Had a great day at the North London meet.

Ruined today caught speeding for the first time in 20 years.
Was driving from StNeots to Norwich using the A14 the onto the A11.
If you don't know the roads they are 3 lanes and Very wide with the cars maintaining a high general speed.
I had noticed a Volvo V40 Turbo in black following about 400/500 metres behind me then dropping back and catching up over a distance of about 14 miles.
As I approached the roundabout by the Elveden Forest on go his blue lights in the grill so I pull over.
I get out the car thinking I'm going to get a good bollocking and possible short ban because I was going way over the 60 limit.
Leave the car running which the copper said was O.K and go sit in his car , where he then proceeds to show me video of me speeding and 3 individual speed reading of 1st 96.3 2nd 85.5 3rd 86.7 which is the final speed that he booked me at.By now I thought that was that ,then he produced a £40 fixed penalty ticket which carries 3points .
He then proceeded to ask about the car and said that his force has just taken delivery of a new Impreza so beware you have been warned.
I think that I was very lucky and travelled back to Herts keeping to the speed limits.

If you live in the area roads are great but watch out for this car he may not be in such a good mood next time.

Talk about your bread landing Jam side up.

Lucky Bar Steward!!

I was meant to go to the North London meet but the wife scuppered it......Doh! Lunch with friends................Doh!!!

93.88 on my bike on Saturday just bt Bury St.Edmunds.
Somebody decided to borrow my wing mirrors and some other bits and bobs from the bike at Donington British Superbike meet about a month ago so I didnt see the ba****d til it was too late.
£40 and 3 points on my clean license.
Good job he didnt catch me on the way there in the morning cos he would have thrown me in jail!

A rash of speeding fines on the A14.... I knew it was too good to be true. I have to travel the A14 from Ipswich over to the M1/M6 far too frequently. Just recently I've been using the Impreza and getting a bit too keen on cruising at higher speed. Time to take it easy again I think. To be fair Suffolk has to be one of the least camera 'friendly' forces around - Apart from the odd purge in Villages.

I am in two minds abou the Haughley Limit - I love the bends themselves especially with the new surface - really sorts the men from the boys. (or the scoobys from mundanos) but the junction in the middle is a death trap. At least the cameras are fixed gatsos so we can learn the positions and have a blast in between when it safe....

Dean

I don't think the cameras are on the actual bends (as they can't mount a Gatos on a bend) just before and afterwards, so you can still have some fun in the middle bit http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/biggrin.gif

Mark

PS Rob, I have seen one accident there. A few years ago a friend on mine (17 years old, XR3i and brain donnor) didn't make one of the corners span off and landed in a shed. Very funny at the time.

Grant

Purely out of academic interest ( http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/wink.gif ) which police force did he belong to? From the sound of it Norfolk.

Question

Can other counties coppers nick you out of their area for traffic offences? It could possibly seem that this chap followed from Cambs to Suffolk & into Norfolk before stopping you. Where you got stopped at Elveden is just inside Norfolk boundaries. Is there a case of harrasment. I don't think plod are allowed to follow you for such a long time. He was also out of area at a high speed. I don't know but to me that stinks.

Hi,

Great innit?

Police say they are using speedtraps as 'speed kills' but they are quite willing to follow someone exceeding the speed limit for 14 miles!

Not that I'm suggesting they were trying to get the 'best' reading, i.e. highest fine amount........oh no.

blubs (just got to work and naggy)

[This message has been edited by blubs (edited 09-05-2000).]

Come on James, I think Grant was very fortunate to have got away with it for such a long time (I am currently touching wood by the way). Many of us have been lucky not to have been caught in the past, so I just think the inevitable turned out not to be so painful. What effect on premiums, I wonder?

XRS

I know all about taking your raps etc. I am just interested in the "legality" of following someone for so long before they're nicked & at "speeds in excess of the national limit" because they are out of area. Would they have followed & nicked Grant if he'd trogged off to Bury St E keeping on the A14? Nah.

Also wondering that if Grant saw a Black Ovlov tailing him (keeping a constant station behind him) for over a few miles then he might have increased his speed not expecting it to be police (I know probably not the true scenario but could happen). I personally am always keeping a sharp eye out & any car that follows me for more than a couple of miles I either let him up close to eyeball him or just bog off. (Me trusting soul NOT)

I'm hoping Stuart H is reading this & feels he can comment.

BTW XRS, I notice that you are an RSOC fugative. Come to find out about decent cars ? http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/wink.gif

Got to agree with you on this one James. If the police are following someone then they should stop them the instant they exceed the limit to a degree where the officer thinks the driver should be booked. No arguments then, fair cop etc.

