Saint Ivuga
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- Aug 21, 2008
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[h=1]Police Testing £12,500 Laser Speed Camera Which Can Tell If Drivers Are Using A Mobile Phone Or Not Wearing A Seat Belt From Half A Mile Away[/h]
Police have unveiled a laser speed camera that is so accurate it can tell if drivers are using a mobile phone or not wearing a seatbelt from nearly half a mile away.
Officers say it will help in their zero-tolerance approach to motoring offences.
But critics say Dorset police are using the equipment to 'maximise the number of offences' simply to raise funds.
The £12,500 Concept II is fitted with laser speed-detection equipment and a powerful camera that can capture motorists in the 'act' of using a mobile phone while driving or not wearing a seat belt.
The resolution is sharp enough to pick out an unbuckled belt at ranges of up to 600 metres, records image and video evidence to DVD.
The rural force has launched a zero-tolerance campaign against motoring offences such as using mobile phones while driving, after incidents including a man playing a harmonica at the wheel of his car.
Project manager Brian Austin said: 'Bizarrely, officers at one of the sites in Dorchester were stunned to see a driver pass them while playing a harmonica using both hands.
'He claimed that he thought he was driving while playing the harmonica quite successfully.'
Officers will be able to use the pictures as evidence to secure a conviction.
Dorset police have bought two of them at a cosdt of £25,000 which will be used from current speed camera vans. The police say that they aim to use the cameras at ranges of around 400 metres. A single Concept II laser speed camera can store hours of hi-def video - enough for details of almost 4,000 separate offences.
The rural force has launched a zero-tolerance campaign against motoring offences, after a number of incidents - including catching a man playing a harmonica at the wheel of his car.
Interior of a Dorset police speed camera van: Officers are already testing the hi-tech new laser cameras.
Project manager Brian Austin said: 'Bizarrely, officers at one of the sites in Dorchester were stunned to see a driver pass them while playing a harmonica using both hands.
'He claimed that he thought he was driving while playing the harmonica quite successfully.'
Ian Belchamber, of the anti-speed camera campaign group Dorset Speed, claimed the new cameras were another tool for making the Dorset Road Safe more money.
He said: 'Dorset Road Safe is are under a lot of pressure to keep the money rolling in.
'Dorsets driver awareness courses for offending drivers is the most expensive in the country so there is a huge incentive to maximise the number of offences.
'It doesnt surprise me at all that they will look to new methods and the latest technology available in order to reach that goal.'
Traffic officers are now testing out the Concept II cameras in the back of their safety camera vans but are not yet using the video evidence.
A spokesman for the Dorset Road Safe said the Concept II cameras will help boost detection rates among motorists who think they are above the law.
[h=3]LASERS AND LENSES: THE TECHNOLOGY BEING USED TO TRAP MOTORISTS[/h]Concept II is described as 'a customer configured speed detection and enforcement system for use in the tripod mounted mobile attended mode'
Cost: £12,500 per camera
Weight: with laser and large Sigma lens 9.08kg
Size: 17.25in x 18.5in x 13.25in
Construction: Aluminium/steel
Power Supply: 12v 35Ah or 55Ah Power station provides over 10 hours of operation.
Viewing Screen: 6.4in TFT with touch screen interface.
Recording Medium: Intergrated +R DVD recording system with up to 1.55 hours per disc.
Camera: High Resolution Sony Ex Wave
Lens: There are a number of Sigma lenses available to suit customer operational needs but Sigma 50-500mm fitted as standard.
Laser: LTI UltraLyte 1000
Operational mount: There are a number of mounting arrangements tailored to customers needs, however, Gitzo tripod supplied as standard.
Max Number of Offences: Per DVD 3997 records.
Other Road Safety Features: As well as speeding offences the operator can record and mark other offences such as no seat belt, Red light violation, using a mobile phone while driving for later process.
The Concept II can also be used in conjunction with Automatic Number Plate Readers.
Police have unveiled a laser speed camera that is so accurate it can tell if drivers are using a mobile phone or not wearing a seatbelt from nearly half a mile away.
Officers say it will help in their zero-tolerance approach to motoring offences.
But critics say Dorset police are using the equipment to 'maximise the number of offences' simply to raise funds.
The £12,500 Concept II is fitted with laser speed-detection equipment and a powerful camera that can capture motorists in the 'act' of using a mobile phone while driving or not wearing a seat belt.
The resolution is sharp enough to pick out an unbuckled belt at ranges of up to 600 metres, records image and video evidence to DVD.
The rural force has launched a zero-tolerance campaign against motoring offences such as using mobile phones while driving, after incidents including a man playing a harmonica at the wheel of his car.
Project manager Brian Austin said: 'Bizarrely, officers at one of the sites in Dorchester were stunned to see a driver pass them while playing a harmonica using both hands.
'He claimed that he thought he was driving while playing the harmonica quite successfully.'
Officers will be able to use the pictures as evidence to secure a conviction.
Dorset police have bought two of them at a cosdt of £25,000 which will be used from current speed camera vans. The police say that they aim to use the cameras at ranges of around 400 metres. A single Concept II laser speed camera can store hours of hi-def video - enough for details of almost 4,000 separate offences.
The rural force has launched a zero-tolerance campaign against motoring offences, after a number of incidents - including catching a man playing a harmonica at the wheel of his car.
Project manager Brian Austin said: 'Bizarrely, officers at one of the sites in Dorchester were stunned to see a driver pass them while playing a harmonica using both hands.
'He claimed that he thought he was driving while playing the harmonica quite successfully.'
Ian Belchamber, of the anti-speed camera campaign group Dorset Speed, claimed the new cameras were another tool for making the Dorset Road Safe more money.
He said: 'Dorset Road Safe is are under a lot of pressure to keep the money rolling in.
'Dorsets driver awareness courses for offending drivers is the most expensive in the country so there is a huge incentive to maximise the number of offences.
'It doesnt surprise me at all that they will look to new methods and the latest technology available in order to reach that goal.'
Traffic officers are now testing out the Concept II cameras in the back of their safety camera vans but are not yet using the video evidence.
A spokesman for the Dorset Road Safe said the Concept II cameras will help boost detection rates among motorists who think they are above the law.
[h=3]LASERS AND LENSES: THE TECHNOLOGY BEING USED TO TRAP MOTORISTS[/h]Concept II is described as 'a customer configured speed detection and enforcement system for use in the tripod mounted mobile attended mode'
Cost: £12,500 per camera
Weight: with laser and large Sigma lens 9.08kg
Size: 17.25in x 18.5in x 13.25in
Construction: Aluminium/steel
Power Supply: 12v 35Ah or 55Ah Power station provides over 10 hours of operation.
Viewing Screen: 6.4in TFT with touch screen interface.
Recording Medium: Intergrated +R DVD recording system with up to 1.55 hours per disc.
Camera: High Resolution Sony Ex Wave
Lens: There are a number of Sigma lenses available to suit customer operational needs but Sigma 50-500mm fitted as standard.
Laser: LTI UltraLyte 1000
Operational mount: There are a number of mounting arrangements tailored to customers needs, however, Gitzo tripod supplied as standard.
Max Number of Offences: Per DVD 3997 records.
Other Road Safety Features: As well as speeding offences the operator can record and mark other offences such as no seat belt, Red light violation, using a mobile phone while driving for later process.
The Concept II can also be used in conjunction with Automatic Number Plate Readers.
