Oh the Shame......

[OmniCognateNeutronRangler]

Due to the West Sussex police very kindly offering to put 3 points on my license for a minor indescretion (38 in a 30 limit) I have decided to join the ranks of those causing 2 mile tail-backs on country lanes and my C-Class is being VERY helpful.

Yes, I have decided to start using the speed limiter on EVERY road to set my car to the exact speed limit. Unfortunatey I live in the middle of nowhere, 75 miles from the office and my wife doesn't drive so getting points was a bit of a wake-up call. If I were to lose my license I would lose my job, my house etc (actually I would just continue driving without a license). So as I now appear to be worse than a burgular or mugger in the eyes of the police (they can mug and burgal all they like without losing either their jobs, their houses or their cars) I'm afraid everyone behind me will now start to suffer.

The real eye-opener to me is that this was on a bit of road I travel every day that has no fixed camera and had no sign of any mobile unit so I can only asume I was nabbed by a camera car.

The one up-side is that I am arriving home feeling considerably more relaxed than I used to and without that feeling that I need to rip someone's head off. Unfortunately I expect that the same could not be said for those behind me. I am pulling over whenever the queue becomes too embarrasing or the guy behind starts to look to irate but I'm afraid my license is more important to me that your blood pressure. Just remember, until last week I was that guy!

So if you use the A283 bewteen Petworth and the A3 and you get stuck in a long line of slow moving traffic, please don't blame me, blame the F@*king idiots that think 30mph is the correct speed on a country lane.

 

[Blobcat]

Sorry to hear it, I'm in exactly the same position with North Wales Police . Just received my licence back today with the offending points applied.

I always use cruise to keep my speed down on the M-Way's and dual carriageways however the A483 through mid Wales is a route I regularly travel and on and due to the ammount of traffic am unable to use cruise. NWP had me at the end of an uphill section where there is a crawler lane for lorries. I was using the power of my car to safely overtake the lorries then pull back in. NWP had their van (dark blue in case you don't know them) hidden behind a lorry trailor in a burger van layby. They were pointing back into England so they may even have done me outside their area.
I have now started using my speed limiter set to 65mph (which is actually 63 mph). It feels like their is something wrong with my car however whenever I reach the limit.

One thing I have noticed with all the correspondance sent by NWP is that I am treated as guilty right from the start and lots of threats of court and £1,000 fines. Today I have received a 'COURT WARNING NOTICE IMPORTANT - 7 DAYS TO RESPOND' letter. 7 Paragraphs of me failing to respond and possible court procedings most in bold. Yet the last line is 'Please disregard this letter if you have already complied with our offer' Which after all the threats is a bit rich

 

[OmniCognateNeutronRangler]

I'm going on holiday in 3 weeks time and need to take my license. Knowing my luck I'll get the "7 days to respond" letter the day after I leave the country for 2 weeks or they'll insist on me sending in my license when I need it for the rental car on holiday.

 

[Blobcat]

I wrote to NWP informing them I was out of the country for 4 weeks and unable to repsond. They did reply saying that prosceution would be delayed for 28 days. So I would recommend you do something similar.

 

[OmniCognateNeutronRangler]

Thanks. I'll wait and see if I get anythng over the next 2 weeks and if not I'll send them the letter.

I just hate being treated like a criminal!

 

[Retired]

Three points, again 38 in a 30 limit, and a few 'near misses' only just spotting a ‘ safety car’ in time (can’t remember the correct euphemism ) got me using the speed limiter.

You’re right it does cause frustration to those behind!

Unfortunately it also tends to make me inattentive if the limit is inappropriate. Without using the limiter I also spend too much time looking at the speedo and searching for cameras etc which probably tends to make me less safe.

I’m very much in favour of appropriate limits. E.g. outside schools, in housing estates etc. If limits were generally felt to be appropriate then I’m sure more drivers would comply with them, or accept a penalty if caught exceeding them.

Its too easy through a few minor infringements of inappropriate limits to lose your licence. A more flexible system of penalties is needed. Fewer points for a few mph over the limit rising with the severity of the offence.

I’d also like to see more police about catching some of the truly aggressive and dangerous driving I seem to see almost every day.

 

[jon_harley]

...
I'm afraid everyone behind me will now start to suffer.
...

So if you use the A283 bewteen Petworth and the A3 and you get stuck in a long line of slow moving traffic, please don't blame me, blame the F@*king idiots that think 30mph is the correct speed on a country lane.

