Chimera owner caught at 81 in 30 limit
Discussion
This really doesn't help our cause, Mr Field-Rayner has succeeded in giving all the usual suspects just the ammunition they require to beat us up some more for months to come...
SPORTS CAR OWNER SPED AT 81MPH BY SCHOOLS
More News | Back to home page
BY EMMA COONEY
11:00 - 07 September 2004
A Businessman from Bath has been banned from driving after clocking up 81mph in a 30mph zone. Safety chiefs and motoring groups have expressed amazement at the unenviable record set by 62-year-old Marcus Field- Rayner, who was behind the wheel of a TVR sports car.
The water industry consultant from Russell Street was caught by a mobile camera unit just before noon on a stretch of road in a Wiltshire village where there are two schools and a nursery.
The 81mph reading is the highest ever recorded in the county in a 30mph zone.
Keen amateur runner Field-Rayner, who declined to speak to The Bath Chronicle last night, was fined £560 with £35 court costs and also banned from driving for five months when he appeared before magistrates in Devizes.
Field-Rayner had been caught on the B3105 at New Terrace, Staverton, near Trowbridge, at 11.56am on May 20. He was driving a TVR Chimaera, which does 0-60mph in less than five seconds and has a top speed of about 150mph.
A spokeswoman for the RAC Foundation said 25 per cent of motorists admitted to speeding on roads with a 30mph limit by more than five per cent.
But she added: "We are appalled that anyone could do 81mph in a 30mph zone. Speed kills, and drivers who speed have three times the accident risk than those who do not."
David Frampton, safety camera unit manager at the Wiltshire and Swindon Road Safety Partnership, said he was pleased with the punishment meted out to Field-Rayner.
"This man has a large fine to pay and is banned from getting behind the wheel for the whole of the festive season," he said."He was endangering lives in the village of Staverton.
"I'm pleased magistrates take a serious view of driving at such speeds through built-up areas in the middle of the day.
"A speed of 81mph is exceptionally high and we were astounded when it came up on film.
"Staverton is an area we have been asked to pay attention to because there is community concern about speeding and clearly they are right.
"Speed cameras encourage people to comply with speed limits.
"When other actions to get drivers to slow down do not work, the alternative is enforcement.
"We have got to look at sites where there is a potential for serious injury, otherwise we are just waiting for people to be killed before we take any action."
Field-Rayner was caught by a temporary mobile camera unit, which was put in place after a survey suggested a significant number of drivers were speeding.
Former village councillor Rodney Hart said there had long been concern about motorists speeding at New Terrace, particularly given its proximity to the schools and nursery.
He said a two-year campaign had succeeded in reducing the speed limit from 40mph to 30mph, but that further traffic calming measures were needed.
He said: "Every single resident in Staverton would agree travelling at 81mph through a village is dangerous driving. Drivers do not conform to the 30mph speed limit and drive at speeds that are not suitable for a village situation during the day, when there are children and parents, elderly people, horses and cyclists around. More driver education is needed."
He hopes a mini-roundabout will be installed at the B3105 when a road from a nearby marina is developed in the next few years. He thinks this would slow traffic and solve the speeding problem.
The safety partnership revealed details of Field-Rayner's case as police in Avon and Somerset embark on a month-long operation to catch people who speed around schools.
Operation Taboo will be backed by driver education courses for motorists who are just over the limit.
>>> Edited by Mon Ami Mate on Tuesday 7th September 15:30
SPORTS CAR OWNER SPED AT 81MPH BY SCHOOLS
More News | Back to home page
BY EMMA COONEY
11:00 - 07 September 2004
A Businessman from Bath has been banned from driving after clocking up 81mph in a 30mph zone. Safety chiefs and motoring groups have expressed amazement at the unenviable record set by 62-year-old Marcus Field- Rayner, who was behind the wheel of a TVR sports car.
The water industry consultant from Russell Street was caught by a mobile camera unit just before noon on a stretch of road in a Wiltshire village where there are two schools and a nursery.
The 81mph reading is the highest ever recorded in the county in a 30mph zone.
Keen amateur runner Field-Rayner, who declined to speak to The Bath Chronicle last night, was fined £560 with £35 court costs and also banned from driving for five months when he appeared before magistrates in Devizes.
Field-Rayner had been caught on the B3105 at New Terrace, Staverton, near Trowbridge, at 11.56am on May 20. He was driving a TVR Chimaera, which does 0-60mph in less than five seconds and has a top speed of about 150mph.
A spokeswoman for the RAC Foundation said 25 per cent of motorists admitted to speeding on roads with a 30mph limit by more than five per cent.
But she added: "We are appalled that anyone could do 81mph in a 30mph zone. Speed kills, and drivers who speed have three times the accident risk than those who do not."
David Frampton, safety camera unit manager at the Wiltshire and Swindon Road Safety Partnership, said he was pleased with the punishment meted out to Field-Rayner.
"This man has a large fine to pay and is banned from getting behind the wheel for the whole of the festive season," he said."He was endangering lives in the village of Staverton.
