Caught Speeding From Inside Traffic Car
Discussion
I was chatting to a taxi driver today who was caught 'speeding' today at quarter to midnight on the usual 70mph to 40mph road which was all but deserted. He insists he wasn't speeding and intends to fight it. He asked about the calibration certificate which the traffic cops didn't have on them - would this be normal? i.e. are they stored somewhere else? They advised him that 'they are calibrated all the time'. The officer who clocked him was also seated within the traffic vehicle as opposed to being stood by the roadside. Is this still permissible?
Thanks,
Martin
Thanks,
Martin
Martin_M said:
I was chatting to a taxi driver today who was caught 'speeding' today at quarter to midnight on the usual 70mph to 40mph road which was all but deserted. He insists he wasn't speeding and intends to fight it. He asked about the calibration certificate which the traffic cops didn't have on them - would this be normal? i.e. are they stored somewhere else? They advised him that 'they are calibrated all the time'. The officer who clocked him was also seated within the traffic vehicle as opposed to being stood by the roadside. Is this still permissible?
Thanks,
Martin
No problem with the cop being inside the car - no requirement to be stood outside. Don't believe calibration certificates need to be kept in the car. And any half decent traffpol will calibrate the gun before he leaves at the start of the shift without fail.Thanks,
Martin
Thanks for that. Just had a look at the following link which states that officer should be on foot?
The more I read it, the more I wondered about my own recent speeding prosecution - I was surrounded by a number of other vehicles when caught with a laser gun but didn't consider this at the time - I was speeding so I guess it's irrelevant but I wonder how that sort of argument stands up in court.
http://www.qebholliswhiteman.co.uk/articles-pdfs/h...
The more I read it, the more I wondered about my own recent speeding prosecution - I was surrounded by a number of other vehicles when caught with a laser gun but didn't consider this at the time - I was speeding so I guess it's irrelevant but I wonder how that sort of argument stands up in court.
http://www.qebholliswhiteman.co.uk/articles-pdfs/h...
Martin_M said:
ging84 said:
I can find you a link which will tell you the road traffic act is a contract you can opt out of and then you can never be given a speeding ticket. If it would make it seem more legitimate I could charge you £15.99 to find how
what?
Osinjak said:
Martin_M said:
ging84 said:
I can find you a link which will tell you the road traffic act is a contract you can opt out of and then you can never be given a speeding ticket. If it would make it seem more legitimate I could charge you £15.99 to find how
what?There is an awful lot of bulls
t, and a lot of people trying to sell that bullstging84 said:
My point was a link to something on the internet does mean its true
There is an awful lot of bullst, and a lot of people trying to sell that bullst
Indeed, but the link in question is from a London Barristers which I considered would be more factual than much of the drivel on-line.There is an awful lot of bulls
t, and a lot of people trying to sell that bullstIf you read further on in that link, it does tell you the difference between radar speed detection devices and laser speed detection devices. Laser based devices can be used from within the car but only out of an open window - in practice, it is easier to stand outside the car but not always possible or safe.
In terms of other vehicles being around - if the device doesn't like the reading it gets back, it shows an error message and you will generally find that if the other vehicles are that closely packed - the device won't lock on at all.
Calibration certificates will be held at whichever base the officer is from although normally the device will also have the next date of calibration written on it. General practice is for the certificates to be produced at court should it be necessary.
In terms of other vehicles being around - if the device doesn't like the reading it gets back, it shows an error message and you will generally find that if the other vehicles are that closely packed - the device won't lock on at all.
Calibration certificates will be held at whichever base the officer is from although normally the device will also have the next date of calibration written on it. General practice is for the certificates to be produced at court should it be necessary.
Mk3Spitfire said:
No problem with the cop being inside the car - no requirement to be stood outside. Don't believe calibration certificates need to be kept in the car. And any half decent traffpol will calibrate the gun before he leaves at the start of the shift without fail.
How does a policeman calibrate the gun?barbalar said:
If you read further on in that link, it does tell you the difference between radar speed detection devices and laser speed detection devices. Laser based devices can be used from within the car but only out of an open window - in practice, it is easier to stand outside the car but not always possible or safe.
In terms of other vehicles being around - if the device doesn't like the reading it gets back, it shows an error message and you will generally find that if the other vehicles are that closely packed - the device won't lock on at all.
Calibration certificates will be held at whichever base the officer is from although normally the device will also have the next date of calibration written on it. General practice is for the certificates to be produced at court should it be necessary.
With regard to other vehicles being in the vicinity - could it not be argued that given the close proximity of other vehicles, it is plausible that the laser may well have bounced off an another vehicle? Also, with regard to officers using a laser gun from inside their vehicle (I hadn't read that in the link - thanks for pointing out)how could you ever prove that they had switched their radios off? It would be interesting to find out how many officers actually do so when targeting speeders.In terms of other vehicles being around - if the device doesn't like the reading it gets back, it shows an error message and you will generally find that if the other vehicles are that closely packed - the device won't lock on at all.
Calibration certificates will be held at whichever base the officer is from although normally the device will also have the next date of calibration written on it. General practice is for the certificates to be produced at court should it be necessary.
The radios do not need to be turned off, just placed into TXI mode which prevents it transmitting. The officer does daily checks of the laser (the lasers are sent off for yearly calibration which then they are given the cert for, which as mentioned is kept at the station).
The daily checks consist of checking the laser against a calibrated known distance and checking the laser is lined up with the aiming dot.
Sitting in the car with the window down and radios in TXI is not an issue.
The daily checks consist of checking the laser against a calibrated known distance and checking the laser is lined up with the aiming dot.
Sitting in the car with the window down and radios in TXI is not an issue.
barbalar said:
If you read further on in that link, it does tell you the difference between radar speed detection devices and laser speed detection devices. Laser based devices can be used from within the car but only out of an open window -
How the hell do you hold the camera steady whilst twisting your body through 90deg?mybrainhurts said:
barbalar said:
If you read further on in that link, it does tell you the difference between radar speed detection devices and laser speed detection devices. Laser based devices can be used from within the car but only out of an open window -
How the hell do you hold the camera steady whilst twisting your body through 90deg?Forums | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff