Do I need to worry?
Author
Discussion

jesusbuiltmycar

Original Poster:

5,134 posts

284 months

Tuesday 18th October 2005
quotequote all
Travelling donw the M3 from Basingstoke, I spotted a policeman on a motorway bridge (junction 7), stood outside his car holding a laser gun.....

I glanced down at the speedo and it was reading about 80, so I slowed down...

Should I expect a NIP? or is this the kind of speed trap where the plod will pursue an offender for a roadside chat???

ashes

628 posts

284 months

Tuesday 18th October 2005
quotequote all
If your cars fairly modern, 80 = about 73 in real money so sweat not!

Ken

MR2Mike

20,143 posts

285 months

Tuesday 18th October 2005
quotequote all
Where does this theory come from that all modern cars read exactly 10% high? The law states only that they must be accurate to -0% +10%. I recently have driven a brand new Mondeo hire car that read significantly over 10%, showing around 100mph at an indicated 85mph on my GPS. My Civic is virtualy bang on at 80mph, about half a needles width overreading.

Dwight VanDriver

6,583 posts

274 months

Tuesday 18th October 2005
quotequote all
No brown envelope received by last post on 1st November 2005 then sigh of relief.

Sounds doubtful and above should confirm.

dvd

>> Edited by Dwight VanDriver on Tuesday 18th October 16:00

smeggy

3,241 posts

269 months

Tuesday 18th October 2005
quotequote all
MR2Mike said:
Where does this theory come from that all modern cars read exactly 10% high? The law states only that they must be accurate to -0% +10%. I recently have driven a brand new Mondeo hire car that read significantly over 10%, showing around 100mph at an indicated 85mph on my GPS. My Civic is virtualy bang on at 80mph, about half a needles width overreading.
I would say that the manufacturers aim for plus 5% over-read.
Tolerances of the speedo mechanics, tyre wear and other factors will likely have a significant impact on the reading, but usually not by more than plus/minus 5%.
Hence speedos should over-read by 0-10%.


MR2Mike, how did you manage to display the ‘plus’ character? Is it one of those ‘alt-xxx-enter’ combo moves?

Pigeon

18,535 posts

276 months

Tuesday 18th October 2005
quotequote all
Shift-equals does it for me. +++++++++++

MR2Mike

20,143 posts

285 months

Tuesday 18th October 2005
quotequote all
Pigeon said:
Shift-equals does it for me. +++++++++++


Me too '+' has been there next to the backspace key on virtualy every UK PC keyboard I've ever used!

2 Smokin Barrels

32,033 posts

265 months

Tuesday 18th October 2005
quotequote all
I'd contact the manufacturer of your car for help.

just in case

smeggy

3,241 posts

269 months

Tuesday 18th October 2005
quotequote all
Pigeon said:
Shift-equals does it for me. +++++++++++

Duh!
I just found out what has been going on. The post preview function does not show the ++++++++ so I assumed it didn't work, but it obviously does when submitted.


>> Edited by smeggy on Tuesday 18th October 23:13

mojocvh

16,837 posts

292 months

Tuesday 18th October 2005
quotequote all
Make that the M6 in cumbria and yes you would be right to be worried.................

Mojo

jesusbuiltmycar

Original Poster:

5,134 posts

284 months

Wednesday 19th October 2005
quotequote all
So do hand held speed guns record video/photographic data??

Do speed traps where the policeman checks a car for speeding, then chases after said vehicle and pulls itover exist anymore????

justinp1

13,363 posts

260 months

Wednesday 19th October 2005
quotequote all
2 Smokin Barrels said:
I'd contact the manufacturer of your car for help.

just in case


I second that!

jesusbuiltmycar

Original Poster:

5,134 posts

284 months

Wednesday 2nd November 2005
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Well it's been over 2 weeks and no NIP so I gues I am off the hook.

justinp1

13,363 posts

260 months

Wednesday 2nd November 2005
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Cool. I know to contact the manufacturer of your car next time I have a similar problem!

jaykaybi

3,494 posts

251 months

Wednesday 2nd November 2005
quotequote all
Jesusbuiltmycar -

So do hand held speed guns record video/photographic data??

Do speed traps where the policeman checks a car for speeding, then chases after said vehicle and pulls itover exist anymore????



I was hit by a radar in a 30 zone and pulled over by way of waving frantically just a couple of days ago. Don't know if this is relevant to motorways. Anyway I enquired about whether or not there was supposed to be some form of warning back down the road to indicate Plod's presence, he said the radar gun's got no camera function so no. All it shows is a digital speed readout. I'm guessing that if I hadn't stopped he'd have jumped in his panda and chased me!

I presume it's possible that the ones used on motorways have plate readers too , maybe a resident Bib would like to comment?


*edited for appalling grammar


>> Edited by jaykaybi on Wednesday 2nd November 16:05

>> Edited by jaykaybi on Wednesday 2nd November 16:06

Runflat

79 posts

252 months

Wednesday 2nd November 2005
quotequote all
In my experience 80 is not a problem, the officer on the bridge reads the speeds of the cars, usually only takes an interest in cars doing over 85-90, and then calls the car description onto another officer waiting further down. You don't need to worry about late summonses, but when they pull you over for speeding and don't have a photo of it, they rely on expert witness (police officer) to charge you.

The new on-board systems read every number plate that passes and flashes up and cars without tax/involved in burglary/previously stolen in about a second, and they'll chase you then.