MyDreamCar

Can't believe it - I got a brown envelope through the other morning - with a notice of intention to prosecute - I was (allegedly!!!) seen driving down the A-1 (dual carriageway) in broad day light and perfect conditions (dry, clear etc etc) at a whopping 82Mph - FFS!! You cant tell me this isn't about revenue collection - how the hell can it have anything to do with road safety?? My car is insured, taxed, MOT'd and perfectly legal (let alone capable of cruising at 3 figure speeds with ease). Robbing bast&ds thats what they are.
I guarantee the dumb *** in the range rover who was veering across from lane to lane 5 minutes earlier didnt get a ****in ticket!! Or the teenagers in a battered old fiesta who were sitting at 60Mph in the outside lane blatantly unaware I was even behind them - did I undertake them - illegally - did I bollox - i waited patiently for them to wake up and check that thing they use to put on their make up with (im sorry I mean the mirror) This is absolute bollox - I have just lost all respect for the police and ther governments road safety "policy". If I was tanking past a school at 80 then yeah fair enough I'd have deserved it - but 82Mph on a dual carriageway in perfect weather - W&NKERS!!!!
Sorry about the language but I am real pissed off!

Anyone know if there is any possible way to contest this??

Phil

Jerome

Unfortunately, this government needs all the tax it can get to fund it's policies. I believe they have a £7 billion hole to make up. Look forward to seeing people getting a £1000 fine for doing 70.001 mph on the motorway in the not-to-distant future. Bunch of cucking funts! [img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img]

ScoobyDoo555

Don't bother - not being judgemental (I've had up to 6pts on my license, granted SP30s and barely over the limit), but there is a phrase....

"If you can't do the time, don't do the crime".....

Your best bet is to say "Sorry" and get what's coming to you (in the nicest possible way)

Sorry. Hope it goes OK.

Dan

Ps be prepared to get FLAMED for this type of post - there are an awful lot of self-righteous do-gooders on this site, who LOVE to slag people like yourself...

Forwarned is forearmed...

Sith

Coo, I've been lucky then. Only seen two Police cars on the A1.

Bad luck on getting caught, I agree 82mph is nothing. 85 is a normal cruising speed. Will re-evaluate that decision...... Thought the A1 was some where you could quite happily sit at triple figures without getting caught.

Yes you will get the Saints flaming you.

Regacy

bad luck, what was it a camera?
Not wishing to fulfil Scoobydoos prediction by being self-righteous......
but
If you were concentrating fully (as presumably one should be travelling at that sort of speed) shouldn't you have seen the camera and taken evasive action?
Scrubbed 10 mph off your speed and saved yourself the points?
Even when the cameras are 'hidden' an alert driver should stand a decent chance of not getting caught.
As for the speed, it's no big deal we've all been faster if we're honest but that never stops the **** element on here from preaching.

chrisp

A while back I was followed for 15 miles along an empty motorway by a marked up cop car at about 70(ish)mph. It was fairly late at night, the only reason I know is that me and a friend were returning from a meet and I overtook him with the the police car glued to my rear spoiler, I didnt even know it was cop car at it was an unlit section. I did everything by the book overtook and returned to the inside lane, no heavy aceleration, no tail gating, flashing lights (which I hate people doing [img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img]). My mate things he probably did a PNC check and realised I was heading home and wasnt being silly. Guess it may have been his tea break or liked my SS exhaust but my mate spent all the time watching on expecting blues and twos as I occassionaly may have drifted over 70mph but he followed me move for move and then peeled off into a services as I crossed the county border.

Sensible cop as there was no need to pull me except I may have drifted over the speed limit a little. Also unlit section it would have been dangerous to park up and have a word

Cheers

Reffro

MyDreamCar, how and where on the A1 were you caught?

I do a lot of travelling on the A1 and would like to know if they have got any new cameras I don't know about, or was it a pull by a car that got you.

I know all the Gatso's and Truvelo's near Grantham, is there anything else I need to worry about?

Butty

iTrader: (2)

On the approach to Sandy roundabout in Beds, there has been a camera for years.
In recent months, Beds Cunstabulary have decided that it needs an extra camera to double its revenue, out of the back of a van about 300 yards before the camera.
Overkill or taking the pi$$?
He lurkes right on the apex of the corner and is more likely to cause a crash than "prevent" one as he is meant to be doing.

