Reply to: Here's how "fair" speed cameras are

[KentPhilip]

There were so many motorists getting off parking fines so the law was changed in May this year. Now the local council designate a restricted parking zone and it’s up to the motorist to find out what the restrictions are. You will find now that many single yellow lines have restricted parking from 7am to 11pm with no notices to say so.

Ha - that happened to me. Single yellow line with no little boxes saying what the times were.
Trouble is there were some old boxes left up by the council that had a different end time. Confusion. I appealed - got rejected, appealed again, and got the ticket cancelled, with a whinging letter from the council that I had used an unorthodox appeal method (used www.appealnow.com)

result!

[Peoplesoft bloke]

......you're more likely to fail the MOT for a garter over the rear view mirror than anything meaningful.

I'm not at all likely to fail on that !

[Purple Dalek]

Nick - you must be talking about construction and use - one of my cars passed last MOT totally legally with a speedo that didn't work at all as it's not tested. Nice Steinbeck ref by the way

True only the odometer has to work, not the speedo. The MOT is a bit of a box ticking joke, you're more likely to fail the MOT for a garter over the rear view mirror than anything meaningful.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

Wrong. The legal specification is that the speedometer may read 10% over the actual speed and 0% under. If your speedometer shows 33mph then you may well be slightly under 30mph. If, on the other hand, your actual speed is 33mph then your speedometer will be showing that speed or higher, unless you have a miscalibrated speedometer, which IIRC is regarded at law as equivalent to speeding, in the sense of carrying the same penalty.

I often wonder if those people who fit fancy wheels to their vehicles ever take into account the way this affects their speedometer. In his book Travels with Charly John Steinbeck recounts how it was necessary, about half-way through his trip around the US, ....... are breaking the law even if you stay within the speed limit - in fact, even if you remain stationary, as long as you are on a public highway.

Nick - you must be talking about construction and use - one of my cars passed last MOT totally legally with a speedo that didn't work at all as it's not tested. Nice Steinbeck ref by the way

[Peoplesoft bloke]

This is one of points I argued in court. That part of the argument was dismissed by the District Judge. The 10% rule is a myth and is only used as regression by the police.

Has anyone got any actual evidence of anyone having been done for 33?

[Paddy]

Indeed and since 3mph is 10% you won't get nicked for 33

This is one of points I argued in court. That part of the argument was dismissed by the District Judge. The 10% rule is a myth and is only used as regression by the police.

[EqualOpportunities]

I assure, my Orion is no slouch

MOT due this week...

Let me know if you need a hand with that... A good friend, and tame mechanic, has a testing station

[NickFitz]

Look on the bright side Nick - when you drive the kind of vehicles that we do, the chances of being caught speeding are limited

I assure, my Orion is no slouch

MOT due this week...

[EqualOpportunities]

Wrong. The legal specification is that the speedometer may read 10% over the actual speed and 0% under. If your speedometer shows 33mph then you may well be slightly under 30mph. If, on the other hand, your actual speed is 33mph then your speedometer will be showing that speed or higher, unless you have a miscalibrated speedometer, which IIRC is regarded at law as equivalent to speeding, in the sense of carrying the same penalty.

I often wonder if those people who fit fancy wheels to their vehicles ever take into account the way this affects their speedometer. In his book Travels with Charly John Steinbeck recounts how it was necessary, about half-way through his trip around the US, to fit larger and sturdier tyres to his motorhome. The chap who fitted them warned him that his speedo would now be inaccurate, and he would be travelling faster than it read. In the UK that isn't road-legal.

If you fit bigger wheels or tyres to your vehicle such that they alter the reading given by the speedometer, you must have the speedometer recalibrated, or you are breaking the law even if you stay within the speed limit - in fact, even if you remain stationary, as long as you are on a public highway.

Look on the bright side Nick - when you drive the kind of vehicles that we do, the chances of being caught speeding are limited

[NickFitz]

Indeed and since 3mph is 10% you won't get nicked for 33

Wrong. The legal specification is that the speedometer may read 10% over the actual speed and 0% under. If your speedometer shows 33mph then you may well be slightly under 30mph. If, on the other hand, your actual speed is 33mph then your speedometer will be showing that speed or higher, unless you have a miscalibrated speedometer, which IIRC is regarded at law as equivalent to speeding, in the sense of carrying the same penalty.

I often wonder if those people who fit fancy wheels to their vehicles ever take into account the way this affects their speedometer. In his book Travels with Charly John Steinbeck recounts how it was necessary, about half-way through his trip around the US, to fit larger and sturdier tyres to his motorhome. The chap who fitted them warned him that his speedo would now be inaccurate, and he would be travelling faster than it read. In the UK that isn't road-legal.

If you fit bigger wheels or tyres to your vehicle such that they alter the reading given by the speedometer, you must have the speedometer recalibrated, or you are breaking the law even if you stay within the speed limit - in fact, even if you remain stationary, as long as you are on a public highway.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

Cameras relying on road sensors are very inaccurate especially with cars with torsion bar suspension. ...

What sort of a shed has torsion bar suspension these days? I thought that went out with Beetles and Austin Montegos?

[BrilloPad]

A shame that any old Tom Dick or Harry could be pointing the speed gun in this country. More often than not it is a civillian doing the speed camera work, not a PC. Civilians are not qualified to form an opinion that you are speeding to zap you with a gun, only PC's are however that fact is always overlooked in court as well.

I live on rat run between 5pm and 6pm. I have tried to get the road closed - but to no avail. I would be out there with a speed gun doing anyone who cared to drive down my road. I appreciate that not everyone is as unfair as me - but the system is open to abuse.....

[Ardesco]

Those who feel unjustly persecuted for speeding in the UK should be glad they're not in France. In some TV interview I saw recently, a Gendarme explained that if he said a motorist was exceeding the limit by say 30km/hour, then in law it was a matter of fact that he was doing so, unless the motorist could prove the Gendarme was lying.

A shame that any old Tom Dick or Harry could be pointing the speed gun in this country. More often than not it is a civillian doing the speed camera work, not a PC. Civilians are not qualified to form an opinion that you are speeding to zap you with a gun, only PC's are however that fact is always overlooked in court as well.

[Paddy]

Cameras relying on road sensors are very inaccurate especially with cars with torsion bar suspension. Also in order to convict a motorist of speeding there must be two sets of evidence; a camera must give the electronic reading plus a photo. A police laser gun must have a laser reading plus the opinion of the policeman before he pointed the gun. However the courts will over look the requirement if it’s not brought up.

[Paddy]

Yeah, but what really gets my goat, policemen get away with parking on double yellow lines because the lines do not have a 'termination bar', or some other legal loophole, but the cash cow British motorist cant object if the speed cameras are stuck in the ground upside fkin down.

grrr

There were so many motorists getting off parking fines so the law was changed in May this year. Now the local council designate a restricted parking zone and it’s up to the motorist to find out what the restrictions are. You will find now that many single yellow lines have restricted parking from 7am to 11pm with no notices to say so.