Pacific Highway Nords Wharf Speed Camera - North and South bound?

David See · 09-09-2006, 01:06 PM

Hi all,

Could someone please confiirm for me once and for all whether the speed camera on the Pacific Highway at Nords Wharf south of Newcastle detects both North and South bound traffic, or just North bound traffic?

I did a check on the RTA site and it isn't stated like some other heading-dedicated cameras are - the one at Ourimbah is listed there as "Northbound" - but there are no sensor pads in the south bound lanes like there are in the north-bound lanes. Well, not that I could see, anyway - I went back and had a look, grumbling to myself!

I travel this route regularly but I had one of "those" moments today where I knew in the back of my mind I was approaching it, along with the signs reminding me, but this guy in a car coming up behind me was driving like a loony and it affected my concentration for a few moments and I shot through there without even thinking and before I knew it I was in "the capture zone", southbound, doing "over the 90 speed limit", let me say. I gingerly jammed on the brakes when I realised what I was doing (it was raining, no cars behind me) but I was defininately in "the zone", camera at 2 o'clock in my vision across the other side of the road - 4 lanes, so I don't know if was caught or not.

Yes, I know, serves me right for not concentrating, especially when I am so familiar with that area.

There was no "flash" and the car in front of me (that afore-mentioned loony) was going faster than me, and there was no flash for him/her either.

David See · 09-09-2006, 01:38 PM

As an interesting aside to this, I was told today by an associate (not sure if it is right or not) that the fixed speed cameras are not yet "allowed" to catch you front-on. The reason? You might be in the car with someone you're "not supposed to be with" and this contravenes privacy laws.

Not sure if this is right because I know the mobile speed cameras in the front windscreens of Police Cars (NSW, anyway) can - and do - get you both directions and often set up to do so.

Hmmmm........

Fairlane · 09-09-2006, 02:43 PM

Yes Im pretty certain it does do both ways the Nord Wharf one, sensors are on both sides of road (im pretty certain), but yiu may have got away with it, they dont get you unless your doing say 94/5 and if you include speedo inaccuarcy (which are programmed on the safe side) youd have to be doing a indicated 99 or 100 to be caught.

Ive driven over the Nords Wharf one with indicated 94 and had no problem.

deesun · 09-09-2006, 02:57 PM

If it's facing north it is only capturing northbound traffic. If there is another one in the southbound lanes facing south then it will be capturing southbound lanes. It is against privacy laws in NSW for cameras to capture images of the driver.

David See · 09-09-2006, 03:06 PM

Ok, now I'm confused.

The Nords Wharf one IS facing north, photographing speeding drivers going AWAY from it (and, if it shoots south-bounders as well, traffic travelling TOWARDS it). I was going toward it in the south bound lanes and there are warning signs for South Bound as well. I know this doesn't mean that it actually CAPTURES south-bound traffic, but as well as this I cannot see sensors in the south bound lanes. In the North Bound lanes there is a bitumen "pad" put in with the sensors in it. No such Pad southbound.

BUT - In response to cameras "not allowed" to capture images of the driver:

The fixed speed camera at Ourimbah on The Pacific Highway on the way into Gosford (not on the freeway) in the school zone faces south, but gets north-bound as well. There are pads in both sides of the road. I was caught there in 2003 going TOWARDS the camera, ie: North. I could have been visible in the photograph.

How does that fit with those privacy laws?

PLUS, as I mentioned before, the speed cameras in the front of the police cars can (and do) capture cars going in both directions.

Again, what about those privacy laws?

Smoked · 09-09-2006, 03:36 PM

Just wait and see if you cop an infringement.

frenzal · 09-09-2006, 04:05 PM

dont worry, i can assure you 100% that is DOESNT get you going southbound.

David See · 09-09-2006, 04:23 PM

frenzal, I am curious to know your authority on this... (please!) :-)

And also, thanks for making me feel better!

David See · 09-09-2006, 06:21 PM

Frenzal????

David See · 10-09-2006, 10:18 AM

If it IS indeed true that a soeed camera is not supposed to be able to snap the driver's face, then why do a lot of speed cameras get you coming toward them?

Fairlane · 10-09-2006, 10:36 AM

Well id still take it easy David, unless you were doing an indicated 100kmh you will be fine.

sbutler · 10-09-2006, 11:22 AM

Its north bound only as most cams can only shoot you from the rear.
Its ezy to work out, have a look on the road & you can see the triggers in the road surface, it looks like three cuts in the road in each lane. If you look at that one you can see its only got triggers in the north bound lane..

sbutler · 10-09-2006, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David See

If it IS indeed true that a soeed camera is not supposed to be able to snap the driver's face, then why do a lot of speed cameras get you coming toward them?

