Queens Drive, Ossett - Beware
Discussion
As you'll see from the moved thread about getting nicked for speeding on this road - when I wasn't, I just wondered if anyone else has has an incident here?.
I went to the Police station to take my documents in on Sunday and bumped into a neighbour - same story, adamant he wasn't speeding, same copper, same road, exactly the same speed and within 24hrs of each other. I just wondered if there was a catalogue of people with the same story?. The neighbour had his elderly mother and young daughter in the car and his mother was as dumbfounded as he was to get a pull. He said he would contest it and was told "I wouldn't do that Sir, you'll get more points and a bigger fine"!.
I'm aware "Police Speed Check Area" signs went up just before Christmas and have seen a lot of cars pulled in the last 3 weeks which is exactly why I was being particularly cautious. The other point of note is that the signs are only visible from one direction, the other way, from Horbury and Ossett there's nothing, not until you've passed the car parked up and who was moving when I got the bogus reading anyway!. I've been back and taken photos from where the car was and to point the handheld device at a car you have to aim through 3 sets of railings, can't see how an accurate reading is at all possible!
So beware - avoid the road unless you've a solicitor/police officer in the car with you!.
I went to the Police station to take my documents in on Sunday and bumped into a neighbour - same story, adamant he wasn't speeding, same copper, same road, exactly the same speed and within 24hrs of each other. I just wondered if there was a catalogue of people with the same story?. The neighbour had his elderly mother and young daughter in the car and his mother was as dumbfounded as he was to get a pull. He said he would contest it and was told "I wouldn't do that Sir, you'll get more points and a bigger fine"!.
I'm aware "Police Speed Check Area" signs went up just before Christmas and have seen a lot of cars pulled in the last 3 weeks which is exactly why I was being particularly cautious. The other point of note is that the signs are only visible from one direction, the other way, from Horbury and Ossett there's nothing, not until you've passed the car parked up and who was moving when I got the bogus reading anyway!. I've been back and taken photos from where the car was and to point the handheld device at a car you have to aim through 3 sets of railings, can't see how an accurate reading is at all possible!
So beware - avoid the road unless you've a solicitor/police officer in the car with you!.
Coming down from the Horbury/Ossett end, before the fish shop on the left and before the crossroads where Towngate crosses with Queens Drive.. There's a left turn called Hinchcliffe Avenue. I wish I knew how to post the pictures as the railings block a clear line of sight and are placed in such a way you I can't see how you could ever get an accurate reading with any speed gun. A mate who's an electronics tech with the BBC recons they're perfect radar reflectors and could well have been reading vehicles travelling in the opposite direction.
Edited by Carstudio on Tuesday 6th January 12:51
Looking at those pics and knowing how a laser gun works assuming the pull entailed tracking you through the railings and tracking across the actual railings so achieving a car-railing-car-railing-car etc. Result then I would assume based purely on physics that the result can't be relied upon to be anything other than wrong, it will be picking up signals bounced back from the railings and the car, the fact that the railings are much closer will result in fast and slow results as the gun reads the pulses coming back in from the different distances.
If you genuinely were at or under the speed limit I would fight it on principle but would suggest with a decent solicitor and anyone with a technical knowledge in laser systems you should get off that one.
If you genuinely were at or under the speed limit I would fight it on principle but would suggest with a decent solicitor and anyone with a technical knowledge in laser systems you should get off that one.
I've handed in my licence as I asked the policewoman on the desk if I went to court and the judge ruled in favour of the Police (expected!) would I have to pick up the court costs for both sides, she said she didn't know. Unfortunately I can't afford financially to take the risk. I have filled in a Police complaint form with photos for what it's worth.
Unfortunately I don't have much faith in the court system. About 20 years ago I was overtaken by an electrical contractors van with a length of 1 inch conduit on the roof, unfortunately it extended to the front of the bonnet and wasn't secured. As he came past the conduit took off my door mirror and scratched the bonnet. I followed him to the old Systime computer building near where the White Rose center is now. I explained what he'd done and he tore off a piece of card from some electrical fitting in his van and started writing down his details, then he paused and told me to f*ck off and sped off!. I eventually ended up ringing my boss whose car I was in and he said go to the cops. I did this and long story short the Police took action against him (not me) and asked me to attend court as a witness. We went to Morley where he was convicted, his brief stood up and said before sentence was passed could he point out his client would lose his licence as he had previous for speeding/running a red light and dangerous driving!.
Months later the Police contacted me and asked if I'd attend the High Court in Leeds as he'd appealed!. I took time from work and when he was being cross examined I thought - Jesus, the barrister for the Police is pissed!. The van driver claimed he'd never met me before and that I'd damaged my bosses car, parked up and waited for someone to drive passed to peg it on!.
