Being warned by other motorists......police camera van ahead

[bmw320ci]

wack said:

LocoCoco said:

Here's a story that might change some of your opinions.

I flashed a white van to warn of a police speed trap in a local spot popular for speed enforcement. White van driver gave me the thumbs up, instantly stopped in his lane then reversed to the nearest side street and turned around to avoid the police altogether.

Now, it's obvious that I've just inadvertently tipped off somebody with something to hide (no insurance, drunk driver, dead hooker in the back).

Does saving X people from speeding tickets justify helping 1 proper criminal get away with it?

Probably had no insurance

Wase is the ultimate in warnings, it tells you where the coppers are 10 minutes before you get there as long as somebody has reported it.

I think most people are OK with speed traps in a 30 except when they've dropped the limit specifically to site the van there and despite what they say about safety it's obvious they do this to generate cash judging by the amount of villages that have had the 30 extended to 1/2 a mile either side

Dont you mean WAZE, sorry for correction, but is someone searches they may not get the correct app, and it is very good, but I would say you need to have it connected to your car's audio as it is rather distracting having to keep watching the small phone screen.

[Alex_225]

I live in Surrey and I can only recall seeing people flash other drivers to warn of a speed trap a handful of times. Really not a common thing at all and not something I do. Although admittedly, there's rarely a speed trap set up locally at least.

The last time I recall a driver frantically flashing his headlights as a warning was when an accident had occurred further up a 30mph road. One car had pulled out of a side road into another.

The irony was that this chaps incessant flashing of his headlights was more confusing than anything and could be a potential distraction from what's up ahead.

Either way I'm not fussed about motorists flashing other drivers to warn others but I don't do it myself as I don't feel I need the warning. Not that I'm a saint (like some on here ) but I'm happy making my own observations.

[NicGTI]

NooBish AbbZ said:

yep standard procedure. On the bike, right hand gesture to mimick a light spinning round on top of an old police vehicle, or as mentioned the palm facing towards the ground in the car.

Around the South Downs where I used to ride, the common heads up for a speed camera and/or van was to bang the top of your lid with your palm. Palm facing down on to slow down/hazard ahead.

[Otispunkmeyer]

Davie said:

These camera vans, their purpose is to reduce speed limits / save lives right...? On that basis, if you warn oncoming motorists who are a tad speedy to slow down, then you're obviously assisting the authorities in their quest to reduce speed limits and save lives and I'm sure the local constabulary would be most grateful for your efforts. They absolutely most definitely wouldn't be pissed at the fact they're missing out on £100 a pop... nope, absolutely not.

Odd isn't it, do this and the police almost burst a blood vessel and would have you hanged for denying them a few extra quid for the annual ball but stick some slightly mental old lady on a street armed with a hairdryer and she's hailed as being a national hero?

I warn people, though seems the PCP / stressed Mummy crew just glare back at you or mouth obscenities...

Absolutely and by notifying people further up the road they are then more likely to be doing the limit or less for greater distance. Wins all round shirley?

[wst]

bmw320ci said:

Dont you mean WAZE, sorry for correction, but is someone searches they may not get the correct app, and it is very good, but I would say you need to have it connected to your car's audio as it is rather distracting having to keep watching the small phone screen.

Waze is excellent, I even use it for my commute as it can look forward on my route (further than line-of-sight) and pick the actual least congested one. I don't have it connected to the car audio (as I lack that feature, alas) but the alerts are highly intrusive on the "map" view and so I see the flash of green and know something is up ahead.

I don't like the ads when stationary, if there was a paid-for option I'd leap at it!

[WCZ]

siovey said:

I did this once. The car coming in the opposite direction was really traveling in a 30 zone. Seemed way over the limit. So I flashed him to slow down. Turned out to be an unmarked police car who stopped me shortly after.

