Henlade A358 Somerset.
Discussion
Received a NIP today. Auto detection at above location, 38 in a 30 mph zone.
I was there & am no doubt guilty but I find it strange because.
a, I don't recall seeing the flash which I always have done in the past.
b, I don't recall seeing a camera van in that location, if I was aware of one & aware of speeding I would of been waiting the post for two weeks,
c, I have up to date camera database on crap nav' & these days I am really overly observant & aware of these devises.
d, 38. As I have no recollection of this so no reason to be watching for the post for two weeks, it makes me wonder if I passed a van at 38 thinking it was a 40 zone.
Is there anybody here that is familiar with that area who could tell me if there is a fixed camera there, or it is a known camera van area & what the speed limit is in Henlade on the A358.
I would be grateful for anyone's help as I live 240 miles away & am at present not sure what my next step should be.
I was there & am no doubt guilty but I find it strange because.
a, I don't recall seeing the flash which I always have done in the past.
b, I don't recall seeing a camera van in that location, if I was aware of one & aware of speeding I would of been waiting the post for two weeks,
c, I have up to date camera database on crap nav' & these days I am really overly observant & aware of these devises.
d, 38. As I have no recollection of this so no reason to be watching for the post for two weeks, it makes me wonder if I passed a van at 38 thinking it was a 40 zone.
Is there anybody here that is familiar with that area who could tell me if there is a fixed camera there, or it is a known camera van area & what the speed limit is in Henlade on the A358.
I would be grateful for anyone's help as I live 240 miles away & am at present not sure what my next step should be.
Edited by 109 Bob on Saturday 5th August 14:46
Seems there's a gatso there...
www.safecam.org.uk/CameraSites/CameraDetails.aspx?CameraID=15
[cynic]just after the dual-carriageway[/cynic]
www.safecam.org.uk/CameraSites/CameraDetails.aspx?CameraID=15
[cynic]just after the dual-carriageway[/cynic]
Edited by puggit on Saturday 5th August 15:41
109 Bob said:
Received a NIP today. Auto detection at above location, 38 in a 30 mph zone.
I was there & am no doubt guilty but I find it strange because.
a, I don't recall seeing the flash which I always have done in the past.
b, I don't recall seeing a camera van in that location, if I was aware of one & aware of speeding I would of been waiting the post for two weeks,
c, I have up to date camera database on crap nav' & these days I am really overly observant & aware of these devises.
d, 38. As I have no recollection of this so no reason to be watching for the post for two weeks, it makes me wonder if I passed a van at 38 thinking it was a 40 zone.
Is there anybody here that is familiar with that area who could tell me if there is a fixed camera there, or it is a known camera van area & what the speed limit is in Henlade on the A358.
I would be grateful for anyone's help as I live 240 miles away & am at present not sure what my next step should be.
I was there & am no doubt guilty but I find it strange because.
a, I don't recall seeing the flash which I always have done in the past.
b, I don't recall seeing a camera van in that location, if I was aware of one & aware of speeding I would of been waiting the post for two weeks,
c, I have up to date camera database on crap nav' & these days I am really overly observant & aware of these devises.
d, 38. As I have no recollection of this so no reason to be watching for the post for two weeks, it makes me wonder if I passed a van at 38 thinking it was a 40 zone.
Is there anybody here that is familiar with that area who could tell me if there is a fixed camera there, or it is a known camera van area & what the speed limit is in Henlade on the A358.
I would be grateful for anyone's help as I live 240 miles away & am at present not sure what my next step should be.
Edited by 109 Bob on Saturday 5th August 14:46
A couple of points, firstly have you considered that although you assume the speed calculation to be correct, it may not be? After all if you didnt see the camera at the time and thus glanced down to your speedo, how do you know you are guilty?
Secondly, *it may be* that the limit for that area is a 40! Stranger things have happened! Also it may be that the reason why you perhaps did not see the limit perhaps might be that the 30 sign was covered by foliage etc? Again, you may be not guilty.
Where you want to go is your own prerogative though, its just a case of weighing up if you can afford the 3 points and £60. I would ask to see the photo however though, just in case there has been some kind of mistake!
Bob, look at the link puggit posted. The Gatso is at the end of a DC and traffic usually bottle necks there and crawls past the camera very slowly. Also it really is highly visible. If you were there during day time the chances are it would have been very busy.
I think it's more likely that the bstard camera van that scams this road got you. About 1/2 a mile further on that road (approaching the motorway round about, but a couple hundred metres before the round about) is a large long lay-by on your left. There is always a burger van parked there and usually someone else selling wood carvings - toadstools etc, and usually alot of vans parked there having stopped for food. The scamera van would be very hard to spot amongst them, and I think this is probably where they got you. Hard luck
I think it's more likely that the bstard camera van that scams this road got you. About 1/2 a mile further on that road (approaching the motorway round about, but a couple hundred metres before the round about) is a large long lay-by on your left. There is always a burger van parked there and usually someone else selling wood carvings - toadstools etc, and usually alot of vans parked there having stopped for food. The scamera van would be very hard to spot amongst them, and I think this is probably where they got you. Hard luck
Thank you all for your help.
