Caught On Camera

[crazylex]

Been watching for the notice in the post and unfortunately it arrived this am.

37 in a 30.

The daft thing is I honestly thought is was a 40, so ok ignorance is no defence (no seriously I really thought it was) , but its a massive main road.

I was doing 40 and slowed a little when I saw the van up the road, thinking I'll just keep a couple under forty and I am ok, then as I was passing the van I thought "hang on a minute is it a 40 and frantically searched for signs, but found none. I almost wanted to stop and go back and ask if I was caught.

I might try and ask for the photographic evidence, only worry I have is that may number plate, whilst having standard letters spells my co name, (this format A777 AAA) but is actually spaced like this A777A AA (not these actualy letters), so if I try and get off, may be they will do me for wrong spacing.

And to make me feel even worse as of 30.10.06 my licence was clean from a previous SP30 (whilst in an unknown area with no street lights looking for a hotel and having a blazing row with the missus) , this new one was done on 2.11.06, so my licence was clean for 2 days.

Any one any suggestions.

[Mr Morse]

I had an NIP come last week......undisclosed speed in a 30 limit. I remember the van which was parked on the pavement on the other side of the road!

They've sent me the photo and the license plate is clear enough, but the driver is unidentifiable!

Next thing I'm going to ask for is the calibration report for the camera and check if there's any conflict with the speed limit signs further back up the road.

May as well make them work for their scamera money!

[crazylex]

I had an NIP come last week......undisclosed speed in a 30 limit. I remember the van which was parked on the pavement on the other side of the road!

They've sent me the photo and the license plate is clear enough, but the driver is unidentifiable!

Next thing I'm going to ask for is the calibration report for the camera and check if there's any conflict with the speed limit signs further back up the road.

May as well make them work for their scamera money!

When did you ask for the photo ? When you sent back the NIP.

Can you say you cant rememebr who was driving and then they have to prove it ?

[Scarlet Pimpernell]

Try here:

http://www.speed-trap.co.uk/

All you want to know and more...

Feel it for you tho'.

[Mr Wray]

Been watching for the notice in the post and unfortunately it arrived this am.

37 in a 30.

The daft thing is I honestly thought is was a 40, so ok ignorance is no defence (no seriously I really thought it was) , but its a massive main road.

I was doing 40 and slowed a little when I saw the van up the road, thinking I'll just keep a couple under forty and I am ok, then as I was passing the van I thought "hang on a minute is it a 40 and frantically searched for signs, but found none. I almost wanted to stop and go back and ask if I was caught.

I might try and ask for the photographic evidence, only worry I have is that may number plate, whilst having standard letters spells my co name, (this format A777 AAA) but is actually spaced like this A777A AA (not these actualy letters), so if I try and get off, may be they will do me for wrong spacing.

And to make me feel even worse as of 30.10.06 my licence was clean from a previous SP30 (whilst in an unknown area with no streets looking for a hotel and having a blazing row with the missus) , this new one was done on 2.11.06, so my licence was clean for 2 days.

Any one any suggestions.

Bad Luck Buddy!

I have recently had one of these doing 62 in a 50 on the M11 (what a joke! Y on earth are they restricting the motorway speed limit to 50 anyway?!!). Any way, i got 3 points and a fine, :megaangry: , but after i was told by my cousin that had i said my license was defaced or missing and am in the process of renewing it, sent this note in the reply to the notice with the payment for the fine, i wouldnt have got the points and just been out of pocket.

He swears by it and has done it more than 5 times. This is supposed to work because they only gain from the fine, YOUR MONEY, the points do nothing but annoy you, and certainly does nothing for the police or whoever. Once you pay up they shouldnt really chase you for your license to give you points. If they do stall them for a while untill your ready to give in and recieve the points, but my cuz swears by it and i am def. gonna try it next time.

Its down to you pal, its worth a try. Think about it......i think it makes sense.

Let me know what you decide to do!!

Good Luck!

[Rich_Bee]

Bad Luck Buddy!

I have recently had one of these doing 62 in a 50 on the M11 (what a joke! Y on earth are they restricting the motorway speed limit to 50 anyway?!!). Any way, i got 3 points and a fine, :megaangry: , but after i was told by my cousin that had i said my license was defaced or missing and am in the process of renewing it, sent this note in the reply to the notice with the payment for the fine, i wouldnt have got the points and just been out of pocket.

He swears by it and has done it more than 5 times. This is supposed to work because they only gain from the fine, YOUR MONEY, the points do nothing but annoy you, and certainly does nothing for the police or whoever. Once you pay up they shouldnt really chase you for your license to give you points. If they do stall them for a while untill your ready to give in and recieve the points, but my cuz swears by it and i am def. gonna try it next time.

