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Model specific boards => Golf mk7 => Topic started by: Talk-torque on 18 February 2017, 16:59

Title: Speed Cameras!! Best Detector?
Post by: Talk-torque on 18 February 2017, 16:59
On a trip up to Carlisle and into Scotland we encountered 4 mobile camera vans, all in North Yorkshire and all but one at places where cars speed due to the road geography, rather than obvious black spots. No excuse for speeding, I know, but it's just so easy to be a few mph high and get a penalty. I know I'm OK for 2 of them, but feeling marginal on the other 2.

Thinking it's time to get some sort of detector in the car and looking at the Snooper 4Zero. Has anyone any experience of these, or any better recomendations. I'm looking for something reliable that's not going to annoy me with loads of false alarms etc. I didn't really want to go down this route, but the possibility of collecting a whole load of points very quickly has worried me!

It's only a couple of weeks since I came face to face with a mobile van at what must have been just enough under 80 to be OK!
Title: Re: Speed Cameras!! Best Detector?
Post by: fredgroves on 18 February 2017, 18:59
Mobile camera vans use lasers usually. The don't plip every car, the operator targets vehicles he/she thinks are going too fast.

The laser hits you and it bounces a couple of pings off of you to basically get a distance over time. It takes ~0.3 seconds to complete the lasing.

If you think that a detector will give you warning in time to react in less than 0.3 seconds and brake AND slow down...

All it might do is give you notice sooner than 14 days that the ticket has been issued..

You could get one of the GPS location systems, they do sort of work and do have common mobile locations in them. Probably just easier to try to keep under the speed limit than be binged and bonged at every 5 minutes though.
Title: Re: Speed Cameras!! Best Detector?
Post by: bgbazz on 18 February 2017, 19:28
I use my cruise control to keep me legal...set it about 3 - 5mph over the limit, sit back and enjoy.

Has worked very well for me over many years.
Title: Re: Speed Cameras!! Best Detector?
Post by: Finglonga on 18 February 2017, 19:39
Pointless with laser as said if they can see you they can get your speed. If you want to waste your money try the Road Angel gem but you need a subscription and probably cheaper to take the fine in the long run.
Title: Re: Speed Cameras!! Best Detector?
Post by: GTI_Ant on 18 February 2017, 20:16
Drive down the road twice.  If it's not there the first time chances are it won't be there half an hour later.
Title: Re: Speed Cameras!! Best Detector?
Post by: GeoBog on 18 February 2017, 20:57
Just add speed cameras POIs to your sat nav and you're sorted. :rolleyes:
Title: Re: Speed Cameras!! Best Detector?
Post by: falconmick on 19 February 2017, 00:06
Police usually publish on their force website where cameras will be operating the forthcoming week.
Title: Re: Speed Cameras!! Best Detector?
Post by: Sandtrap on 19 February 2017, 05:45
I learned the hard way after getting banned for 6 months for points totting up ... caught doing 80 in a 70 zone was the one that tipped me over 11 points ... now it's set ACC at 75mph and 63mph .. the 6 month ban did its job for me .
Title: Re: Speed Cameras!! Best Detector?
Post by: Talk-torque on 19 February 2017, 08:14
Police usually publish on their force website where cameras will be operating the forthcoming week.

They do, and I have looked at that page a few times. As you will probably know, it's not so many years since North Yorkshire had no speed traps, fixed or mobile. They had just a couple of vans for quite a time, but now seem to have a few more, so time to take a bit more care.

I learned the hard way after getting banned for 6 months for points totting up ... caught doing 80 in a 70 zone was the one that tipped me over 11 points ... now it's set ACC at 75mph and 63mph .. the 6 month ban did its job for me.

Yes, I was thinking of setting the speed warning bongs in a similar way. Probably no more annoying than a detector! So easy to get points and a ban must be hard to take!