There are indeed some stupid speed limits around, but as I was just reading the BBC international news website before this one, I think "driving at 30mph when that's the speed limit" is pushing the definition of "suffering" way too far.

 

[OmniCognateNeutronRangler]

Trouble is I firmly believe that inappropriate speed limits can cause accidents. People get frustrated and then overtake in dangerous places. I'm not saying they are right to do so but I can understand the frustration. This is why I use my mirrors and if there are people behind looking agitated (usually manifesting itself by them being only a matter of microns off of your bumper) I will find somewhere appropriate to pull over and let the cars pass. It only adds a few seconds to my journey but may save someone else from doing something stupid

 

[Blobcat]

Three points, again 38 in a 30 limit, and a few 'near misses' only just spotting a ‘ safety car’ in time (can’t remember the correct euphemism ) got me using the speed limiter.

You’re right it does cause frustration to those behind!

Unfortunately it also tends to make me inattentive if the limit is inappropriate. Without using the limiter I also spend too much time looking at the speedo and searching for cameras etc which probably tends to make me less safe.

I’m very much in favour of appropriate limits. E.g. outside schools, in housing estates etc. If limits were generally felt to be appropriate then I’m sure more drivers would comply with them, or accept a penalty if caught exceeding them.

Its too easy through a few minor infringements of inappropriate limits to lose your licence. A more flexible system of penalties is needed. Fewer points for a few mph over the limit rising with the severity of the offence.

I’d also like to see more police about catching some of the truly aggressive and dangerous driving I seem to see almost every day.

Agreed, it is inappropriate speed which is dangerous not speeding per se. However no camera is able to differentiate which is why I wish they would get rid of the lot of them and put some traffic police back on the roads.
How is a 'Safety Camera' supposed to deal with Drunk, Drugged or non handsfree mobile phone users

Just call it a tax and get on with it, just stop giving points out.

 

[OmniCognateNeutronRangler]

Just call it a tax and get on with it, just stop giving points out.

I agree. I'll pay the fine (maybe even make the fines bigger) but I don't see why I should lose everything for a few speeding tickets. I'm not talking about being a policeman and doing 149mph, I'm talking about 8mph over the speed limit.

I completely agree. Put more police back on the street. May solve a whole bunch of other problems too. A speed camera doesn't notice when your pride and joy is being nicked.

 

[Blobcat]

You were only 3 mph over the ACPO guidelines (10% + 2Mph) same as me. So for 3mph you are a criminal. I am sure that in your case that you thought the speed was appropriate at the time, which when it comes down to it is what is important.
If I was to drive past my sons school at 08:45 doing 30mph I would probably hit 10+ children. However the camera that is sited there would not see my actions as anything other than correct. Makes a mockery of the whole system.
I will get off my soap box now.

 

[Rory]

So for 3mph you are a criminal.

NO YOU'RE NOT!

It's an important distinction - you & OCNR got a penalty - it's NOT a conviction. You can only be convicted in a court of law.

This is important because there are some things, certain jobs, travelling to the US, etc, where it's best to avoid having any convictions.

I've had 2 fixed penalties, and I was pretty miffed about both of them, but providing you don't go mad, you could get one every year and it would never be an issue. It's a bit like a football yellow card, except you get 3 of them before a red.

The main downside is that some insurance companies use it as an excuse to load your premium. I'm with Liverpool Victoria / Frizzell and they don't take fixed penalty's into account, and don't even require to be told of them.

 

[vadeyemo]

Not really sure why you guys have not invested just a little fortune in a radar detector knoowing full well that you drive powerful machines. It's worth a try and they are getting cheaper as well. Save yourself the points/jobs/homes/cars etc. Worth a try. Who thinks otherwise and why?
See for yourself.
http://www.microfuzion.co.uk/default.asp?PARTNER=GOOGLE&gclid=CMfJ4IGd9oYCFRJeEgod93Seag

 

[tom7035]

Speed limits.

You all have my sympathies, but a wee point re. speed limits. They are not there to curb the speed of a RESPONSIBLE driver, but the general cross-section of drivers - and the analogy there is like driving in convoy, the speed of the convoy has to match the slowest vehicle, i.e. they are there to curb the speed of the poorest drivers and, unfortunately, there are far more of the latter than the former.

 

[BarryG]

Ah the joys of motoring.