Its down to you pal, its worth a try. Think about it......i think it makes sense.

Let me know what you decide to do!!

Good Luck!

I though the points were dealt with at the DVLA as well as court, and it doesn't make any difference if you have your license available or not. I was caught twice, once in 98 (65 in a restricted 50 on motorway - 5 points and £335 fine ) and in 99 (92 on the M40 - 4 points and £335 again :o ) and both times I did send my licence and they wrote the points on in biro. When we then moved house, lost my license and requested a new one - there they were printed in all their glory. They must have a record somewhere, whether it's actually written on your licence or not...

[eXOBeX]

Visit www.pepipoo.com BEFORE sending off any forms.

[crazylex]

Bad Luck Buddy!

I have recently had one of these doing 62 in a 50 on the M11 (what a joke! Y on earth are they restricting the motorway speed limit to 50 anyway?!!). Any way, i got 3 points and a fine, :megaangry: , but after i was told by my cousin that had i said my license was defaced or missing and am in the process of renewing it, sent this note in the reply to the notice with the payment for the fine, i wouldnt have got the points and just been out of pocket.

He swears by it and has done it more than 5 times. This is supposed to work because they only gain from the fine, YOUR MONEY, the points do nothing but annoy you, and certainly does nothing for the police or whoever. Once you pay up they shouldnt really chase you for your license to give you points. If they do stall them for a while untill your ready to give in and recieve the points, but my cuz swears by it and i am def. gonna try it next time.

Its down to you pal, its worth a try. Think about it......i think it makes sense.

Let me know what you decide to do!!

Good Luck!

I though the points were dealt with at the DVLA as well as court, and it doesn't make any difference if you have your license available or not. I was caught twice, once in 98 (65 in a restricted 50 on motorway - 5 points and £335 fine ) and in 99 (92 on the M40 - 4 points and £335 again :o ) and both times I did send my licence and they wrote the points on in biro. When we then moved house, lost my license and requested a new one - there they were printed in all their glory. They must have a record somewhere, whether it's actually written on your licence or not...

Yeah my previous ones were written in biro.

£335 - how come so much ?

[Rich_Bee]

No idea, pleaded guilty by post both times and that was the fine that came through. Gits.

I did have a lot more free cash then and it was means tested so I guess they stung me for what they thought I could afford. Can't grumble though, I was on a three week honeymoon in Mexico for the last court date :P so i could hardly plead poverty :duh:

[Steve ( West Mids )]

Just don't say somebody else was driving:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/6131826.stm

[Scarlet Pimpernell]

Just don't say somebody else was driving:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/6131826.stm

...don't lie, better still don't speed - it can kill...

:o

It's easy to say it, but we all accidentaly do it - especially in a refined mile cruncher like a Lexus...

If it wasn't for Cruise Control...

[Rillo]

Best advice is not to send off form immediately. Wait, calm down and then, by recorded delivery, ask them for copies of :

Photographic evidence - NIP states they have evidence. If they don't......

Details of the device used and proof that it is Home Office approved

Calibration documentation for whatever device was used

Training certs for the operator - was the operator experienced or civilian drafted in?

Location details of the device (in case it was parked illegally)

speed / camera signs were in accordance with regulations??

You are entitled to all of this information.

You may still get 3 points and a fine but this way you can be sure that you are not "guilty until proven innocent" !

Seems like hard work?? It's just a single letter - the same as posting your fine ;)

[Mr Morse]

How specific do they have to be in relation to the location of the alleged offence - in my case all they quote is "A609 Trowell Road, Woolaton, Nottingham". Trowell Road goes on for a few miles....

[Rillo]

They only have to be as specific as that if you don't ask for details of exactly where the offence happened. They should tell you where the camera was and what speed they say you were doing and also what the published speed limit is for that location This allows you to check that signs are accurate etc. It also allows you to confirm that the device was legally located - there are rules for placement and they can supply those too.

The system relies on self incrimination and the fact you just plead guilty. Chances are you could have broken the law and it's a fair cop but it's always worth confirming they are not in the wrong. It wouldn't be the first time they sent out invalid NIPs and won't be the last.

[Scarlet Pimpernell]

I'm gonna be controversial and ask you guys if you think it's OK to break the law, whether on purpose or by accident?

Don't flame me - I just think we're all too hung up on how we can get away with things. Why? Let me tell you...

There are far too many people on the roads on hand held Mobiles etc, kids not buckled in properly, dodgy lights, tail gating etc - all far more dangerous than what crazylex probably did at that time, yet he is the guy now having to worry.

