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NEWS: Radar detector, police speeding
fine and laser jammer news 2005.
Speed camera "plague"
still eroding driver confidence.
8th December 2005
British Institute of Advanced Motorists Chief thanks UK
Road Safety Minister for halting the installation of
more speed cameras.
In a press release dated 7 December 2005 the AIM had the
following to say.
SPEED CAMERA “PLAGUE” STILL ERODING DRIVER CONFIDENCE,
SAYS IAM CHIEF
The damaging effect on relations between the driver and
the police caused by a "plague" of speed cameras,
coupled with the "robotic issue of tough penalties" has
continued to damage road safety, the IAM (Institute of
Advanced Motorists) said today (Wednesday 7 December
2005).
Speaking at the IAM Annual Lunch in London, IAM Chairman
John Maxwell told guests, including guest speaker, Road
Safety Minister Dr Stephen Ladyman, that too many
drivers and rider are still convinced that the safety
camera regime is about income-generation, not road
safety.
Mr Maxwell, said: "Speed limits must be worthy of
respect, if they are not to be ignored, and that it is
both essential and urgent that we settle on a sensible
regime of limits and their enforcement."
The IAM welcomes the Road Safety Bill because it will
enable the Minister to display in legislative terms what
has been described as a "new deal" with drivers and
riders, who should be seen as part of the solution, not
just the problem.
"We are pleased that the Bill proposes graduated fixed
penalties for speeding offences, which will, we're sure,
go a long way to reassuring law-abiding drivers, who
presently feel victimised when prosecuted for relatively
minor infringements," said Mr Maxwell.
He went on to describe as entirely sensible the
proposals relating to drinking and driving, driver
fatigue, the re-training of seriously bad drivers and
the better regulation of driving instructors.
Mr Maxwell thanked the Minister for halting the
installation of more speed cameras until a thorough
review of their road-safety value can be completed.
"But do please accept that in addition to the review of
camera-use there needs to be a proper review of speed
limits themselves – allowing for the possibility of
raising limits under some circumstances, and looking to
replace automatic, inflexible, indiscriminate detection
and enforcement with discretion."
Mr Maxwell said that the IAM is marking its 50th year in
2006 and that following its own strategic review it is
determined to be bigger, better and more influential in
the cause of road safety.
Road fatalities leap
39% at camera sites.
5th August 2005
Roads fatalities leap 39% at camera sites.
An article from UK based Safe Speed provides
overwhelming evidence of the tragic failure of speed
cameras.
The article states. "According to official information
obtained under the Freedom of Information act by a
member of the public, fatalities have leapt by an
average of almost 40% at speed camera sites in Cumbria
since partnership operations commenced.
Figures obtained show fatal crashes at speed camera
sites as follows:
Before Cumbria Camera Partnership:
year / deaths
2000 - 10
2001- 6
2002 - 8
2003 - 2 (first quarter)
Total: 26 deaths in 39 months
Average 8 deaths per year
After Cumbria Camera Partnership:
year / deaths
2003 - 10 (last three quarters)
2004 - 12
2005 - 5 (up to June 30th)
Total: 25 deaths in 27 months
Average 11.1 deaths per year
Paul Smith, founder of the Safe Speed road safety
campaign said: "The full horror of the speed camera
program is gradually emerging. Far from saving lives,
speed cameras are killing us. They are a deadly
distraction away from the core values of safe driving."
"The government has not done their research properly -
their claims are shot through with false assumptions and
inadequate data. There's a lack of understanding of how
road safety works at the highest level. Perhaps we
shouldn't be surprised when the Secretary of State for
Transport does not hold a driving licence."
"The figures are even worse than they appear because we
expect reductions at camera sites due a statistical bias
known as regression to the mean."
"We must get these dangerous cameras off the roads right
now. People are dying because of them. The term 'safety
camera' will go down in history as a sick joke."
Paul Smith challenged Steve Callaghan, the manager of
Cumbria Partnership to debate the issues on BBC Radio
Cumbria. He declined. We assume that they don't have any
worthwhile facts to contribute to the debate. However we
would be delighted to be proved wrong and repeat the
challenge - Won't you debate the issues in any national
Mr Callaghan? If you think someone else can do better -
nominate your champion! We'll meet any challenge.
Official materials released under the Freedom of
Information Act here.
Correspondence regarding the Radio Cumbria debate
challenge here.
About Safe Speed
The Safe Speed road safety campaign is primarily the
work of engineer-turned road safety analyst Paul Smith.
Since setting up Safe Speed in 2001, Paul Smith, 49, an
advanced motorist and road safety enthusiast, and a
professional engineer of 25 years UK experience, has
carried out over 8,000 hours of research into the
overall effects of speed camera policy on UK road
safety. We believe that this is more work in more detail
than anything carried out by any other organisation.
Paul's surprising conclusion is that overall speed
cameras make our roads more dangerous. Paul has
identified and reported a number of major flaws and
false assumptions in the claims made for speed cameras,
and the whole "speed kills" system of road safety.
The inescapable conclusion is that we should urgently
return to the excellent road safety policies that gave
us in the UK the safest roads in the World in the first
place. Safe Speed does not campaign against speed limits
or appropriate enforcement of motoring laws, but argues
vigorously that automated speed enforcement is neither
safe nor appropriate.
UK Study; Speed
Cameras Increase Injury Accidents.