I have 28 days to return the nip so I'm trying to get a job in that direction again to see if I can piece together what happened.
What is annoying me also is the fact that there is no evidence included with the nip, not only no pic' but it seems that if I were to even question my guilt that I will no longer be eligible for the "speedchoice workshop"
I've put my hands up before because it was the easy thing to do but quite frankly I'm not prepared to any more. I can't really afford another 3 points, but if I opt for the "speedchoice workshop" then I am admitting guilt & I'm just not comfortable with doing that.
I have 28 days to return the nip so I'm trying to get a job in that direction again to see if I can piece together what happened.
What is annoying me also is the fact that there is no evidence included with the nip, not only no pic' but it seems that if I were to even question my guilt that I will no longer be eligible for the "speedchoice workshop"
I've put my hands up before because it was the easy thing to do but quite frankly I'm not prepared to any more. I can't really afford another 3 points, but if I opt for the "speedchoice workshop"
then I am admitting guilt & I'm just not comfortable with doing that.Which direction were you traveling in, were you going into or out of taunton. I ask because they very recently got rid of the 40 going away from Henlade up the hill towards Thornfalcon and although I drive that road every day and have never seen a van it wudnt surprise me one bit if they put one in the layby near the Tarmac depot just as your accellerating into the NSL which would explain the 38.
You could, of course, just chuck it and any follow up paperwork in the bin via the shredder.
Don't sign for and ignore any summons and wait to be arrested which may or may not ever happen. If you get arrested deny ever receiving any paperwork of any sort, they have no signature for the recorded delivery summons and thus, possibly, no actual evidence. Then it's possibly too late to proceed with anything at all.
Often they don't bother and I know 2 people who have done this and got away with it completely.
The more people who do this the more it screws up the system
Don't sign for and ignore any summons and wait to be arrested which may or may not ever happen. If you get arrested deny ever receiving any paperwork of any sort, they have no signature for the recorded delivery summons and thus, possibly, no actual evidence. Then it's possibly too late to proceed with anything at all.
Often they don't bother and I know 2 people who have done this and got away with it completely.
The more people who do this the more it screws up the system
This is the lay-by I mentioned earlier, approaching the M-way round about. You can see the burger van to the left of centre, the other vans come into veiw as you round the bend. Plenty of room for a scam van to be amongst them. There is also a bus stop lay-by further back the road, but you would have easily spotted a scam van there.
A friend of mine was done for 39 at this spot last year. He opted for the speed course and £60. Apparently it lasts about four hours and a strong stomach is required. Being a GP and used to dealing with people, he wasn't intimidated by them, and made his views known on the speed kills subject
. HTH.
A friend of mine was done for 39 at this spot last year. He opted for the speed course and £60. Apparently it lasts about four hours and a strong stomach is required. Being a GP and used to dealing with people, he wasn't intimidated by them, and made his views known on the speed kills subject
. HTH. Edited by deeps on Monday 7th August 21:59
Nick_F said:
As of today the Gatso has been removed - I went past this morning and it was dropped down its mast with the access door open - no-one in sight working on it so perhaps it's been vandalised?
Gone altogether by this afternoon.
Gone altogether by this afternoon.
Oh dear, another decapitation. It does seem to be quite a regular this one.
Nick_F said:
As of today the Gatso has been removed - I went past this morning and it was dropped down its mast with the access door open - no-one in sight working on it so perhaps it's been vandalised?
Gone altogether by this afternoon.
Gone altogether by this afternoon.
Yup, confirmed! Went up towards Thornfalcon around 20:00 this evening and no sign of it at all, whole thing gone - came back at around 21:00 and still loads of people hitting the brakes then looking puzzled!
Nick_F said:
As of today the Gatso has been removed - I went past this morning and it was dropped down its mast with the access door open - no-one in sight working on it so perhaps it's been vandalised?
Gone altogether by this afternoon.
Gone altogether by this afternoon.
Yup, confirmed! Went up towards Thornfalcon around 20:00 this evening and no sign of it at all, whole thing gone - came back at around 21:00 and still loads of people hitting the brakes then looking puzzled!
Nick_F said:
As of today the Gatso has been removed - I went past this morning and it was dropped down its mast with the access door open - no-one in sight working on it so perhaps it's been vandalised?
Gone altogether by this afternoon.
Gone altogether by this afternoon.
I wouldn't be surprised if they moved it - can't make much money there. Never seen anyone get caught there.
What time do you go through there? I regularly pass through there about 8.15. Give me a wave if you see me
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