Speed watch group camera type

[spaximus]

I was driving in Chipping Sodbury at 30mph this morning when I saw three members of the local speed watch group, well visible from a distance.

As I got to them the one with the camera was holding what looked like a palm size unit, about mobile phone size. One of his mates was furiously writing so I assume my number.

I know they have no power so not worried especially as I was not speeding but does anyone know what type of device this was as I assume they thought I was speeding?

Never seen one of these before and just wondered if anyone knows, 1, what is it and 2 is it approved and calibrated?

[vonhosen]

iPhone 11 Pro Max.

Ordering Uber eats delivery for consumption on site so they don't need to leave the plot for lunch.
His mate was working out what each of them had to individually pay him for their own parts of the combined order.

[rdjohn]

Possibly something like this. They are not authorised, but it makes people think - and that is probably sufficient to make a difference.

[spaximus]

You may be correct but this group are supported by Avon and Somerset Police and send out letters, reason I know is my wife got one and she annoyingly never speeds.

She was so upset but when I explained they didn't matter she calmed down. It seems wrong if they are using an unapproved device and then claiming accuracy

[Scrump]

Watch the video from Avon and Somerset police on community speed watch:
https://www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/apply/commun...
It briefly shows the equipment handed out.

[LosingGrip]

spaximus said:

You may be correct but this group are supported by Avon and Somerset Police and send out letters, reason I know is my wife got one and she annoyingly never speeds.

She was so upset but when I explained they didn't matter she calmed down. It seems wrong if they are using an unapproved device and then claiming accuracy

When they say not authorised, it will be to issue NIPs etc. They are authorised to do what they use them for.

Personally I think it's a good scheme .

[Aluminati]

One round my way uses the speed gun like dirty harry.

Fat ginger bird with 2 noncey bearded types. Nothing better to do with their lives.

For clarification, i support speedwatch in villages like mine, but only when it’s done correctly.

[anonymous-user]

Aluminati said:

Nothing better to do with their lives.

We've got them around our way, proper pillocks of the community, same faces in everything, parish council, Lions, conservation society etc.

I got a letter from the police Speedwatch team even though myself and my wife saw they were not pointing the 'gun' at anyone. We had slowed right down because of a huge pothole so no way we were speeding.

Contacted the Speedwatch team and told them it was a load of ballcocks and the Wongas (all old wrinklies like in the old ads - I'm 69 so not being ageist) were just making up numbers (because they knew they wouldn't have to justify their report) and the Speedwatch bloke said he'd make a note on the system and it wouldn't count on the 'totting up' - three letters and you get a visit from the Road Team to point out the error of my ways.

[Bobtherallyfan]

[quote=ValleyRed]
We've got them around our way, proper pillocks of the community, same faces in everything, parish council, Lions, conservation society etc.

I got a letter from the police Speedwatch team even though myself and my wife saw they were not pointing the 'gun' at anyone. We had slowed right down because of a huge pothole so no way we were speeding.

Contacted the Speedwatch team and told them it was a load of ballcocks and the Wongas (all old wrinklies like in the old ads - I'm 69 so not being ageist) were just making up numbers (because they knew they wouldn't have to justify their report) and the Speedwatch bloke said he'd make a note on the system and it wouldn't count on the 'totting up' - three letters and you get a visit from the Road Team to point out the error of my ways.
[/quote

So you are criticising local people who stand for election, raise money for charity, help preserve your local village and try to stop speeding. Whereas you apparently contribute nothing apart from a lots of hot air

[BertBert]

oh. no, not this st again., Is it really 15 minutes since the last go round?

[Pica-Pica]

ValleyRed said:

We had slowed right down because of a huge pothole so no way we were speeding.

...that’s the answer then. A huge yellow sign, ‘Caution - Potholes’. No speed watch, no cameras, maybe even no speed signs.

[Paul Dishman]

The Speedwatchers seem to have disappeared from around here..

ValleyRed said:

and the Speedwatch bloke said he'd make a note on the system and it wouldn't count on the 'totting up' - three letters and you get a visit from the Road Team to point out the error of my ways.

apparently a special constable get sent around. Now, that's a conversation I'd enjoy having.