1st September 2005
Full text of suppressed
UK government study shows speed cameras increase
accidents 31 percent on freeways, 55 percent in work
zones.
The UK Department for Transport funded, then suppressed,
a study that shows a 55 percent increase in injury
accidents when speed cameras are used on highway work
zones and a 31 percent increase when used on freeways
without construction projects. According to the
Transport Research Laboratory, the "non-works [personal
injury accident] rate is significantly higher for the
sites with speed cameras than the rate for sites
without."
An analysis of this data, buried on page 43 of the
report, yields the following result:
Effect on Personal Injury Accidents
Enforcement Type Construction Zone No Construction
Conventional speed cameras 55% increase 31% increase
Speed-averaging cameras (SPECS) 4.5% increase 6.7%
increase
Police patrols 27% reduction 10% reduction
Although the Department for Transport's Highways Agency
funded the study, no information regarding these results
was ever made public until a Freedom of Information Act
request was honored earlier this month. The Transport
Research Laboratory attempted to suppress the UK
taxpayer-funded study further by charging £40 (US $72)
for access to the results. Moreover, the study's
executive summary calculates only the aggregate accident
rate including the benefit of manned police patrol cars
in the work zones. The significant decrease in accidents
from a human police presence was used to offset the
increase in camera accidents.
"It is outrageous that this sort of information has been
hidden from the public," said Safe Speed road safety
campaign founder Paul Smith whose FOIA request uncovered
the study's existence. "We have all seen strange driver
behaviour where fixed speed cameras operate. This report
highlights the dangers. We're not surprised to see this
information -- we have know for years that speed cameras
were the wrong road safety strategy, and it's a huge
relief to see the truth coming out so clearly"
The TRL study compared accident reports covering 29
highway construction zone projects over 730km of road
from November 2001 to July 2003 with an equivalent
period without the construction zones, controlling for
changes in traffic volume. In the US, the state of
Illinois plans to implement a similar freeway work zone
speed camera program within the next few months.
Police shocked by drop
in the number of speeding motorists
From
Policespeedcameras.info
By www.policespeedcameras.info
Year 2005
Police and the Road Safety Council are surprised and
baffled at the sudden 20% drop in speed camera revenue
this year it was reported on the Channel 7 News this
week.
The government stands to lose 8 million dollars worth of
income this financial year and the Road Safety Council
is not amused. One third of all speed camera fines go to
the Road Safety Council who are now worried about a drop
in income a spokesman saying, "It takes money to be
vigilant." (Strange, I thought it took motorists to be
vigilant?)
Well now that so many people are now driving a lot
slower, we must expect a considerable drop in the state
road toll, right?
Wrong! Without a doubt there will no significant change
in the road toll this year that in any way mirrors the
large drop in speeding motorists.
Why? Because speed is only one factor affecting the road
toll. If you have ever read the cause of a large number
of road deaths as I have, you would come to the
conclusion that a large number are caused by poor
driving skills, drugs & alcohol and or carelessness and
inattention.
You would be struck by the number of country road
crashes that are just bad luck. Crashes that could catch
anyone out.
When the road toll doesn't drop significantly this year,
will we see an end to speed cameras on Western
Australian roads. No, I think not!
How would the money hungry Road Safety Council survive?
Put all the money into young driver education programs
we say. Physical hands on advanced driving skills
courses and young driver education programmes.
The greatest threat to young drivers is their misguided
thoughts of immortality, especially when showing off to
their mates. Two or three young kids wrapped around a
tree in what is left of a powerful V8 or turbo 6 is an
all too often seen tragedy.
Today Tonight 7. Beating Speed Cameras
Another Channel 7 Today Tonight Story - Beating speed
cameras
REPORTER: Glenn Connley
BROADCAST DATE: August 4, 2005
The story claimed there are an increasing number of
victims of wrong camera readings who have proven big
brother can be beaten.
Dr Wolf Garwoli, one of Australia's foremost radar
experts said, "Police and private contractors are
ignoring simple rules for operating speed cameras". "If
you have multiple targets in the radar beam or if you
set it up incorrectly whereby you bounce it off the road
or you set it up looking into a bend then the radar
fails," he said.
He also said, "Speed camera readings can be affected by
other vehicles at intersections, tram and train lines,
for sale signs and other real estate signs, traffic
signs, bus shelters, phone boxes, letterboxes, metal
garages, sheds, fences or parked trucks".
Jeff Bowtell is an experienced private contractor with
Tenix, a company which had a contract to run mobile
cameras in Victoria.
Dr Garwoli and Mr Bowtell have helped many motorists
escape their fines but said if you are going to take on
the system you have to get it right. They had this
advice to give.
• Check the police photo and look for objects which
could affect the radar.
• If you see a flash go back to the sight and take your
own photos which prove the obstruction was there on the
day.
There is also an issue with other moving vehicles in the
photo. Retired Victorian politician Robyn Cooper exposed
a flaw in the system when he challenged police over a
second car in the camera's photo.
"The police officer assumed it was booking the car he
noticed which was going the other way," Mr Cooper said.
To contact Dr Wolf Garwoli, they suggest you write care
of your local (Channel 7) Today Tonight Office.
Onus on drivers over traffic fines
From The West Australian
By Ben Spencer
December 21, 2005
Long-awaited traffic fine owner-onus laws will finally
come into effect on January 1, more than five years
after they were passed through State Parliament.
