In a recent Cassation’ Supreme Court ruling in Italy, every speed cameras (autovelox) must be reported at exactly 1km, before the actual camera. And those signs shouldn’t be hidden behind trees, shouldn’t have any damage, and shouldn’t have any graffiti, and must be visible and big enough. Otherwise the ticket is voided (even if the sign is at 1001mt and not precisly at 1000mt).
The Speeding Camera should also be placed outside a police vehicle (conceled ones = voided ticket). The ruling also states that the ticket is void if the Police Vehicles don’t have the blue lights turned on, and therefore unmmarked cars can’t be standing in a distance with the speeding camera.
Finally it states that “Tutor system” (average speed cameras in Highways) must also have an “End sign”.
Is your country this strict about speeding cameras?
8 comments
Static speed cameras are never announced and may or may not be obvious. Average speed cameras are only announced on highways, while they removed such signs on all other roads. Ostensibly to do something about “the jungle of signs” and “to improve safety” but more likely to feed the treasury. The ANPR cameras themselves, however, are still marked with signs like [these](https://www.vanlommelprinting.be/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/camerabewaking_meteigentekst-1.png) but they’re small and easy to miss at speed.
Mobile cameras are very often inconspicuous and/or hidden behind bushes. I know the local police department uses an anonymous and inconspicuous gray van for their mobile speedtraps and I know where they tend to post so I’m always on the lookout for it. Last time I encountered it the camera was mounted on a tripod in front of the vehicle although cameras that are built into the grill also exist.
If the city wants to make a statement they might decide to use a super obvious approach and plop one of [these chonkers](https://www.vias.be/storage/main/lidarfoto.jpg) near a school or so.
Having a radar detector in your car is forbidden although you can still use apps like Waze or Coyote.
They can hide them quite a lot. Usually they use vans parked by the side of the road or a laser and camera outside, usually not too well hidden, but once you see it it’ll be too late.
On laser measurements there is a 3 km/h “discount”, because it’s not 100% accurate.
I dont know how the rules are, but as far as I know all fixed cameras are marked. As for the police controls, in my part of the country they are quite rare, and I think they are always in a regular police car.
Italian here.
Many years ago I was caught by the police while speeding on the A1 highway at 220kmh. They actually had to chase me, but of course I stopped as soon as I saw the blue lights in my rear mirror and was very apologetic.
Lost my driving license for one month and was fined for few hundred euros.
I have become a prudent driver since then, but I often drive above limits, especially when they are very low, I know the road conditions and there is no traffic or other risk factors.
The only speed ticket I took in the last ten years was in France.
[There are 4 types of camers in Ireland.](https://www.carzone.ie/motoring-advice/speed-cameras-in-ireland-how-they-work-and-types/2925)
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* Camera Vans
* Limited to known and publicised locations with a poor safety record.
* Very well signposted.
* Garda with a Handheld Laser
* Can be anywhere, but usually at spots that will become future Camera van spots.
* Garda Car mounted PUMA System
* Uncommon but completely invisible until you are caught.
* Average Speed Cameras
* Only in a couple of locateion, but will be rolling out to more motorways.
Over time there have been a lot of loopholes, but they are regularly closed now.
If you go to court your points can be doubled, so it usually not worth challengeing the ticket.
Camera vans & Average Speed camers are largly automated, so no mercy there.
(I have has 3 tickets over 25 years driving for a cumulative total of 18 kmh over the speed limit.)
But Laser and PUMA largely punish dangerous spped rather than those marginally over the limit.
It’s tough in 🇬🇧. There are multiple types of speed camera – fixed limit, variable limit on motorways, average speed (which are *everywhere*), mobile camera vans.
There are no particular rules – cameras are always preceded by a warning sign, although I don’t know if that’s law. They might or might not be active. They might be forward or rear facing.
You get a ticket through the post, you’re required by law to say who was driving if it wasn’t you, and the fine is a minimum of £100 plus 3 points on your license. Your insurance premium goes up the next year as a result, as you’re obliged to declare it.
Being stopped by police is relatively uncommon as cameras do all the work.
In the Netherlands they mainly use fixed camera’s. These are located on provincial roads and in villages. In some cases they also work as a red light camera at the same time. These cameras are not indicated anywhere and are sometimes green or gray so that they are less noticeable.
There are no fixed speed cameras anywhere on motorways, but there is “trajectcontrole” on ten motorways. These are always signposted and measure the time between point A and point B. If the average speed is higher than allowed, a fine will be send to the owner of the car.
The police also use mobile speed cameras. These are built into unmarked policecars that are parked along roads. Sometimes, for example along the highway, a separate set is also used that is often more hidden.
Agents also use laser guns to control speed. This happens with both marked and unmarked cars and motorcycles. The officers then usually go after the larger offenses and let minor violations pass.
Announcing in some way that there’s going to be a speed check seems like it would defeat the purpose. If people know they’re not going to be fined then they’re much more likely to drive over the speed limit. If they know that doing so will guarantee a big fine then they’re much more careful and likely to actually follow the limit. Though most speeders will use an app to tell them where mobile and static check points are so they’ll slow down just enough to pass the check point and speed up again immediately afterwards.
You can actually see this in action on Dutch highways. If you ever find yourself on a stretch of road where all drivers seem to be suspiciously obedient with regards to the speed limit then you’re almost sure to be on a road section with *trajectcontrole*, where there’s cameras that will measure how long it takes you to drive from one camera to the other. If it takes you less time than expected then you’re driving too fast and you can expect a ticket to drop through your mailbox a few weeks later. And once the section of road with controle is over lots of drivers immediately speed up.
Trajectcontroles sometimes have signage announcing them, but then it’s probably more about making sure people actually abide by the limit because they’re aware of the consequences and it has less to do with it being mandatory because I’m fairly sure it isn’t. Most speeding fines are handed out here through automatic cameras anyway not real life police officers with a radar gun.