Rounabouts and Status Bar

Rick-uk · Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 9:01 pm Post subject:

there are still two lanes at the entry point to the roundabout, and I would not choose to turn left from the right hand one

Dennis, next time you join the M4 from this roundabout to head across the Severn Bridge have a look to your right at the beginning of the slip road and there is what looks like a Gatso/Truvelo facing the traffic with a sign saying "Height Measuring Equipment" I have tried to capture a photo of it just to confirm what it is but have never had a quiet enough road to do so.

I will have to park in the layby one day and walk down to it

DennisN · Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 9:31 pm Post subject:

Don't waste your time. I haven't photographed the one at Welsh side recently (I did reject it as a speed camera though), but the one on the English side is this one...

It is associated with Height Detection Equipment. You will know that they stop high traffic crossing the "Old Bridge" when there's a strong wind and normally do so by diverting all traffic off the motorway, up to the roundabout, where during daytime, two Highways Agency guys stand and send them off to Chepstow and all points elsewhere. After a certain time at night, the men toddle off to bed and leave the place wide open. Any vehicle which chooses to do so, can ignore the "ban" and drive onto the bridge. That camera is activated by a height beam (not sure, 6'6"?), which gets a photo of the offending vehicle, whose owner/keeper gets either a fine or a nasty letter - that's assuming he/she doesn't get turned over by the wind. It's no more a speed camera than a No Entry sign, so it's not going into the speed camera database.

It is hoped to discontinue the services of the HA men at some time and just leave the camera there.

Bridge control office phone number - 01454 635056.
_________________
Dennis

If it tastes good - it's fattening.

Two of them are obesiting!!

Rick-uk · Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 10:10 pm Post subject:

I didn't think it was speed related.

Just curious as those cameras usually take pictures of the rear of the vehicle and that one is forward facing.

The only other Gatso that I have personal knowledge of (there must be many more) that discriminates between high vehicles and not so high is on the A303 west bound where a colleague of mine got caught doing over 40 in his artic in the early morning and was prosecuted for exceeding the vehicle speed limit as opposed to the road speed limit (60). That was the standard layout with the camera taking pictures of the rear. It can only be based on the vehicle height as there is no signs of any pressure pads under the roadway.

DennisN · Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 11:20 pm Post subject:

I think Andy_P once posted a picture of the innards of a Gatso showing a switch to control the orientation between rearward and forward (receding and approaching). My Search ability is not up to finding it for you, sorry! Maybe he'll spot this and give us a link.
_________________
Dennis

If it tastes good - it's fattening.

Two of them are obesiting!!

Andy_P · Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 12:25 am Post subject:

Somebody call? Smile

It also has a separate set of speed-limit switches for trucks...

The bottom set (next to the graphic of a car) are for cars, and the top set for trucks, but the graphic of the truck is rather hidden under the top cover on this "mph" model:

You can see it better in this slightly out-of-focus "km/h" one:

The red knob in between the two sets of speed-limit switches the middle is used for switching between forward-facing, rear-facing or both, but I think they are still only type approved for rear-facing use as speed detectors in the UK (even though a lot of them seem to have been "accidentally" left so they will flash approaching traffic).

Daggers · Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 9:30 am Post subject:

Rick-uk · Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 3:24 pm Post subject:

Thanks to all for satisfying my curiousity

Andy_P · Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 3:48 pm Post subject:

Daggers · Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 7:47 pm Post subject:

Andy_P · Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2009 2:24 am Post subject:

Cool... Thanks for the clarification. Smile

	PocketGPS
	Web