Unmarked Police camera cars

[smitchen]

Has anyone experience unmarked police cars and know rules regards stopping motorists?
I was driving south on the M6(1st lane)near Penrith cruising between 75 to 80 Mph.

An unmarked vehicle pulled in front of me for a few seconds and began to slow down. I indicated to pull out to the second lane and overtake.
As I got closer I noticed a camera in the rear window. I continued passed at around 74 Mph and pull back to the first lane at 70 Mph.
The police vehicle then accelerated into the 3rd lane and pulled away.
If they had evidence I was speeding, were they oblidged to pull me over or can they just use their camera data and send me a speeding fine ?

I have a clean license and I'm very worried.

[shuvitupya]

smitchen said:

If they had evidence I was speeding, were they oblidged to pull me over or can they just use their camera data and send me a speeding fine ?

I have a clean license and I'm very worried.

They can just send a NIP in the post, and don't have to stop you.
Any evidence will be on video along with VASCAR speed measurements.

If you are within 10% of the speed limit, it's unlikely you will hear anything, unless you were using a phone or eating spaghetti at the time.

[xxplod]

An unmarked will not be interested in much below 90 on a motorway unless there is something else amiss or poor driving.

[R_U_LOCAL]

Sounds like an ANPR car rather than a speed camera.

Speed enforcement cameras are only operated from stationary vehicles.

[smitchen]

Thanks for the rapid response guys but I'm still worried and I don;t know what a 'ANPR car' is.
My sat nav shows a 3 MPH slower than my speeedo.

Surely if an officer knows you are exceeding the speed limit, it's he's duty to stop you and inform you ?

[R_U_LOCAL]

smitchen said:

Thanks for the rapid response guys but I'm still worried and I don;t know what a 'ANPR car' is.
My sat nav shows a 3 MPH slower than my speeedo.

Surely if an officer knows you are exceeding the speed limit, it's he's duty to stop you and inform you ?

Automatic NumberPlate Recognition. They check against Police and DVLA records and flag up uninsured drivers, dodgy vehicles, etc.

[aw51 121565]

R_U_LOCAL said:

smitchen said:

Thanks for the rapid response guys but I'm still worried and I don;t know what a 'ANPR car' is.
My sat nav shows a 3 MPH slower than my speeedo.

Surely if an officer knows you are exceeding the speed limit, it's he's duty to stop you and inform you ?

Automatic NumberPlate Recognition. They check against Police and DVLA records and flag up uninsured drivers, dodgy vehicles, etc.

Not all the databases used are 'live' - the one with cars' insurance details that is used is a saved copy of an earlier download. If you have insured your car after the last download was taken, you *may* have the devil's own job preventing your car being seized and then having to pay to get it back if the policeman that pulls you acts on teh databse and not on your paper certificate (it's unusual but not unknown on here).

Then there is the delay between taxing the car you've just put back on the road and said 'taxed' status appearing on the relevant database - if you fall foul of this one you'll get a pull. Then a polieman's discretion comes in - which just goes to prove that automated policing will never work .

As long as policemen use their discretion, then ANPR is good .

[Peter Ward]

smitchen said:

Surely if an officer knows you are exceeding the speed limit, it's he's duty to stop you and inform you ?

No, I don't believe it's his duty to stop and inform you. He may decide to stop and prosecute you if he thinks it's good use of his time (eg. you were way over, or a bit over but also dangerous), but there's no reason why he would want simply to inform you.