illegal to slow other traffic due to speed trap
05 May 2005, 01:52 PM
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illegal to slow other traffic due to speed trap
theres a speed trap near me on a straight 40mph stretch of road. never seen an accident on it in 18yrs. can from one end to another. police are speed trapping hidden in a residential minor road.
would it be illegal for me and a mate to do 38mph in both lanes at the same time?
not like id want to stop anyone being trapped or anything.
would it be illegal for me and a mate to do 38mph in both lanes at the same time?
not like id want to stop anyone being trapped or anything.
05 May 2005, 02:03 PM
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get a sign that says speedtrap ahead and stick it down the road when they are trapping
bastids pulled me once for flashing my lights after coming past a speed trap in the opposite direction - I claimed I was trying to wash my windscreen and had accidentally got the wrong lever. He said if he caught me again he would charge me with attempting to pervert the course of justice... I had to laugh at him..... Imagine the scene in court
"It has been alleged Mr Bloke, that on 5th May you did attempt to pervert the course of justice by washing your windscreen..... how do you plead"
bastids pulled me once for flashing my lights after coming past a speed trap in the opposite direction - I claimed I was trying to wash my windscreen and had accidentally got the wrong lever. He said if he caught me again he would charge me with attempting to pervert the course of justice... I had to laugh at him..... Imagine the scene in court
"It has been alleged Mr Bloke, that on 5th May you did attempt to pervert the course of justice by washing your windscreen..... how do you plead"
05 May 2005, 02:04 PM
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Originally Posted by fast bloke
get a sign that says speedtrap ahead and stick it down the road when they are trapping
bastids pulled me once for flashing my lights after coming past a speed trap in the opposite direction - I claimed I was trying to wash my windscreen and had accidentally got the wrong lever. He said if he caught me again he would charge me with attempting to pervert the course of justice... I had to laugh at him..... Imagine the scene in court
"It has been alleged Mr Bloke, that on 5th May you did attempt to pervert the course of justice by washing your windscreen..... how do you plead"
bastids pulled me once for flashing my lights after coming past a speed trap in the opposite direction - I claimed I was trying to wash my windscreen and had accidentally got the wrong lever. He said if he caught me again he would charge me with attempting to pervert the course of justice... I had to laugh at him..... Imagine the scene in court
"It has been alleged Mr Bloke, that on 5th May you did attempt to pervert the course of justice by washing your windscreen..... how do you plead"
05 May 2005, 02:14 PM
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IIRC it is NOT illegal to let other motorists know there is a speed trap but it is illegal to get them to slow down because there is one down the road.
Recent case, bloke from my home town in Devon got done because he was waving down cars to slow them or to tell them there was a speed trap. He was arrested (presumably for perverting the course of justice) but don't know the outcome.
Oh, he was a pedestrian at the time
Recent case, bloke from my home town in Devon got done because he was waving down cars to slow them or to tell them there was a speed trap. He was arrested (presumably for perverting the course of justice) but don't know the outcome.
Oh, he was a pedestrian at the time
05 May 2005, 02:17 PM
#6
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" IIRC it is NOT illegal to let other motorists know there is a speed trap "
yes it is !! try it and you'll get nicked for interfering with the course of justice , it's not in holland as was seen on clarkson some time ago , but it is here ,
yes it is !! try it and you'll get nicked for interfering with the course of justice , it's not in holland as was seen on clarkson some time ago , but it is here ,
Last edited by scoobydooooo; 05 May 2005 at 02:19 PM.
05 May 2005, 02:21 PM
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Read the rest of the sentence. If they are not speeding, you can not be perverting the course of justice. It would be no different to telling someone there is a speed camera on the road or the location of a mobile camera van trap (which has to be signed by DFT guidelines).
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05 May 2005, 02:23 PM
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Originally Posted by Poor Guy
theres a speed trap near me on a straight 40mph stretch of road. never seen an accident on it in 18yrs. can from one end to another. police are speed trapping hidden in a residential minor road.
would it be illegal for me and a mate to do 38mph in both lanes at the same time?
not like id want to stop anyone being trapped or anything.
would it be illegal for me and a mate to do 38mph in both lanes at the same time?
not like id want to stop anyone being trapped or anything.
Simon
05 May 2005, 02:46 PM
#10
Originally Posted by GC8
Yes it would, as ridiculous as that sounds. In the eighties a mechanic from a works team on the RAC/Network Q was arrested and charged for doing just this. After traffic police realised that all competition cars passing were now under the posted limit, they looked round the corner and found this bloke with a sign, and nicked him in a fit or pique. Had his sign simply read: 'SLOW DOWN' then theres little they could have done but it said 'SPEED TRAP' and he was deemed to have been obstructing the Police officers...
