Call Sign September 2003 - Page 31 - DAC DRIVER: SPEED CAMERA FLASH

Long-time Dial-a-Cab driver Len Bell (L01) has told Call Sign of a problem that has probably affected many drivers since the introduction of speed cameras and their nighttime flashing.
   "I was driving to Heathrow some time ago in the dark, when a car heading east passed the speed camera just before the elevated section of the M4 and set off the camera. The high-powered lamps were level with my eyes as I passed and the sudden dazzle caused me not to be able to see where I was going - albeit for a brief time. Had the car in front of me just slowed down slightly, there would have been a danger of me going into the back of him. This was not the first time it has happened to me in different parts of London."
   Call Sign Editor Alan Fisher (F07) had a similar problem when driving back to town along the A12 in Morden.
   "I was slowing down to stop

DAC DRIVER: SPEED CAMERA FLASH COULD HAVE CAUSED ME AN ACCIDENT!

at a set of traffic lights," said Alan. "A GATSO camera checking cars going in the opposite direction with its flash was literally just in front of me and flashed as I was level with it. A car had crossed on red and the camera was on his offside - ie placed in the middle of the road. I took the full glare in my eyes and everything suddenly went black. Several seconds later, my eyes returned to normal. I was lucky that there were no cars in front or I would almost certainly have gone into the back of one because the flash temporarily blinded me."
Looking into the situation, Call Sign discovered that the flash in the GATSO cameras consists of a 500w halogen bulb - approximately 10 times more powerful than most cars main undipped beams. This undoubtedly goes against HMG

Heading towards the flash

Health and safety regulations and is enough to cause anyone looking at it, several seconds blindness. So at 30mph; you could well be travelling around 130 feet without being able to see where you are going. And what if the blindness took 10 seconds to go? That could involve you driving blind for over 400 yards!
Has a GATSO camera flash caused you to have an accident? If so, let Call Sign know and we'll attempt to take the matter further...

Jamie Benton

KIDS SOUTHEND TRIP A HUGE SUCCESS

By now you will have read all the trade press reports on the London Taxidrivers Fund for Underprivileged Children annual outing to Southend, so Call Sign will not be publishing the full press release.
   Suffice to say that with beautiful weather and all the Fund's plans going off like clockwork, it became a day for hundreds of happy children to remember for years to come.
   DaC Board member and Chairman of the 'Fund, Mike Son told Call Sign:
   "It was fitting that in our 75th anniversary year, this year's trip should have been one of the best ever and I'd like to thank everyone who gave up their free time to help make the day so special - especially, of course, the drivers who year after year, outing upon outing, never let us down. And, as we've said many times before, we just

Noddy and PC Plod made sure that everyone had a great day

couldn't do it without them. So thank you all..."
   A final word from the LTFUC Public Relations Officer Ray Levy who told us of his own personal experience on the day:
   "I was privileged to have as a passenger in my taxi a member of staff from Great Ormond Street hospital. She had brought along a little boy who had terminal cancer and on our return journey she told me just how much the day had meant to him and his family. He had been so excited. He wanted to do everything and everything he did, from riding in Noddy's Taxi to going on every ride in Adventure Island.
   He also went onto the stage to join the other kids in the disco, but was too weary to move. His mother said that she would always remember how happy he had been on the outing and I want to relate her feelings to everyone who contributed towards the day, although I have no doubt that many drivers and helpers have similar stories to tell."

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