Following for 14 miles, (or even 2 miles for that matter), is in my opinion, wholly unacceptable.

blubs

I was stopped on my bike on the M40 a few weeks back. The copper who stopped said he is going to do me for undues care and attention for undertaking. He said the outside lane was travelling at 70 mph so there was absolutely no need for it. Now I know I am in the wrong but undue care and attention couldn't be further from the truth. I was not going between cars to undertake, just moving back into the third lane (4 lane section) when it was clear, not hogging the outside lane. Is it my fault the traffic in the outside lane slows down (as we all know it does)? Anyway my point is I saw the policeman just after the M25 and he stopped me at Handy Cross (High Wycombe) which is at least 10 miles later! Obviously he was very concerned for my safety!

If they follow you for that length of time they are definetly following you to catch a higher speed. With the power of my car even in a country road over take ill see a "good" speed. Well enough to get them all excited. Often a feel a car is tailing me and i slow for a short while to see what happens then i get bored and its a case of "take us to warps speed mr sulu" and then they do you? that would REALLY annoy me.

Also do go with the biker on this one. I was done for "careless driving" and the speeds i was going, what did he think i was doing? lighting a fag? or fidling with the stereo? no i was concentrating 100% at higher speeds one tends to!

the wording is all wrong.


"driving to the max of the car, which turns out to be far in excess of the speed limit"

6 points £200 ....no thats more realistic

what also amuses me is if you get done for driving without due care and attention yet it takes the t-5 3 miles to catch up or in my friends case 14 miles, ? so i can out run the t5 in a 1.3 through some twisty stuff and roundabouts and i did that without " due care and attention " ? well if i put my mind to it i would have blown away schumacher on that set of bends?

what are they getting at.

Steven

Sort of on topic. I noticed a few of you mentioned the A14. Be aware of a new 50mph speed limit enforced by cameras on the Haughly bends going towards Stowmarket. Don't think they are working yet but they soon will be.

Mark

Good point Mark.

Im really pissed about this. Some of the most fun bends about, specially about 85ish.

Most fun when someone tries to race you round, and then realises quite how "fun" they are. Runined now for ever!

And, have you ever actually seen an accident there, cos I havent

robski

James - find out about decent cars? I've had by MY98 STi since last November and loved every moment (though my wife doesn't appreciate the hard ride. Yes, I have been a long-time RSOC member (owning various models since 1975) and look in on them from time to time. I basically find both sites (plus 22B) useful and informative.
CheeRS. http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/biggrin.gif

I have to disagree with this "they should stop you as soon you speed" thing. People on this BBS continually go on about how oppressive the police are with their zero tolerance, but when the police follow someone, you still complain! The copper obviously thought that Grants speeding was inappropriate at the time he stopped him, but not before. He was showing the "mature" attitude that everybody says the police fail utterly to express. If he has followed him for 14 miles through a city, then fair enough, but I coubt this is the case. He may well have been travelling that way anyway. He could have booked him for the 96.3 mph recirded speed but did not. This officer should not be pillioried for acting in this way.

XRS

Thank god for that. Glad you have seen the light & all that http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/wink.gif

Geezer

Part of my question was about County Police & jurisdiction. Is he allowed to nick you out of his own county? If no, then technically he could be construed as breaking the law (of the county concerned) as he was exceeding the speed limit & NOT on police duty at the time. Point about continuing down A14 & NOT up A11. I am all for and applaude cops showing a sensible & responsible attitude to drivers under such conditions and not just getting a tally up. Elvenden Forest is JUST inside Norfolk...

[This message has been edited by JamesH (edited 09-05-2000).]

This is sounding like the Dukes of Hazard! Racing to the county line to avoid arrest!! http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/wink.gif

Bring on Daisy.......Oh those shorts !

Sod the shorts! - Oh those breasts!
LOL
Mike

In response
1) Cambridgeshire Force
2) Had seen volvo a few times behind me but he kept on falling behind and as he was not tailgating or keeping a constant distance I didn't think it was a copper.
3)Your right I am very lucky not to have been stopped before .Even though I do on average 30,000 mile p/a but I do keep (I thought) and very keen eye open and don't abuse the speed limits especially in town and built up areas.
4)I definatley think that I was very lucky that he didn't book me for the first speed reading that he took and although I don't undertand why am very greatfull.Possibly because I was not driving eraticly and when overtaking over vehicles indicated well in advance and then pulled back into the 2nd lane and when approaching over cars didn't tail gate or flash them to move over.

The think on my mind now is is it worth getting a radar detector anyone got any opinions

Grant,

Sounds like you got pulled by one of the things a radar dectector wouldn't have helped with http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/frown.gif.

Chris.