speed camera

[mindbullets]

do mobile speed cameras give you any leeway or will i definately get a ticket if i was doing 75 on a 70 mph road?  also would i have seen a flash ,like on a static camera? because i didnt notice a flash.  thanks

[RogK]

Somebody'll know better than me, but I'd have thought you'd be OK at 75 . I think they give you about 9mph leeway - but that may change!

[Grunty]

The margin that most forces claim to keep to is ten per cent plus two.  You should therefore be ok below 79, but it's better not to rely on that.  They have to send the notice to you within 14 days.

[THFCUK]

i travel to London on the A12 every night to get to work, and there are speed cameras all along that strech, i do just under 80 in a 70 mile limit and they have not flashed at me, i have been doing this for around 5 yrs now and have not got a ticket.  Although I do not know if the mobile cameras that are set up like this or not.

[5029]

Its 10% + 4mph leeway

[littleoldme]

It's dangerous to rely on this leeway business, though. It all depends where you are - some areas have been designated "zero tolerance" zones. One of my neighbours was recently done for speeding in a 30mph limit somewhere over Brighton way - she was belting along at a whopping 32mph apparently. So don't take the leeway "rule" as gospel.

That said, if the camera didn't flash, I should think you'll be alright.

[Octavius]

I think that on urban roads (30mph & 40mph) there is relatively zero tolerance - if you are going over these limits then you are breaking the law.

On faster roads such as 50/60/70mph my understanding is that there is a 10% leeway and that is it - most cars will exceed the limit (within reason) to overtake but are expected to return to legal speed afterwards. 

[gazzawazza]

I've heard this thing about being allowed to overtake in excess of 70mph and I'm pretty sure it's a load of rubbish.  The limit is 70.  Drivers aren't allowed to go over this in order to overtake (what would be the reason be for this, so they can go faster once they've cleared the traffic in front?)

If there is any leeway at all it is due to allowing for discrepancies with the speeding cameras and like littleoldme mentioned it doesn't happen in residential areas (not where I live anyway).  A couple of years back the local paper was full of people complaining that they'd been done for doing 31 in a 30mph zone.

[undercovers]

why would you need to over take if to do so you need to exceed the speed limit???

[Chillum]

to remove yourself from the oncoming traffic as quickly as possible.

[Octavius]

To get into the flow of traffic in the next lane that is travelling at 80mph.

[Hippy]

The so called "leeway" is based on the assumption that vehicle speedometers can be inaccurate. Say yours is 5% under-recording, so when it says 30 mph you are actually travelling at 31.5mph. So you speed up to what your speedo says is 33mph (you are taking advantage of the 10% leeway) you are actually travelling at 34.65mph and - FLASH! - you're done, as you have exceeded the "leeway" (for the purpose of this example I have assumed a genuine 10% "leeway"; I'm sure you get the general drift.)

What is so painful about observing the speed limit? The sooner cars are fitted with speed limiters like trucks and buses the better. Even better, link this via GPS so that the limiter knows what local restriction applies and physically prevents the vehicle from exceeding the limit. Job done.

[undercovers]

unlikely excuses for speeding chillum and octavius. Chillum if you are overtaking in oncoming traffics lanes at over 70 miles an hour i pray i never meet you on the road

[Grunty]

The various answers to this question show the danger of relying on this site for such important matters.  The Association of Chief Police Officers makes no secret of the advice that it gives to individual forces.  In a 70 limit, a fixed penalty is issued at 79 and a summons at 96.  When a summons is issued, a driving ban becomes a possibility.  I think the courts still automatically ban at speeds which are 30 over a limit.  Full information can be found at www.kentandmedwaysafetycameras.org.uk