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Date Published: 29/06/2022

ARCHIVED - Police speed radar hidden between bins in Crevillente sparks outrage

ARCHIVED ARTICLE

In Spain, there is no law that states that mobile and camouflaged radars must be signposted

<span style='color:#780948'>ARCHIVED</span> - Police speed radar hidden between bins in Crevillente sparks outrage

Laser technology incorporated into new generation speed radars adopted by Spain's DGT in 2018 has opened up a whole new world of road surveillance for police, allowing them to measure the speed of vehicles literally anywhere they want to.

And in Crevillente, the "sneaky" use of one of these Velolaser speed radars has sparked outrage after a photo of the device and a Local Police officer hidden between a large waste container and a recycling bin was shared by SocialDrive on Twitter.

Alicante ahora 💥 RADAR

Agente agachado entre contenedores escondiendo un veloláser en Crevillente pic.twitter.com/lOph8ctKUA
— SocialDrive (@SocialDrive_es) June 29, 2022

The majority of comments from social media users have been of "indignation", with one suggesting that the concealment of the radar "only seeks to punish economically rather than ensure safety on the road".

"I will never understand... the radar 'is for our safety' but you allow the manufacture of cars that reach speeds of up to 300km/h to drive on roads where it is prohibited to drive faster than 120km/h...Is (the radar) for my security or is it to raise money?" questioned a tweeter.

Another wrote: "In times of crisis, the different governments are trying to screw the poor citizen who is having a hard time."

Also read: Orihuela reinstates Blue Zone parking after five-month suspension

In Spain, there is no law that dictates that mobile and camouflaged radars must be signposted, unlike fixed radars, which must be clearly marked.

These 'invisible' speed cameras are less than 50 centimetres in height and weigh approximately two kilos, which allows them to be placed almost anywhere on the road: on a tripod, on a traffic sign, on a guardrail, or on a traffic officer's vehicle.

They can detect speeding offenders at a distance of 15 to 50 metres when driving at speeds between 30 and 250 kilometres per hour, as well as detect the speed of cars in two lanes of traffic, in one or two directions.

In addition, they work both day and night, transmitting the images captured to Guardia Civil traffic officers almost in real time.

Although the controversial image shows an officer standing next to the radar, they are wireless and operate autonomously, controlled remotely via WiFi or 3G/4G.

The laser radars are extremely difficult for motorists to spot, but due to their size and weight, easy for traffic police to handle and transport.

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Image: SocialDrive Twitter

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