Under the changes to road safety laws to be announced by
Police Minister Michelle Roberts today, vehicle owners
will be made liable for traffic fines if they do not
report the driver.
Delays in the owner-onus legislation, which the Gallop
Government passed through Parliarment in 2000 but has
never been proclaimed in the Government Gazette to allow
enforcement, have cost the State millions of dollars in
revenue by letting thousands of motorists flout road
safety laws.
The Government had claimed the laws could not be
proclaimed without Capspeed project - a $7 million
upgrade of the fines management system that also enables
improved drivers recognition.
Mrs Roberts said she had decided to push ahead with the
owner-onus laws despite police saying Capspeed would not
be operating until the middle of next year. WA Police
had to write off $2.15 million in 2004 for motorists who
slipped through the loophole. Motorcyclists have escaped
about $14 million in fines since 2000.
Mrs Roberts said under the new laws the owner of a
licensed vehicle would be deemed to the "person
responsible" for the vehicle.
"If the vehicle is detected by a speed camera or by a
camera at traffic lights, the owner will have to pay a
fine unless they can identify who was driving the
vehicle at the time," she said
Motoring body attacks
double demerit policy
From The West
Australian
By Daniel Emerson
December 20, 2005
A leading motoring body
cast doubts over the effectiveness of double demerits
yesterday as WA Police confirmed motorists would be
slugged double points between December 22 and January 8.
RAC Queensland spokesman Gary Fites warned the
Queensland Government not to copy NSW in imposing double
demerit points during the Christmas and new year period.
"There is no evidence that doubling demerit points over
holidays in NSW has contributed to any sustained and
significant reduction in the road toll in that State,"
Mr Fites said.
He welcomed assurances from Queensland Premier Peter
Beattie that doubling demerit points was not on the
Government's agenda.
"Irresponsible and reckless driving needs to be
countered with strong enforcement and penalties
appropriate to the particular offence 365 days a year,"
Mr Fites said.
The WA Government brought in double demerits as a
permanent measure on long weekends and holiday periods
until the end of 2007 after a trial in 2003 and 2004
based on the NSW model.
RAC WA member advocacy executive manager David Moir said
the body would not be making the same recommendation as
the Queensland motoring organisation. "Our position is
that we do support double demerit points and while it
continues to work we are in favour of it," he said.
Speed gun jammers sold
over internet
From The West
Australian
By Rania Ghandour and Simon Penn
November 11, 2005
A 25-year-old Perth entrepreneur who sells an outlawed
device which scrambles police hand-held laser speed guns
says he is not doing anything wrong and is not
responsible for people who use them illegally.
Sean Hettich, of Success, said he was filling a gap in
the market by selling radar detectors, which are legal
only in WA, and the just-released laser jammers, which
are illegal to use throughout Australia.
"Eighty per cent of my business comes from the Eastern
States, even though it's illegal and they are well aware
of the risks and penalties," he said.
He said they were not illegal to sell yet and he would
continue to sell them until the law changed.
The online store Mr. Hettich set up a web page, has sold
more than 100 radar detectors since opening six months
ago. Laser jammers have been on the market for a little
over a week, with only one sold so far.
Insp. Neil Royle, operations manager of police traffic
enforcement, said laser jammers worked by dispersing the
laser beam on police hand-held speed guns, affecting the
equipment and showing an error reading, alerting police
to the use of the jammer.
"The user would be charged with hindering police and we
would more than likely apply to the court to confiscate
the jammer," he said.
Insp. Royle said the new jammer worked only with
hand-held speed guns and no one had been charged with
using one so far. They did not detect Multanovas.
"You've got to ask yourself why people would use them in
the first place. It's to avoid detection of an offence
and we'll act accordingly on that," he said.
Road Safety Council chairman Grant Dorrington said using
any devices which helped avoid speeding tickets was
totally irresponsible and called for a ban on all such
devices.
"We're spending millions to educate drivers that speed
kills," he said. "They're saying, 'Do what you want and
if you buy this thing you can make sure you don't get
caught'."
Police Minister Michelle Roberts said the Government
would move to change the law to make it clear the
devices were illegal.
"As I understand it the laser technology is new
technology and for the first time that's impacting on
hand-held radar detectors so we need to move to ban
that," she said. She admitted it was unlikely new laws
could be introduced until next year.
GPS technology used to
track stolen car
From The West
Australian
By Luke Eliot
November 05, 2005
An alleged car thief has been outsmarted by advanced
satellite tracking technology fitted to a stolen luxury
car.
Police arrested Phillip Gerald Hart, of White Gum
Valley, and retrieved an undamaged $55,000 Holden Calais
from the front lawn of his home about 30 minutes after
it was reported stolen from a Yangebup home.
Police will allege that Mr Hart, 20, broken into a home
in Tindal Avenue, Yangebup, shortly after 2am yesterday
and stole the owner’s handbag, mobile telephone and car
keys, which he used to steal the car.
Car owner Judy De Gennaro said she initially thought the
sounds of the garage door opening and her car driving
down the street were made by her husband, who had been
called to hospital several hours earlier after his
father fell ill.
But, shortly after speaking to her husband about 2.20am,
she realized the sounds had been made by a car thief and
contacted police, who advised her to contact Holden
Assist to activate the car’s global positioning system.
