Advice needed on possible NIP coming my way...
Discussion
Thursday mid-morning, last week, travelling from London to Cheshire via Birmingham NEC.
I was making "good progress" up the M40. Visibility was fine and traffic very light. At about Junction 8, just south of Banbury, I was in lane 3, no traffic in front of me in lane 3, very light traffic in lane 2, couple of lorries in lane 1 (not near enough each other for there to be an overtake risk).
Speed was in the 95-100mph range when I spotted a white car on the hard shoulder. My first reaction was that it was much too small to be a traffic car but then I see the hi-vis vest and man leaning on the open passenger door facing backwards with a laser gun, police markings on a Ford Focus.
There is no traffic behind me and the BMW 5 series in lane 2 is now braking. I brake to 80mph and pass the Focus.
1) Have I just earned myself my first points in 13 years of driving?
2) I have not updated the address on my V5 since moving last year. Do I need to do this urgently?
Really annoyed with myself as I spotted the car but discounted it. I wish I'd been pulled because then at least I could have explained to the BiB that although I was speeding, I had consdiered the conditions and did not consider my speed to be excessive in the circumstances. I have found with Trafpol in the past that if you admit straight away that you were speeding but explain courteously that you had been observing weather, traffic and the road conditions closely they will often give you the benefit of the doubt (hence no points in 13 years).
Other forum users' advice welcome.
BB
I was making "good progress" up the M40. Visibility was fine and traffic very light. At about Junction 8, just south of Banbury, I was in lane 3, no traffic in front of me in lane 3, very light traffic in lane 2, couple of lorries in lane 1 (not near enough each other for there to be an overtake risk).
Speed was in the 95-100mph range when I spotted a white car on the hard shoulder. My first reaction was that it was much too small to be a traffic car but then I see the hi-vis vest and man leaning on the open passenger door facing backwards with a laser gun, police markings on a Ford Focus.
There is no traffic behind me and the BMW 5 series in lane 2 is now braking. I brake to 80mph and pass the Focus.
1) Have I just earned myself my first points in 13 years of driving?
2) I have not updated the address on my V5 since moving last year. Do I need to do this urgently?
Really annoyed with myself as I spotted the car but discounted it. I wish I'd been pulled because then at least I could have explained to the BiB that although I was speeding, I had consdiered the conditions and did not consider my speed to be excessive in the circumstances. I have found with Trafpol in the past that if you admit straight away that you were speeding but explain courteously that you had been observing weather, traffic and the road conditions closely they will often give you the benefit of the doubt (hence no points in 13 years).
Other forum users' advice welcome.
BB
If it's just a simple hand held laser gun, then don't they have to stop you there and then?
The tripod mounted lasers have cameras attached - they're the ones you hear about within 14 days.
Edited to echo puggit's advice - I drive up and down the M40 during the day 3-4 times a month and it's not often that I don't see a camera van on one of the bridges. There's a southbound junction (around 15ish?) with multiple bridges, where they hide on the second bridge and the first one blocks the advance view. They put the van out of sight and use a tripod laser/camera.
>> Edited by deva link on Monday 13th March 21:06
The tripod mounted lasers have cameras attached - they're the ones you hear about within 14 days.
Edited to echo puggit's advice - I drive up and down the M40 during the day 3-4 times a month and it's not often that I don't see a camera van on one of the bridges. There's a southbound junction (around 15ish?) with multiple bridges, where they hide on the second bridge and the first one blocks the advance view. They put the van out of sight and use a tripod laser/camera.
>> Edited by deva link on Monday 13th March 21:06
deva link said:
There's a southbound junction (around 15ish?) with multiple bridges, where they hide on the second bridge and the first one blocks the advance view. They put the van out of sight and use a tripod laser/camera.
That is always an ANPR van. I see that one often, with the BIB on bikes/in cars at next slip road.
Always annoys me when people slam on their brakes for that one, even if their is nobody on the bridge.
>> Edited by Hangabout on Monday 13th March 23:57
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