Simon
Simon
!!Warning!!
!!There is not a speed trap around the next bend!!
-or-
"This sign says there is a speed trap around the next bend"
But Brendan - Cameras are supposed to be a deterent and therefoire if you don't know about them beforehand then how can they be a deterent? Kind of a paradox!
Last edited by SJ_Skyline; 05 May 2005 at 02:48 PM.
05 May 2005, 02:52 PM
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Wasn't there a case recently where they not only prosecuted someone for warning motorists of a speed trap but they also banned him from driving, despite the fact he wasn't even in his car at the time?!
I blame Blair.
I blame Blair.
05 May 2005, 02:54 PM
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It's a fine line, isn't it? "Obstruction" is one of the widest charges you can possibly get. Would be interesting to argue in defence "I was trying to stop an offence being committed", and see if they prosecute you for it (of course they would). would be nice to see the cops explain to the public that arresting a criminal after an offence is more important than preventing it in the first place. I guess this is the difference, as above, between "Speed trap" and "Slow down!".
05 May 2005, 02:57 PM
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Originally Posted by ajm
Wasn't there a case recently where they not only prosecuted someone for warning motorists of a speed trap but they also banned him from driving, despite the fact he wasn't even in his car at the time?!
I blame Blair.
I blame Blair.
05 May 2005, 03:08 PM
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Exactly - it all comes down to them NOT wanting to prevent the crime! If they could put their hands on their heart (do they have hearts?) and say "Nothing would make me happier than for no-one to be speeding", they'd LOVE to have other motorists influencing others to slow down.
The fact that they want to prosecute you for PREVENTING a crime, shows the sheer idiocy of the whole thing.
Besides, if you flash your lights at someone who was doing UNDER the speed limit, would they need to PROVE that that person was GOING to exceed the speed limit and that you in fact persuaded them not to? Or is the mere fact that you flashed your lights, enough proof to convict you?
All a bit Minority Report/Pre-Crime for me...
The fact that they want to prosecute you for PREVENTING a crime, shows the sheer idiocy of the whole thing.
Besides, if you flash your lights at someone who was doing UNDER the speed limit, would they need to PROVE that that person was GOING to exceed the speed limit and that you in fact persuaded them not to? Or is the mere fact that you flashed your lights, enough proof to convict you?
All a bit Minority Report/Pre-Crime for me...
05 May 2005, 09:12 PM
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They don’t want to prevent crime if they get profit from it do they! What business prevents an activity that earns them money FFS?
Anyway I don’t think there is much need for proof the courts are just happy to make an example out of a serious criminal activity like stopping a crime!
What a screwed up country we live in
Anyway I don’t think there is much need for proof the courts are just happy to make an example out of a serious criminal activity like stopping a crime!
What a screwed up country we live in
05 May 2005, 09:17 PM
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Originally Posted by GC8
Yes it would, as ridiculous as that sounds. In the eighties a mechanic from a works team on the RAC/Network Q was arrested and charged for doing just this. After traffic police realised that all competition cars passing were now under the posted limit, they looked round the corner and found this bloke with a sign, and nicked him in a fit or pique. Had his sign simply read: 'SLOW DOWN' then theres little they could have done but it said 'SPEED TRAP' and he was deemed to have been obstructing the Police officers...
Simon
Simon
says it all!!!
and they wonder why people don,t like them??
M
05 May 2005, 09:33 PM
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IIRC Highway code says that flashing your lights can only be taken as a warning to other motorists of your presence. Therefore, how could anyone make it a crime without re-issuing the highway code?
I guess I can almost see the sign saying "slow down" versus "speed trap" argument. It's more akin to saying "don't sell drugs" versus "warning - that 'junkie' is an undercover policeman".
Of course, there is no way they could argue if you were to put up a sign saying "accident blackspot ahead", as that is clearly contributing to road safety, and it must be an accident blackspot if they are putting a speed trap there.
I guess I can almost see the sign saying "slow down" versus "speed trap" argument. It's more akin to saying "don't sell drugs" versus "warning - that 'junkie' is an undercover policeman".
Of course, there is no way they could argue if you were to put up a sign saying "accident blackspot ahead", as that is clearly contributing to road safety, and it must be an accident blackspot if they are putting a speed trap there.
05 May 2005, 11:12 PM
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Originally Posted by fast bloke
get a sign that says speedtrap ahead and stick it down the road when they are trapping
ello ello ello
05 May 2005, 11:42 PM
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Originally Posted by OllyK
HOW CAN YOU BAND SOMEONE FROM DRIVING WHEN THEY ARENT EVEN IN THEIR CAR????
Unbelievable police state we live in - I cant tell you how shocked I am.
Does this guy's insurance go up when is guilty of NO motoring issue?
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