Speeding Question.

[Rabbitpig]

Hi,

I was recently stopped by the police on the motorway. From his data/screen it indicated that i was doing 105mph?? when seeing this i was totally dumfounded, as i was certain that i was doing a lot less. (do not exceed 100mph, instant ban.) Don't get me wrong, Yes i was speeding but i do not believe that i was exceeding 100mph. I am questioning the method in which he gatherted the data.-

He was sitting on the hard sholder of the motorway in his 4x4, with a camera looking at all the traffic approching from behind.

When my car passed under a bridge (say bridge 1) the windsceern on the car goes dark (short term) due to the shadow casted by the bridge- starting point of the measurement. When my car passes under the next bridge (bridge 2), again the windsreen on my car temporary goes dark again-end point of the measurement. Therefore from the distance ( between the two bridges ) divided by the time ( taken to go between the two bridges ). Then they work out my speed.

Is this a valid/accurate method of measuring somebodys speed as i can see too many unknow variables in this senario, those being.

1. Position of sun in the sky

2. Time of day ( again related to position of sun in the sky ) in this case it was approx 08:30pm.

3. Width of bridges ( wider bridge means wider shadow ). ie, shadow of wider bridge is cast greater than thinner bridge , thus adjusting distance ( not constant, always changing due to suns position changing ).

4. Decline in road, i was going dow hill as well as bridge 1 being higher up than bridge 2.

5. Measurement taken by the officer with windscreen changing colour, is there human error involved in this.

Advice/Help would be much appreciated, or a recommended traffic lawyer based around Chorley/Lancashire.

[sholay]

Speed = distance x time.

Its a simple physics equation and I learned it in my GCSEs. If the sun was altering the first shadow, it would be altering the second shadow too. Wide vs narrow bridges wouldn't have much bearing on drastic differences.

105mph can not be realistically reduced to 70mph no matter what variant you use.

You got caught. Accept the consequences.

[sholay]

Speed = distance DIVIDED BY time.

I wish there was an edit button!

[Toureman]

The VASCAR instument the police were using is very accurate.

The five points you make will not alter any reading on the VASCAR.

You have no alternative but to accept your punishment!

[marcus5771]

Accept that your was speeding. But far less than 105 because its an instant ban over 99mph

[Rabbitpig]

Hi,

Thanks for the replies, I do admit i was speeding , but the issue here is i believe i was under 100mph ( which i do accept).

My main concern lies with the shadow of the bridges which triggers the windsceen going dark, with a low sun the shadow of the briges is only proportional with bridges of the same width, in this case one bridge is wider than the other, thus casting a longer shadow, thus efeecting the distance/trigger point of when the screen turn sdark.

As stated i know i was speeding, i do not expect to get let off, i'll accept the consequences, but again i beleive i as not exceeding 100mph on the M61.

Cheers,

Rabbitpig

[paulco]

my feelings go out to you, but I was 'done' in exactly the same manner. A police officer sat on a hillabout 1/2 a mile from the road, timed me between the end of a wood and the start of the next one, calculated my speed then called his collegue about four miles down the road who pulled me over and issued me with a ticket!! I accept I was speeding, but it was a sneeky way to catch you out. If you were speeding its almost impossable to prove what speed you were doing and its only your word against thiers, who do you think would win that one!!