Nick

NotoriousREV

It does suck. I got done for 72 in a 60. Single carriageway, wide straight section of road, after 5 miles of tight twisty roads, overtook a Micra that was bimbling along at 45mph and suddenly noticed that the white van in the layby behind the trees was in fact a camera van I beleive that the camera was at an accident blackspot, however, I would guess that most accidents would be caused by poor overtaking manouvres and drivers being unaware of the hidden layby, IMHO.

Anyway, rant over. The way to look at it is this. You probably speed 90% of the time, and 99% of that time, you don't get a ticket. This one ticket covers the many you "should" have had

T.C

The Camera purchase and choice of location is not decided by the Police, it is decided by the local authority, the Police simply operate and maintain the thing as they are the only people authorised.

Until a few years ago the Local authority had to consult with the Police and agree that the siting of a camera would be beneficial, however since de-regulation, the Local authority make all decisions relating to speed limits, as well as where and when to locate a camera. Now, rather than consult, they simply do it and tell the Police when it has been done.

What I am getting at is don't always blame the Police for the camera's, in the majority of cases it is the Local authority who don't have a clue.

TopBanana

Don't mean to wind you up, but I got off doing 1mph less than double the speed limit this morning after a nice chat with a police officer - they're not all bad

ariel

My G/F just been done. The real point is that she is just such a slow a driver. Having had the "speed kills" mantra repeated by her she is more than a little shamefaced to have had the postie deliver two tickets for consecutive days from "safety cameras". She now reviles the government policy and has a very jaundiced view of the speed kills message too. Six points and £120 makes for a very glum girl.

Scooby Snax

Want to know how to not get done for speeding?

Dont speed! If you speed fair enough it might be safe i dont doubt that but you are breaking the law so expect that sooner or later you will get caught.
If you dont want to get caught dont speed, simple.

Get over it, or be an MP and change some laws.

Alpine

There has to a line somewhere EVEN if you're driving a Subaru.. Not preaching as I often bend the line myself.. I don't expect any sympathy when I get caught though... live with it!

Jerome

Here we go again, the old "don't speed, don't get done" mantra is being trolled out again.

So what you are saying is if I don't want to get done, I drive at 70mph or below.

Well, I don't like having to drive right on the speed limit - and consequently have to spend half my time watching the speedo.

So I then (just to be safe, law abiding and all fluffy) drive at 65mph or below. Even better, I can hog lane 3 to make sure no-one else gets any nasty points.

I then plough into the back of another car because I've fallen asleep.

Great.


[Edited by Jerome - 10/29/2002 12:52:55 PM]

Mice_Elf

The A1 approach into Bedfordshire from Sandy's a nightmare. Both cameras definitely work, as I've seen them get others on the road...and now they've decided in their wisdom that just one camera per side is not enough, so they've installed 2nd cameras. Fortunately they are not working as yet...

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Can't really blame 'em for speed trapping the area round Sandy can we? If ever an area cried out for a bypass, that's it! But what did the powers-that-be build? 18 miles of 4 lane motorway, about 25 miles to the north......and it took 'em 4 YEARS!!!
Alcazar

Alpine

jerome,

why is the 'don't speed, don't get done' mantra any less valid than the 'I know the law but don't think it means me' mantra?

Your point that 'You don't like having to drive right on the speed limit' is interesting.. I don't like going to work to earn a living can I come around your house and steal your possessions? I don't like the laws of theft so surely they don't apply to me.

The point is the law is the law.. If you break the law knowingly don't clog up the bbs whingeing, take your punishment like a man.

BTW, like I said earlier I too speed.. but I would be so embarressed that a lapse of driving skill and general observation
had led to me being caught that I wouldn't be on here moaning.

All IMHO of course.

chiark

70mph + 10% = 77mph
77mph+2mph = 79mph

There's always one smartass isn't there

I don't think that it's harsh, just unlucky. I do cruse at 80-85 when safe to do so etc, it's just a question of time for me...

