PSNI Speed Traps

talksalot81

arkonite_babe wrote:

If any information like the two mentioned above are posted then this thread will have to be locked and referred to the forum team.

a_b

:P I was being sarcastic!

Leothecat,
I am pleased to read you view as it is very uncommon to find someone agreeing with my own view. There is a similar thread on another forum where I have been arguing that the speed traps are there because people are speeding. There would be no need if no one was breaking the law. But everyone is too hung up on complaining about the laws and fighting them.

JND,
While the given reason for cameras may be as you say, speed limits are law. Why should the police be stopped from enforcing it wherever they like?!

Just to pre-empt, no need to say there are more important things for them to do, they should stop picking on 'poor' motorists, the limits are not what YOU think they should be, etc.....dont bother. They do not change the fact that speeding is against the law.

scandarahar

Jon_C wrote:

By the way, if you make a habit of breaking the law by flashing your lights to warn oncoming drivers about a speed trap, you're lucky you haven't been given a ticking off for obstructing police.

Because that's exactly what you're doing and although you might not realise, there's often a patrol car or motorbike further down the road from the camera operator. They don't appreciate it too much when people flash their lights and mess the whole thing up!

Carry on doing it if you want but just be aware of the likelihood that you'll get a b*ll*cking for it some day.

A b*ll*cking you won't have to take - because it is only obstruction if they can prove that the vehicle you flashed at was speeding and you caused it to slow down.
That would take a bit of effort i.e. it will go nowhere and who is to say that you weren't flashing at someone you know?

The above, by the way is from a solicitor I know, who the Police tried to give said b*ll*cking to one day.

talksalot81

So we are complaining about cameras and the tactics used being underhand. Yet see it as sensible to provoke the police into having even more desire to catch us.... go figure.

System

My personal pet hate are those people who don't use the onslip onto the motorway to get up to a suitable spped to match the traffic that are already on it. How many times have you had to stand on the brakes because some twit tries to join the motorway at 30 mph and then they decide to increase their speed. Usually I try to move into the outside lane to get out of their way but sometimes that's not possible.

Jon_C

scandarahar wrote:

A b*ll*cking you won't have to take - because it is only obstruction if they can prove that the vehicle you flashed at was speeding and you caused it to slow down.
That would take a bit of effort i.e. it will go nowhere and who is to say that you weren't flashing at someone you know?

The above, by the way is from a solicitor I know, who the Police tried to give said b*ll*cking to one day.

I've a feeling your solicitor acquaintance is unlikely to have escaped the chewing and that he or she has given you a rather embellished version of events.

I didn't say that many police officers would pursue a prosecution in such a case but by god, will a lot of them relish the opportunity to put a wrongdoer in their place with a good lecture that - yes - you and I would have no choice but to listen to.

Under article 180 of the Road Traffic Act, a police officer in uniform has the power to stop any vehicle on the road. I don't fancy your chances of driving off mid-lecture, nor of having any complaint about the lecture upheld.

With regard to "flashing at someone you know", you aren't allowed to do that either. A driver must only flash his or her headlights to let other road users know he or she is there, ie to prevent an accident caused by someone pulling out when they don't see you etc. It's the visual equivalent of using one's horn.

I have just read this a forum on another site I Googled. It's written by someone who says he's a roads policing officer and certainly sounds credible based on what a couple of police officers I know have told me:

"Some force areas are now putting an officer in an unmarked vehicle further up road from officers conducting speed enforcement. These officers can witness drivers on the oposite side of the road flashing their headlamps, warning oncoming drivers of the speed enforcement. This has been held at court as Obstructing the Police in the execution of their duty. Officers are stopping the vehicle and giving them a fixed penalty ( £30 fine ) for misuse of headlamps. They are then reporting the driver for the offence aswell as that of Obstructing Police. Providing the fine is paid, no further action is being taken.

"To say that drivers are only warning people of a DANGEROUS STRETCH OF ROAD is tosh. If the officer was not there, then the driver would not be flashing!

"At the end of the day, the flashing driver is committing an offence. As roads policing officers, we want this to stop so we can catch the drivers on our roads that are willing to put your life, my life and their own life at risk by driving to [sic] fast. We want these people off the road if they cannot drive to the rules of the road, just as you would want drugs dealers caught and not warned by look outs."

