Gatso: photo evidence does not match speed measurement

[Trip01]

I've been flashed by a speed camera travelling at an alleged 37mph in a 30mph zone. I checked my speedo just after the flashes and my speedo said just under 30. I've got the photos, measured the lines on the road, and have calculated my speed at 27mph between the exposures.

So, anyone have any experience of challenging the measurement of the camera in court if the photo evidence doesnt support the speed claimed?

steve

[deltafox]

Contact this guy: David Edgar.

[e-mail]

[GreenV8S]

Maybe on www.pepipoo.com ?

[justinp1]

Hi,

If you are knowledgeable enough to have been able to calculate the speed yourself, and you are able to explain what you have done coherently in court you shouldnt have a problem. If you can bring the documentary evidence of how the speed is calculated to court and the photos, I dont think the CPS will have much of a case against you.

When I have defended myself on alleged traffic offences, I found that the CPS solicitors were hopelessly ill-prepared, and even basic traffic defences they had no idea on how to counter. In court you give evidence on the stand that you checked your speedo, then to corroborate this, show the magistrates how the speed is calculated and they will be able to work it out in the same way you have done.

I cannot see how this should fail, and you should get £50 for your time, and extra out of pocket expenses.

The other way to proceed is to write a letter to the CPS with your findings. If you are right then they should drop the case straight away, before court. However, if there is some doubt, you have given away your line of defence to the CPS and allowed them to prepare for the case against you with the knowledge they already know your case.

My advice would be, if it is obvious then tell the CPS, if there is any doubt, ie difficulty seeing the lines on the road etc I would think more carefully. If there is any doubt on the photographic evidence this *should* be enough for reasonable doubt in the evidence, however the device is set off by a radar speed reading, and although these are often flashing for legal speeds, this would be additional evidence for the CPS to back up what they are saying.

[smeggy]

Trip01 said:

I've been flashed by a speed camera travelling at an alleged 37mph in a 30mph zone. I checked my speedo just after the flashes and my speedo said just under 30. I've got the photos, measured the lines on the road, and have calculated my speed at 27mph between the exposures.

If correct: this has extremely important implications, specifically regarding the 'shutter effect' - www.pistonheads.com/speed/default.asp?storyId=12314
where the partnerships claim that all corroborating photos are examined and confirmed against the primary sensor measurement. This will prove their claims of infallibility to be total horlicks.

Be careful how you fight this (especially the level of detail you release on these public forums), the last thing you want to do is to give the partnerships a heads-up so they can 'fix the problem' before you get an approved method of measurement done (this is where David Edgar failed).

I would strongly recommend you get advice from the PePiPoo forums before you take any action in this case.

[Trip01]

Thanks for the replies. I suspect this particular camera is faulty - it has flashed me on a previous occasion when I was doing much less than 30 and I was so surprised that I turned back to watch if the camera flashed other motorists. In fact it was flashing merrily away even when there were no vehicles passing it and I decided that maybe it was being triggered by oncoming traffic. In any event I did not get a NIP on that occasion and forgot about it. Another friend of mine got flashed by the same camera doing an alleged 32mph which would seem to be below the recommended threshold for triggering a camera which I understand is 10% + 2mph above the limit. I have not yet checked her photographs to see if they corroborate the measured speed.

I'll check out the pepipoo forums and think I will contest the case. I have no points on my licence and even if I lose it seems unlikely that the outcome would be much worse than the 3 points and £60 fine I would get if I accepted the FPN.

steve

[motco]

It wouldn't be near Barnes station heading towards the South Circular junction would it? I've seen this one go off a couple of times back in the autumn and I'm pretty sure the vehicle that was flashed was below the 30 limit.

Second thoughts, you'd better not answer that! Too much info....