A FORMER traffic cop says speed cameras CAN be hidden to catch unaware motorists going too fast.
But ex-cop Gareth Thomas has revealed the one place drivers won't need to look out for them.
He said: "Cameras can be hidden but portable cameras won't ever be used in the dark.
"Officers don't usually operate in the dark, as being noticeable can help deter speed freaks."
Gareth shed light on three of the most common assumptions drivers have about how road laws really work.
He said there are no laws about visibility when it comes to camera operators trying to snag a speedy driver.
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And no rules prevent an officer from nabbing a car exceeding the speed limit from the shadows.
He said: "Legally, we don't have to be visible.
"I could camouflage myself if I wanted to, but it's all about being fair, education and preventing an accident."
Another popular myth is that safety cameras are an easy way of making money for the police.
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But all fine revenue is passed to the Treasury - so forces and safety partners don't make a profit.
Gareth added that operators are "just here to catch people who are speeding".
Road Casualty reduction partnership GoSafe put speed and red light cameras where people have been killed or injured, where excessive speeds have been recorded or at community concern sites.
It is against the law to eat behind the wheel, but if you get distracted - for example while trying to find that greasy chip which slipped from your grasp - cops can get you for careless driving.
Gareth once pushed for the prosecution of a driver veering across the road while looking at her face in the mirror and applying her lipstick.
He said that she had been "driving without due care and attention" as she was "riding on the cats' eyes in the centre of the road".
Of course, speed van officers can also sting you for failing to wear a seatbelt, or for using your mobile phones while driving.
These are the other myths drivers might believe - such as thinking you won't be fined unless you're travelling the same direction as the officer is facing.
It doesn't matter which way travelling, Gareth says: "If you're exceeding the speed limit - whether you're driving in the same or opposite direction to the van - you can expect a speeding ticket."
Flashing your lights to warn others about a speed van in the vicinity could be a breach of the law.
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However, Gareth said that despite it being an offence under the Police Act to "wilfully obstruct a constable in the execution of his or her duty", he isn't "bothered" about motorists doing so.
He explained: "I just want to educate people and the van to act as a speed deterrent."
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