"I'm pleased magistrates take a serious view of driving at such speeds through built-up areas in the middle of the day.
"A speed of 81mph is exceptionally high and we were astounded when it came up on film.
"Staverton is an area we have been asked to pay attention to because there is community concern about speeding and clearly they are right.
"Speed cameras encourage people to comply with speed limits.
"When other actions to get drivers to slow down do not work, the alternative is enforcement.
"We have got to look at sites where there is a potential for serious injury, otherwise we are just waiting for people to be killed before we take any action."
Field-Rayner was caught by a temporary mobile camera unit, which was put in place after a survey suggested a significant number of drivers were speeding.
Former village councillor Rodney Hart said there had long been concern about motorists speeding at New Terrace, particularly given its proximity to the schools and nursery.
He said a two-year campaign had succeeded in reducing the speed limit from 40mph to 30mph, but that further traffic calming measures were needed.
He said: "Every single resident in Staverton would agree travelling at 81mph through a village is dangerous driving. Drivers do not conform to the 30mph speed limit and drive at speeds that are not suitable for a village situation during the day, when there are children and parents, elderly people, horses and cyclists around. More driver education is needed."
He hopes a mini-roundabout will be installed at the B3105 when a road from a nearby marina is developed in the next few years. He thinks this would slow traffic and solve the speeding problem.
The safety partnership revealed details of Field-Rayner's case as police in Avon and Somerset embark on a month-long operation to catch people who speed around schools.
Operation Taboo will be backed by driver education courses for motorists who are just over the limit.
>>> Edited by Mon Ami Mate on Tuesday 7th September 15:30
t! He's got off lightly if you ask me. charlescrawley said:
Bloody idiot... Deserves all he gets...
BUT... Why oh why are the RAC saying the following:
RAC Numpty said:
Speed kills, and drivers who speed have three times the accident risk than those who do not."
The fact that her name isn't listed probably suggests:
A. The newspaper made it up
or
B. She isn't authorised to comment on behalf of the RAC and is speaking in a personal capacity.
Mon Ami Mate said:
The fact that her name isn't listed probably suggests:
A. The newspaper made it up
or
B. She isn't authorised to comment on behalf of the RAC and is speaking in a personal capacity.
You're probably right... It's the government line verbatim...
I thought that the RAC and AA were *motoring* organisations with the driver's best interests at heart, not government puppets... So I hope you're right.
Closer inspection of the site does him no favours either...
www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=385799&y=160400&z=1&sv=New+Terrace&st=6&tl=New+Terrace,+Staverton,+Trowbridge,+Wiltshire,+BA14&searchp=newsearch.srf&mapp=newmap.srf
www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=385799&y=160400&z=1&sv=New+Terrace&st=6&tl=New+Terrace,+Staverton,+Trowbridge,+Wiltshire,+BA14&searchp=newsearch.srf&mapp=newmap.srf
Stupidity kills. And that man has it in bucketloads.
But I don't know what the performance of the TVR had to do with it though. There can't be many cars on sale now that won't exceed 81mph.
Personally I think slow cars are more dangerous. My 126 was driven flat out at all* times.
* Where not in built up areas or dangerous to do so.
But I don't know what the performance of the TVR had to do with it though. There can't be many cars on sale now that won't exceed 81mph.
Personally I think slow cars are more dangerous. My 126 was driven flat out at all* times.
* Where not in built up areas or dangerous to do so.
cdp said:
Stupidity kills. And that man has it in bucketloads.
But I don't know what the performance of the TVR had to do with it though. There can't be many cars on sale now that won't exceed 81mph.
Personally I think slow cars are more dangerous. My 126 was driven flat out at all* times.
* Where not in built up areas or dangerous to do so.
It has to be said that there aren't many cars that would be capable of getting near that speed along that stretch. He must have been giving it a severe booting. Bloody fool.
CONTRAST:
OK - there'll be a speed camera there - that will solve all our problems.... NOT!
WITH:
At last someone prepared to offer a different solution to curtailing the speeding motorist to situations more suitable...
Someone bring out the wnaker smiley for the driver of the chim though....
newspaper said:
David Frampton, safety camera unit manager at the Wiltshire and Swindon Road Safety Partnership, said he was pleased with the punishment meted out to Field-Rayner.
"We have got to look at sites where there is a potential for serious injury, otherwise we are just waiting for people to be killed before we take any action."
OK - there'll be a speed camera there - that will solve all our problems.... NOT!
WITH:
newspaper said:
Former village councillor Rodney Hart said:
"Every single resident in Staverton would agree travelling at 81mph through a village is dangerous driving. Drivers do not conform to the 30mph speed limit and drive at speeds that are not suitable for a village situation during the day, when there are children and parents, elderly people, horses and cyclists around. More driver education is needed."
He hopes a mini-roundabout will be installed at the B3105 when a road from a nearby marina is developed in the next few years. He thinks this would slow traffic and solve the speeding problem.
At last someone prepared to offer a different solution to curtailing the speeding motorist to situations more suitable...