Melbourne-based operators used a satellite to locate the
car as it drove along Lefroy Street, Beaconsfield, at
2.32am.
Sixteen minutes later, the operators used the technology
to secure and immobilize the car but it had already
stopped at Mr Hart’s Hope Street home. He was later
charged with aggravated burglary and stealing a motor
vehicle.
Ms De Gennaro was compiling a list of credit cards and
other items stolen during the burglary about 3.45am when
she got the good news.
“I almost fell on the floor – I didn’t think it would be
so quick,” she said. She was relieved the car was not
destroyed.
Ms De Gennaro praised the GPS system and said her next
car would have a similar feature.
The GPS technology has been used in WA since 2001 and
has been used to track stolen cars previously.
The system can be activated automatically if the car is
broken into without the use of the car keys.
The car can be immobilized or locked by remote control.
Operators are notified automatically after airbags are
deployed in a crash.
Operators can also unlock the car by remote control if
the occupants lock their keys in the car and their
identity is confirmed.
The system can also be used to warn the owner if the car
battery is running low, for example if the car
headlights had been left on.
Police Commissioner Karl O’Callaghan said technology
that allowed authorities to track and disable stolen
cars was a great crime prevention aid and hoped it was
something all cars would be fitted with in the future.
Mr Hart was remanded in custody when he appeared in
Fremantle Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
CAUGHT FROM A DISTANCE
Shortly after 2am: Burglar breaks into Judy De Gennaro’s
home in Yangebup and takes personal items, including car
keys, which he uses to steal Ms De Gennaro’s Holden
Calais.
About 2.20am: Ms De Gennaro contacts police and Holden
Assist.
2.32am: Melbourne-based operators used satellite
tracking technology to detect the car driving on Lefroy
Street, Beaconsfield. Operators advise WA police of the
car’s movements through the southern Perth suburbs.
2.48am: Operators detect the Holden stopped in Hope
Street, White Gum Valley. They immobilize the car by
remote as police rush to the scene. Police arrest
20-year-old Phillip Gerald Hart and recover the
undamaged car.
3.45am: Ms Gennaro is told that her car has been
recovered and the alleged thief arrested.
Spotted
From The West
Australian
November 03, 2005
This radar detector on the dash of Liberal member for
Roe Graham Jacobs' parliamentary car..
It was a commendable spot of private-eye work by an IC
spy.
While it's perfectly legal to use a radar detector, here
in WA at least, it's not very community-minded, says
Sen. Const. John Pintabona, from the police camera
section.
"Yes, they are legal but it's much better to abide by
the speed limit at all times in the first place," he
tut-tutted. "From a traffic point of view, we don't like
to see them because in essence they tell you when a
radar is trained on your vehicle. He should know
better."
"Put it this way, I still have plenty of demerit points
left if that's what you mean," he said. "But I do travel
enormous distances in my electorate, which is a third
the size of Victoria, and I've passed through plenty of
radars in my travels."
His son, who had been living in Beijing, had brought it
back and asked him to try it out.
"He thought it might be handy," Dr Jacobs said. "The
only problem is, the stupid thing doesn't seem to want
to work. It goes off at every automatic sliding door but
it doesn't seem to be triggered by radars."
Not being all that fussed about approaching doors,
automatic or otherwise, the doctor said he had ended the
trial with a "thanks, but no thanks".
4WDs tops for rear
visibility
From The West
Australian
By Steve Lague
October 25, 2005
Cameras can make cars safer while reversing, but the car
industry says audible front parking and rear reversing
sensors are better.
However, in a recent test of reversing visibility, two
four-wheel-drives finished in the top five of the 222
vehicles tested.
Vehicles tested included 4WDs, people movers, utilities
and sport, luxury, large, medium, medium-small and small
sedans.
At the other end of the scale, Australia's number one
selling car, the Holden Commodores, featured among the
worst, along with the Holden Crewman. Only one 4WD
featured in the bottom group.
SGIO operations manager Bruce Kendall said the average
blind spot behind the cars tested was 14.7 square meters
- plenty of room for a small child to be hidden from
view.
"Contrary to popular belief, SGIO's research shows that
4WDs perform as well, if not better, when it comes to
reversing visiblity compared to popular sedans," Mr
Kendall said.
"Many 4WDs actually outperformed some of Australia's
top-selling medium and large sedans. The
'Many 4WDs actually outperformed some
of Australia's top-selling medium and large sedans'.
SGIO OPERATIONS MANAGER BRUCE KENDALL
Holden Commodores sedan, for example, fared badly with
no stars and a 27sqm blind area".
Reversing cameras have been available as an option in
some more expensive cars for a couple of years.
This month Ford launched its new Territory with a
reverse camera as standard equipment in the
top-of-the-range Ghia and as a $1000 option in the
mid-range TS.
But industry experts do not believe the camera alone
will prevent accidents such as that involving Andie
Kearns.
Manufacturers which provide cameras in their cars say
the camera should be used to survey the area behind the
car before starting the manoeuvre. They say the camera
view is far too narrow and once reversing, the driver
should be looking either over the shoulder or in the
side mirrors. If a child runs behind the car once it is
moving, the chances of the driver seeing them in time on
the screen are minimal.
Everyone spoken to yesterday agreed that audible forward
parking and rear reversing sensors were a far more
efficient warning mechanism.
