Bus lane Gatso's

[tallchris99]

How do these cameras work? How do they differentiate between a London taxi and my private car? Or between a bus and a car for that matter?

I suspect that none of them are actually in use at all. Otherwise the film would run out in ten mins flat.

has anyone ever heard of a conviction from a bus lane gatso?

[hertsbiker]

Don't buses & taxis have a signal transmitted that can also change traffic lights? think this is how they do it. Disgusting principle though, that a stinking bus with 1 wrinkly get right of way over a load of other people. Or how some rich so & so who can afford a taxi, gets right of way...

[tallchris99]

Buses are getting that transponder but in London I think they should get priority as they do a efficient job of moving a lot of people about.

taxis can go jump though!

[mel]

I don't know these bloody camera's that discriminate between vehicles !!! Thats racist that is.


Deleted original comments as they were a little too harsh even by my standards.



>> Edited by mel on Friday 30th August 13:01

[SBudden]

quote:
I suspect that none of them are actually in use at all. Otherwise the film would run out in ten mins flat.

Not true, I'm afraid.
My ex-girlfriend got caught on one not too long back going through Hammersmith. She got a 40GBP fixed fine, but she contested it and had to wait a while for the evidence (photo) to be sent to her. In the meantime, the fine was bumped up to 80GBP.

Dunno what happened after that though, as I kicked her into touch.

>> Edited by SBudden on Friday 30th August 13:16

[NickD]

quote: I don't know these bloody camera's that discriminate between vehicles !!! Thats racist that is.

LOL

[DimmaDan]

I know that some of the buses themselves have cameras installed, as well as the static cameras. Some of the static cameras are activated by height sensors and loops which can tell if its a bus or not before clicking away. Not sure how it excludes taxis though.

[Whoozit]

I've had a bus lane fine. I was apparently on a motorbike in a bus lane in Knightsbridge at 8 am, and received a penalty around 4 weeks later. As it's a route and time at which I will usually be there (read: bus lane is often the quickest and safest way) I'm presuming I was snapped by a bus camera rather than a fixed one.

These days I make sure any buses are in front of me

[135sport]

I thought the cameras in buses are mounted in the back windows!?

ahh doh. you're on a bike so that dont matter.

[DavidP]

quote:
Dunno what happened after that though, as I kicked her into touch.

Quite right too Steve....bloody bus lane drivers...w@nkers.

Seriously though Whoozit, did you get penalty points for the bus lane offence? I don't do it in the car, but I do use them on the bike (I believe there are moves afoot to include bikes in their lawful use).

>> Edited by DavidP on Friday 30th August 14:29

[Whoozit]

quote:
Seriously though Whoozit, did you get penalty points for the bus lane offence?

Arse, typed up a long reply and timed out

No points, I think it's a local authority regulation.

Bus lanes are open to motorbikes in Bristol, Slough (I think) and M4 bus lane. None so far in London, it's undergoing review but might a long time before anything happens. My one consolation is that bikes are exempt from the congestion charge.

[tallchris99]

The knightsbridge camera is a cctv type and is run by TFL and has caught a lot of bikes out.

I have yet to hear of a bus taking pics of a bike in the bus lane. i think they save the film for people parking cars in the bus lane.

[mel]

quote:
I think they save the film for people parking cars in the bus lane.

Or fat, black, lesbian, pikeys, with scottish accents, freckles and turbans who've just fallen off the bottom of a Eurostar. Because everyone hates them.