SPEED CAMERAS - JUST A MONEY MAKING EXERCISE?

I have no problem seeing them in the right places, where road safety is an issue. Dangerous bends, narrowing roads - that kind of thing - but I've just had a letter saying I got caught last Sunday and I'm damned annoyed about it!

It was on a long straight stretch of road, a few miles out of Filey. There was no built up element to it, no dangerous bits and the limit suddenly went from 60 to 30 for no obvious reason. I was stupid to allow myself to get caught by a mobile camera doing the heinous speed of 35 mph but it's done now so I just have to wait for the outcome.

Incidentally I wonder if anybody knows the range of these van mounted cameras? I saw it from a long distance away and dropped my speed immediately but, obviously, not soon enough. I'm generally a careful, even slow, driver so it's galling to face points, a fine or a speed awareness course. I have to wait to find out what my sentence is. I think the cost of a course is £88 so it's a smack in the face for such a minor "crime".

 

I got caught doing 36 in a 30 at 2-35 in the morning, my speed awareness course is tomorrow…funny thing is if you contest it and lose then they remove the speed awareness course option and automatically give you 3 points,…funny that innit

 

The range is one kilometre.

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZGJowyRGX/

 

I am a steady driver but I'm on 9 points, 3 points for 35 in a 30 going towards farmer Copley and I got 6 points on the M1.
I always set cruise control to 70 on a motorway, totally unaware I received a letter saying I was going 69 mph in a 40 on the M1 around j41 South bound, no signs no cones I must have missed the overhead digital display. Anyway easy win £1500 and 6 points, insurance now doubled as well. I know its my fault but genuine mistake.

 

After I retired from the MOD in 2009 I was driving for an upmarket taxi firm in Princes Risborough for a couple of years. It’s hard work keeping a Merc or a Jag down to 30mph and, during a 12 month period I got caught 3 times. Once like you, in the middle of the night. I was on my way to Gatwick with a woman who hadn’t stopped talking since I picked her up half an hour before and I missed a static camera on the edge of Wycombe - just wasn’t concentrating. All three of my hits were in 30 zones doing around 34-37mph - no more than that.
I’ve been driving since 1971 and these were my only misdemeanours…until now! Makes me so angry when I see idiots roaring along, well over the limit, often in built up areas.

 

I got caught in Cambridgeshire by a camera van on the bridge above. I saw it from a fair way away.
I'll stand corrected I think you can do the course online. I paid more than £88. (Think £100) Around 6 yrs ago for a classroom session.
Edit . Apparently it's a postcode lottery as to how much you pay.

 

I have been on the speed awareness course and done it on line (2022) and it really opens your eyes how bad most people are on the roads. I was caught doing 34 in a 30 at 6.32 at morning in the dark so didn't see the van. I think it's ridiculous some of the speeds they get you on and it wasn't like i was doing 50/ 60 like some do on same road but they never seem to get caught because the van isn't there when boy racers use the road.

 

Mine was £88, I’m doing on zoom and it lasts 2 hours 45 mins

 

Was the 30mph sign hidden from view?

 

Couldn't agree with this more. The worst one for me is the M42 - the kind of scenarios you describe happen all the time on there. I often think that the 20mph limit they impose as you approach a closing lane is imposed by people who have never driven a car, otherwise they would appreciate how bloody dangerous it is.

 

950m is the range

 

It’s relentless now the effort and technology they use to catch motorists. If only they put the same effort in other crimes.

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZGJowpd3U/

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZGJoKNcus/

 

The problem is they only target speeding. Carry out any number of other bad driving techniques like tailgating, lane weaving or middle lane hogging and there is next to zero chance of being ticketed for it. That's why standards of driving are getting worse.

Middle lane hogging is almost seen as normal now, its so prevalent. Many people actually think that's what they are supposed to do.

 

I don't know how true it is but i was told they can check to see if you have Road tax and insurance.

 

They can't make a penny if you don't exceed the speed limit.

 

Got done a few years ago - Park Road - hadn't realised I'd been flashed - 2 days later Car Insurance up for renewal - told Insurers I had no points on my licence (at that point I didn't know I'd been flashed.) Insurance renewed - week later I was notified I'd got 3 points backdated to day of offence.
Didn't think I needed to inform Insurers but when I did I was told Insurance was invalid as I'd given incorrect information.
Once Insurers had made a note of the points I was covered.

(at the present time my car insurance is roughly the same as the value of ancient car!)
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Friend recently renewing his car Insurance - asked for a reduction in price - told that if instead of stating his annual mileage at 12 K and said it was 11,999 premium would be reduced by £15.
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Still on matters motoring -

a) Use Penny Pie gyratory to get to KIngstone from Gawber daily - on return journey the timing of the lights getting from Broadway to cross Dodworth Road are very tight - an accident waiting to happen.

b) Does anyone else flash oncoming vehicles if they pass mobile speed cameras to warn them. (think it may be illegal.)
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and finally spare a thought for the poor Taffs whose driving speed in built up areas is restricted to 20 mph.

 

that happened to me once, 50 to 30, the 30 sign was right in the middle of a bush and totally overgrown (I went back to check later as I couldn’t understand it) the guy with the camera was a bit further on and must have known, total money making job justification case.

 

The flashing of other traffic is a funny one, they tried to do a driver a few years ago who took it up a level, the Court decided it was reasonable as he was attempting to prevent a speeding offence. I don't know though if that case set a precedent.

 

I once flashed some drivers on Huddersfield road when I saw a mobile camera, what I didn’t see was a panda car parked up who waved me down and gave me a stern look like I was some naughty child, pity she didn’t see me stick my finger up at her as I drive off, I love to see other drivers uniting to warn or mobile cameras