Speed trap curiosity

[VW_Hutch]

Was driving along the M8 today to work and noticed a traffic cop car sitting on the opposite joining slip road to the motorway and they had the passenger window open with the dredded hair dryer.
Question it are they trying to speed trap a slip road?
I've put a picture (big arrow where they were sitting smf small where they were ponting the camera) of where they were sitting and it's strange as I am pretty certain they can't have been speed trapping the other side of the motorway.

[OutInTheShed]

Perhaps just making their presence known on a fast downhill slip road?

[littleredrooster]

Surely they would have been monitoring the carriageway at that side, not the slip road? If you've just driven past a Police car on a slip road, the last thing you'd do is speed?

[Scrump]

littleredrooster said:

Surely they would have been monitoring the carriageway at that side, not the slip road? If you've just driven past a Police car on a slip road, the last thing you'd do is speed?

This.
Unless I misunderstand the OP’s description it seems to me they were monitoring speed on the carriageway whilst being unobserved parked on the slip road. If they detected a speeding motorist they could join the carriageway in hot pursuit.

[VW_Hutch]

Scrump said:

littleredrooster said:

Surely they would have been monitoring the carriageway at that side, not the slip road? If you've just driven past a Police car on a slip road, the last thing you'd do is speed?

This.
Unless I misunderstand the OP’s description it seems to me they were monitoring speed on the carriageway whilst being unobserved parked on the slip road. If they detected a speeding motorist they could join the carriageway in hot pursuit.

Yeh my wording wasn't the best but I was thinking they must have been speed trapping that side of the carriageway. Just seems a strange place to sit but it's hidden I suppose.
I assume they can't then speed trap the opposite side to them

[Oilchange]

Maybe their fast pursuit car is parker just out of view on the slip road?

[anonymous-user]

Scrump said:

This.
Unless I misunderstand the OP’s description it seems to me they were monitoring speed on the carriageway whilst being unobserved parked on the slip road. If they detected a speeding motorist they could join the carriageway in hot pursuit.

This. In the days before speed cameras existed, this was a favoured place for police with hand held detectors to sit, to the extent that I remember regularly slowing through motorway junctions and checking the slip road ramp in my mirrors.

[NMNeil]

Perfect place to park.
The drivers heading towards you (the OP) can't see the police until it's too late to avoid a ticket, and radar/laser detectors work for both approaching and receding cars.

[Durzel]

They will pick up an egregious speeder, join the carriageway and race up behind them and do a follow check. Pretty simple chain of events.

[EU_Foreigner]

Think the OP is more concerned that they were checking his side of the motorway

[codenamecueball]

Very fast section of the M8 sometimes, I've seen people doing in excess of a ton towards Glasgow down there, unsurprised it would be a target for actual speed enforcement.

[sospan]

A few years back my commute was M4 past Port Talbot. As well as the fixed cameras ( now an average speed zone) you would occasionally spot a camera van on a road overlooking the raised on stilts section. Purpose, I guess, was to catch speeding vehicles who slowed as they approached the static cameras set for the 50 limit.
I think they also tried a camera on a tripod on a footpath overlooking the carriageway.

[Far Cough]

Durzel said:

They will pick up an egregious speeder, join the carriageway and race up behind them and do a follow check. Pretty simple chain of events.

No need if the gun has already registered the excessive speed. It usually gets thrown in the back where the speed its recorded stays visible until reset or someone accidently presses the trigger when picking it back up again to show the person stopped !!!!!

[4rephill]

Oilchange said:

Maybe their fast pursuit car is parker just out of view on the slip road?

[grumpyscot]

This is a regular tactic used on the A1 dual carriageway at the Gladsmuir junction about 12 miles east of Edinburgh. I've even seen the cop car reverse up the slip road to join the opposing side to go after speeders. Locals to East Lothian know the tactic and its always at that particular junction. But relative strangers are regularly caught - one recently at 120mph and many at 90+

[VW_Hutch]

grumpyscot said:

This is a regular tactic used on the A1 dual carriageway at the Gladsmuir junction about 12 miles east of Edinburgh. I've even seen the cop car reverse up the slip road to join the opposing side to go after speeders. Locals to East Lothian know the tactic and its always at that particular junction. But relative strangers are regularly caught - one recently at 120mph and many at 90+

Caught by drivers on the same side if you get me?
As in drivers on the otherwise towards them are fine but passing on that side so thwt they end up behind if that makes sense

[hoegaardenruls]

That's exactly how I got pulled on the M74 a few years back - I've noticed them there a few time since..

[NMNeil]

4rephill said:

Oilchange said:

Maybe their fast pursuit car is parker just out of view on the slip road?

Or the officer on the slip road radios to a colleague further up the road who actually conducts the stop.
Fairly common here.

[Biggus thingus]

Parked on that slip road could they:

Be causing an obstruction?

Blocking a lane as no layby on the slip road?

While potentially sat there for hours waiting to keep the motorway safe if someone cruises by at a dangerous speed?

[Durzel]

I’m sure there’s some more straws you could clutch at.