do the lasers work on corners ?
Discussion
ok, its a fair cop guv - M40 coming round a bend under 90 when I spot plod with speed measuring device on the bend. Hit the brakes, down to 70 in a flash go past with plod wagging his finger at me which I acknowledge with an 'ooops' kind of wave. I am now waiting the 14 days to see if he got me....
The question is, this was on a bend, with plod parked just past the apex of the radius on the hard shoulder and me approaching in the outside lane around the bend. So if he lasered me (and not sure that he did as other traffic was inside me) will it be even more innacurate than usual due to my angle of approach to him ?
The question is, this was on a bend, with plod parked just past the apex of the radius on the hard shoulder and me approaching in the outside lane around the bend. So if he lasered me (and not sure that he did as other traffic was inside me) will it be even more innacurate than usual due to my angle of approach to him ?
bigdods said:This sounds like the 'cosign effect', where your measured speed will be lower than your actual if your direction of travel during the speed measurement is not directly towards the speedmeter. This is always in favour of the motorist, but the angle needs be be fairly large for the effect to be significant.
So if he lasered me (and not sure that he did as other traffic was inside me) will it be even more innacurate than usual due to my angle of approach to him ?
targarama said:
They sit on the hard shoulder on a nice left hand bend Southbound between the A34/Bicester junction and the Oxford Services junction. Crafty. They've been doing this for a long time so I assume they are getting valid readings which are accepted by the courts.
Or no one is bothering to challenge it. Do they sit in their cars when they take the readings?
targarama said:
They sit on the hard shoulder on a nice left hand bend Southbound between the A34/Bicester junction and the Oxford Services junction. Crafty. They've been doing this for a long time so I assume they are getting valid readings which are accepted by the courts.
Thats the one ! I will know better next time. I wasnt exactly hooning along , not much faster than the other traffic (what little there was) , but if they got me then so be it, fair cop I guess.
He was doing all lthe right things, outside the car, in his yellow jacket but without his hat for some reason - he must have had a flipping cold head !
he finger wagging was non verbal but he was also shouting something which I couldnt hear (obviously) and took the wise decision not to lip read being the sensitive type ;-)
Obviously no one likes to be done for speed when there is little traffic around but where was plod when we hit the fog bank at the Oxford cutting near stokenchurch when I was down to 40mph as I couldnt see safely to go any faster yet the numptys who had earlier been doing 80 just carried on at 80 stright through it. Very scary. but oh its ok they will be perfectly safe as they have their foglights on......
Couple of questions:
- I thought the hard shoulder was for use only in emergencies. Were they on the hard shoulder or on one of their special raised areas just off the hard shoulder? If the former, isn't it illegal?
- I understood that the camera/laser operator had to form an opinion of excess speed before taking the reading. How can they do that if they are hidden around a bend and take a reading just as you are coming around the bend?
- I thought the hard shoulder was for use only in emergencies. Were they on the hard shoulder or on one of their special raised areas just off the hard shoulder? If the former, isn't it illegal?
- I understood that the camera/laser operator had to form an opinion of excess speed before taking the reading. How can they do that if they are hidden around a bend and take a reading just as you are coming around the bend?
Following "Jared_M" thread "ACPO guidlines" had a quick look at the "Code of Practice" used to "ensure the evidential chain" - It (www.acpo.police.uk/asp/policies/Data/RPET%20Manual%20version%202-3.pdf) says:
(14.1) The handheld devices, on occasions, have the appearance of a firearm. It is therefore important that this fact is borne in mind when operating such units. The operator must be clearly visible to the public and the target vehicle throughout the check. Devices should be operated in accordance with manufacturers instructions.
(14.2) Operators should bear in mind the device confirms and corroborates their prior personal observations and opinion.
(14.4) When operating hand-held devices from the roadside the operator should be within 10 feet of the edge of the carriageway and beyond the minimum operating range (i.e. 50 feet).
I was wondering how these roadside motorway / DC checks meet these codes of practice. N.Yorkshire have a favourite hiding place at the A1 / A64 junction that breaches 14.1 & 14.4 and most likely 14.2 but still they continue.
Interested to hear any further comments
(14.1) The handheld devices, on occasions, have the appearance of a firearm. It is therefore important that this fact is borne in mind when operating such units. The operator must be clearly visible to the public and the target vehicle throughout the check. Devices should be operated in accordance with manufacturers instructions.
(14.2) Operators should bear in mind the device confirms and corroborates their prior personal observations and opinion.
(14.4) When operating hand-held devices from the roadside the operator should be within 10 feet of the edge of the carriageway and beyond the minimum operating range (i.e. 50 feet).
I was wondering how these roadside motorway / DC checks meet these codes of practice. N.Yorkshire have a favourite hiding place at the A1 / A64 junction that breaches 14.1 & 14.4 and most likely 14.2 but still they continue.
Interested to hear any further comments
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