Speed gun on a bridge over the M1

[fentuz]

Hi All,

I was travelling behind 80 and 90 (Not quite sure, was looking at the road, been told it's safer...) and was over taking a megane CC and a Fiesta... I tried to come back on middle lane but megane wouldn't let me do (As if it was upset I overtook)... I think I speed up to be in a nicer position BUT "sh$t" Volvo estate white yellow and blue... so I panicked on braked (what a stupid thing speed cameras create on driver behavior) to reduce the speed but I guess it was too late...
The megane didn't seem disturb but it didn't probably see this police car... the boxster few hundred miles ahead didn't seem bother...

well shall I worry (will I need to go to court)??? Anybody to explain how this speed check works? I thought 3signs should be displayed or you should be stopped???? From top of a bridge, is it really legal (In some EU countries, it is not)?

Cheers
Bill

[Balmoral Green]

They won't be happy until they've caused a major pile up and killed several people.

[carrotchomper]

It was a trafpol car, parked up watching for quicker/stupider people than you.

You weren't pulled.

You are fine.

How dare they park on a road though!

[catso]

Balmoral Green said:

They won't be happy until they've caused a major pile up and killed several people.

And then they'll cry 'speed kills' and be able to justify further enforcement or speed restrictions........

[vonhosen]

fentuz said:

Hi All,

I was travelling behind 80 and 90 (Not quite sure, was looking at the road, been told it's safer...) and was over taking a megane CC and a Fiesta... I tried to come back on middle lane but megane wouldn't let me do (As if it was upset I overtook)... I think I speed up to be in a nicer position BUT "sh$t" Volvo estate white yellow and blue... so I panicked on braked (what a stupid thing speed cameras create on driver behavior) to reduce the speed but I guess it was too late...
The megane didn't seem disturb but it didn't probably see this police car... the boxster few hundred miles ahead didn't seem bother...

well shall I worry (will I need to go to court)??? Anybody to explain how this speed check works? I thought 3signs should be displayed or you should be stopped???? From top of a bridge, is it really legal (In some EU countries, it is not)?

Cheers
Bill

If you could see the Boxster a few hundred miles ahead, I'm surprised you didn't see the Police car.

Perhaps only using covert vehicles would be best for speed enforcement.

[Frik]

carrotchomper said:

It was a trafpol car, parked up watching for quicker/stupider people than you.

You weren't pulled.

You are fine.

Was a lot of it going on on the M1 this afternoon.

[alphadog]

Worst possible case for 80-90 on a motorway is 3 points and £60 fine. If trafpol as opposed to a scam van then you would have probably been pulled though not very likely as speed quoted quite reasonable and sensible . Which bit of M1 was it on?

[catso]

vonhosen said:

Perhaps only using covert vehicles would be best for speed enforcement.

Perhaps a little less speed enforcement would be best? at least less speed enforcement for speed enforcement's sake, you know like the 'good old days' (pre Bliar) before technology, scamming & political correctness took over from sensible, honest policing......

[fentuz]

vonhosen said:

If you could see the Boxster a few hundred miles ahead, I'm surprised you didn't see the Police car.

sorry, I meant few hundred yards

[fentuz]

alphadog said:

Worst possible case for 80-90 on a motorway is 3 points and £60 fine. If trafpol as opposed to a scam van then you would have probably been pulled though not very likely as speed quoted quite reasonable and sensible . Which bit of M1 was it on?

It was on a little bridge in Mansfield, 2 junctions before Chesterfield. This bridge didn't seem to be "connected" with the motorway, no sliproads...
I saw the black gun on their wing minor as I was going through. I read somewhere they don't need to stop you anymore with speed gun...

Edited by fentuz on Monday 20th August 04:43

[alphadog]

fentuz said:

alphadog said:

Worst possible case for 80-90 on a motorway is 3 points and £60 fine. If trafpol as opposed to a scam van then you would have probably been pulled though not very likely as speed quoted quite reasonable and sensible . Which bit of M1 was it on?

