Radar bans under attack
From Unknown
By Ellen Whinnett
August 04, 2005
VICTORIAN drivers have been banned from
the road because of wrongly issued speeding fines, says a former speed
camera operator.
Graeme Marr, 41, of Meadow Heights,
said driving licences had been suspended and cancelled as a result
of the incorrect tickets.
He said problems caused by
reflected radar beams were "rife in camera operations".
Radar beams reflected off metal
objects can corrupt speed readings and lead to an incorrect ticket
being issued.
Strict instructions are enclosed
in the Victoria Police operators manual on how such reflections should
be avoided.
Mr Marr will make his claims
today in the Broadmeadows Magistrates Court, where he is appearing
as a defence witness for Glenn Hilburn, who is fighting a charge of
driving at 69km/h in a 60km/h zone.
Mr Marr said camera operators
routinely set up in areas that breached the provisions of the manual,
by having reflective surfaces in the path of the radar beam.
"You just can't do that
because you don't know what you're getting," he said.
Mr Marr conceded he left camera
operator Tenix on bad terms after just four months but said his motivation
was to let the public know the truth.
A licensed security agent, he
has run his own security company for 17 years.
He said he would be giving evidence
about "site 32265", on Pascoe Vale Rd at Oak Park, where
Mr Hilburn was booked for allegedly exceeding the limit.
He said he had refused to set
up at the site because of the problems with reflections.
Expert: Graeme Marr next to
a steel shed that would afect speed camera readings.
Picture: Mark Smith