He gave me a warning, advising it was against the law etc. And next time I would get fined.So I haven't done it since

what a prick

[Kewy]

I must admit it would seem it's not so common down south to warn of mobile speed cameras, probably due to how miserable and obnoxious us southerners are

I think its time we started introducing this gesture. But I need further guidance on the PMSCW* etiquette…

So how long after the camera am I supposed to warn people? And how many people do you warn?! I mean if its a busy road, do you just warn the first 3 drivers or everyone for the following mile?

• Post-mobile-speed-camera-warning

[bmw320ci]

wst said:

bmw320ci said:

Dont you mean WAZE, sorry for correction, but is someone searches they may not get the correct app, and it is very good, but I would say you need to have it connected to your car's audio as it is rather distracting having to keep watching the small phone screen.

Waze is excellent, I even use it for my commute as it can look forward on my route (further than line-of-sight) and pick the actual least congested one. I don't have it connected to the car audio (as I lack that feature, alas) but the alerts are highly intrusive on the "map" view and so I see the flash of green and know something is up ahead.

I don't like the ads when stationary, if there was a paid-for option I'd leap at it!

to tell you the truth the ads are annoying, but one came up yesterday for Decathlon Belgium, saying it was open for this Sunday and a week Sunday, so I actually took myself there. good bit of zoned advertising, just waiting for some targeted ads from my browsing history lol

[CubanPete]

The Mad Monk said:

dcb said:

Indeed. I'd be a lot happier if they used the 85% rule when setting speed limits, but they don't.

What's the 85% rule?

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&t=1669570&mid=137420

[culpz]

Otispunkmeyer said:

Davie said:

These camera vans, their purpose is to reduce speed limits / save lives right...? On that basis, if you warn oncoming motorists who are a tad speedy to slow down, then you're obviously assisting the authorities in their quest to reduce speed limits and save lives and I'm sure the local constabulary would be most grateful for your efforts. They absolutely most definitely wouldn't be pissed at the fact they're missing out on £100 a pop... nope, absolutely not.

Odd isn't it, do this and the police almost burst a blood vessel and would have you hanged for denying them a few extra quid for the annual ball but stick some slightly mental old lady on a street armed with a hairdryer and she's hailed as being a national hero?

I warn people, though seems the PCP / stressed Mummy crew just glare back at you or mouth obscenities...

Absolutely and by notifying people further up the road they are then more likely to be doing the limit or less for greater distance. Wins all round shirley?

Yupp.

Also, it was agreed that fixed speed cameras would be painted yellow, marked via road signs clearly and basically not hidden. This was to gain confidence in the public that it's not a money-making scheme.

However, these mobile cameras, for the most part, appear in areas that are not marked with their presence and are not really openly-signed (if you see them then it's probably already too late).

To cut a long story short, we wouldn't really have to warn others if we were told of their locations. We only have that information from research done by others and placed on various informative websites.

[Halmyre]

I got flashed & thumb-down a while back by a bus in a 50 limit. As I was towing a caravan at the time I immediately got worried, thinking the wheels had come off or it was on fire or something.

Stories of people inadvertently flashing unmarked plod cars reminds me of the one about the woman who was constantly being flashed (behave you at the back). Spotting a police car in a lay-by, she stopped to ask the occupants if the other drivers were warning her about a problem with her car. "No madam", came the disgruntled reply, "they're warning you about us".

[vonhosen]

silverfoxcc said:

wack said

Saturday i was on the A49 going to oulton park , 8 cars following a tractor for 3-4 miles , no chance of a safe overtake in one go , couldn't even pick them off as they were so close to each other

and that is where the frustration really start. The reluctance to leave gap.....even a safe 2 sec gap..... so it stops the safe overtake, which sometimes results in a really unsafe one.

And the follow up. The shutting of the door as you pass them initially safely.but the gap you saw is no longer there because of this idiots actions


As for being done for perverting the course of justice, lets spin this one around

Man gets done for whatever action of warning drivers, flashing lights waving etc

Same man is walking along the road and sees a man brandishing a knife as though he may harm someone....... does nothing, because he remembers the last time he tried to stop someone committing an offence HE got done...so he lets the guy stab someone


Real extremes but the sentiment is the same

But that's not the same thing though is it?

