Front Facing Speed Camera Flash (Night)

xuqi on 10/01/2019 - 01:24
Last edited 10/01/2019 - 11:37 by 1 other user

Was driving on a Perth highway earlier tonight (@ ~8.14PM) when I was flashed in the face from a front facing speeds camera hidden on the side of the road.

This left me a little dazzled with a white spot in my vision for a few seconds (as I was tracking the Blue car changing lanes when it happened), and left me wondering whether/why this is allowed given the way it adversely affected me.

The car just to my rear left was the one speeding up from behind so he/she most likely got fined, but checking to see whether anyone knows the legality of flashing people like this at night?

Photos uploaded to imgur

Cheers

Automotive Speed Camera

Comments

  • HighAndDry on 10/01/2019 - 01:29
    -3

    I'm going to guess that it's perfectly legal so long as it's police doing it for the purpose of catching speeding motorists.

    It's probably allowed because the slight inconvenience and even risk posed to other drivers is offset and justified by the public interest purposes of enforcing speed limits on the road at night.

    • xuqi on 10/01/2019 - 01:40
      +4

      In this instance they would have been just as (if not more) effective if the flash & camera were positioned to safely take a rear shot of the vehicle, without blinding drivers doing 100KMs / hour.

        • crashloaded on 10/01/2019 - 08:52
          +3

          Most if not all speed cameras in QLD work from behind.

          • HighAndDry on 10/01/2019 - 08:53
            -3

            @crashloaded: Ok, maybe these don't. Plus - this wasn't a one way highway, a camera from behind could also affect someone like this one affected OP going in the opposite direction.

            • crashloaded on 10/01/2019 - 08:58

              @HighAndDry: From police.gov.au website;

              The flash of the camera blinded me for a moment.

              The new generation mobile speed camera units have the flash unit mounted low on vehicles and the light is trained towards where the vehicle’s number plate is required to be fitted. They also have a filter/diffuser designed to reduce the intensity of the light and have been independently tested to ensure that there is no possibility of any lasting effect on driver’s eyes.

              It is acknowledged, however, that the flash effect can startle drivers, particularly at night. The Traffic Camera Office, in collaboration with technical experts, is continually testing new technology in order to reduce this flash effect.

  • spackbace on 10/01/2019 - 01:47
    -2

    It's red not white, not too dissimilar from a brake light. It's really not that bad.

    I'm assuming you moved out of the right lane into the middle lane after the guy accelerated past you in the middle lane…?

    • xuqi on 10/01/2019 - 01:59
      +2

      The Blue car on the left and his mate behind him were the one's speeding up & past on the left lane. I was doing 100 (99 showing on Blackvue) at the time.

      Maybe its because I was looking at the car on the left when it flashed but it seemed far, far brighter than any break light I've ever seen.

      • spackbace on 10/01/2019 - 02:03
        +7

        So 2 cars were able to pass you in the middle lane, while you stuck in the right lane.

        And you think this is ok?

        • xuqi on 10/01/2019 - 02:44
          +2

          Could have worded it better. The Blue car and I were in the right lane. Blue car moved to the left lane, where shortly after this point it and the two cars behind it (Blue Corolla, and something else I couldn't make out) all exited the highway.

          None of this has much to do with my original question though, but thanks for your contribution nonetheless.

          • bobbified on 10/01/2019 - 03:09
            +9

            @xuqi: Spackbace's comment is you shouldn't be in the right lane if you're not overtaking.

            Although your technically not at fault for their speeding up (and their speeding fine), there's a chance that they got frustrated sitting behind you in the overtaking lane and just decided to speed past you in the left lane.

            Should always keep left unless overtaking - even if you're driving at the speed limit and there's not much other traffic. If other cars are able to undertake you, then that means there's space in the left lanes for you to move back into.

            • xuqi on 10/01/2019 - 03:12
              +4

              @bobbified: Yes, but no one was overtaking me. The car ahead moved left allowing me to eventually overtake, whilst the two behind it and it all exited.