Had A lovely relaxing holiday on the west coast of Scotland touring about the coast, getting some fishing in on the beaches and rocks with my son. Weather was brilliant the whole week, all speed cameras clearly marked. The cameras for checking your average speed between two set spots were clearly visible, hence no problems about a speeding ticket up there. Drove back down into England heading home on the A69 fully laden car full to the brim with the family including the dog (no kitchen sink ) My C250 was managing fine on the flat but I needed to give the auto gearbox some right foot for inclines and overtaking slow moving vehicles tractors etc. Got to Haydon Bridge after having people honking their horns at me as I was travelling within the speed limit where I knew those nice police officers would be sitting in there nice shiny cars hidden from view round one of the bends in the road. The speed limit in Haydon Bridge is 30 Mph which I knew. Theres a camera in town as I knew. I was travelling along under the limit when I came upon the slope upward just round a corner in the town itself, a little right foot and up the slope the car handled it easier than I thought and I started breaking when Flash Flash Flash
Yep sensible driving all the way home people flying past me doing 100+ mph on narrow roads and i get done for accelerating to take an incline !!!

 

[Blobcat]

Not really sure why you guys have not invested just a little fortune in a radar detector knoowing full well that you drive powerful machines. It's worth a try and they are getting cheaper as well. Save yourself the points/jobs/homes/cars etc. Worth a try.

I have a road angel and also had a Bel550. I also check out the police websites as to where they are locating their vans. However non of the above make any difference if, A) The van is on a different road to what the police say it will be on. B) They take the first hit from you on the laser, giving you no time to slow down. C) the position of the van is not in the Road Angel. A, B & C apply to my case.
Only a laser jammer (Garage door opener) would have made a difference, and since the only one that was any good cost £700 and is no longer made I never bought one.

 

[OmniCognateNeutronRangler]

BarryG - You've hit the nail on the head. That is what REALLY pi&&es me off. You can be the best driver in the world and stick to the speed limits, you then over-take one of the 40 mph brigade (always doing 40, - 40 in the 60 limit and then stay at 40 when they hit a 30 limit - usually wearing hats) safely and quickly and the overtaking manovure takes you over the limit for a few seconds and you are branded a criminal, whilst Mr Hat Wearer shakes his head in disgussd and continues to cause accidents for years to come.....

 

[Shambolic]

BarryG - You've hit the nail on the head. That is what REALLY pi&&es me off. You can be the best driver in the world and stick to the speed limits, you then over-take one of the 40 mph brigade (always doing 40, - 40 in the 60 limit and then stay at 40 when they hit a 30 limit - usually wearing hats) safely and quickly and the overtaking manovure takes you over the limit for a few seconds and you are branded a criminal, whilst Mr Hat Wearer shakes his head in disgussd and continues to cause accidents for years to come.....

That is the worst driver on earth( see above) They have a fixed position for their foot so if going up a hill they slow to 15mph going downhill they end up at 60mph ,still in 2nd gear mind.
They leave the 60 of the open country and hit the village with the same gay abandon and foot position with no thought to the enviroment outside them.
I was recently stopped (in my works van) pushing it admittedly at carlisle on the way back up to scotland,I was very polite to officer explained and agreed that I was speeding gave him a rough estimate which he told me was actually a lot less then I was doing:Oops: :Oops: but declined his invitation to see it in the back of his car.
The road was very quite (mid morning) very sunny day I had been overtaking a line of slow moving cars and moved over as soon as manouver was finished(another pet hate middle lane drivers on motorways WE DRIVE ON THE LEFT FOOL!!!) The officer was very pleasant and gave me a wee row for this but told me my general driving was very good although outside the speed limit.
It was an unmarked car that had been far back behind me for a couple of miles so I never saw him.
I was then allowed to go on my way with no penalties at all!!!!
How can all officers not see this and make a judgement on the individual circumstances of each offence.
I know cameras can't and that is why I hate them:evil: :evil:

 

[Blobcat]

How can all officers not see this and make a judgement on the individual circumstances of each offence.
I know cameras can't and that is why I hate them:evil: :evil:

My point entirely.
I would be careful on the M6 - A74 - M74 section just north of Carlisle, a fair few lorry drivers fall asleep there so the Police are usually around there somewhere. The are also quite a few spots for camera vans on that section (as my brother's licence can attest to)

 

[television]

I have a slight problem, while out on a test drive from a potential buyer,we went through a speed camera at 70 mph on a 60 mph road. The driver does not live in the UK,and I threw away his details as he did not want the car. I cant give an exact address now, only the town, and the Essex Police are getting very nasty saying that if I cant give his address the fine and points will be down to me.

malcolm