Nearly 140mph through the Almondsbury Interchange? Really?

[J500ANT]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-19813...

Speeds sound awfully high to me. I drive around a fair bit, I don't think i've been overtaken by anyone driving at those speeds for a very long time. Add in the fact there are roadworks and i'm thinking something's not quite right with this...... We'll see.

[DaveH23]

J500ANT said:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-19813...

Speeds sound awfully high to me. I drive around a fair bit, I don't think i've been overtaken by anyone driving at those speeds for a very long time. Add in the fact there are roadworks and i'm thinking something's not quite right with this...... We'll see.

How long have the road works been there.

It doesnt actually state those speeds where done when the road works were in place.

[J500ANT]

No cameras before roadworks, and for about 6 months so far.

[Teddye4687]

Article said:

More than 2,500 motorists have elected to go on a speed awareness course in lieu of fixed penalty notice of £60.

I thought you paid the £60 and the course was in lieu of the 3 points?

Article said:

Avon and Somerset Police said it was still dealing with a backlog of cases from the speed cameras

Further to this, with regards to the 'backlog' - If NIP hasn't been issued within 14 days, are they valid?

[Man-At-Arms]

Teddye4687 said:

Further to this, with regards to the 'backlog' - If NIP hasn't been issued within 14 days, are they valid?

depends what the date of the NIP is

they could be backdating them !

[MikeGTi]

Maybe if the roadworks were done in shorter stretches, and people worked on them 24/7 people would feel less frustrated and would be happier to slow down.

[yellowjack]

Teddye4687 said:

I thought you paid the £60 and the course was in lieu of the 3 points?

Not in my experience. I was offered the choice - take 3 points, and pay £60, OR pay £84 to go to a Hotel in Basingstoke, so an ex-Police driving instructor, and a roly poly social worker-esque lady could spend the day teaching me things that I (mostly) already knew. Because the 'speed awareness' course is non-endorsable, and IIRC, does not have to be declared to your insurance company, and the fact that I already had 3 points on my license, I opted to spend the day being lectured and eating free mints, with coffee and biscuits supplied. Not the best way to waste away a day's leave, but not a complete waste of time either. It's surprising how your outlook can change when stuff you already knew is just presented in a different way - a way which makes it seem more relevant and easier to apply to your everyday driving.

[Dave Hedgehog]

yellowjack said:

Teddye4687 said:

I thought you paid the £60 and the course was in lieu of the 3 points?

Not in my experience. I was offered the choice - take 3 points, and pay £60, OR pay £84 to go to a Hotel in Basingstoke, so an ex-Police driving instructor, and a roly poly social worker-esque lady could spend the day teaching me things that I (mostly) already knew. Because the 'speed awareness' course is non-endorsable, and IIRC, does not have to be declared to your insurance company, and the fact that I already had 3 points on my license, I opted to spend the day being lectured and eating free mints, with coffee and biscuits supplied. Not the best way to waste away a day's leave, but not a complete waste of time either. It's surprising how your outlook can change when stuff you already knew is just presented in a different way - a way which makes it seem more relevant and easier to apply to your everyday driving.

i know i would just get in trouble on one of these course

"yeah hi, I have a question about roundabouts, as my car is 4wd does the highway code recommend i turn in under braking, or should i get the braking done before turning in"

"is it ok to cross lanes on a roundabout in order to clip the apex?"

[deadmau5]

yellowjack said:

Teddye4687 said:

I thought you paid the £60 and the course was in lieu of the 3 points?

Not in my experience. I was offered the choice - take 3 points, and pay £60, OR pay £84 to go to a Hotel in Basingstoke, so an ex-Police driving instructor, and a roly poly social worker-esque lady could spend the day teaching me things that I (mostly) already knew. Because the 'speed awareness' course is non-endorsable, and IIRC, does not have to be declared to your insurance company, and the fact that I already had 3 points on my license, I opted to spend the day being lectured and eating free mints, with coffee and biscuits supplied. Not the best way to waste away a day's leave, but not a complete waste of time either. It's surprising how your outlook can change when stuff you already knew is just presented in a different way - a way which makes it seem more relevant and easier to apply to your everyday driving.

When I did a SA course, I was the only attendee that knew what ABS stood for. I think it's safe to say that a lot of the people there did need educating! I also did it in Wales (where I was at university) and the courses there are/were much cheaper than in England. It's only about 4 hours so it's well worth doing.

[carreauchompeur]

Given the proximity to Almondsbury RPU depot I would wager it's a cop car caught at 137 and they are being coy about it on the FOI request.

[aka_kerrly]

deadmau5 said:

yellowjack said:

Teddye4687 said:

I thought you paid the £60 and the course was in lieu of the 3 points?

Not in my experience. I was offered the choice - take 3 points, and pay £60, OR pay £84 to go to a Hotel in Basingstoke.

When I did a SA course, I also did it in Wales .

This really annoys me! Why are different counties allowed to have different rules with some offering speed awareness courses and some not. I was caught in Gloucester and not offered any such course!

Regarding the OP when the report says on the Almondsbury interchange it really should say M5, OP do you think that the story relates to the section of the A38 at the Almondsbury interchange in which case yes 137mph is really going some!!

[aw51 121565]

Man-At-Arms said:

Teddye4687 said:

Further to this, with regards to the 'backlog' - If NIP hasn't been issued within 14 days, are they valid?

depends what the date of the NIP is

they could be backdating them !

They can backdate them if they wish... But if the first NIP isn't received by the registered keeper (as on the V5C) within 14 complete days of the alleged offence (the day of the alleged offence is "day 0") then it isn't valid (but you'll need a witness, ideally the post(wo)man, to verify this late delivery ).

End of, regardless of the date on the NIP and as long as it's the first NIP and sent to the registered keeper arriving outwith the 14 days...

Subsequent NIPs aren't restricted by this "14 day rule" btw .

[midgetmax]

aka_kerrly said:

!

Regarding the OP when the report says on the Almondsbury interchange it really should say M5, OP do you think that the story relates to the section of the A38 at the Almondsbury interchange in which case yes 137mph is really going some!!

Not necessarily. Couldn't it be the M4? Almondsbury is the M4/M5 intersection, not just A38.

[MadMark911]

Must have been a bike .....

[b0rk]

MadMark911 said:

Must have been a bike .....

The camera's are front facing so couldn't have been a bike...

carreauchompeur is probably right and the 137mph was done by a , it wouldn't shock me if all five highest speeds where RPU vehicles. The RPU base is literally at Almondsbury interchange approx 100 yards from J15.

The total length of roadworks covered by average speed camera's is only 4 miles on the M4 and 3 miles on the M5 so you'd have to be really on a mission to do those speeds through heavily sign posted and full lit roadworks, plus the daytime traffic is/was far too high to get anywhere near three figures before the roadworks. The junction is still after-all only two running lanes.

I can't recall the evening post naming any drivers prosecuted for big speed in past few weeks and they do like naming and shaming speeders...

[V12 Migaloo]

LOL, me and a few mates on the way to Celtic Manor nearly got caught here...