What Traffic Cameras See
Technology is getting quite smart these days, and the UK has the world's most dense CCTV coverage. This is particularly so in London.
These cameras have long been able to recognise number plates, but recent advances have enabled cameras to automatically recognise behaviour, such as use of a mobile phone, dangerous driving or driving in a restricted zone or direction.
A list of things a Traffic Camera might see
And which we will then automatically be charged for:Here is a list of things that cameras and their operators can see you doing, and will automatically issue Fines, Summons or worse to the vehicle owner's address:
- Speeding
- Driving in Bus Lanes
- Parking on Double Yellow Lines or Disabled Parking Spaces
- Talking on Mobile Phones whilst driving [very common!]
- Dangerous Driving or Driving without Due Care and Attention
- Driving the wrong way down one way streets
- Overloading or Incorrect loading of commercial vehicles
Our poor, revenue strapped councils are most eager to issue immediate fines for all the above offences, though they may take up to two weeks to tell us about it!
Other things we often find ourselves liable for include;
- Vehicle Seizures - usually the customer notifies us, but sometimes they don't!
- Vehicle Clamping and Immobilisation - again, we sometimes have to hunt for our car!
- Third party damage - where the vehicle was involved in a road incident but the hirer failed to notify us when they returned the vehicle.
- Police fixed notices - if the hirer gives an incorrect or mistaken address when stopped by the police for some or other reason, we somehow get involved, having to fill out numerous forms and other legal obligences.
One final point to mention is that many people who drive a hired vehicle seem to think that driving offences, parking tickets and so on do not apply to THEM, and if they simply throw away the ticket, it will not be their problem. In fact, not declaring even the smallest incident quickly becomes EVERYONE'S problem, penalty charges increase dramatically if not paid on time, and we get sometimes 3 or 4 cases EACH DAY, so our hapless office staff often get stressed trying to sort it all out! It is a problem that has got much worse over the last few years.
Whilst we recognise that the vast majority of our customers have happy driving experiences, without incident, a very small amount of contracts can land us in considerable difficulty, and whilst the Authorities and Insurance Companies will enforce their dues, the hire company often loses out both in terms of revenue and the considerable amount of time required to straighten out such matters.
Please be aware of these facts, read traffic signs, notices and parking restrictions carefully, and please drive responsibly!
Further Information on this Website:
- Our Vehicle Rental Charter
- Security Deposits - Our Policy
- Security Deposits - The Situation with Deposits - Clearing the Confusion
- Administration Fees - Why we have no choice but to charge them
- Things a Camera might automatically see you doing!
- Standard Terms and Conditions [Web Version]
