A concealed mobile speed camera on Gympie Road between Kedron and Chermside has sparked outrage among road users, with some commenting it has been set up for “revenue raising.”
A photo shared on social media shows a Mercedes van parked behind an LED road work sign taking images of speeding vehicles on a section of Gympie Road without warning.
“Not hiding honest !!,” wrote the photo uploader.
“Perfect spot! Nice cover from the sign, and at bottom of a downward slope to grab that extra revenue,” comments one user. Another said there used to be warning signs on that section of the road and that “they got rid of them to make more money.”
Entrapment?
One comment called it “entrapment” since the “offender has no idea that they have been speeding until they get the photo a couple of weeks later” and consequently, the offenders “can not adjust their driving behaviour appropriately.”
In early May, a motorist shared his dashcam footage showing a mobile speed camera in Sydney hidden between three cars. Another video showed another speed camera in Central Coast tucked away behind a tree where several cars are also parked. The videos sparked renewed calls for the placement of more warning signs on mobile speed cameras.
Beginning in February, the NSW Government reinstated warning signs on roofs of mobile speed camera vehicles as the state’s revenue from speeding fines rose, reaching $40 million over the 12-month period ending November 2021 for low range speeding (exceeding 10 km/h or less).
Queensland Government says that camera locations are chosen based on their crash history or assessed risk, especially for active and parked mobile speed cameras.
There should be at least two speed-related crashes in the area within the five-year period for mobile speed camera enforcement to be considered in that location.
No Problem if Not Speeding
Other users, however, argue that covert or not, mobile speed cameras shouldn’t be a problem for those obeying the rule and not speeding.
“I don’t see what the issue is with speed cameras, even if they are ‘hidden’. We all know the speed limit. We all know the rule. And we all know the consequences. If you can’t follow the rule then you deserve the fine,” one user said.
“The easy way for this to not be a problem is to you know, not speed… Then it doesn’t matter what they’re doing,” agrees another.
