Typical! I always knew this would happen.

[5150]

I've never had a speeding ticket and while I do admit to driving above the limit at times I do so with a lot of care. However I've always joked that *if* was ever to get a speeding ticket, that it wouldn't be when we're out in the old sporty car blasting around country lanes but that it would be in the boring family car popping to the shops or something....

Love letter in the post this morning from the boys in blue, I was caught by a mobile camera at 35mph on the stretch of Barrack Road where it is 30mph - just before the bloody thing changes to a 40 zone! bah humbug.

 

[The Great Wallsendo]

similar thing happened to me recently....got zapped on a stretch of road with no houses on (Church Bank - Wallsend) and a steep slope either side of the dip...all I did was not brake to keep to 30...to have a 30mph limit on that stretch of road is ludicrous - and they tell us it's not about the money YEAH RIGHT

I empathise with you completely

 

[mark]

lots of loophole to wriggle out of them!

have a drive down past the camera and check it out, what do the speed limit signs look like an where are they placed, what colour is the camera, are there repeater signs (the smaller ones on the opposite side of the road) was it dark?? if so were the street lights on
ie:
legal speed sign:

illegal speed sign:

the size of the signs and the repeaters is critical also, if they are not exactly as per the RTA, they are not enforceable

was there a camera warning sign? how far was it from the camera?? was the camera in plain view (not behind another sign?)

a lot of the signs relating to speed cameras are thrown up in a hurry to get the thing earning money for them so can be outside the law
road markings:

must be as above for a speed limit under 40

the road traffic act lays down the rules for us motorists, but equally the law has to apply to the boys in blue, so if the signage is not to the letter of the law it becomes un-enforcable

I got 2 removed last year. road works on the M6, 50mph limit in force I was doing 56 on one occasion and 61 on another, both at around midnight when the motorway was empty, got both removed on the signage technicalities

was it a gatso or truvelo camera
gatso's have a problem with high sided vehicles/trucks. its well know for them to give innacurate readings if there is ahigh sided vehicle in the frame when the pic was taken

there's also a 6month time limit for a prosecution, so a bit of prevarication on the above, drag your heel in responding etc, and its easy to to quickly run out of time!!


did the NIP arive within 14 days of the offence - not enforceable if it didn't

I do a fair bit of consultancy work for the police and they are well aware of the problems, especially where some forces have sub-contracted out the speed camera 'business' Manchester in particular tend to just drop any cases where the 'offender' gets a bit tricky and starts throwing up the rules

 

[mark]

just spotted the 'mobile' camera bit doh!

get the camera pictures/make/model of the camera in question, and question its calibration

was it i hand held or in a van?/

the hand helds are notoriously innacurate.

there was a case recently where the camera was produced in court and pointed at the magistrate - he was doing 14mph whilst seated!!

would of loved to seen the embarassed faces from the prosecution

 

[5150]

Thanks for the info Mark, I will be checking for any loopholes. Was just after 3pm on Monday, annoyed that it's been just short of the 40mph zone (mate saw the camera guy setting up apparantly as I'd not even seen him)... Road is 2 lanes wide so it's easy to forget the first bit is still a 30.

 

[Charlie_Thompson]

"Speed Kills"


or as Fat Freddy said after too much - "Keed Spills"

This is obviously not a funny matter.

I never speed but if I did in a similar manner to you fiveonefivezero I would definetly go on the speed awareness course if you're given the option. A friend of mine went on one and thought it was great, "He" said he would have even payed for it - err hang on.

He also thought that it really does make you think about speed limits and why they exist. No gratutious horror pics just a very well designed education thing. He says it definetly makes him more aware these days - of how often he continues to break the speed limit

 

[Chris_Hughes]

In a situation like this it is easy for "those without sin to cast the first stone", but with the introduction of speed cameras, radar etc, the rules of driving have changed. Anybody who drives in urban areas at the limit recommended by the APCO guidelines (i.e. the speed limit + 10% + 2 mph) is playing Russian roulette with their license and you will eventually get caught doing 35mph in a 30 mph zone. Whilst there are loopholes that can be exploited if the authorities have overlooked certain technicalities, they are also tightening up their act so less get through the net.

The problem we now have with all the road safety initiatives etc., which are driving forward more and more speed camera installations, is that the motorist is continually being beaten with a stick and the credibility of the whole initiative has reduced to the viewpoint that it is no more than a revenue raising mechanism. If the authorities that run this country could get their head round the concept of the "carrot and stick" approach and ensure that major trunk roads are upgraded to ensure that motorists can progress at the speed limit even at peak traffic rush hour times in stead of the small fraction of the speed limit at which you are able to progress, Then perhaps, there would be a greater acceptance of the speed cameras and we would all be able to get on with our travelling safely and in acceptable time scales. Perhaps a two way initiative is required where for each minute of the day where traffic speeds drop below minus 10% + 2mph (25 mph in a 30 mph zone) then a pro rata amount of money is taken away from the speed fine revenue and allocated (and ring fenced) to road speed improvements. On the other hand, enough revenue is raised from the motorist such that we should already have the fastest and safest roads in the world.

A tip I was given recently with respect to speed control was to use 3rd gear in 30mph areas and 4th gear in 40mph areas. It does help in that the engine noise is a good indicator of road speed.

 

[flatheed]

it has always struck me that a system similar to that used in criminal matters should apply to summary vehicle offences. ie if you are a law abiding citizen with no previous motoring convictions and you are caught speeding at say 35 in a 30 zone you should be given the option of a caution provided you admit the offence of course. then should you then be caught again in similar circumstances you can have no complaints whatsoever. if this applies to far more serious criminal offences of theft, assault etc then it certainly workable in minor motoring offences. just a thought.

 

[mark]

it has always struck me that a system similar to that used in criminal matters should apply to summary vehicle offences. ie if you are a law abiding citizen with no previous motoring convictions and you are caught speeding at say 35 in a 30 zone you should be given the option of a caution provided you admit the offence of course. then should you then be caught again in similar circumstances you can have no complaints whatsoever. if this applies to far more serious criminal offences of theft, assault etc then it certainly workable in minor motoring offences. just a thought.

thats far too sensible an idea and more importantly won't make any money!

 

[Chris_Hughes]

There is an ongoing case at the moment between a Northumberland man and the authorities in Gwynedd, North Wales.

It appears that this chap was caught speeding by a camera and he opted for the speed awareness option rather than fixed penalty and license endorsements. He took his medicine and attended the speed awareness course.

Later it appears that the authorities had not followed due process with respect to the speed limit signs at the camera location and many speeding tickets have been found to be invalid and they are having to cancel endorsements and return the fines paid. This person is now claiming he is £300 out of pocket due to travel expenses and loss of earnings because he attended a speed awareness course which he need not have done.