THE VICTORIAN POLICE force will install 200 new upgraded Moving Mode Radar cameras in the state’s police cars in November, joining 150 units already in use in regional areas.
Named ‘Stalkers’, the cameras can lock on and detect the speed of vehicles travelling towards and away from the police car, from distances of up to one kilometre away.
Currently, the cameras are used primarily on open country roads, but the new upgraded systems will be used to target speeding drivers in metropolitan areas.
“Some people think it’s safe to speed and only slow down at the locations they regularly see police parked and using radar equipment,” Traffic Support Division Superintendent David Newton said.
“MMR equipment will surprise those drivers. Those motorists will not be booked by vehicles parked on the side of the road, but by police driving in front and behind them.”
The State Government has funded the purchase of the new equipment.
Police expect that more than 350 vehicles will be fitted with the MMR Stalker cameras by the end of 2010.
Areas already monitored by Stalker cameras are: Ballarat, Wyndham, Melton, Horsham, Colac, Stawell, Whittlesea, Sunbury, Romsey, Kyneton, Castlemaine, Numurkah, Tatura, Red Cliffs, Benalla, Wodonga, Bunyip, Drouin, Korumburra, Leongatha, Yarram, Mallacoota and Rosedale.
In September, Victoria recorded a new record low monthly road toll of 13 deaths, besting the previous lowest toll by four. Victoria Police Minister Bob Cameron said the use of speed cameras contributed to the new record.
“While Victoria is achieving record low road tolls any life lost on our roads is too many, and the Brumby Labor Government will continue to work with Victoria Police and road safety authorities to help save lives,” Mr Cameron said.
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PLEASE!! I’ll vote for anyone to become the NSW premier only if they say NO to this devil, anyone??
Is the fact that police are always speeding (at least in the ACT) taken into account by this thing? You can tell the police are around when everybody but them are doing the speed limit…
THIS NEW $PEED CAMERA WILL HELP $AVE LIVE$ ?
so they say.
Never do they admit that if they spent that 1.9million on officers and Hi Vis smaller cars they would reduce traffic offences and all kinds of crime just by being out on the road. Lets face it, you put one police car on a busy road and everyone puts their phone away, stops doing their make-up and actually gives way and indicates when changing lane…. all road rules are followed so therefore no fines are handed out….. [oh silly me, now I see why they wont do that...
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Meanwhile the state has no funds to upgrade country police radios for upcoming fire season, obviously this had a better buisness case, for our greedy pollies.
I find it ironic that the police would further pursue breaking the law by expanding the use of these illegal devices.
Not only is there no provision in the law (that I’m aware of) which allows for covert identification of speed but the law (in WA) clearly states that evidence of speeding is only valid where a photographic image can be produced from a record.
No to mention the obvious clash of using this device on a vehicle that has a plus/minus 110% + 6kmh tolerance, measuring other vehicles with the same tolerance and same compliance…
Instead of generating revenue, the police should be getting back to basics - saving lives and protecting the community - it’s been proven to death, that there’s no relationship between lower death tolls and speed cameras.
I always wonder when they talk about zero tolerance to speeding when the Australian Standards allow a tolerance of 10% (so I have heard) on car speedometers.
When I travel at the speed limit there are always cars on my bumper, i wonder how much my speedo is out.
I suppose you can dispute the speeding ticket if there is no photographic record but you’d better be willing to front up to court for the pleasure.
Yeah the ADR allows for speedometer tolerance of plus/minus 110% + 6kmh, so on a hwy with a 100 speed zone, the maximum you could be travelling at is 116kmh (and the speedometer, could show 100 and still be compliant)
I am over this state and it’s BS!
Talk about trying to be over controlling. Our liberty is starting to suffocate.
With the number of speed cameras, multanovas and fine increases the road toll should be in the negatives by now. Funnily enough it’s not, and in fact it’s not even dropping. Now this may sound crazy, but perhaps these methods have no effect on the road toll? That then begs the question, “Why get more?”. The answer of course is they rake in the revenue for the states.
Interesting article in SMH this morning. Some air heads believe travelling just over the speed limit is as good as signing your own death certificate. What about the truckies and other drivers who put pressure on people by tailgating then dangerous overtaking? What about fatigue? What about using some of the revenue to put concrete barriers between 2 vehicles travelling at combined speed of 200km/h only inches apart? Oh no, too hard.
http://www.smh.com.au/national/revealed-drivers-freed-to-speed-20091030-hptp.html
Interestingly…. The Police in Australia are not seeking to increase revenues so much, NOR are they wanting to reduce the road toll.
The primary ambition for this blatant overbearing over-policing is DATABASING. Databasing every citizen even for the smallest infraction creates a wealth of personal information which they really should not a have a right to.
When the public have had enough of being fined and questioned for ordinary Human behaviours, perhaps it will be time the public begun to Database THEM and the Police criminal activities.
This has nothing to do with saving lives or law compliance. It is pure 1943 Germany. WAKE UP PEOPLE> Smell the Pork fried coffee…
When are you guys going to learn a “camera” takes a picture. Moving Mode Radar does NOT take a picture.
Stop calling any speed detection system a “speed camera” . Sheeesh !
When will people realise that you can have plus or minus 10% with a mechanical evice, but the New Stalker Radar is very accurate, it doesn.t have a tolerance, they take the 2 K’s off the detected speed for the CoSine angle, to get an accurate speed you would have to be travelling towards them in a straight line. lIghten up people, these are the blokes that have to clean up the mess of road trauma, that is why they do this job, to save lives.
Slow down set your GPS and enjoy a safe drive on our roads.