Unlike the previous barrister he never brought up how come I'd had a piece of card with his details on that just happened to be torn from some electrical supplies he had in his van but when the barrister asked "can you explain what happened when you stopped at the Sistine Chapel?" the whole court room errupted in hysterics!. At the lunch brake I told the Police officer I was with that the van driver was going to get off, "no he's not" he replied.
He did - all charges dropped - he must have p*ssed himself when he got home!.
So as you can see (eventually!), I'v not got a lot of confidence in the judicial system!
Unfortunately I don't have much faith in the court system. About 20 years ago I was overtaken by an electrical contractors van with a length of 1 inch conduit on the roof, unfortunately it extended to the front of the bonnet and wasn't secured. As he came past the conduit took off my door mirror and scratched the bonnet. I followed him to the old Systime computer building near where the White Rose center is now. I explained what he'd done and he tore off a piece of card from some electrical fitting in his van and started writing down his details, then he paused and told me to f*ck off and sped off!. I eventually ended up ringing my boss whose car I was in and he said go to the cops. I did this and long story short the Police took action against him (not me) and asked me to attend court as a witness. We went to Morley where he was convicted, his brief stood up and said before sentence was passed could he point out his client would lose his licence as he had previous for speeding/running a red light and dangerous driving!.
Months later the Police contacted me and asked if I'd attend the High Court in Leeds as he'd appealed!. I took time from work and when he was being cross examined I thought - Jesus, the barrister for the Police is pissed!. The van driver claimed he'd never met me before and that I'd damaged my bosses car, parked up and waited for someone to drive passed to peg it on!.
Unlike the previous barrister he never brought up how come I'd had a piece of card with his details on that just happened to be torn from some electrical supplies he had in his van but when the barrister asked "can you explain what happened when you stopped at the Sistine Chapel?" the whole court room errupted in hysterics!. At the lunch brake I told the Police officer I was with that the van driver was going to get off, "no he's not" he replied.
He did - all charges dropped - he must have p*ssed himself when he got home!.
So as you can see (eventually!), I'v not got a lot of confidence in the judicial system!
Edited by Carstudio on Tuesday 6th January 16:57
I travel that road most days. I'l be carefull.
Have a look on http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?http://forums....
Russ.
Have a look on http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?http://forums....
Russ.
looking at those pics there is no way he could have got an accurate reading and think you should appeal against it, if he was parked where you say he was then you have a good case, if he was parked lower down then he was illegally parked so you have quite a strong argument.
My advice is to fight it if you are 100% sure you were not speeding ! I will buy you a beer if you win !
My advice is to fight it if you are 100% sure you were not speeding ! I will buy you a beer if you win !
That was around August I think... We both drive down the road every day, now veeery slowly 
I've commuted on that road for about 15yrs and never once seen an accident, but apparently the Police are inforcing the limit "due to the large number of accident"!!!. Wouldn't mind a pull if I'd been speeding but this........!.
I spoke to a client yesterday who's got 9 points in 12mths - once at 33mph and twice at 34mph all from static cameras, and they say it's not about revenue!.
I spoke to a client yesterday who's got 9 points in 12mths - once at 33mph and twice at 34mph all from static cameras, and they say it's not about revenue!.
Carstudio said:
Coming down from the Horbury/Ossett end, before the fish shop on the left and before the crossroads where Towngate crosses with Queens Drive.. There's a left turn called Hinchcliffe Avenue. I wish I knew how to post the pictures as the railings block a clear line of sight and are placed in such a way you I can't see how you could ever get an accurate reading with any speed gun. A mate who's an electronics tech with the BBC recons they're perfect radar reflectors and could well have been reading vehicles travelling in the opposite direction.
thanks will keep an eye out, i travel down there 5 days a week, not seen him so far.. Edited by Carstudio on Tuesday 6th January 12:51
Will stop and get a picture if i do and update this thread so peple can see exactly where he is.
Not seem any Police since Christmas either, maybe they've realised it's not a good siting when your aiming through railings for an accurate measurement?!. Or just waiting till they need another a cash injection. It used to be 40mph till last year, but since there aren't any signs from the Horbury, Ossett, so unless you travel from the Wakefield you wouldn't know, bit of a bogus area generally really.
I also travel that road quite frequently, but fortunatly haven't seen any police speed traps. However I did hear that they were targeting Queen's Drive , Kingsway and Station Road (all in Ossett) on the few weeks before Christmas.
A friend of mine got stopped on Queen's Drive for speeding but it was where the enterance to Spring Mill Golf Course is. They were travelling towards the motorway.
A friend of mine got stopped on Queen's Drive for speeding but it was where the enterance to Spring Mill Golf Course is. They were travelling towards the motorway.
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