Tiggs

what are people saying here? the law is the law. its 70mph, everyone knows this so whats the issue?

i drive everywhere at 85, if i get done then tuff.

and whats that rubbish about having to check the speedo all the time, what twaddle. My 5 yr old could drive and still look at a speedo.

if you want to change the law then have a go but while it still exists you are daft to break it then mona about it.

and SN does not have a "ohhh, we hate speed" atitude, it has a "whats your point, you know the law....tuff" attitude.

T

Jerome

There is a generally accepted fact that, in good conditions etc, the Police turn a blind eye to 85mph on the motorway. Generally, to be done in good conditions on a clear motorway for less than 85 is bad luck. Complaining about being caught doing 110mph is a bit lame, but not IMHO 82mph.

Today we're done for 82mph, tomorrow 72 mph, 5 years after that - 70.01mph. If people let this, and subsequent, governments continue to fleece drivers, we will see zero tolerance all the time everywhere at some point in the future.

I would also not compare civil law and criminal laws. I believe that speeding is not a criminal offence (yet) in it's own right. As I don't accept that any driver has never exceeded a speed limit at least once, it would mean every driver in the country is a criminal if you compare the offences of speeding and theft.

Also, you don't have to look at the speedo constantly. But you do need to look at it rather more often than normal to stay at 70mph (or slightly lower), than if you are not concerned at going over 70mph.

Lastly, my previous post was meant to be sarcastic (couldn't find a sarcasm emoticon) rather than literal.


[Edited by Jerome - 10/29/2002 6:46:31 PM]

polarbearit

I think there is a point about appropriateness of speed...

Eg 82mph on a quiet clear Sunday night is no problem but at 8:45 Monday morning is an accident waiting to happen!

Speed cameras don't take conditions into account - I do 35k per year, not been done for 5 ish year now, but its only a matter of time. I think there is a genuine case for reform of the law and more sensible attitudes to motorists...

RaZe-=Buzz=-

Well toady in the driving rain, after having done 550 miles since 4:30 am I was driving back into Hull at about 85 on the A63 - dual carriageway.

I noticed two motorcycles about a hundred yards back were riding in the "staggered police formation" (one inside one outside of the lane, if you know what I mean) so I pulled over and slowed a bit...and it was two coppers.

Just as an aside to your valid point, if they had done me for speeding at 85 in the pouring rain in a car Id have had SERIOUS complaints as they caught me up on two wheels! Which is more dangerous?

To get done for 82 on the A1 is barmy. I regularly use it and sit at about 85, except where I know there are the "accident reduction areas" or is that "tax collectors"?

I think youve been damn unlucky

Tiggs

dancing is the devils work- ban it now

T

PiNkEyE69

If it was a stationary camera then you're probably out of luck.
You can ask to see a the picture it took to confirm it is you.
If it was a mobile camera (handheld gun etc) Then you can ask for it's calibration details (date etc).
They have to be calibrated every so often.
My mate got off with a ticket becuase they couldn't produce a valid calibration certificate for the gun that got him.
ad it been 2 weeks since you got zapped.
The law is they have to notify you in 14 days, a day over that and the court can reject the claim if you contest it.

Here's some sites with some usefuly help.
UKSpeedCameras
speedcamerasuk
Speed-trap uk

Mice_Elf

Also, unless you've already done so, state on the form that you can't remember who was driving. A nice European Court law states that if you put yourself down as driving, that's Self-Incrimination and you don't have to do that.

MarkO

Except that it's already been sorted in the courts to avoid that - if you won't incriminate yourself, then the points are automatically given to the registered owner of the car. Hence the big hoo-har when this happened at a police station recently. You're about a year out of date, Mice.

A better solution is for two of you (either of whom could have been driving) to plead guilty to the offence. Since 2 people cannot be convicted of a single offence, the police will have no choice but to drop the charge.

Mice_Elf

Have never said that I was up-to-date ...

Hoppy

I'm not certain where DreamCar got caught, but Bedford/Sandy A1 is not motorway and there are some twisty bits. 82 is going a bit.

MarkO, so taking drugs is wrong (Angus Deyton) but adultery with prostitutes and lying your way out of a speeding charge in court is okay?

Highly selective views on what's right and what's not, mate. Discuss

Cheers,

Richard.