[Paul Dishman]

spaximus said:

You may be correct but this group are supported by Avon and Somerset Police and send out letters, reason I know is my wife got one and she annoyingly never speeds.

She was so upset but when I explained they didn't matter she calmed down. It seems wrong if they are using an unapproved device and then claiming accuracy

I was caught down in Cornwall, about 10 years ago, driving my wife's car so she got the letter She didn't find that as funny as I did.

[Biker 1]

There's a speedwatch group in the village 5 miles from here. Same sour faces/demographic as described by others on PH. I rode my bike at exactly 30mph, but as soon as I dropped it a gear, the speed gun was aimed at me with even more contempt, gnashing of teeth, & what I can only describe as 'collective seething' by the motley group of (presumably) retired librarians & GP receptionists.
I am almost certain that speed itself isn't really the issue with these do-gooders - I think noise & apparent power piss them off even more.
To those claiming these are the very people who 'run' the village by being on the parish council etc: agreed, but local government must be as inefficient & wasteful as other parts of our 'democracy'. OT, but why does my local village hall have the heating system running 24/7, 365 days PA? They have the radiators piping hot mid summer & open the windows, because nobody has apparently figured out the time/temp controls as it's 'too complicated' for old people....

[stuartmmcfc]

Why has “do gooder” become a term of contempt and an insult?
Imo we could do wirth a few more “do gooders” these days in a world where it seems the majority are just out for them selves.

[spaximus]

stuartmmcfc said:

Why has “do gooder” become a term of contempt and an insult?
Imo we could do wirth a few more “do gooders” these days in a world where it seems the majority are just out for them selves.

I sort of agree with you however, my experience of some of these people is that they want to make a difference but do not have the ability to do so.

I am on a local committee on a local park, we raised funds to enhance the local area for all. The man who is a fishing fan is only interested in fish, the lady is only interested in places for mums and kids and yet when you explain that you cannot single anyone out for special treatment, they do not get it and strop.

A couple of the local councillors are really nice, but were elected because they were nice not because of a skill set they had. One is an ex librarian who has no knowledge of business at all but reacts to nice people she knows.

An example was Morrisons closed a huge distribution centre to move to an even bigger one at Bridgewater, this councillor wanted to put a restriction on how many trucks and the size for any new owners. Regardless of the job losses and the complexity in doing so, it never happened and to this day the unit is still empty, the council having done nothing to attract business to the area.

So yes they want to do good, but only if it fits their ideals and many fall short on many fronts. Too many are easy to be lobbied, so now everything is "green issues" as it is in their post bag, same with reducing speeds on roads make enough noise and they are there.

The Lions group do very good work I would say and do not fall into the lecturing ways that others do to be called do gooders in a dismissive way

Edited by spaximus on Saturday 25th January 14:00

[megaphone]

rdjohn said:

Possibly something like this. They are not authorised, but it makes people think - and that is probably sufficient to make a difference.

Yes probably measuring the speed of the wind.

[catso]

spaximus said:

You may be correct but this group are supported by Avon and Somerset Police and send out letters, reason I know is my wife got one and she annoyingly never speeds.

She was so upset but when I explained they didn't matter she calmed down. It seems wrong if they are using an unapproved device and then claiming accuracy

I received two letters from the Police with the alleged transgressions being a couple of minutes apart at a nearby village 'speedwatch' site.

I wasn't speeding and I only passed by them once - in fact there is no way that, even if speeding, I could possibly have committed both 'offences', something the Police would have known if they'd been thinking before blindly sending out false accusations.

The OAPs operating the device really should have stayed in the day centre...

[nonsequitur]

megaphone said:

rdjohn said:

Possibly something like this. They are not authorised, but it makes people think - and that is probably sufficient to make a difference.

Yes probably measuring the speed of the wind.

And the hot air.

[Biker 1]

catso said:

The OAPs operating the device really should have stayed in the day centre...

Out of interest: if you were to regularly break the speed limit through one of these speedwatch areas, what happens when you clock up over 3 letters from them? Would plod actually prosecute this further? Are there speed/danger thresholds??