Does nobody use a detector?
Title: Re: Speed Cameras!! Best Detector?
Post by: I wanted a GTi on 19 February 2017, 08:25
Wow, people still reply to the notice they get after they get caught speeding?

Not recommending  :whistle: that people do this but the police have a maximum of 14 days to get the notice to you but they don't send it by registered post so they have no way of proving that you got it. They will send you a 2nd notice about 4 weeks after the first at which point you could ask your solicitor to contact them with a letter stating the rules and asking them for proof that the first(and on time) notice was delivered(not sent)

Never done it myself mind :shocked: as I've never been prosecuted for speeding.
Title: Re: Speed Cameras!! Best Detector?
Post by: Zayd on 19 February 2017, 08:28
They're really not worth it, as the detection you want is against the laser guns and like everyone has mentioned already, by the time it detects the laser, you've already been caught.

It's best to keep a light foot and work out the usual hot spots the plod tend to set their tents up in.
Title: Re: Speed Cameras!! Best Detector?
Post by: gtiaps on 19 February 2017, 11:29
Being a truck driver with over 30yrs experience and seeing way too many speed related accidents the best way to avoid speed cameras and the fines and bans etc is Don't Speed it's that simple.
I know with the performance cars whichever make and model the temptation of the buzz is there but you never know what's around that corner or what's going to pull out on you..
Title: Re: Speed Cameras!! Best Detector?
Post by: Talk-torque on 19 February 2017, 12:24
^^ Appreciate the advice, but, honestly, not talking "buzz" speeds, just slight lapses over the limits (60's & 70's only) where road conditions permit.
Title: Re: Speed Cameras!! Best Detector?
Post by: gtiaps on 19 February 2017, 12:44
^^ Appreciate the advice, but, honestly, not talking "buzz" speeds, just slight lapses over the limits (60's & 70's only) where road conditions permit.

Hey up Roger I know where your from I meant in general even with auto cruise set at a certain speed the vehicle can exceed the set limit due to road conditions and types I know this from the truck and as you probably know any type of cruise control is ok on flat roads only when these conditions change then so does the speed.
Title: Re: Speed Cameras!! Best Detector?
Post by: fredgroves on 19 February 2017, 20:01
The ACC on the Mk7 doesn't vary in my experience. It doesn't start increasing speed down hills for example.

The non-automatic cruise control on my last Mondeo did that I'll give you, but not on the Mk7.

Title: Re: Speed Cameras!! Best Detector?
Post by: Talk-torque on 19 February 2017, 20:46
The ACC on the Mk7 doesn't vary in my experience. It doesn't start increasing speed down hills for example.


Quite right. It is very controlled. Probably uses brakes as well as throttle.
Title: Re: Speed Cameras!! Best Detector?
Post by: fredgroves on 19 February 2017, 22:53
The ACC on the Mk7 doesn't vary in my experience. It doesn't start increasing speed down hills for example.


Quite right. It is very controlled. Probably uses brakes as well as throttle.

Of course it does, that is how it matches speeds with slower things in front of you :)
Title: Re: Speed Cameras!! Best Detector?
Post by: dippy_x on 20 February 2017, 07:44
I learned the hard way after getting banned for 6 months for points totting up ... caught doing 80 in a 70 zone was the one that tipped me over 11 points ... now it's set ACC at 75mph and 63mph .. the 6 month ban did its job for me .

