91. And yes at least they speak English unlike all these illegal immigrants rapidly entering our green (or not so green) pleasant land.
I'd really like to see you guys rant about what's right and wrong about people-pleasin' that pleases no one.
A pal of mine is some assistant traffic bloke in west yorks......allegedly all car and bike plate owners are under pressure to conform to regulation design and letter size etc.....all new police detection equipment, recognises numbers, links to dvla database etc, and by the time you are hauled in from say a hand held laser, they have your outstanding offences (if any), motor tax details, etcetera, etcetera, to hand. Bikers are particularly under pressure to conform to number plate size and detail, and i think now one may only purchase a new set of plates in the uk, with registration documents etc. Should you be collared twice for displaying an illegal plate (car or bike) apparently, your pride and joy will then be the proud owner of a compulsory "Q" plate, courtesy of the DVLA. Can anybody confirm this ? cheers, david PS ....IOM licenses/registrations for sale....apply within !
To get a new plate to need to provide to the supplier a copy of the reg doc, personal identification and some other form of id like a utility bill. Of course you can have plates made for "show" purposes, and then you don't need any of these things. I am now more convince that an IOM reg will be a good idea, I ubderstand that there is no connection between mainland and IOM police computers.
Should be easy for you Phil .... and cheap insurance ! I believe there is no connection (for the time being) cheers for now, d
'Q' Plates are for kit cars and write offs aren't they ? This new Gatso works across a number of lanes - does that mean that at the moment if you go through these cameras (SPECS) and change lanes it doesn't measure your average speed ? Rick
Yes, true enough.....the incentive/reasoning behind the move is to instantly devalue ones' pride and joy......would you buy a "Q" plated car ? toodle pip....d
tried he wifes (honest not mine) firm hold (steady!) and used a digi camera with flash. No numbers show through and plate shows as a blur. Not scientific but hey, who knows!