The sensors pick up objects two or three metres from the
car and trigger an alarm. The alarm gets louder as the
vehicle moves closer to the object.
On some models there is also a graphic illustration of
the car showing which corner of the car the object is
closest to on a screen.
Research in Europe and the US has shown that drivers
react more quickly to an audible alarm than a picture.
Most 4WDs sold in Australia today come with reversing
sensors as either standard equipment or available as an
option for between $500 and $1000.
WA drivers 'lack basic
skills'
From The West
Australian
By Tiffany Laurie
October 25, 2005
WA licence requirements do not equip drivers with the
skills to avoid simple accidents, says the WA Motor
Trade Association.
Association executive director Peter Fitzpatrick
yesterday said WA's tests were an inadequate judge of
drivers' skills and did not ensure drivers could cope
with tragic accidents similar to one at the weekend
where former Wallaby player Phil Kearns' daughter Andie
was run over by a 4WD in the family driveway.
Mr Fitzpatrick called on all drivers to get involved in
defensive driving courses and install safety devices
such as reversing sensors, saying the devices would save
lives.
His comments came after it emerged that Mr Kearns was
moving forward in his Volkswagen Touareg, rather than
backwards, when he accidentally hit his daughter on
Saturday. The toddler is still in a critical condition
in the intensive care unit of The Children's Hospital,
Randwick.
About 30 toddlers died each year in driveways accidents,
with 4WDs responsible for more than two-thirds of the
accidents.
Mr Fitzpatrick said drivers were taught basic reversing
skills when they first applied for their licence, but
many drivers were unable to cope with emergencies and
accidents.
Four-wheel-drive vehicles required more skill to be
driven safely because their size, height and weight
often limited visibility and made them more difficult to
handle.
"Reverse sensors would certainly save lives if they were
universally adopted, but the only way for it to become
compulsory is to make it an Australian standard and I do
not see that happening," Mr Fitzpatrick said.
RAC member advocacy executive director David Moir said
reversing sensors gave drivers a false sense of security
and should not be used as an substitute for driver
awareness.
Sensors were designed to detect fixed objects such as
poles, but would not necessarily detect a young child or
pedestrian in time to prevent an accident.
"Most driving instructors do teach people the basics but
a sense of complacency does tend to seep in when people
get used to driving and get used to their cars," Mr Moir
said.
"Visibility has more to do with the placement and shape
of windows, the placement of the driver's seat, and even
things like rear spoilers can cause problems."
Inside out - Laser
camera errors
From London News Online
By Unknown
September 19, 2005
Speed Gun
- Inside Out investigates the reliability of mobile
speed cameras, hidden on police motorcycles and cars.
Most motorists have a story to tell about getting a
speeding fine. Every year across England and Wales over
one and a half million people were convicted by speed
cameras.
In the last year the numbers of mobile speed cameras
hidden on police motorcycles, vans and cars have risen
by more than a third meaning there are now over 3000
units in the country. These increases in mobile cameras
will help raise over £20 million a year to the
Chancellor. But how reliable are they?
Paul Cox got a speeding ticket whilst driving home. "I
was driving a car with cruise control, set just under
70mph. I passed an unmarked police car that was doing
checks. I was then pulled over and alleged to have been
doing in excess of 90 mph".
Paul was convicted – but appealed and won. The court
found there were discrepancies in the speed gun evidence
used against him. "I was fortunate that as an ex-police
officer, I was able to access information and to use my
knowledge to know there was a discrepancy".
Paul Cox
There are several types of laser guns used in Britain;
all work on the same principle. An operator targets the
vehicle, fires the button and the machine sends out an
infra red pulse which then works out the speed the
vehicle was travelling at. It is however, crucial that
the gun is held still whilst a reading is taken. If the
operator moves the gun at the critical moment, some very
strange readings are registered.
Dr Michael Clark, an expert in laser technology,
demonstrates by pointing a laser speed meter at a
stationary car. It registers a speed of 6mph. This is a
process known as ‘slip effect’, caused by the laser beam
accidentally moving sideways, in the split second it is
fired. The gun is effectively tricked, interpreting the
tiny movement of the beam as a speed.
In theory, if the gun moved along the side of a car
during a reading, then this could add the length of the
car to the distance travelled, adding up to 30mph to the
speed recorded.
The manufacturer of the most commonly used gun in the
UK, the LT1 20.20 says it is impossible to get a false
reading on a moving vehicle. They are not alone in
believing the guns can never be wrong, Inside Out
discovered that the Home Office doesn't test speed guns
for slip effect at all.
We decided we should see if the machine could be fooled.
We used a truck fitted with the latest satellite
technology, and 2 laser guns. On the 11th attempt we
found a gun registering a slip problem, registering a
much higher speed. This would put the driver at risk of
loosing his licence. From a further 11 attempts, 6 wrong
readings were recorded.
Police say their operators are trained to hold the guns
steady. But the equipment is used without tripods at
ranges of up to a kilometer.
Professor of engineering and author John Brignell
explains it would be very difficult to keep the device
steady. "If you get a pair of powerful binoculars, and
try and focus on the number of a moving car 500 metres
away – it’s quite difficult"
They also said "The Home Office Scientific Development
Branch is of the opinion that the UK version will
perform within permitted tolerances if used in
accordance with the current published ACPO enforcement
guidelines and will not replicate the errors shown by
the American device".