Which ones??

frenzal · 10-09-2006, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David See

frenzal, I am curious to know your authority on this... (please!) :-)

And also, thanks for making me feel better!

i have my connections

i still dont roar through there though. something makes me still slow down there, even though it doesnt get you.

banarcus · 10-09-2006, 03:00 PM

Food for thought guys from the Newcastle/Lower Hunter area. There is a speed camera on Maitland Rd Mayfield West and it got my missus front on! I thought that this was a furphy until I got the fine in the mail. This camera(the only one I've ever seen) had lines in the road coming from both directions! So much for privacy laws if you ask me.

David See · 10-09-2006, 04:35 PM

frenzal, I do normally do the indicated 90km/h but I lost concentration for a few moments and suddenly it was upon me.

banarcus, I know what you mean, the Ourimbah Public School one does both ways and has done so since installation some 5 years ago.

frenzal · 10-09-2006, 09:08 PM

maybe the newer cameras, like at ourimbah, have better cameras in them, that doesnt actually capture the car, just the plate or something. i have no idea. i just know which ones are 1 or both ways, never bothered to think about why it is the case

David See · 10-09-2006, 11:45 PM

I am sure the one on Woy Woy Road also gets you both ways.

Steffo · 11-09-2006, 02:19 AM

There's an easy strategy to not get booked by any camera. Don't speed past camera's, ever, ever ever ever ever. Always slow down 5-10km/h when you see the signs...

I both laugh & shake my head at people who speed past me to overtake me as I head through the M4 Cumberland Highway camera (90km/h) going 85......

Abacus · 11-09-2006, 02:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deesun

It is against privacy laws in NSW for cameras to capture images of the driver.

I don't know about that.

I got done a couple of years ago at Murwillimbah, NSW North Coast, before the new bypass opened. The camera was facing me. I can remember this clearly, because it was 1:00am, pitch black, and the flash went off in my face.

David See · 11-09-2006, 08:36 AM

Abacus, I'm with you on that one. I got done in 2003 at the Ourimbah school one where the camera faces both ways. I was caught going towards it.

Steffo, such a simplistic approach, but it ain't as simple as that.

Speed cameras are located in specific positions that have a high chance of catching you out. Not because it is a black spot as such, but because there is a good chance people will not be able to keep to the speed.

Have you noticed that speed cameras don't appear on twisty, windy roads that drivers would naturally have to drive at 40k/h? Why do you think that is?

A "Black Spot" is not 50m of road. It could be an area of road 5km long. And yet the speed camera doesn't monitor that 5km, it monitors perhaps the most likely area that someone will be deemed unable to keep to a specified speed.

Otherwise, why would speed cameras be placed on hills, and on perfectly good pieces of road without a record of major accidents?

I think the classic example is the new set of twin cameras on the F3 at Mooney Mooney. It is a variable limit - 100km/h in the dry. 90km/h in the wet. But Northbound only. Obviously it doesn't rain Southbound!

Good bit of road, three lanes, well maintained...why does it need speed cameras? That's right. High chance of catching "speeders".

As I proved on Saturday: It only takes a few seconds to lose concentration on your speed because of some factors outside your control to get caught by a speed camera.

True. The answer is don't speed...but these things are set up in spots with a high chance of catching you for various reasons. And let's face it: there are more and more things fighting for our attention on the roads, not just your speedometer.

sbutler · 11-09-2006, 08:47 AM

A truelly great & informed post & I agree 100%As ive always said. You slow to the right speed, pass the camara then speed back up. So how does that save lives?? :sm_headba

David See · 11-09-2006, 09:54 AM

It doesn't. It does two things:

(1) Raises revenue (obvious)

(2) Creates a society filled with paranoid drivers

My solution? Everyone drive @ 40km/h EVERYWHERE and ALL THE TIME.

:

james22 · 11-09-2006, 01:13 PM

Yeah but with that attitude, police would soon be pulling you up for going too slow and holding up traffic lol

**Bluehoon** · 11-09-2006, 01:23 PM

Federal privacy act stipulates thay can only photograph you from behind.

Having said that, all fixed speed cameras, by law, are required to be singposted clearly, 3 times.

It's the pigs on patrol or hiding in bishes you have to worry about.

David See · 11-09-2006, 01:51 PM

So the RTA can poo-poo the privacy laws as well then, huh?

Man, they are a power unto themselves!