This pretty much sums it up for me.  I haven't been banned but have been points free for a while now.  Set cruise to 75 and let it do its thing.  May get where I am going 5/10 mins later but doesn't bother me.  I'm always reminded of the crazy driver you see from time to time who is either hammering it or moving from lane to lane to get ahead. You almost always catch up with them with 'normal' driving and always wonder what was the point of all that crazy effort.
Title: Re: Speed Cameras!! Best Detector?
Post by: Talk-torque on 21 February 2017, 17:30
Just got the Pocket GPS World Speed Camera POI database loaded via Car-Net. Enabled the POI's on the map and toggled alarm to sound for "My POI's", so will report back on how well that works. Cost me £19.99 for a year of weekly updated camera positions, so not much lost if it fails! Visual map check shows that the ones I know round here are shown. So far, so good.  :wink:
Title: Re: Speed Cameras!! Best Detector?
Post by: robtt on 21 February 2017, 19:24
Cyclops speed camera app. I have it and for under £4 pa good value. You can get a free trial so worth at least giving it a go.it was an Auto Express Best Buy 2016
Title: Re: Speed Cameras!! Best Detector?
Post by: fredgroves on 21 February 2017, 20:28
Just got the Pocket GPS World Speed Camera POI database loaded via Car-Net. Enabled the POI's on the map and toggled alarm to sound for "My POI's"

Just for others, the alert sound is only on mib2 (maybe 3 too). On mib1 you only get them marked on the map
Title: Re: Speed Cameras!! Best Detector?
Post by: Talk-torque on 21 February 2017, 20:54
Just got the Pocket GPS World Speed Camera POI database loaded via Car-Net. Enabled the POI's on the map and toggled alarm to sound for "My POI's"

Just for others, the alert sound is only on mib2 (maybe 3 too). On mib1 you only get them marked on the map

Yes, thanks Fred, I did see that mentioned somewhere.
Title: Re: Speed Cameras!! Best Detector?
Post by: p3asa on 23 February 2017, 22:25
I've found Waze on your phone invaluable for areas you don't know.
Its users add the camera vans / traps when they see them so its all done in real time.
Title: Re: Speed Cameras!! Best Detector?
Post by: Talk-torque on 26 February 2017, 23:16
Just got the Pocket GPS World Speed Camera POI database loaded via Car-Net. Enabled the POI's on the map and toggled alarm to sound for "My POI's"

Just for others, the alert sound is only on mib2 (maybe 3 too). On mib1 you only get them marked on the map

Well, my first trip showed up a couple of problems with the Camera POIs. The first was no sound, despite having the correct setting. The second was more serious, in that some camera positions that I know were not shown. I have since reloaded the database and these cameras can be found on the map by pulling it across on the touch screen, but whether they will show up when driving by remains to be seen.

I have loaded the database using Car-net. Another method is to use the German Nav tool website, which converts the database, as well as giving the option for an alarm to sound. You then download the result onto an SD card and upload it to the car. I have yet to get anything to load from the SD card, so I am stuck with using the Car-net method.

Persevering, as I think it will be a good system to have, if I can make it work as it should. I'm wondering if the various different manufacturers of the Nav units have any differences in the way they work?

Yes, thanks Fred, I did see that mentioned somewhere.
Title: Re: Speed Cameras!! Best Detector?
Post by: greencode on 10 August 2017, 12:58
Just got the Pocket GPS World Speed Camera POI database loaded via Car-Net. Enabled the POI's on the map and toggled alarm to sound for "My POI's", so will report back on how well that works. Cost me £19.99 for a year of weekly updated camera positions, so not much lost if it fails! Visual map check shows that the ones I know round here are shown. So far, so good.  :wink:

Realise this is quite an old post but just wondering where the setting is for the alarm sound on My POI's?
Title: Re: Speed Cameras!! Best Detector?
Post by: 2007GTI on 10 August 2017, 13:01
Waze hands down, best for this.
Title: Re: Speed Cameras!! Best Detector?
Post by: vidman2 on 10 August 2017, 15:37
I am a great believer in belt and braces and a bit of string.

I have the PGPS database loaded on the MIB2 (the piece of string as it does not give loud enough or earlier enough warnings), a separate Cheetah GPS camera detector with audible warning set at 80mph and a Snooper4ZeroElitePlus GPS, Laser and Radar detector with warning set at 60mph.

Each dedicated detector uses a different database and both have lifetime updates included in the purchase price.  The Snooper is supposed to have detection up to 1 mile for Radar and Laser – apparently it is supposed to pick up Laser scatter from when the gun is used to check cars in front of you – I do not know if it works as described as I have yet to come across a working Laser based site, I know of several local such sites but they have never been in use when I have passed them by.