Yet a report, obtained by Inside Out and written by
Frank Garratt, Managing Director of Teletraffic suggests
both versions of the LTi 20-20 are the same because the
gun used by British Police is identical to the version
used by NASA. And NASA then told Inside Out that the
version they use is the American version. All of which
seems to suggest that the UK and American speed guns are
identical.
Dr Clarke believes the UK version is susceptible to
error. "We used a US device for our tests; I can see no
reason why the UK device should not suffer the same
problems, both are based on the same technology and
principles, with some minor variations".
Dr Clarke would welcome the opportunity to properly test
an UK approved device so as to clear up any doubt about
the reliability of the speed measurements made by this
device.
The Home Office has declined all requests to do such
testing. So, who is right? The Home Office or Dr Clark?
Statement
After transmission Meredydd Hughes of the Association of
Chief Police Officers of England, Wales and Northern
Ireland (ACPO) gave this statement:
"I believe this programme will mislead the public by
implying that speed detection devices used and approved
in the UK may be inaccurate without the evidence
necessary to back this up.
"The programme focuses on a LTI laser speedmeter
designed for the American market, which is not a Home
Office type approved device. The American version of the
LTI laser speedmeter uses a different version of
software to that approved for use in the UK. In
particular, the Uk version has different error trapping
software contained with it and it has been subjected to
Home Office type approval testing, recognised as the
most stringent in the world, to ensure its accuracy.
"The Home Office Scientific Development Branch is of the
opinion that the UK version will perform within
permitted tolerances if used in accordance with the
current published ACPO enforcement guidelines and will
not replicate the errors shown by the American.
"Offenders should be aware that if they decide to plead
not guilty based on viewing this programme but are
subsequently convicted, they are likely to get
additional penalties imposed upon them by Courts in
excess of the conditional penalty they would have
received."
Victorian speed camera
bungle
From Herald Sun
By Ellen Whinnett
August 25, 2005
Victoria Police will be forced to withdraw hundreds of
fines after an embarrassing speed camera bungle.
Hundreds of drivers were booked for speeding on the Hume
Highway when an operator programmed the wrong speed into
the camera.
Most were actually travelling under the speed limit.
The bungle got through private operator Tenix's checking
system, and infringement notices were issued by police
last week.
Now, the company and police will be required to issue
withdrawal notices to the hundreds of drivers who were
booked despite committing no offence.
Drivers travelling on the Hume Highway at Somerset on
July 21 were sent infringement notices this week for
exceeding 80km/h, when the lawful speed was 90km/h.
Craigieburn resident Frank Torzillo, 49, was booked for
travelling at 88km/h.
Convinced he wasn't speeding, Mr Torzillo went to the
Traffic Camera Office and obtained the photograph of the
alleged incident.
He then contacted outspoken former speed camera operator
Graeme Marr for help.
They drove along the Hume Highway until they found the
location, between Stanley Drive and Pataullos Lane,
based on background images in the photograph.
It was in a clearly-marked 90km/h zone, not an 80km/h
zone, as the infringement notice had stated.
Mr Marr said he agreed to help Mr Torzillo because he
wanted to highlight problems with the speed camera
system.
"I have always stated - from the day of my resignation
on August 20, 2004 - about incorrect set-ups, operators
forced to use faulty cameras, and other incorrect
happenings that would cause motorists to be incorrectly
issued with infringement notices," Mr Marr said.
"Mr Torzillo's saga adds to my claims that supervision
is sparse, and (that) operators who have no feelings for
motorists will set up the speed cameras to raise
revenue," he said.
Mr Torzillo said he knew he had not been speeding
because he travelled the Hume Highway every day for
work, and was always careful to watch his speed.
"My main concern now is the other poor drivers caught on
that day," he said.
"They could be looking at 200-300 cars - it was peak
hour," he said.
"Basically, I've been booked for travelling at 88km/h in
a 90km/h zone.
"This shouldn't happen. They (the camera operators)
should be better trained.
"They should have realised it was a 90km/h zone," he
said.
Opposition transport spokesman Terry Mulder said that
Police Minister Tim Holding ought to come clean on how
many motorists had been incorrectly booked.
"Has anyone lost their licence due to this operator's
failure to set their camera to the correct speed zone?"
Mr Mulder asked.
"More importantly, how can Tim Holding stop it happening
again?"
No comment could be obtained from Victoria Police
yesterday.
Satellites set to
track carjackers
From The Australian
By Robert Wilson
August 16, 2005
SYDNEY's spate of seven carjackings in two weeks has
prompted Mercedes-Benz to examine bringing its
satellite-based tracking system to Australia.
Bandits, targeting expensive high-performance Mercedes,
Porsche and BMW models, have forced the owners to hand
over the keys and have used at least one of the vehicles
as a getaway car in a later robbery.
The remote Teleaid satellite assistance service has been
available in Europe and the US since 2000, but
Mercedes-Benz has not brought it to Australia yet,
citing low customer interest and lack of satellite
coverage.
"The events of the last two weeks are worrying and we
are investigating technologies that might add to
security for owners," company spokesman Toni Andreevski
said.
The system used satellites for communication and
tracking and did not require mobile phone coverage to
work, Mr Andreevski said.
For now, owners of luxury cars must rely on ground-based
tracking services that are effective, but confined to
metropolitan areas.
