Wheelie Bin Speed Cameras Hit Sa

[writeoff]

I was sent this link this morning:

http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0...5006301,00.html

'Sin bin' snaps 350 motorists in a day

TOM ZED

February 15, 2007 01:15am

WHEELIE bins hiding speed cameras are catching hundreds of speeding drivers without warning.

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Motorists at Echunga last Sunday were caught out by a speed camera hidden in a green wheelie bin.

The operator of the camera, who was sitting in a parked car about 100m away, told a member of the public that he had caught about 350 people speeding during the day.

A spokeswoman for Police Commissioner Mal Hyde confirmed that hidden speed cameras had been operating in the area over the weekend but could not confirm how many drivers had been caught speeding.

Speed camera operators are part of SAPOL's police security section and are not police officers.

The spokeswoman said covert speed cameras had been part of SA Police's anti-speeding strategy for several years.

"We use a number of different camouflages and disguises for our covert operations to suit the purpose," she said.

"There are a whole lot of different housings that we use for cameras.

"There's obviously no secret that we are using covert cameras. We can't say what we use to hide cameras because that would ruin the whole point of them being covert." The spokeswoman said the camera used at Echunga over the weekend was not the same type trialled in the city early last year, although that camera had also been referred to as a "wheelie-bin" camera.

The German-imported "container camera" was housed in a grey, steel box on wheels and was about the same size as a wheelie bin.

When police were questioned about the introduction of this camera, a spokeswoman denied it would look like a domestic wheelie bin. But no reference was made of the operations of the bin which was photographed by an Advertiser reader at the weekend.

SA Federation of Residents and Ratepayers Association president Kevin Kaeding said hiding speed cameras in wheelie bins was "deceitful". "I don't know if you could get much lower than that," he said.

"It should be totally outlawed. Speed cameras should be visual.

"The warning should be made that there are cameras there and if you do speed, then you will pay.

"With the camera hidden, people will still speed but with cameras in the open and with warnings out there, people will slow down.

"You have to ask if they are there to save lives or just to revenue-raise and in this case, it looks like it's just revenue raising."

[Pauly33GTS-t]

um.. the cops are c**ts.

feel free to change that cubes...

sorry in advance.

[CleanGTS-t]

I think a visual speed camera has a better chance of saving lives, because everyone slows down when they see a camera. Having hidden cameras is crap IMO. Good money make though.

If there going to continue to use wheelie bins maybe we should source a garbo to drive along and empty them for us LOL

Don't speed and you'll have nothing to worry about. But hidden cameras is still Bull Sh!t!!

Edited February 14, 2007 by CleanGTS-t

[Howie]

I think it's fair game for us to smack the wheelie bin if we don't get caught.

[Munkyb0y]

that truly sux. i expect alot of wheelie bins will be trashed.

in NSW, the law states that motorists must be warned by at least 2 fixed road signs that you are approaching a speed camera.

[kralster]

And guess what!!!

I bet all 350 people who were caught "speeding" aren't dead.

By rights they should be with the whole "speed kills" we are always being reminded of.

[Mr. iNFMS]

And guess what!!!

I bet all 350 people who were caught "speeding" aren't dead.

By rights they should be with the whole "speed kills" we are always being reminded of.

The fact is they still could be dead, by the time the fine comes out..

and continue to speed in the meantime.

Speed Doesn't Kill.. - Fatigue does..

[--{TRYDIS}--]

The fact is they still could be dead, by the time the fine comes out..

and continue to speed in the meantime.

Speed Doesn't Kill.. - Fatigue does..

and if that dont kill u the fine will lol

[Howie]

The largest contributors to fatalities and serious accidents by far (and the government knows this) are poor road conditions, no overtaking lanes, no crash barriers and/or arrestors. And surprise surprise they cost lots of money.. so it's easier for the government to put us through a guilt trip than to actually spend some money on real accident prevention solutions. Just read up on the German zero fatality approach to road safety... they know they're on a good thing. Enough of this speed camera bullshit.

Edited February 15, 2007 by Howie

[kralster]

Thats exactly my point.

Speed has never ever killed anyone.

Except maybe the drug.

