Wednesday 10th October 2007

Police Suspend Use Of All Laser Speed Guns

...and ban officers from exceeding 100mph

---

Police in Kent have suspended use of all laser speed guns following a court case.

An email sent globally to all officers in south Kent, and leaked to a newspaper, stated: 'Following a court case at Folkestone yesterday and in liaison with the Criminal Justice Unit (traffic) a review of speed enforcement policy is to be made regarding the use of all laser speed guns in South Kent.

'Pending this review, NO further FPN's [fixed penalty notices] or summons should be issued.'

Apparently the action is force-wide.

The email was dated October 4 and said it was hoped the review would be completed within two weeks. It was signed by roads policing officer Phil Sharp and said officers would be notified of 'any changes in policy required before any further enforcement takes place'.

A second email to all south Kent officers stated that standard police drivers may not exceed 100mph.

The email, from area driving examiner Ian Clark, said: 'Standard Drivers/Riders are trained to drive/ride response vehicles up to, and not exceeding, a speed of 100mph. Therefore, Standard Drivers/Riders will be required to justify their actions if found to be travelling in excess of the 100mph speed limit. Only accredited Advanced Drivers/Riders may exceed speeds of 100mph.'

The force has not confirmed whether the suspension includes LTI 20.20 laser speed detectors used in speed camera vans.

[mr_spock]

What was the court case? Links?

[jon-]

mr_spock said:

What was the court case? Links?

Perhaps http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyI...

[carl_w]

Looks like a licence to speed in Kent, providing you avoid the fixed cameras. Kent meet for a mini-hoon this weekend?

Edited by carl_w on Wednesday 10th October 10:12

[mel]

jon- said:

mr_spock said:

What was the court case? Links?

Perhaps http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyI...

One thing I can assure you of is that Folkstone is no where near Sunderland

[Mafioso]

So it's not ALL cameras then and that email doesn't seem to be "global" if it was just to South Kent. Had me all excited there...

[Shadytree]

Anyone up for a VMAX M20 ?

[911motorsport]

I can sense the propoganda wheels are turning yet again, perhaps in preperation for the introduction of a "more reliable" way of implementing "road safety" checks.Something based on the now proven reliability of telecoms satelite technology I wonder? No wonder they rolled over on that case.

[andyuk911]

Anybody spoken to Ms Rachael Moon ? (think she has got married ..)

YOUR PARTNERSHIP CONTACT

Communications Manager
T: 01622 656395
F: 01622 656394
E: CLICK HERE

This chap is from Kent, very nice to speak too. Have to see if they are near me today and pop out and have a word..

Edited by andyuk911 on Wednesday 10th October 11:07

[mel]

Shadytree said:

Anyone up for a VMAX M20 ?

Daily

[Shadytree]

mel said:

Shadytree said:

Anyone up for a VMAX M20 ?

Daily

But limited to 142 eh

[Yoda954]

carl_w said:

Looks like a licence to speed in Kent, providing you avoid the fixed cameras. Kent meet for a mini-hoon this weekend?

Edited by carl_w on Wednesday 10th October 10:12

[andyuk911]

maybe this is a PC with a hair dryer only


Week commencing Monday 8 October 2007

Monday 8 October
Gravesham, Dartford, Maidstone, Medway, Ashford, Swale, Tonbridge & Malling, Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells.

Tuesday 9 October
Gravesham, Dartford, Maidstone, Medway, Ashford, Swale, Dover, Shepway, Tonbridge & Malling, Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells.

Wednesday 10 October
Gravesham, Dartford, Maidstone, Medway, Ashford, Swale, Dover, Shepway, Tonbridge & Malling, Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells.

Thursday 11 October
Gravesham, Dartford, Maidstone Medway, Dover, Shepway, Tonbridge & Malling, Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells.

Friday 12 October
Gravesham, Dartford, Maidstone, Medway, Canterbury, Thanet, Dover and Shepway.

Saturday 13 October
Ashford and Swale.

Sunday 14 October
Ashford, Swale, Tonbridge & Malling, Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells.

PLEASE NOTE

Throughout the week, we shall also be enforcing the Temporary Mandatory Speed Limits within the ROAD WORKS at:
A2 / M25 Dartford
A2 Gravesend
M2 Junction 5

Week commencing Monday 15 October 2007

Monday 15 October
Gravesham, Dartford, Maidstone, Medway, Ashford, Swale, Dover, Shepway, Tonbridge & Malling, Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells.

Tuesday 16 October
Gravesham, Dartford, Maidstone, Medway, Ashford, Swale, Dover, Shepway, Tonbridge & Malling, Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells.

Wednesday 17 October
Gravesham, Dartford, Maidstone, Medway, Ashford, Swale, Dover, Shepway, Tonbridge & Malling, Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells.

Thursday 18 October
Gravesham, Dartford, Medway, Ashford, Swale, Dover, Shepway, Tonbridge & Malling, Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells.

Friday 19 October
Gravesham, Dartford, Medway, Ashford, Swale, Dover, Shepway, Tonbridge & Malling, Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells.

Saturday 20 October
Maidstone.

Sunday 21 October
Maidstone.

PLEASE NOTE

Throughout the week, we shall also be enforcing the Temporary Mandatory Speed Limits within the ROAD WORKS at:
A2 / M25 Dartford
A2 Gravesend
M2 Junction 5

Although our enforcement activity is concentrated at sites where speed related crashes are known to occur, from time to time we will operate at sites where speeding and its consequences have generated concern among the local community. Whilst we endeavour to inform road users of the locations where our camera teams will be working, operational
practicalities may result in changes to enforcement locations.