Regardless of your point of view, I'm sure many of you will be interested in the site, as it's certainly a source of interesting discussion. I thought things were hotting up here but on that other thread it's nuts! Pick and choose what you want to believe, as it's clear that the law of the land isn't good enough for a lot of you whatever way it's explained or defended. ;-)

Link:
http://www.traffic-answers.com/forum/index.php?topic=659.15

talksalot81

If of course the truth was not as Jon_C has said (and I agree it sounds credible), then I should commence frequent headlamp flashing! I could be a one man braking system for oncoming traffic..... and there isnt even a police office there so I wouldnt be obstructing justice! I bet people wouldnt like it though, many would no doubt accuse me of bad driving practice..... strange that it only becomes bad when a police officer is NOT there....

xrvsimon

You should probably find that there are less police about around 8 am and 8 pm as there is a shift change then. I would say that there is probably a 20-25 min window. Not that i told you that. The only police that could be about during these times is Traffic who won't let you off with anything though!

belfastgal

jnd wrote:

Let's get real here folks. Speed traps are supposed to be placed in accident black-spots not just for the sake of it. I wonder how many mobile speed traps are up in West Belfast?

Not a one im sure of that...its the decent law abiding citizens that are targeted....EASY TOUCH...then they can go and take it easy for the rest of their shift.
Its like the tv licence...the inspectors dont knock the doors up there asking to see a licence cause theyd run them out of the place........

scandarahar

Jon_C wrote:

I've a feeling your solicitor acquaintance is unlikely to have escaped the chewing and that he or she has given you a rather embellished version of events.

Well I don't, knowing said person. Basically all she did was ask - are you going to prosecute me? Answer - no. Am I legally obliged to remain? Answer - no. Then said she was leaving and that was that. Even after commiting an offence (not arrestable) and being cautioned one of the things you must then be told is - "You do not have to remain".

Jon_C wrote:

I didn't say that many police officers would pursue a prosecution in such a case but by god, will a lot of them relish the opportunity to put a wrongdoer in their place with a good lecture that - yes - you and I would have no choice but to listen to.

A Police Officer has no power to detain someone in order to give them a lecture. You listen to it if you want. I would choose not to.

Jon_C wrote:

Under article 180 of the Road Traffic Act, a police officer in uniform has the power to stop any vehicle on the road. I don't fancy your chances of driving off mid-lecture, nor of having any complaint about the lecture upheld.

Go find out the rest of Article 180 and see what else it says about stopping vehicles. There is a bit more to it than that.

You obviously think the Police have more power than they really have.

Jon_C wrote:

With regard to "flashing at someone you know", you aren't allowed to do that either. A driver must only flash his or her headlights to let other road users know he or she is there, ie to prevent an accident caused by someone pulling out when they don't see you etc. It's the visual equivalent of using one's horn.

Have you ever flashed anyone in or out of a junction? I've seen the Police themselves do it.

Jon_C wrote:

I have just read this a forum on another site I Googled. It's written by someone who says he's a roads policing officer and certainly sounds credible based on what a couple of police officers I know have told me:

"Some force areas are now putting an officer in an unmarked vehicle further up road from officers conducting speed enforcement. These officers can witness drivers on the oposite side of the road flashing their headlamps, warning oncoming drivers of the speed enforcement. This has been held at court as Obstructing the Police in the execution of their duty. Officers are stopping the vehicle and giving them a fixed penalty ( £30 fine ) for misuse of headlamps. They are then reporting the driver for the offence aswell as that of Obstructing Police. Providing the fine is paid, no further action is being taken.

"To say that drivers are only warning people of a DANGEROUS STRETCH OF ROAD is tosh. If the officer was not there, then the driver would not be flashing!

"At the end of the day, the flashing driver is committing an offence. As roads policing officers, we want this to stop so we can catch the drivers on our roads that are willing to put your life, my life and their own life at risk by driving to [sic] fast. We want these people off the road if they cannot drive to the rules of the road, just as you would want drugs dealers caught and not warned by look outs."

And the point I made about proving that the vehicle I flashed at had to be proven to be speeding before the offence of Obstructing Police was complete, was verified by a traffic Police Officer. So who is right?

Also the Police are on record as saying "We don't want to catch you speeding - we want to stop you speeding". Technically flashing of the lights is helping them out...

I'm not going to get into a a tit -for-tat argument here. You have your view - I have mine. This thread started off about speed traps. I see no problem in flashing at oncoming traffic on a straight level stretch of fast road (mostly the A1) to warn them the Police are lying in a van ahead, just in case they are a few mph over the limit. I perceive the use of camera vans as the laziest form of Policing.

jnd

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