              I realise where he's going with it, but the scenario differed to what he assumed was the case.

              • Danstar on 10/01/2019 - 06:29
                +1

                @xuqi: Get out of the right lane if you're not over-taking

                That's their point just ICYMI

                • tranter on 10/01/2019 - 10:20

                  @Danstar: When did OP say they were not in the process of overtaking?

                  • Danstar on 10/01/2019 - 10:32

                    @tranter:

                    The car just to my rear left was the one speeding up from behind

                    The Blue car and I were in the right lane. Blue car moved to the left lane,

                    Sounds to me like his story changed to deter the point he was in the right lane and a car wanting to go faster than him

                    • tranter on 10/01/2019 - 10:44

                      @Danstar: The statements you provided from OP do not exclude the possibility that they were in the process of overtaking.

                      • Danstar on 10/01/2019 - 10:49

                        @tranter: If a car was in front of him he most likely wouldn't have been flashed by the camera ;)

                        And the most compelling evidence is the photo he uploaded, which clearly shows no car in front of him for at least 200-300m away

                        • xuqi on 10/01/2019 - 11:49
                          +1

                          @Danstar: The Blue car in the left lane was the car that had just moved there, allowing me to overtake it. I wasn't just sitting in the right lane for fun.

                          As it turned out, it and the other two behind it all exited the highway at the next available point 3-4s up the road.

                          • Danstar on 10/01/2019 - 11:54

                            @xuqi: Noted.

                            But for anyone reading the other comments. Stick to the left unless over taking
                            Nothing worse than on oblivious driver cruising along in the right lane holding up people who want to go faster

              • tranter on 10/01/2019 - 10:15

                @xuqi: Assumption is always the first port of call on OzBargain.

  • whooah1979 on 10/01/2019 - 05:39

    It's perfectly fine. The right motorists may get a letter from their state's revenue department thanking them for their generous donation.

  • Nugs on 10/01/2019 - 06:09
    -1

    maybe you should have crashed and seen what happened then.?
    .

  • pegaxs on 10/01/2019 - 07:09
    +1

    Maybe it flashed you because you were travelling in the right lane and cars had to overtake you on the left.

    • dust on 10/01/2019 - 10:33

      Hopefully it's a double fine for the OP for not travelling in the left lane.

  • theHMASfriendship on 10/01/2019 - 07:15
    +7

    Why are you in the right lane?

  • Bespoken on 10/01/2019 - 07:51
    +2

    Yes, being flashed and dazed by a speed 'safety camera' has happened to me a couple of times. No doubt it is legal, but clearly dangerous and demonstrates it is not a 'safety' action but a revenue action. If it caused an accident the person would have the right to seek compensation from the government via the common legal process.

  • Sammyboy on 10/01/2019 - 08:41

    One of my friends was fined before and there was no traffic at all on the road, for a far as you could see, in front and behind. I was the passenger.

  • thetrain on 10/01/2019 - 09:17
    +2

    If you're not turning right or overtaking get out of the right lane.

  • DarkOz on 10/01/2019 - 09:23
    +1

    OP has a point. We, in NSW, get fined for having fog lights on under normal driving conditions. This is because the fog lights dazzle other drivers travelling in the opposite direction. I don't see why a powerful speed camera flash like this is any less dangerous than fog lights and is acceptable.

    • [Deactivated] on 10/01/2019 - 16:02

      The best way for them to encourage drivers who are already at speeds causing diminished control is to emit a blinding flash brighter than the fog lights that is too bright for the roads.

      Yeah… that'll safety just fine. - treasury transport department.

  • whooah1979 on 10/01/2019 - 12:59

    https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-29/sa-police-take-lidar-…

    SA Police to withdraw use of laser speed guns following court cases

    https://www.theherald.com.au/story/5811124/sa-police-put-spe…

  • [Deactivated] on 10/01/2019 - 15:53

    I see revenue cameras, I boo.

    Boooooooo.

    … of course it's legal. Traffic cameras are there for revenue. If it were for safety, it would obviously be counter intuitive and long removed.

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