BMW and Holden offer mobile phone-based emergency call
systems, and radio tracking services use either the
phone system or their own network of radio towers.
Despite restricted coverage, these systems can
immobilise stolen cars or trace them to thieves'
hideouts.
Sydney-based tracking service Quiktrak says it has
recovered vehicles within half an hour of their being
stolen.
"We generally know something's happening before the
vehicle has even moved," Quiktrak operations manager
Gary Moore said.
"We can stop the car remotely but our policy is to do
that only in co-operation with the police."
While the spate of carjackings in Sydney has made
headlines, experts say an equally disturbing trend is
emerging in the thousands of thefts across Australia
made possible by the thieves first stealing the keys.
"More than 70 per cent of late model car thefts are now
happening through access to keys," said Geoff Hughes, a
spokesman for Carsafe Australia, a joint industry and
government body dedicated to reducing car theft.
The trend had swelled since immobilisers became
compulsory on new cars in 2001, Mr Hughes said. "Thieves
are getting keys by breaking into houses or offices and
bypassing immobilisers. The only way to counter it is
for owners to treat their keys like gold."
Carsafe found key thefts accounted for more than 70per
cent of thefts of late model cars, compared with only 20
per cent of total car thefts.
Mr Moore said: "You can't really hotwire a car these
days, and thieves know that.
"What we're seeing are more thefts using the keys,
usually after ransacking the owner's home. But we're
also seeing more thefts from carwashes, service stations
and workshops.
"The thief just walks in and drives away."
Cars worth $1.5 million are stolen across Australia each
day, Carsafe estimates.
More than 83,000 vehicles were stolen in the 12 months
to March and about 19,000 of them were not recovered.
Australian-developed microscopic data dots stamped with
a car's unique vehicle identification number have cut
theft rates by up to 90 per cent for some models.
All speed camera fines
in doubt
From weekly Telegraph
August 10, 2005
EVERY fine issued by speed cameras could be invalid,
after the Roads and Traffic Authority admitted yesterday
it could not prove the authenticity of the pictures they
take.
In a double blow to the RTA, The weekly Telegraph can
also reveal that Sydney Harbour Tunnel cameras
monitoring toll cheats have been switched off for at
least three years - and no penalties handed out.
The revelation came as Sydney magistrate Lawrence Lawson
threw out a speeding case after the RTA said it had no
evidence that an image from a camera had not been
doctored.
Mr Lawson had adjourned the case in June, giving the RTA
eight weeks to produce an expert to prove pictures from
a speed camera on Carlingford Rd, Epping, had not been
altered after they were taken.
He said it was a matter of public interest and the RTA
should be given time to back up its case.
But RTA lawyers yesterday told Hornsby Local Court they
could not find an expert and the case was thrown out,
with $3300 in legal costs awarded to the motorist, a man
allegedly caught speeding through a school zone on
November 18 last year.
Lawyer Dennis Miralis, who has won several high-profile
cases against the RTA involving speeding motorists, said
the case proved a public inquiry into speed cameras was
desperately needed.
"The integrity of all speed camera offences has been
thrown into serious doubt and it appears that the RTA is
unable to prove any contested speed camera matter
because of a lack of admissible evidence," Mr Miralis
said.
The case revolved around the integrity of a mathematical
MD5 algorithm published on each picture and used as a
security measure to prove pictures have not been
doctored after they have been taken.
Mr Miralis argued that the RTA had to prove the
algorithm it used was accurate and could not be tampered
with. He said: "It is our understanding that since speed
cameras were introduced approximately 15 years ago on
NSW roads, not one single speed camera photograph has
been capable of proving an offence."
The NSW Law Society said the judgment could "open the
doors" for other drivers caught by speed cameras to
mount the same defence.
Radar bans under
attack
From Unknown
By Ellen Whinnett
August 04, 2005
VICTORIAN drivers have been banned from the road because
of wrongly issued speeding fines, says a former speed
camera operator.
Graeme Marr, 41, of Meadow Heights, said driving
licences had been suspended and cancelled as a result of
the incorrect tickets.
He said problems caused by reflected radar beams were
"rife in camera operations".
Radar beams reflected off metal objects can corrupt
speed readings and lead to an incorrect ticket being
issued.
Strict instructions are enclosed in the Victoria Police
operators manual on how such reflections should be
avoided.
Mr Marr will make his claims today in the Broadmeadows
Magistrates Court, where he is appearing as a defence
witness for Glenn Hilburn, who is fighting a charge of
driving at 69km/h in a 60km/h zone.
Mr Marr said camera operators routinely set up in areas
that breached the provisions of the manual, by having
reflective surfaces in the path of the radar beam.
"You just can't do that because you don't know what
you're getting," he said.
Mr Marr conceded he left camera operator Tenix on bad
terms after just four months but said his motivation was
to let the public know the truth.
A licensed security agent, he has run his own security
company for 17 years.
He said he would be giving evidence about "site 32265",
on Pascoe Vale Rd at Oak Park, where Mr Hilburn was
booked for allegedly exceeding the limit.
He said he had refused to set up at the site because of
the problems with reflections.
Secrets of speed
cameras revealed
From Unknown
By Ellen Whinnett
August 04, 2005
MOBILE speed camera readings can be distorted by metal
signs, fences, walls and even Australia Post letter
boxes, according to a secret police document.
