Ok, not looking for sympathy as quite clearly I’m the one in the wrong from a legal standpoint. Just wondered how likely I am to get a ticket.
I’m not one to rush about in general, despite knowing most of the speed cameras in my area are turned off (confirmed by police). Generally keep to the limit as tend to finish early most days anyway. Today was a bit of an unfortunate one though. I was leaving a 30mph suburban area and it was just about to turn into a 40mph dual carriageway. I could see the sign up ahead and must’ve started unconsciously speeding up a bit.
Then I notice about 5-6 coppers on the right verge. I didn’t even think about speed guns as I’ve only ever seen the speed vans. There were also two cars in layby so I thought maybe there’d been a bump. Just as I went by I saw a woman raise the hand gun. I glanced down at my GPS and it said 35mph.
As far as I understand, 35 is usually the cut off point, so I’m assuming a ticket is very likely. I’d guess they were mainly trying to catch cars speeding into the 30 zone, as it would seem a bit pointless catching cars 50ft away from a 40, but she defo pointed the gun in the direction I was going.
Don’t worry about it, if there were that many coppers either they were training and/or intending to pull offenders immediately.
I suspect it was your lucky day, and yes you get so used to watching out for vans you tend to forget the hand held traps, a handy reminder for all of us they are still in use.
Don’t worry one of the perfect prefects will probably be along shortly to chastise you about speeding in your killing machine
I hope you’re right mate as I pretty much never speed usually. Today I was in an unloaded 18t and I usually drive a 32t dustcart which gets pretty full. Must’ve been literally half my usual weight and found I had to keep a close eye on the speed as it accelerates fast. My usual truck also has a digital speedo so I’m able to see it in my peripheral vision which helps avoid the speed creeping.
Wait 14 days, see if noips comes through the door, well 14 days to registered keeper, if you you don’t hear anything, happy days if you do, then decide weather you pay, or fancy a day in court . That’s all you can do… Next moving on.
Handheld speed guns are normally only used in a “stop them at the scene” scenario (as there is no video or camera evidence to confirm they have the correct vehicle). The “stopper” may well be another cop posted further down the road, or may be the gun operator.
A gaggle of cops with a single speed gun in one place strongly suggests some sort of training scenario.
After speaking to one of the other drivers I’m thinking it was most likely community speedwatch. That would explain a gaggle of people in hi vis with a speed gun.
Are you sure it was a "speed gun"they may have been out using number plate recognition,for Insurance Tax MOT evasion.
Even if it was a speed gun,allowing for % you may have been in scope or just slightly out but not worth the time and paperwork. Not all are “jobs worth`s”
Yeah I reckon it was community speedwatch. Haven’t seen a copper use a handheld speed camera who hasn’t been sat inside a police car since I got done by one who was stood behind a tree in the late 80s.
Most likely the local curtain twitch brigade who have a hard on for that kind of thing so at best all you’ll get in the post is a letter advising you to slow down a bit. Best part about the community speedwatch brigade is that it tends to be their own members they catch the most. On the news a while ago a village campaigned for a speed camera installed, they got it and it was the villagers it ended up catching.
Tailschwing:
After speaking to one of the other drivers I’m thinking it was most likely community speedwatch. That would explain a gaggle of people in hi vis with a speed gun.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
its always best to report such people for putting you into a state of fear and alarm by pointing what you think was a revolver at you whilst driving,and now with the added bonus of reporting them for being in a group without the social distancing.
reporting someone for brandishing a gun usually implies plod has to make an appearance in 5 mins complete with blues and twos…
Why is it that every time someone comes on here that’s been caught or assume they’ve been caught for (insert one of the following) speeding, using their phone, reading something, drinking something, eating something, programming their satnav, changing their radio station, inserting a cd, watching heartbeat on tv whilst driving just to mention a few feel the need to inform us they don’t usually do such things?
I don’t believe you, I think you make a habit of it and think you’ve been caught so want to come on the forum hoping someone will tell you everything will be alright like your mummy used to do when you were a kid.
Grow up, you’ve been caught so accept your punishment!
Well, it was either Colonel Blimp, the vicars wife, Gloria Snodgrass. the doctors receptionist, Mrs Smythe-Potter and a PCSO being trained for Community Speed Patrol, or it was the DVSA testing the new tachograph guns that can download a years data by drive by bluetooth.
The Hi-viz clothing has a special Covid 19 coating that repels bat crap
I don’t believe you, I think you make a habit of it and think you’ve been caught so want to come on the forum hoping someone will tell you everything will be alright like your mummy used to do when you were a kid. Grow up, you’ve been caught so accept your punishment!
Most of my work is in the city centre so I couldn’t speed even if I wanted. 99% of the time I’m sitting in traffic or crawling along.
As I said, I was accelerating towards a 40mph, which is technically still in the wrong but not the same as barrelling around all the time.
My employer will sack you on the spot for vaping/smoking in the truck, suspend you for leaving the yard before you’ve logged 15 mins other work on tacho or if you miss a broken marker, etc. There’s no way I’d risk being caught speeding by choice.
Tailschwing: I don’t believe you, I think you make a habit of it and think you’ve been caught so want to come on the forum hoping someone will tell you everything will be alright like your mummy used to do when you were a kid. Grow up, you’ve been caught so accept your punishment!
Most of my work is in the city centre so I couldn’t speed even if I wanted. 99% of the time I’m sitting in traffic or crawling along.
As I said, I was accelerating towards a 40mph, which is technically still in the wrong but not the same as barrelling around all the time.
My employer will sack you on the spot for vaping/smoking in the truck, suspend you for leaving the yard before you’ve logged 15 mins other work on tacho or if you miss a broken marker, etc. There’s no way I’d risk being caught speeding by choice.
You must work for blue sky thinking, logistics, who don’t give a ■■■■, pointy shoes, o box ticking.
dieseldog999:
its always best to report such people for putting you into a state of fear and alarm by pointing what you think was a revolver at you whilst driving,and now with the added bonus of reporting them for being in a group without the social distancing.
Wish I could be quick enough to think of stuff like this at the time instead of a day or two after the event. Deffo should have screamed “SOCIAL DISTANCING” out the window as you drove past.
The annoying thing with Speedwatch in my area is there is no right of reply - no correspondence will be entered into. I was caught coming out of a garden centre and the 30 sign on my side of the road was too big compared to the one opposite ( roadworks going on further up) so I put it down to a misplaced sign, then 50 yards round a slight bend -zap.
One of my police colleagues confirmed that when they do a speed check they have to sign off that all signs were properly sighted and to do the same with each notice of prosecution. I did write to Speedwatch but heard nothing back but if you are caught it is worth asking if the speed limits signs are in order if you think they are not - as in my case.