Someone bring out the wnaker smiley for the driver of the chim though....
Some tree-hugging cyclist said:
He hopes a mini-roundabout will be installed at the B3105 when a road from a nearby marina is developed in the next few years. He thinks this would slow traffic and solve the speeding problem.
Thats a good one. They used the similar logic on proper roundabouts where I live a few years ago. Drivers were flying straight onto roundabouts without looking properly. So they deliberately built mounds of earth to totally obstruct the view, the idea being that nobody would just shoot onto the roundabout if they couldn't see and would be forced to stop.
Guess which option drivers chose? Well it didn't involve slowing down...
>> Edited by Control on Tuesday 7th September 15:51
This fine does not really align with that of JK'S.
JK was exceeding by less than 50% where as Mr TVR here was doing nearly 3X the limit. If I was JK I'd be back in court asking for an explanation. This bloke should be banned for 12mnths and fined 2K if JK's case is a yard stick!
Speeding past schools is not big and it's certainly not clever.
JK was exceeding by less than 50% where as Mr TVR here was doing nearly 3X the limit. If I was JK I'd be back in court asking for an explanation. This bloke should be banned for 12mnths and fined 2K if JK's case is a yard stick!
Speeding past schools is not big and it's certainly not clever.
COMPARED TO OTHER CASES THE FINE AND BAN IS TOO LOW! Not condoning what he did but the below has occurred to me as soon as I read it:
Due to speed fascists many 30 zones now start long before and go on long after any built up area or village that the zone is intended to apply to. Given that this was a mobile scamera, I wouldn’t put it past them to have had a scamera right at the start of the zone where he may have been breaking for the 30 after a bit of an NSL blat thinking he had a good quarter mile before the start of the village proper. Or they may have had a scamera at the end of the zone where he may have thought he was clear of the village and it wouldn’t have hurt to boot it 3-400 hundred yards before the NSL sign.
At the end of the day it’s his lookout and you have to be 100% sure you hit 30 the centimetre before you reach the limit sign and vice versa on the way out. But how many of us have been frustrated by still trundling along at 30 on a perfectly good stretch of NSL road a quarter of a mile outside the village the 30 was intended for and booted it a bit early?
Not condoning his action but it’s another angle as we don’t know the full facts.
Due to speed fascists many 30 zones now start long before and go on long after any built up area or village that the zone is intended to apply to. Given that this was a mobile scamera, I wouldn’t put it past them to have had a scamera right at the start of the zone where he may have been breaking for the 30 after a bit of an NSL blat thinking he had a good quarter mile before the start of the village proper. Or they may have had a scamera at the end of the zone where he may have thought he was clear of the village and it wouldn’t have hurt to boot it 3-400 hundred yards before the NSL sign.
At the end of the day it’s his lookout and you have to be 100% sure you hit 30 the centimetre before you reach the limit sign and vice versa on the way out. But how many of us have been frustrated by still trundling along at 30 on a perfectly good stretch of NSL road a quarter of a mile outside the village the 30 was intended for and booted it a bit early?
Not condoning his action but it’s another angle as we don’t know the full facts.
t1grm said:
Not condoning what he did but the below has occurred to me as soon as I read it:
Due to speed fascists many 30 zones now start long before and go on long after any built up area or village that the zone is intended to apply to. Given that this was a mobile scamera, I wouldn’t put it past them to have had a scamera right at the start of the zone where he may have been breaking for the 30 after a bit of an NSL blat thinking he had a good quarter mile before the start of the village proper. Or they may have had a scamera at the end of the zone where he may have thought he was clear of the village and it wouldn’t have hurt to boot it 3-400 hundred yards before the NSL sign.
At the end of the day it’s his lookout and you have to be 100% sure you hit 30 the centimetre before you reach the limit sign and vice versa on the way out. But how many of us have been frustrated by still trundling along at 30 on a perfectly good stretch of NSL road a quarter of a mile outside the village the 30 was intended for and booted it a bit early?
Not condoning his action but it’s another angle as we don’t know the full facts.
Have another look at the street map reference above. I know this stretch well. There's a hump-backed bridge, several side turnings, a school and a marina, all within 500 yards. It's well inside the boundary of the limit. There's no defence at all I'm afraid.
t1grm said:
how many of us have been frustrated by still trundling along at 30 on a perfectly good stretch of NSL road a quarter of a mile outside the village the 30 was intended for and booted it a bit early?
I think you'd have to boot it *quite a bit* early to hit 81mph before you got out of the 30 though. No idea of what was really going on but I'm fairly certain it wasn't just someone 'booting it a bit early', not at that speed.Mon Ami Mate said:
Have another look at the street map reference above. I know this stretch well. There's a hump-backed bridge, several side turnings, a school and a marina, all within 500 yards. It's well inside the boundary of the limit. There's no defence at all I'm afraid.
Fair enough if you know the road.
I did look at the map. If he was heading West it straightens up after the left hander over the river and the junction with the B3106. Does it change to NSL there?
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff