ChatterBank0 min ago
what is 'just over the limit'?
I was driving along in a 30mph road. A mobile speed camera van was parked on a wide bank of grass dividing the road I was on from a road running adjacent to it. It was 9am in the morning, dull and raining. I was going along at about 35mph.
Because of the weather, the officer was using the van's lifting back door as shelter, thus making him (in my opinion anyway) not clearly visible. Because the van was parked on the same angle as the road, it wasn't obviously noticeable as a camera van. In fact it could be mistaken for a work van as you couldn't see the side of the van.
As I drove past (at about 35mph), the camera didn't flash (?), nor was I stopped (there was only the one officer). I only realised it was a speed camera van when I had to drive past it again on the adjacent road
I thought that speed checks were supposed to be highly visible with the officer and camera standing away from the van, thus making it clear what they are doing.
Given these facts, what are my chances of being caught and fined?
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Sorry jaq but the bast**ds have probably caught you even though you were doing nothing dangerous, it's just the luck of the draw. Just have to wait, if you do not receive anything in two weeks your ok.
The realy dangerous drivers who drive all the time only a few feet from your back bumper never get caught!
It sounds as if you may have been lucky but 35mph is still speeding. Why should speed cameras and officers let you know that they are there? If you had been speeding but had slowed for the camera and then sped up would that have made the speeding offence (prior to and after the camera) any less dangerous? I will admit to speeding in 60/70mph limits but 30s and 40s are put there because of hazards, pedestrians, schools etc etc and IMO should be adhered to.
Im sorry but I cant see how you could possibly complain if you have been caught. If you havnt then count yourself fortunate and try and stick to speed limit in future.
The joys of motoring.........you probably knew what the limit was, or at least you should have known, so why complain if you get caught breaking it? At least that's what that nice police officer told me when he pulled me over. Unfair, frustrating, and in all probability not in the least bit dangerous, but what else are speed cameras for other than to top up police and local authority budgets? After all, most motorists are evil criminals aren't they???
I know that what I was doing was wrong and for that I'm sorry. The road 'feels' that it should be a 40mph limit and therefore it is easy to fall into the trap of driving too fast. Never the less, it is my fault for not being careful. I'm normally very careful where speed is concerned, I'm just cross (and ashamed) of myself for my lapse of carefulness. I won't speed in a 60-70 area, mainly for the fact I'm not confident with high speeds and would rather stick to under the limit.
I asked the original question because fixed speed cameras should be painted yellow, visible and warnings given that they are in the area. They also flash to say that you have been caught. You can even get information of where every speed camera in the country are located! I know that mobile cameras are there to catch people out, but surely it would be better to be clearly visible just like the fixed cameras are.
I would have slowed down if I'd realised that it was a speed camera, but as I've said, I didn't even realise it was one.
Never the less, what's done is done and I'll just have to wait to see what happens, and if I have been clocked I'll have learnt my lesson the hard way.
Just another point about speed cameras, The Chief Constable of Wales, Brunstrom branded people who have accrued 9 points for speeding as dangerous criminals! As Mr Ladyman who was the Transport Minister in Blair's government has 9 points for speeding, what was a dangerous Criminal doing holding such a high post?
Mobile speed cameras have to allow 5mph over both sides of the speed limit. So if you were doing 35mph then it's obvious that you were speeding and especially in the wet.
Also speed checks don't have to be visible at all. The van could be parked in a layby with only the camera showing and it would still count.
I'd say you have a fair chance of being caught and fined, just learn from your mistakes, unless of course you have money to waste ?
I think it's amusing, but kind of sad, to see all the self-appointed moral guardians crawling out of the woodwork to reprimand and tut-tut, every time someone dares to mention that they might have travelled over 30mph - this is AFTER the event, guys - no one died, so get over it - if the objective of cameras is really to slow people down, at particularly sensitive places - rather than to raise money - they should be made as clear and obvious as possible. Or put in speed bumps.
By the way, if anyone is concerned about picking up a ticket, they're very easy to get out of - name a driver with an overseas address, on the Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP) and the police will write to you, to ask for details of when this person left the country, flight numbers, etc - none of which you are legally obliged to provide. I've got off 2 tickets in the last 9 months, in this way, both from so-called 'mobile' units, that I didn't see. I don't go out of my way to speed but, if I've got the choice of �60 fine plus 3 points or nothing, I know which option I'm going to take.
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