The potential flaws in the controversial cameras --
which took $104 million in speeding fines from Victorian
motorists last year -- are detailed in a confidential
police rule book.
The 50-page Speed Camera Policy and Operations Manual
also identifies a major operational weakness in the
cameras, which monitor multi-lane roads.
But for road safety reasons the Herald Sun has chosen
not to give details of this gap.
Police have fought to keep the April 2004 manual a
secret.
However a copy obtained by the Herald Sun shows:
CAMERAS are not to be set up on bends.
OPERATORS must not camouflage or disguise the cameras in
a way that could lead to a public perception of "sly
operations".
CAMERAS can be used on a downhill road only if the road
has a significant history of speed-related accidents.
TOLERANCE levels, where motorists can travel over the
speed limit without being fined, are flexible.
POLICE book so many people to reinforce the message that
it is not worth the risk to speed.
THE locations of fixed speed cameras are chosen to
maximise the number of people who can be caught
speeding.
CAMERAS must not be set up within 200m of a change to
the speed zone.
CAMERAS can be used within 200m of a change to the zone
in a children's crossing area or a school zone with
prior approval of senior police.
Former speed camera operator Graeme Marr will use a
court hearing in Melbourne today to highlight his
concerns about radar beams bouncing off reflective
objects and giving false readings.
Mr Marr will tell the court that motorists had lost
their licences because of wrongly issued speeding fines.
Police Minister Tim Holding said processes were in place
to ensure Victorian motorists were not unfairly fined or
prosecuted.
"Before taking photographs, operators must ensure there
are no reflective objects or surfaces in the camera
beam," he said.
"The simple presence of a reflective object or surface
within the speed camera photograph itself does not
render the camera's reading incorrect."
Mr Holding said that in coming months the Government
would release the existing speed camera criteria.
Transport Accident Commission figures show that 699,638
speeding offences were caught on camera last financial
year, generating $104 million for the State Government.
The manual shows that booking a large number of people
is a key part in the speed camera program.
"(The philosophy) . . . aims to create a broad community
perception through general and specific deterrents that
the chance of detection is so high that speeding is not
worth the risk," the policy states.
Operators are told they must not hide cameras.
"To maintain community confidence in the speed camera
initiative, it is important for the operational use of
the devices to be seen as fair and reasonable," the
policy states.
"Under no circumstances are speed camera vehicles,
tripods or flash units to be disguised by signs, logos,
breakdown of vehicle (eg: boot open or spare wheel jack
visible, etc,), tree branches, lamp posts, dust bins or
any other means that would generate public perceptions
of sly operations."
The State Opposition has taken the case to the Victorian
Civil and Administrative Tribunal, arguing police should
have released the protocols under Freedom of Information
laws.
The document shows that specific restrictions are placed
on the mobile speed cameras to address problems with
reflective objects corrupting speed readings.
The rule book states cameras should not be set up on or
near an overpass, or facing an elevated adjacent road
that may carry traffic past the extended speed camera
radar beam.
Other sources of reflection are pole-mounted electricity
supply transformers, metal signs such as house-for-sale
or auction signs and Armco road barriers.
Metal bus stop shelters, public telephone booths,
Australia Post letter-boxes, sheet metal garage doors,
fences, factory walls and closely spaced iron picket
fences are all listed as possible reflectors capable of
distorting speed readings.
The document also confirms widespread speculation that
tolerance levels are a moveable figure.
Tolerance levels are set by law at 2km/h for fixed
cameras and 3km/h for mobile cameras.
But the limit at which police started issuing tickets
has been a secret.
The policy manual states threshold speeds will be chosen
depending on the number of complaints about speeding and
"ongoing evaluation of road trauma levels".
Opposition says speed
camera costs too high
From ABC News Online
July 05, 2005
The Western Australian Opposition says WA police will be
forced to take officers off the streets to pay the
operating costs of extra speed cameras.
Acting police spokesman Murray Cowper says the
Government's
decision to allocate five extra Multanova cameras to
regional WA will cost police more than $200,000
annually.
The operating costs will be met by the Road Trauma Trust
Fund for the first three years, with police to meet all
costs after that.
Mr Cowper says the Government should commit more funding
to road patrols rather than speed cameras.
"Which do you think is more effective, a speed camera or
a highly visual police officer out on the road in a
patrol car?" he said.
"Well, my answer to that is certainly the latter because
speed cameras, while they are a valuable tool in the
policeman's kit, they're not the vanguard of road
traffic management and road safety in Western
Australia."
The ABC has approached the Police Minister for Comment.
Speed limits banned to
keep drivers alive
From Correspondents in
Rio de Janeiro (Reuters)
By Unknown
June 28, 2005
RIO de Janeiro legislators have voted to end enforcement
of speed limits in parts of the crime-plagued city at
night to try to cut down on attacks on slow-moving cars.
The city's legislative assembly passed a bill on
Thursday to turn off cameras used to enforce speed
limits of 40 km/h in accident-prone points of the
seaside city.
It was unclear whether Mayor Cesar Maia would approve
the legislation, which is necessary for it to go into
effect. He argues that most accidents occur during the
night.
Many drivers already ignore traffic signals late at
night for fear of being robbed or killed in a car
jackings. The city has one of the world's highest murder
rates.
Rio's beleaguered population, frustrated by police
inefficiency, is resorting to inventive ways to fight
crime.
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