This is not because I am a dedicated speeder but as others have said attention can wander at times especially if you are concentrating on the road and not the speedo and if you are on a road less travelled it can be easy to miss a speed sign, especially in summer in the country when hedge growth obscures the signs – there are several sign I know round here that are currently totally obscured – and I prefer country routes to main roads.
Title: Re: Speed Cameras!! Best Detector?
Post by: greencode on 10 August 2017, 15:39
I am a great believer in belt and braces and a bit of string.

I have the PGPS database loaded on the MIB2 (the piece of string as it does not give loud enough or earlier enough warnings), a separate Cheetah GPS camera detector with audible warning set at 80mph and a Snooper4ZeroElitePlus GPS, Laser and Radar detector with warning set at 60mph.

Each dedicated detector uses a different database and both have lifetime updates included in the purchase price.  The Snooper is supposed to have detection up to 1 mile for Radar and Laser – apparently it is supposed to pick up Laser scatter from when the gun is used to check cars in front of you – I do not know if it works as described as I have yet to come across a working Laser based site, I know of several local such sites but they have never been in use when I have passed them by.

This is not because I am a dedicated speeder but as others have said attention can wander at times especially if you are concentrating on the road and not the speedo and if you are on a road less travelled it can be easy to miss a speed sign, especially in summer in the country when hedge growth obscures the signs – there are several sign I know round here that are currently totally obscured – and I prefer country routes to main roads.

I can't get it to alert me when adding the speed camera POI via Car-net. I'll try to add it via the SD card and see if that works. Bit more of a faff though!
Title: Re: Speed Cameras!! Best Detector?
Post by: MrE on 11 August 2017, 12:11
Use Waze on your mobile (android or iOS). Its the best satnav out there by far (imho), free and updates interactively with other users reporting mobile cams e.t.c.
Title: Re: Speed Cameras!! Best Detector?
Post by: fredgroves on 11 August 2017, 13:50
Waze is now available through Android Auto too... job done!
Title: Re: Speed Cameras!! Best Detector?
Post by: Briggsy on 11 August 2017, 22:04
Best detector? Your eyes and spiderman reflexes.
Title: Re: Speed Cameras!! Best Detector?
Post by: Duke Dickson on 12 August 2017, 00:31
Best detector? Your eyes and spiderman reflexes.

Add brain cells to that & you're more or less there.
Title: Re: Speed Cameras!! Best Detector?
Post by: buddfridge on 12 August 2017, 08:33
I had a Toyota with Sat nav and when driving around I had the display on, it give me the speed limit of the road but even better was that speed limit turned red if you exceeded that limit.
Title: Re: Speed Cameras!! Best Detector?
Post by: greencode on 12 August 2017, 11:45
I can't get it to alert me when adding the speed camera POI via Car-net. I'll try to add it via the SD card and see if that works. Bit more of a faff though!

Well, I figured it out but it's not ideal. To get alerts you have to add POI via SD Card and not Car-Net. That's fine. But you can't just get alerts i.e. if you don't want voice directions for the SatNav you turn that off but then that also turns off the POI alerts or rather instead of the alert it just turns the radio down in volume instead of the alert.
Title: Re: Speed Cameras!! Best Detector?
Post by: greencode on 13 August 2017, 17:00
I gave Waze a go on a 50 mile journey today. It's good but I couldn't get the speed camera alerts to work! Tried changing the different sound settings but nothing  :sad:
Title: Re: Speed Cameras!! Best Detector?
Post by: mariamartinez on 29 August 2017, 15:39
Wow, people still reply to the notice they get after they get caught speeding?

Not recommending  :whistle: that people do this but the police have a maximum of 14 days to get the notice to you but they don't send it by registered post so they have no way of proving that you got it. They will send you a 2nd notice about 4 weeks after the first at which point you could ask your solicitor to contact them with a letter stating the rules and asking them for proof that the first(and on time) notice was delivered(not sent)

Never done it myself mind :shocked: as I've never been prosecuted for speeding.

