What are the mobile police radar rules?

[Tutteron]

Hi all,
Was travelling through St. Ives yesterday and think I got done by a mobile radar unit. The police officer was hiding behind a telegraph pole with a clipboard up against his chest with a "hair drier" on top. He then wrote your rego down. I was travlleing with the flow of traffic on a three lane road. I do not belive that I was doing anything different to the other cars. Alright, we were all probably over 15km over the limit.

Firstly I do not believe that he could have possibly scanned my speed for 3 seconds (as the rule states), and I do not recall on seeing any "speed camera in use signs".

Does anyone know the following?

If it was a portable speed camera, doesn't there legally have to be a sign in view?

If it wasn't a camera, I don't believe that I could be issued with a fine as I was not pulled over, correct?

Has anyone ever recieved a speeding fine from the above described?

look forward to your comments

[Unkynd]

I'm not sure about that one. I thought the way it worked, was if it's a radar gun, they have to pull you over to book you, but if it's a van you're photographed and the bill is sent in the mail.

Not too long ago I was going down Vulture St, and I only just spotted the cops behind this parked van at the last second.. as I was breaking my eyes met with the officer who was holding the speed camera on me.. and he shook his head at me.

Who knows why he didn't pull me over. Maybe I was just under his "threshold", or maybe I'd gone too far for him to pull me over.

But what is the tolerance with these devices? I've been told the parked vans is set to about 10km/h over the signed speed limit but I'm not sure I'd put that theory to the test if I didn't have to.

[slickthug]

yeh i hate how the po po try to hide.

its much safer for them to be seen. if there seen people will slow down and obey the speed limit.

but i think its stupid when police hide as they will let people disobey the speed limit and have more risk of an accident just to issue out some fines.

with that said i have two friends who became cops and theyr still my friends. ill ask them about the speedo thing if i get the chance

[Tutteron]

That would be great slickthug. Don't mention too much though about name etc..

[dumb&]

If it was just the hair dryer and not a wagon/van that they were sitting in then you'll be fine as they didn't pull you over and issue you with a fine.

They could have been doing research for a fixed speed camera in that area (hence the clipboard and noting down the average speed of drivers going past to see if it is actually viable). I'm really not sure about this though, just a random thought really.

[Tutteron]

I like your research idea daveee. Hopefully you are right.

I will have to keep my pedals crossed for a few weeks to see the result I suppose. I definitely did not see any car of sorts as it could have been in the side street which was not visble.

It was strange though as everyone was coasting at the speed and didn't really notice that I was speeding until I saw him and looked down at the speedo. The CJ glides with no effort from the accelrator pedal.

[spunkybob]

Yeah, as long as your not pulled over your fine... they cant just write down your regio and send you a ticket...

[Tutteron]

Thats exactly what I was thinking spunkybob.

Hope your right.

[Marsh]

They need evidence to send you a fine in the mail (ie a photo that shows your speed). otherwise anyone could be fined at anytime.

But what is the tolerance with these devices?

Speed camera tolerances are generally kept secret (they are is SA anyway) so that people don't know how much they can exceed the limit by without being caught. I've heard that its usually 3-5kmh but depends on what zone your in.

doesn't there legally have to be a sign in view?

As far as showing a sign that says speed camera... not too sure about that one. I always thought that the signs were more for portable speed cameras and only shown after youd already passed the camera. That way you knew you'd just been caught and would drive slower straight away rather than waiting for the fine to arrive by post

[spunkybob]

The tolerance is 10%... 4% for there equipment and 6% for your car.

Thats NSW anyways....... easy way is to just not speed... or do it where you know its "safe"

[Josh_Emerton]

Ok. To clarify;

If it was a portable speed camera, doesn't there legally have to be a sign in view? NO. If it is a van (i.e. the one that sends you pictures/fines in the mail), they have to display a sign, but it does not have to be in view - hence why they always put it under the front of the van haha pigs. For LIDAR's (aka hairdryers) they do not have to display a sign, period.

If it wasn't a camera, I don't believe that I could be issued with a fine as I was not pulled over, correct? Correct.

Has anyone ever recieved a speeding fine from the above described? No.


Each individual state has its own speed camera operations manual. I'm still trying to find Queenslands lol so bear with me, I will find the one for every state and post up links. Give me a week or so.

[spunkybob]

Ok. To clarify;

If it was a portable speed camera, doesn't there legally have to be a sign in view? NO. If it is a van (i.e. the one that sends you pictures/fines in the mail), they have to display a sign, but it does not have to be in view - hence why they always put it under the front of the van haha pigs. For LIDAR's (aka hairdryers) they do not have to display a sign, period.

If it wasn't a camera, I don't believe that I could be issued with a fine as I was not pulled over, correct? Correct.

Has anyone ever recieved a speeding fine from the above described? No.


Each individual state has its own speed camera operations manual. I'm still trying to find Queenslands lol so bear with me, I will find the one for every state and post up links. Give me a week or so.

In NSW;
ALL fixed cams have 3 signs before them
Random cops can do what they want/hide where they want becasue there are signs up randomly saying speed cams are used in this area.

[Josh_Emerton]

We don't have fixed cams (in North QLD anyway)

You're correct about the 10% leeway.

And the random cop thing is the same too, come to think about it. Theres a sign near my old house that says 'Speed Cameras Used In This Area' with a picture that looks like this: []= Sort of, anyway

[Josh_Emerton]

The point is it doesnt have to be in view, anyway. (Signs)

[Unkynd]

10% makes sense, as I was told there was 10km (in a 100 zone).


However, my biggest annoyance is how you see multiple cameras within 20km of each other on the same highway.

Okay fair enough if I'm speeding I should get booked. But only ONCE! Unless I'm pulled up the first time and the fact that I'm speeding is brought to my attention, I cannot fix it.

They'll say that on both occasions you were speeding so you cop two fines, but if I'm speeding the WHOLE TIME, that's one occasion, at least when I do the math on my fingers.