Fixed site cameras are in daily use and may be supplemented by our mobile camera teams.

Speed limits are in force at all times, not just on the occasions when our camera teams are in attendance.

[fastfreddy]

andyuk911 said:

Speed limits are in force at all times, not just on the occasions when our camera teams are in attendance.

Ah, shucks. There goes my defence...

[mattiselvis]

Not knowing anything about police training, how come ordinary police drivers can go up to 100mph? I thought normal plebians were incapable of controlling motor vehicles over 70? Or is this a tacit admission that 70mph is an arbitrary limit with no rational basis?

[crmcatee]

Bit of a generalisation on where they're going to be monitoring - it used to list the actual road but it seem no longer..

andyuk911 said:

maybe this is a PC with a hair dryer only


Although our enforcement activity is concentrated at sites where speed related crashes are known to occur, from time to time we will operate at sites where speeding and its consequences have generated concern among the local community. Whilst we endeavour to inform road users of the locations where our camera teams will be working, operationalpracticalities may result in changes to enforcement locations.

I read this as - when our revenue targets for the month are getting low we're going to park up at a location where people think they've seen people speeding and catch you out there.


If we must have cameras (and the powers at be seem to think we do need them), personally I'ld like to see all the speed camera warning signs removed and only put there in places where there are actually cameras. This would also mean that occasional scamera vans would have to put up a sign a good distance ahead of them to give warning to people that there is a camera ahead. No sign = no camera, a sign = a camera.

This will give them what they want - a huge reduction in speeding offences as people will take notice of the occasional signs intend of ignoring the speed camera sign that they passed about 10 miles before whilst driving through a village somewhere.

Perhaps it's just me getting overwhelmed with the amount of signage on the roads nowadays.

[JayKaybi]

crmcatee said:

If we must have cameras (and the powers at be seem to think we do need them), personally I'ld like to see all the speed camera warning signs removed and only put there in places where there are actually cameras. This would also mean that occasional scamera vans would have to put up a sign a good distance ahead of them to give warning to people that there is a camera ahead. No sign = no camera, a sign = a camera.

I agree - it bugs me to hell that there are permanent camera signs, with the supposed single purpose of warning of a camera, in places where there may only be a camera for a few days a year.

It's simple - if there's no fixed camera, then it is no use saying 'well you were warned, sir' in a condecending arschehole tone if the boy who cried wolf effect is being so heavily abused. But then, they (those whose idea it is to fleece motorists behaving perfectly safely whilst diverting resources from apprehending the dangerous) know that, and they don't care because either they like to feign ignorance or really are just stupid twerps. And it's to their advantage. The c***s.


Oh dear, there's the rage again...

I don't like scameras...

[Peter Ward]

mattiselvis said:

Not knowing anything about police training, how come ordinary police drivers can go up to 100mph? I thought normal plebians were incapable of controlling motor vehicles over 70? Or is this a tacit admission that 70mph is an arbitrary limit with no rational basis?

...like the 100mph limit for ordinary police then?

I hope it simply means that they recognise that, with some additional training and experience, it's possible to drive at a higher speed with no appreciable increased impact on road safety. Which is what we've been trying to say for years...

[Fittster]

JayKaybi said:

crmcatee said:

If we must have cameras (and the powers at be seem to think we do need them), personally I'ld like to see all the speed camera warning signs removed and only put there in places where there are actually cameras. This would also mean that occasional scamera vans would have to put up a sign a good distance ahead of them to give warning to people that there is a camera ahead. No sign = no camera, a sign = a camera.

I agree - it bugs me to hell that there are permanent camera signs, with the supposed single purpose of warning of a camera, in places where there may only be a camera for a few days a year.

It's simple - if there's no fixed camera, then it is no use saying 'well you were warned, sir' in a condecending arschehole tone if the boy who cried wolf effect is being so heavily abused. But then, they (those whose idea it is to fleece motorists behaving perfectly safely whilst diverting resources from apprehending the dangerous) know that, and they don't care because either they like to feign ignorance or really are just stupid twerps. And it's to their advantage. The c***s.


Oh dear, there's the rage again...

I don't like scameras...

According to Nick Freeman you are safe from cameras during the postal strike.

[JustinP1]

Fittster said:

JayKaybi said:

crmcatee said:

If we must have cameras (and the powers at be seem to think we do need them), personally I'ld like to see all the speed camera warning signs removed and only put there in places where there are actually cameras. This would also mean that occasional scamera vans would have to put up a sign a good distance ahead of them to give warning to people that there is a camera ahead. No sign = no camera, a sign = a camera.

I agree - it bugs me to hell that there are permanent camera signs, with the supposed single purpose of warning of a camera, in places where there may only be a camera for a few days a year.

It's simple - if there's no fixed camera, then it is no use saying 'well you were warned, sir' in a condecending arschehole tone if the boy who cried wolf effect is being so heavily abused. But then, they (those whose idea it is to fleece motorists behaving perfectly safely whilst diverting resources from apprehending the dangerous) know that, and they don't care because either they like to feign ignorance or really are just stupid twerps. And it's to their advantage. The c***s.


Oh dear, there's the rage again...

I don't like scameras...

According to Nick Freeman you are safe from cameras during the postal strike.

Not quite...

If your NIP is delayed past the 14 days then he suggests that the NIP is invalid.

The fact that your local postie isnt at work unfortunately doenst mean the guys with hairdryers are too! Though it would be nice.

What about a Scamera strike?

[JonRB]

Mafioso said:

So it's not ALL cameras then and that email doesn't seem to be "global" if it was just to South Kent. Had me all excited there...

Just what I was thinking when I read the article - how can it be both global and confined to just South Kent?