It's a shame that by being approx 2mph over what the camera/operator may have allowed he got caught 'cos there happened to be a camera around, and I have seen loads of Lexus drivers driving around on a hand held...

Crazylex - in the meantime I hope your enquiries don't get you into further trouble. My advice would be ask some questions, but be prepared to take the rap. Don't let people make you think you can just get off...'cos you probably won't.

PS - like I say - don't flame me - if we all drive sensibly the cameras are worthless, and lives are saved!

[Rillo]

A generalisation but it depends on whether the public respect the law. Most people respect 30 mph around schools and stick to it, apart from a minority of idiots. Conversely most people break speed limit on Motorway and a large group happen to think 40 mph limits on dual carriageways are stupid. Hence less respect, more people break the law.

I personally can't stand people using mobiles in cars without a hands free kit as you are not only distracted by the call but have 1 less free arm to control the vehicle. However I get equally annoyed with people lighting ciggies, applying makeup, dancing to loud music etc..

As for us all driving sensibly and we won't get caught? Doubt it - driving a multi dimensional skill that involves more than sticking to a poorly set speed limit and even if we did, the powers that be would still fiddle it so they caught and taxed us for something else.

[Scarlet Pimpernell]

Agreed, but by driving sensibly you are less likely to kill or be killed.

Whilst I hate the cameras too, I think there can be legitimate reason for them. But it's the mobile ones I hate - 'cos if a stretch of road really is bad there should be a permanent one there. These mobile ones are there to make money (or so that's how most of us see them).

Thats the theory, and a mate of mine who's a traffic cop goes all to often to the scene of an RTA where someone is now singing to the fairies - and that life could have been saved by the driver being 5mph lower than he/she was...

Crazylex - I'm not for one moment implying here that you were not sensible. I'm sure you were and given the conditions and the speed was no doubt OK for that stretch of road. It's just the "Road Safety" camera vans park up and catch you an unawares, meanwhile some little old lady is having her handbag snatched...or the guy in front who happened to be at the limit was high on weed or on his mobile handheld!

No wonder we all look for ways of not paying the fines...like I say ask the appropriate questions, but at the end of the day, it's their rules so it was probably a fair cop!

[crazylex]

Well..

Firstly I do not think that I should "get off with it", because a law is a law.

But when some t**t goes past you just after the van, then the law is taking the p**s. He knew it was a 30 slowed and shot off after the van, me - I slowed down after getting zapped.

Everybody speeds at some time. You are lying if you say you have never sped.

I also hate people on mobile phones when driving, I have a £70 hands free thing with voice name activation, so why cant everyone else. But maybe I would answer it and put on speaker if the hands free Battery was dead.

As for saying dont speed it kills, come on get off the soap box . I'll mention that to my mum who lost her first child a few weeks before being born, as well as being in hospital for 6 months being put back together because some nutter went through at red at enough sped to leave my old mans van 40 yards away from the lights and my mum even further.

The point is I was driving safely within a speed limit that I thought it was - (at some point it was 60 then 40 and then somewhere changed to 30 ) I wasn't driving like a tw*t, and in fact the camera van parked on the road in front of me distracted me as well, and if somebody had stepped out in front of my whilst I am checking my speed (which you do even at 30) or looking for signs confirming the speed limit, or even trying to make out if it is a camera van, whose to blame me or the camera van ? Me - no doubt.

I am all for cameras - fixed in areas that are proven or even thought to be dangerous, 99% slow down (if you know them or see them) and thats what they are there for as a deterent to save lives- but mobile cameras are there to catch you out. Period. There is no doubt that cameras are now inplace by councils that what to raise funds. The real reason they are there is not important to the council. IMO.

All said if they have the proof then I must be guilty.

But I'll send in my PACE form though.

In heinsite maybe I should have just driven into his van, it was an obstruction after all, and I had to manouvere to avoid it, even if the lanes are very wide at this point. :D

Any way thanks for the constructive comments and web sites-

Maybe I should change my user name - I suppose it implies I am a t**t

[Monster-Mat]

i think the issue of "getting off" is people are fed up of cameras being the "police" id rather be caught by a policeman, who can then check my insurance, my mot and to see that im not drunk or that the car is not belching smoke.......

but no, we have to be dealt the justice that a machine sees......

cameras should only be used for what they were brought in for, accident hot spots and outside schools!!

[crazylex]

i think the issue of "getting off" is people are fed up of cameras being the "police" id rather be caught by a policeman, who can then check my insurance, my mot and to see that im not drunk or that the car is not belching smoke.......

but no, we have to be dealt the justice that a machine sees......

cameras should only be used for what they were brought in for, accident hot spots and outside schools!!

Well said Mat.