> 
>>The second stlye are portable ones which show a smiley face if you are below
>>the speed limit, but I cannot remember if they show a frowning face or
>>actual speed if you are above the limit. These are designed for local
>>councils to move around to remind people what the speed limit is, without
>>doing any actual enforcement by issuing tickets.
> 
> 
> Never seen these at all, although I have seen a GATSO speed camera mounted on a trailer for portable 
> speed-nabbing.  They still have to paint the lines on the road though...  (I've seen these with a sign saying 
> "Traffic Control Monitor" on them - who are they kidding? :-)

Well, they ARE monitoring traffic, and issuing speeding tickets
if you're driving too fast.

Around here they have taken to putting them into portable
boxes that look exactly like roadside pedestals that
are used to distribute power/cable/telco to homes.
Because they are so portable they have to have a cop
in an unmarked car sitting nearby to prevent their
being carted off by passers by.

I also find it amusing that the police service was
bragging about how the use of photo radar had caused
average overspeed to drop by 20km/hr (the camera keeps
stats on all vehicles). They seem to think we're
stupid. The real reason average overspeed dropped is that
drivers slow right down when they spot the not so
innocuous roadside vehicle with the camera, and then
speed right up once safely past it.

The way I see it, if I'm paying enough attention to
the road to spot their cameras in time to slow down,
I'm driving at a speed 'consistent with road conditions'.
Around here you can even get a ticket for driving below the
posted limit if the roads are slippery enough.
Good thing, considering the number of SUVs we
see on TV news wrapped around light poles after a
night of freezing rain.

R
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