Police cars parked at the side of motorways

JessicaG2008

Hi,

Today I was driving my new car up the A1 and was going about 85-90mph. On the opposite carriageway I noticed a police car (normal volvo car not a van) parked up facing the traffic on a hill.

I tried to slow down in time to pass it but i think i was still doing about 80 when I passed it.

What I was wondering is do you know if these things check car speeds of just cars in their own half of the motorway or do they do it for the opposite side of the motorway (where I was).

Also, should I be expecting a ticket from this or do they only go after people at the time?

Thanks

Jessica.

save-a-lot

Maybe they were using ANPR and looking up details of cars passing for anything that would flag up, no insurance, no MOT, stolen etc, and then radioing details to another crew to intercept further up the motorway

save-a-lot

happened to me last year for not having a current MOT.. totally oblivious that the MOT had been forgotten.

hewhoisnotintheknow

tried to slow down but only managed 5-10mph?

nearlyrich

They would have to follow you to get you for speeding but maybe keep it to 80 mph tops so you don't have to worry.

Happychappy

You will be fine, the police dont do hand held laser speed checks across oncoming traffic and centre barrier to check vehicles travelling in the opposite direction. The only other check is the Vascar or pilot check where you see two white painted squares on the road surface, but again normally checked on approach and vehicle stopped at the time, never done it travelling away on opposite dual carriageway.

It may well be as pointed out a forward facing ANPR camera, hence facing the oncoming traffic flow, quite normal, or simply having a bacon butty out the way, sorry, meant donuts.

Mark_Hewitt

No, they don't check the opposite carriageway, as for those types of things they have to actually stop you, and they can't get to you!

Besides for the police waiting at the side of the motorway they aren't going to bother themselves with someone doing 80mph, as lets face it, most people are. They may move if someone is going well over 100mph.

They mostly park on the motorways so they can be in the right place to respond if an incident comes in, and in the meantime they run ANPR checks on the passing traffic. It's a good place to do it because there's no way to stoop yourself from going past the police car, and when you do they'll be right on your tail asking why you haven't paid your tax and haven't got a licence and insurance and why is the car stolen anyway?

vikingaero

Even if you were doing 85-90 and slowed your likely speed would have been in the low 80s and I doubt a copper would bother chasing you for that.

Treadway1

Wow, were 9 posts into a thread about excessive speed, and no-one has yet berated the OP for driving too fast...

Is this a record?

harveybobbles

Your licence will be taken off you and be forced to eat mushrooms...

CheesedOff

speed kills, last time i did 70.1mph on a motorway 7 dead kittens fell from the sky