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How clever are the Congestion charge cameras?


Orgasmic Farmer

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I just went to see about getting the new MOT on the Disco (its always been between Christmas and new year) only to find that that was the old one :o . The current one had its MOT run out on the 7th of Dec. Now that wouldn't normally bother me, I would just get it done ASAP. BUT. Last weekend i was happily driving around central London under who knows how many congestion charge cameras and whatever other surveillance we have in our Capital. It was out of charging hours (Saturday evening 7pm) so not worried about that just wondered if their software is able to throw up un-taxed and/or un-mot'd vehicles. Anyone know for sure?

Cheers

mark (hiding from Big brother)

PS the truck is taxed and insured, just the MOT is missing :oops:

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As far as I know, their software only checks for matches againts their database of people who have paid. If not, then they apply to the DVLA for keeper details to send out the penalty charges. However, I can't see that they would have data on what cars have what (apart from their charging info). That would be down to the police-installed ANPR cameras.

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Oh yes they are.

Saw a documentary about this recently, the cameras are all linked and working 24/7, they also check for stolen cars or cars linked to crime. Whether they'd go as far as MOT/Tax I'm not sure but they do scan every car in & out of the capital for potential terrorist links. They're particularly jumpy about stolen vans / HGV's as you can pack a lot of fertiliser into one of those :o

MOT it quick and hope you don't get a letter.

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Just back from testing centre with nice new ticket!

I also remember sitting outside terminal 1 for half an hour waiting to pick up the brother in law on Sunday morning. I am sure that my presence has been noted somewhere! Ah well, I don't think I will lose too much sleep over it but does go to show how different a world I live in in rural mid wales from those down in the big smoke.

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this is Hereford's latest traffic camera

old_camera.jpg

:D:D

LOL

Scary to know those cameras are doing all that stuff.. S'pose they got to be big brother ish these days with the naughty people lying about what they are doing etc. Not very British...

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The bad news:

Should you get done, having a new ticket won't help. You would need to provide evidence you had a current MOT for the day of an offence.

The good news:

The TFL congestion charge cameras are not linked to DVLA or th Police. The amount of data being transmitted purely on anpr for CC means that it can only deal with the day to day job of checking to see if you have paid, not the 18 other databases which are loaded daily into Mr Plods ANPR.

Fortunately we still have some civil liberties left, although give Gordon time, after all he's not been in for very long :rolleyes:

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bloody h*ll Pikey you were in London what happened you turn right by accident onto the M4 East and not left for west!!!!!! are you OK?

i wouldn't worry i expect there was too much muck on your number plate for it to be eligible anyway, and thats presuming you did have some on the vehicle !?

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Guest diesel_jim
Out of interest, does each ANPR car carry a copy of the database or are they linked by radio to their local base and then to the computer network?

I'm sure a regular officer can add to this, but I was chatting to a traffic cop here in Swindon the other week, as they were checking up on a repaired van we had.

he was showimg me all the hardware in the car. at present they get a CD update every 3 weeks, so he said if the ANPR pings up a car without tax/MoT then the said car could well have been tested in the meantime, it's just the CDs are out of date.

apparently they are getting real time stuff soon, i think it's just the technology that needs to catch up a bit.

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They must be behind other forces, I'm pretty sure most people have a real time link to the experian/etc databases which show insurance and Mot. Once we've got your name we can even tell you how many points you've got on your licence.

The only problem is that it can be out of date - despite it being real time. Even with MOT's now being computerised, it's not uncommon for a car to show it as expired when the owner waves his certificate under your nose.

But, back to topic - if you weren't stopped at the time in London I wouldn't worry about it. The Met police wouldnt be chasing you for a driving document offence.

They leave that to the Cops in North Wales. :rolleyes:

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Well I just got back from another trip to Heathrow via Dorset complete with valid ticket. I can't believe how many speed cameras and other cameras there are out there. I used to drive from Cardiff to London every weekend about 20 years ago and there was nothing!

Thanks for everyone who has replied to this topic, feeling slightly reassured now :) If a letter should land on my mat then it'll be a fair cop. At least I got to 40 without points on my licence (which all things considered is pretty remarkable!)

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In answer to the questions, it depends on the Force and the equipment they have installed.

Most are updated daily by means of uploading a set of files via hardwire (Cd rom, cable or usb stick) - wireless links aren't used (yet) due to data security worries.

As Colin says, even with this daily update from the various sources, there are still delays. Hence when there is an ANPR 'ping', the officers will still carry out a PNC check.

Western, if someone in Whitehall had sat down with a blank piece of paper and really thought about it, they would probably come up with the same thought - but sadly there still wouldn't have been any operational ANPR after 5 years, because it would take too long to organise :rolleyes:

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