Helping the police
Discussion
The police have recently 'helped' me understand that mistakenly travelling at 60mph in perfect conditions on a dual carriageway with no people around during an apparent 40mph temporary limit is wrong.
This has led me to consider what I can do to return their gesture and help the police and their friends. Perhaps you could also contribute.
RULES: Must be lawful - (okay - not really unlawful). Some ideas to start...
1. Sell bin liners with yellow gaffer tape as 'speed camera protection devices'. GATSO cameras are expensive bits of kit. It is only right that we should do our civic duty to protect them from rain by covering them in plastic bags.
2. Mobile catering stations for Safety Camera Vans. Carry a variety of warm and soft beverages in the back of your car. Pull up by the van and knock on the door. Try not to disturb the conscientous citizen inside too much, but it is perfectly acceptable to offer all drinks one by one.
3. Cheer up the lives of those poor individuals at the Central Ticket Office by signing them up to a variety of mailing lists or maybe Britannia Music Club. Come to think of it - what if all of the readers of Pistonheads sent them a greeting card. I'll go and find the address for you...
This has led me to consider what I can do to return their gesture and help the police and their friends. Perhaps you could also contribute.
RULES: Must be lawful - (okay - not really unlawful). Some ideas to start...
1. Sell bin liners with yellow gaffer tape as 'speed camera protection devices'. GATSO cameras are expensive bits of kit. It is only right that we should do our civic duty to protect them from rain by covering them in plastic bags.
2. Mobile catering stations for Safety Camera Vans. Carry a variety of warm and soft beverages in the back of your car. Pull up by the van and knock on the door. Try not to disturb the conscientous citizen inside too much, but it is perfectly acceptable to offer all drinks one by one.
3. Cheer up the lives of those poor individuals at the Central Ticket Office by signing them up to a variety of mailing lists or maybe Britannia Music Club. Come to think of it - what if all of the readers of Pistonheads sent them a greeting card. I'll go and find the address for you...
I know, but I'm one of those people for whom life is too short to go out with digital cameras and tape-measures etc. It almost certainly was sign-posted and there were cones on the central res (although not on the dc itself). But somewhere along the line I missed the signs and there was the van, perfectly positioned.
beljames said:
I know, but I'm one of those people for whom life is too short to go out with digital cameras and tape-measures etc. It almost certainly was sign-posted and there were cones on the central res (although not on the dc itself). But somewhere along the line I missed the signs and there was the van, perfectly positioned.
Ah.......the Van!
Yep. About 250 metres away from the sliproad I had joined the dc on (remembering the advice given to me all those years ago "get up to speed as quickly as possible when joining a dual carriageway"). Obviously given the situation, a fair proportion of my time was looking behind me at what I may hit as I joined and as a result the first '40' sign I really clocked was at about the same time I saw the van.
It's my fault - and I'm taking the fine and the points. Should have seen earlier signs. But for the lords sake, IT WAS A ONE-OFF ERROR.
Tonyrec, the work you guys do is so massively devalued by thiskind of thing.
It's my fault - and I'm taking the fine and the points. Should have seen earlier signs. But for the lords sake, IT WAS A ONE-OFF ERROR.
Tonyrec, the work you guys do is so massively devalued by thiskind of thing.
beljames said:
The police have recently 'helped' me understand that mistakenly travelling at 60mph in perfect conditions on a dual carriageway with no people around during an apparent 40mph temporary limit is wrong.
How do you know what/who was around? Just because you didn't see them doesn't mean they were not there. Neither for that matter, something else that may have been a significant danger to you and everybody else. After all you did not see the temporary limit
beljames said:
This has led me to consider what I can do to return their gesture and help the police and their friends. Perhaps you could also contribute.......
I am sure they will be most grateful
beljames said:
Yep. About 250 metres away from the sliproad I had joined the dc on (remembering the advice given to me all those years ago "get up to speed as quickly as possible when joining a dual carriageway"). Obviously given the situation, a fair proportion of my time was looking behind me at what I may hit as I joined and as a result the first '40' sign I really clocked was at about the same time I saw the van.
It's my fault - and I'm taking the fine and the points. Should have seen earlier signs. But for the lords sake, IT WAS A ONE-OFF ERROR.
Tonyrec, the work you guys do is so massively devalued by thiskind of thing.
I do however sympathise with your predicament!
gone said:
How do you know what/who was around? Just because you didn't see them doesn't mean they were not there. Neither for that matter, something else that may have been a significant danger to you and everybody else. After all you did not see the temporary limit
Agree this hinges on me not seeing the limit (which, as jeffreyarcher has said, I am assuming was there). But, a) the restriction seemed a little silly when nothing was going on and b) even given a) the placement of the van seemed a little cynical.
So baffled was I as to this phantom speed limit, I asked friends who said that work was being done to replace the central reservation, but when I went through it, things were complete. Okay - I accept that someone could have been cleaning up the cones.
I'm not pretending I didn't do something wrong, but there was no intent at all (yes, yes I know that mens rea is not a feature in traffic offences).
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