Stopping somebody or alerting the Police to a man brandishing a knife is not the same thing as saying to a man brandishing a knife towards anther person "Hey mate there's the Police over there so don't stab him here, wait until they are out of sight".

[nonsequitur]

mygoldfishbowl said:

pits said:

In a 30mph zone

Where was this 30 mph zone? I've never seen one, I've seen 30mph limits but never zones.

The main road through my local metrolops has 20mph zone or 30mph zone signs on most of the side streets leading off.

[nonsequitur]

WCZ said:

siovey said:

I did this once. The car coming in the opposite direction was really traveling in a 30 zone. Seemed way over the limit. So I flashed him to slow down. Turned out to be an unmarked police car who stopped me shortly after.

He gave me a warning, advising it was against the law etc. And next time I would get fined.So I haven't done it since

what a prick

Charming, absolutely charming.

[mygoldfishbowl]

nonsequitur said:

mygoldfishbowl said:

pits said:

In a 30mph zone

Where was this 30 mph zone? I've never seen one, I've seen 30mph limits but never zones.

The main road through my local metrolops has 20mph zone or 30mph zone signs on most of the side streets leading off.

I've seen many 20mph zones but never 30s. Limits are different to zones.

[nonsequitur]

mygoldfishbowl said:

nonsequitur said:

mygoldfishbowl said:

pits said:

In a 30mph zone

Where was this 30 mph zone? I've never seen one, I've seen 30mph limits but never zones.

The main road through my local metrolops has 20mph zone or 30mph zone signs on most of the side streets leading off.

I've seen many 20mph zones but never 30s. Limits are different to zones.

I would post a photo, but I'm technologically incompetent.

[NoIP]

mygoldfishbowl said:

nonsequitur said:

mygoldfishbowl said:

pits said:

In a 30mph zone

Where was this 30 mph zone? I've never seen one, I've seen 30mph limits but never zones.

The main road through my local metrolops has 20mph zone or 30mph zone signs on most of the side streets leading off.

I've seen many 20mph zones but never 30s. Limits are different to zones.

Stop splitting hairs . Everyone knew what he meant including you but you decided to be a smart arse over it to try and make yourself look good.

[Register1]

Not read all the pages, sorry if it has been mentioned before.

But I believe that some time ago, a speed camera money making van was parked in a layby, some 400 yards from the last house in that particular road.

I believe the house owner made a simple sign, and placed it outside his gate, in the direction of the money making van.

The sign said something along the lines of, "Slow down, speed camera van ahead"

[traffman]

vonhosen said:

There's nothing wrong with that. The authorities warn people about such things.

Where there is a problem is where you are obstructing Police in the execution of their duty. That is (in this particular type of case) where they have started the process of gaining evidence of speeding against somebody & you wilfully interfere with that process & in doing so prevent them gaining the evidence they need to prosecute.

The courts are quite happy they can tell the difference from the circumstances reported to them in obstructing Police cases (even where people are protesting they were merely trying to clean their windscreen but pulled the wrong lever - after all they don't have to believe you just because you claim that to be the case).

Do these so called camera safety vans actually contain Police in them? As far as i was aware they are civillians carrying out the work of the devil?
If the Police are intent on upholding this law , is it not to be seen for the actual Police to carry out this deed , and try and position the van at actual black spots , and not around a corner , or on a long nice clear part of the highway?

[NoIP]

traffman said:

Do these so called camera safety vans actually contain Police in them? As far as i was aware they are civillians carrying out the work of the devil?
If the Police are intent on upholding this law , is it not to be seen for the actual Police to carry out this deed , and try and position the van at actual black spots , and not around a corner , or on a long nice clear part of the highway?

I wouldn't be at all surprised to discover that these contractors operating the speed camera vans on behalf of the local constabulary are on a commission based pay, which would go a long way in explaining why they are parked in bushes.