I fell foul of this trap. Held a clean licence and I never received their initial notification letters and was shocked when they said it it was sent but not recorded/signed for. Nevertheless I was speeding 38 in a 30mph with a mobile camera (sorry about that) but knew nothing about it until a court summons arrived!! The offence went to court in July 2017 but I was speeding in Jan2017. I pleaded guilty and wrote a letter to say the letters didn't arrive and thus at the very least I should be fined the punishment at the time of the offence. they ignored this and fined me £480 plus costs and three points under the new regulations which came in late april. I wrote to the court to complain and received no reply once again. pretty horrible for a 38mph offence.
Title: Re: Speed Cameras!! Best Detector?
Post by: 2007GTI on 29 August 2017, 15:48
Waze works very well for me.  you have to make sure you have all alerts turn on and the phone isn't muted.  make sure you have latest version of the app.
Title: Re: Speed Cameras!! Best Detector?
Post by: fredgroves on 29 August 2017, 16:01
Wow, people still reply to the notice they get after they get caught speeding?

Not recommending  :whistle: that people do this but the police have a maximum of 14 days to get the notice to you but they don't send it by registered post so they have no way of proving that you got it. They will send you a 2nd notice about 4 weeks after the first at which point you could ask your solicitor to contact them with a letter stating the rules and asking them for proof that the first(and on time) notice was delivered(not sent)

Never done it myself mind :shocked: as I've never been prosecuted for speeding.

I fell foul of this trap. Held a clean licence and I never received their initial notification letters and was shocked when they said it it was sent but not recorded/signed for. Nevertheless I was speeding 38 in a 30mph with a mobile camera (sorry about that) but knew nothing about it until a court summons arrived!! The offence went to court in July 2017 but I was speeding in Jan2017. I pleaded guilty and wrote a letter to say the letters didn't arrive and thus at the very least I should be fined the punishment at the time of the offence. they ignored this and fined me £480 plus costs and three points under the new regulations which came in late april. I wrote to the court to complain and received no reply once again. pretty horrible for a 38mph offence.

IANAL but....http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?s=&showtopic=115460&view=findpost&p=1311767
Title: Re: Speed Cameras!! Best Detector?
Post by: I wanted a GTi on 29 August 2017, 22:53
Wow, people still reply to the notice they get after they get caught speeding?

Not recommending  :whistle: that people do this but the police have a maximum of 14 days to get the notice to you but they don't send it by registered post so they have no way of proving that you got it. They will send you a 2nd notice about 4 weeks after the first at which point you could ask your solicitor to contact them with a letter stating the rules and asking them for proof that the first(and on time) notice was delivered(not sent)

Never done it myself mind :shocked: as I've never been prosecuted for speeding.

I fell foul of this trap. Held a clean licence and I never received their initial notification letters and was shocked when they said it it was sent but not recorded/signed for. Nevertheless I was speeding 38 in a 30mph with a mobile camera (sorry about that) but knew nothing about it until a court summons arrived!! The offence went to court in July 2017 but I was speeding in Jan2017. I pleaded guilty and wrote a letter to say the letters didn't arrive and thus at the very least I should be fined the punishment at the time of the offence. they ignored this and fined me £480 plus costs and three points under the new regulations which came in late april. I wrote to the court to complain and received no reply once again. pretty horrible for a 38mph offence.

Sorry it is too late now but you need to ask them for proof that the letter was delivered and not sent and it should never go anywhere near a court. I 'know someone that have used this many time's but not me! :whistle:

You need two things, know what to do and a either a solicitor that knows the law, you'd be surprised how many don't. Luckily I have a friend that done it for me. It is just a standard letter as in one you might send to your bank to claim for PPI or bank charges. It really is easy but sorry you got done.