It was on a little bridge in Mansfield, 2 junctions before Chesterfield. This bridge didn't seem to be "connected" with the motorway, no sliproads...
I saw the black gun on their wing minor as I was going through. I read somewhere they don't need to stop you anymore with speed gun...

Edited by fentuz on Monday 20th August 04:43

It was in that area that I saw one parked on the hard shoulder once pointing what looked like a LTI20/20 at the traffic out of a side window 3 or 4 years ago. Sitting in a car on the hard shoulder is not the safest activity to undertake considering the number of dedicated bays.

It's only the scammers ('Safety' camera partnerships) that send stuff through the post and you would have seen a van with a lazy fat operator salivating at the easy pickings if that was the case.

[Andrew D]

fentuz said:

I thought 3signs should be displayed or you should be stopped???? From top of a bridge, is it really legal (In some EU countries, it is not)?

My understanding is that the warning signs are only required if the camera is operated by the safety scamera partnership (so apparently not in this case) and if that partnership is availing itself of the "netting off" scheme (by which they get to keep the cash). Same goes for colouring Gatso's yellow and not hiding them behind bushes. It only requires two signs, one of which can be mounted on the camera itself, so effectively only one sign.

Whilst we're on the subject; I inadvertantly strayed into Brunstrom's backyard for a few moments a fortnight ago (heading north from Oswestry to Chester you have to pass through 15 miles of North Wales). In even that brief period I still managed to encounter one of his boys waiting in a Volvo on a southbound merge slip road, speed gunning traffic through the windscreen as they passed. (Isn't that a bit naughty? I thought they had to get out of the car.)

Happily (although I'm concerned about validating any deterrence value theory), I'd noticed the "Welcome to Wales" sign and clocked that I was entering dangerous (to the license) territory, and thus ensured that my cruise control was set to a safe (for the license) level. Which made it a lot safer for all the surrounding... errr... air occupying the otherwise deserted dual carriageway.

[havoc]

Andrew D said:

...speed gunning traffic through the windscreen as they passed. (Isn't that a bit naughty? I thought they had to get out of the car.)

I'm pretty sure it invalidates their results if they aim through glass...after all, they're using a laser and despite what the layman thinks, glass isn't completely transparent (esp. not a modern laminated windscreen!!!).

Still...doesn't surprise me anymore...

[alphadog]

Andrew D said:

fentuz said:

I thought 3signs should be displayed or you should be stopped???? From top of a bridge, is it really legal (In some EU countries, it is not)?

My understanding is that the warning signs are only required if the camera is operated by the safety scamera partnership (so apparently not in this case) and if that partnership is availing itself of the "netting off" scheme (by which they get to keep the cash). Same goes for colouring Gatso's yellow and not hiding them behind bushes. It only requires two signs, one of which can be mounted on the camera itself, so effectively only one sign.

Whilst we're on the subject; I inadvertantly strayed into Brunstrom's backyard for a few moments a fortnight ago (heading north from Oswestry to Chester you have to pass through 15 miles of North Wales). In even that brief period I still managed to encounter one of his boys waiting in a Volvo on a southbound merge slip road, speed gunning traffic through the windscreen as they passed. (Isn't that a bit naughty? I thought they had to get out of the car.)

Happily (although I'm concerned about validating any deterrence value theory), I'd noticed the "Welcome to Wales" sign and clocked that I was entering dangerous (to the license) territory, and thus ensured that my cruise control was set to a safe (for the license) level. Which made it a lot safer for all the surrounding... errr... air occupying the otherwise deserted dual carriageway.

The rules have changed now as the government takes all the cash and awards a grant to the scammer partnership - they do not have to put the signs up or make the scams visible. Those mentalists in Cumbria is one of the first to take advantage of the new rules.

Having said that passed a scam van yesterday in Derbyshire that had put a sign up well in advance. Shame it had to balls up a decent overtaking stretch - only got past 1 of the 2 vehicles I was following. Still had a nice helpful bloke in the 4WD I did overtake who left a decent gap and gave a quick blink of right hand indicator as if to warn as I pootled past at 60.

Edited by alphadog on Monday 20th August 09:53