[CleanGTS-t]

The largest contributors to fatalities and serious accidents by far (and the government knows this) are poor road conditions, no overtaking lanes, no crash barriers and/or arrestors. And surprise surprise they cost lots of money.. so it's easier for the government to put us through a guilt trip than to actually spend some money on real accident prevention solutions. Just read up on the German zero fatality approach to road safety... they know they're on a good thing. Enough of this speed camera bullshit.

Well said mate!

I've watched some doco's on the German Autobahn and zero fatality approach. They know their stuff. It'd be awesome and safe to have a run on their roads.

[Howie]

Yep and isn't ironic that you can do 350km/hr on the autobarn, and it's still orders of magnitude safer than any freeway you care to mention in Australia.

Really blows the speed kills theory right out equation. We're being blinded from the truth by our own government.

[kralster]

And it doesn't help that australians are pussies nowadays (myself included) my dads generation would actually speak up and do something when the goverment was obviously doing something stupid.

Whereas we are so worried about our financial situation that we are too afraid to vote differently and hopefully see some change.

We are all more worried about having 2 cars and a big house to retire instead of the wellbeing of others.

[Howie]

This unfortunately is also the case in UK. The media and government both disguise the truth behind road crashes blaming speed and drink driving - whilst continually installing speed cameras in non-black spotted areas. So much so a group of vigilantes go around smashing every camera they find - yet this is never ever published in the local newspaper. Theres a whole website dedicated to the vandalism of speed cameras in the UK, one street which had a fixed speed camera had to be replaced a dozen times in a year yet the government has a policy of never reporting speed camera vandalism. Makes you wonder how many of these units are destroyed right here in Australia that we don't know about? And why are they keeping it a secret?

I've got a close mate who helps in the manufacture of the ic's that go into our cameras, and they are by no means foolproof... some are failing at a rate of 10% and the accuracy rate of some of these cameras vary from machine to machine. So long as their within spec they get put into use. Which is bullshit, because they once clocked a bog standard 70's Toyota Corolla doing 200km/h driven by a 30 something year old chick - the car has a top speed of about 160km/h and considering it's age it's highly unlikely it could do even that.

[writeoff]

The German autobarns are brilliant! I took a Porsche Cayman up to 250kmph legally on them last June. The roads are a lot better - both in terms of surface quality, signage (easier to read whilst travelling at speed/ no speed limit changes every 100m), barriers and stopping lanes. You're also not contantly looking for speed cameras hidden on the side of the road (I wonder how many rear enders have been caused by this?). The German motorists are also better drivers IMO and are definately more courtious. Their cars are also better. I doubt too many Australian built cars would be safe at 250kmph.

I used to work for a company that wrote the program for red light cameras in SA and they have a fault when operating temperatures reach above 36 degrees (IIRC). Something to bear in mind as the cameras are usually left in direct sunlight.

Edited February 15, 2007 by writeoff

[Adz2332]

Now all the police needs to do is find a way to secretly defect us young drivers who sepend $1000's of dollars on our cars keeping them perfect and our respect level for them will be 0!

Edited February 15, 2007 by Adz2332

[32vspecII]

it used to be quite popular to spray paint the glass window on the fixed speed cameras in sydney

dont know if its still happening tho

[andz]

Late model commodores parking on the side of the road, speed cameras at traffic lights and now wheelie bins to look out for?

I always stick to the speed limit anyway, just stupid to pay $250-300 for a fine. I tend to get to 60 really quick and then cruise it...saves money IMO

If they have the wheelie bins, i'm ok with that, just get rid of the 40' 50' and 70 areas, just gay!

One of my customers, around 65yo, has been driving for 40 years, was devastated to receive a fine for going 62km/hr on a 50 zone, the road he has travelled for many years, poor man was in tears, coz the money had to come out of his pension

stick to the old 60 80 and 100, nice and simple

Edited February 15, 2007 by andz69

[K_E_V_I_N]

haha just dont speed on bin day.....

[kralster]

I work in mile end and live in victor harbor.

And a few weeks ago while driving home on adelaide road there was one of those unmarked speed camera cars that have it mounted on the side and it was driving along slowly on the verge. How f**king dumb and dangerous is that!!