mobile speed cameras

orange_juice_16

Does anyone know if a speed camera van parked on the grass verge of a dual carridgeway that is a clearway ie: no stopping, is still able to legally issue speeding fines. one law for the motorist an other for the police?

bargepole

orange_juice_16 wrote: »

Does anyone know if a speed camera van parked on the grass verge of a dual carridgeway that is a clearway ie: no stopping, is still able to legally issue speeding fines. one law for the motorist an other for the police?

They don't issue fines, they send out Notices of Intended Prosecution, which usually result in an offer of a Fixed Penalty. It can only become a fine if you are convicted in court.

The fact that the camera van may be illegally parked won't work as a defence. Been there, done that, got the T shirt.

Baitmaster

Was this using an LTI 20-20 camera? Chances are the film wasn't taken in accordance with the operating manual. Some useful points from it:

Page 13 Measuring a moving vehicle
- Aim the instrument at the license plate area of the target vehicle and squeeze the trigger
- It is very important that the aiming point on the target remains constant for the entire measurement time

Page 13 Line of sight
- You must at all times have a clear line of sight to the target vehicle

Therefore, if the videa is not exactly aligned on your number plate for the entire time, or any obstruction gets in the way, the operator is lying if he claims the film "Was taken in accordance with operating manual". This is almost impossible, as anyone using a camera with a zoom lens will know

see also
http
/www.
bbc.co.uk/
pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2005/09_september/12/inside.shtml
(sorry I can't paste links as I am a newbie!)

Getting the video is another matter though, you willl have to go to court to get this. When I did, I worried that I would be punished for doing so, however the Court did state to me that they would not have penalised me for wishing to see any evidence, as this had been deliberately withheld by the authorities

Two case dropped, lack of evidence

alared

Northamptonshire has done away with mobile speed cameras because they say they cause accidents with drivers suddenly braking.

Also think there`s a couple of counties (Durham being one) that don`t have any cameras at all.

ginnersinner

Baitmaster wrote: »

Was this using an LTI 20-20 camera? Chances are the film wasn't taken in accordance with the operating manual. Some useful points from it:

Page 13 Measuring a moving vehicle
- Aim the instrument at the license plate area of the target vehicle and squeeze the trigger
- It is very important that the aiming point on the target remains constant for the entire measurement time

Page 13 Line of sight
- You must at all times have a clear line of sight to the target vehicle

Therefore, if the videa is not exactly aligned on your number plate for the entire time, or any obstruction gets in the way, the operator is lying if he claims the film "Was taken in accordance with operating manual". This is almost impossible, as anyone using a camera with a zoom lens will know

see also
http
/www.
bbc.co.uk/
pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2005/09_september/12/inside.shtml
(sorry I can't paste links as I am a newbie!)

Getting the video is another matter though, you willl have to go to court to get this. When I did, I worried that I would be punished for doing so, however the Court did state to me that they would not have penalised me for wishing to see any evidence, as this had been deliberately withheld by the authorities

Two case dropped, lack of evidence

And this answers the OP's question how?

sunnyone

alared wrote: »

Northamptonshire has done away with mobile speed cameras because they say they cause accidents with drivers suddenly braking.

Also think there`s a couple of counties (Durham being one) that don`t have any cameras at all.

Durham dosnt have any fixed cameras, they still have mobile units.

sunnyone

flyingscotno1

orange_juice_16 wrote: »

Does anyone know if a speed camera van parked on the grass verge of a dual carridgeway that is a clearway ie: no stopping, is still able to legally issue speeding fines. one law for the motorist an other for the police?

I hate this one law for the police nonsence- it has always been 1 law for the general public one for the police that is just common sense! After all imagine you were getting robbed whilst the police looked for a place to park as it was all yellow lines! They cannot exploit it however outside the chippy however although to many officers do.

The police have an exemption to certain road traffic laws in connection with their duties. Whether this covers safety camera partnerships, it probably does as any motorist can gain an exemption to certain road traffic laws under the instruction of a police officer.

sebdangerfield

I hate this one law for the police nonsence- it has always been 1 law for the general public one for the police that is just common sense! After all imagine you were getting robbed whilst the police looked for a place to park as it was all yellow lines! They cannot exploit it however outside the chippy however although to many officers do.

The police have an exemption to certain road traffic laws in connection with their duties. Whether this covers safety camera partnerships, it probably does as any motorist can gain an exemption to certain road traffic laws under the instruction of a police officer.

Well done Flyingscot! I'm bored of saying the same thing.

Do people genuinely believe that that would amount to illegal parking? What about a Police officer going through a red light to stop a stolen car?

Lets use a little common sense!

Coblcris

The same laws do apply and have to.
However the police have exemptions depending on what they are doing.

mustrum_ridcully

flyingscotno1 wrote: »

I hate this one law for the police nonsence- it has always been 1 law for the general public one for the police that is just common sense! After all imagine you were getting robbed whilst the police looked for a place to park as it was all yellow lines! They cannot exploit it however outside the chippy however although to many officers do.

The police have an exemption to certain road traffic laws in connection with their duties. Whether this covers safety camera partnerships, it probably does as any motorist can gain an exemption to certain road traffic laws under the instruction of a police officer.

Well said!

I'm sure that crybabies who whine about 'oooh but he was parked on the verge' and 'one law for them....' would be the first to complain if a police officer wouldn't arrest a someone who was mugging them because they'd have to park 'illegally' and that would invalidate the arrest.

Sadly we live in a country of very self-centred people...

Guys_Dad

ginnersinner wrote: »

And this answers the OP's question how?

It helps widen the knowledge of loopholes, as the poster has already had thanks from MSE members showing. It also gives the OP an alternative strategy for using in any defence that, although they may not have specifically asked for, they now have more information to act on.

Agreed?