Speedwatch Letter, Not me.

forgotmyname

Took the inlaws away for a week and whilst away have received a letter from Thames Valley Police saying my car was seen in May doing 37mph in a 30mph limit.

The actual road is 100 miles from where I live and have never been to that area or ever used that road. I was at home at the time and date stated on the letter.

Speedwatch with a PO box address and a PCSO name and number but no signature.

My mother read the letter out to me over the phone on a poor line, She mentioned a place name and I thought it was near somewhere I had been several weeks before that date, But turned out not to be.

All sorts if things were going through my mind, But after calming down and knowing it could not have been me or my car.

So either someone has some dodgy plates or someone has misread or written down the wrong details.

What is the best procedure to complain about this or find out if its a scam? I did think about ignoring it but then thought somewhere on their system ther could be a speeding tag wrongly attached to me or my car.

I have visions of a group of OAP's having a tea party at the roadside and writing reg numbers down at random as their vision is too poor to read them correctly.

Thanks

C_Mababejive

Was it anything to do this this bunch of old farts?

http://speed-watch.org/

Or this bunch who are apparently too lazy to do their jobs and therefore licence busy bodies to do it for them?
http://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/rdsafe/rdsafe-roadpol/rdsafe-roadpol-speedenforcement/rdsafe-roadpol-speedenforcement-speedwatch.htm

maninthestreet

Write back to them, denying the offence. Presumably, you can prove you were somewhere else with your car on the date/time the alleged offence occurred?

Alter_ego

What does the letter require you to do? If anything?

martinthebandit

maninthestreet wrote: »

Write back to them, denying the offence. Presumably, you can prove you were somewhere else with your car on the date/time the alleged offence occurred?

surely its down to them to prove you were where they said you were?

and I would hope that people are wise enough to realise that just because a number plate was apparently seen on a vehicle there it does not mean you were there

Sir_Roger_deLodger

Unless it mentions s172 RTA then forget it. It sounds like one of those schemes where a bunch of local pensioners are given a speed camera and some hi vis jackets so they can pretend to be policemen for a couple of hours. All they do is generate a "warning" letter signed by a plastic plod, you won't get a fine or points.

esmerobbo

Maybe they should have an eyesight test before they are allowed to volunteer. Either they got the reg No wrong or you car has been cloned!

C_Mababejive

Sir_Roger_deLodger wrote: »

Unless it mentions s172 RTA then forget it. It sounds like one of those schemes where a bunch of local pensioners are given a speed camera and some hi vis jackets so they can pretend to be policemen for a couple of hours. All they do is generate a "warning" letter signed by a plastic plod, you won't get a fine or points.

True but it is an abuse that some bunch of busy bodies with sod all better to do can sit out with flasks and butties doing work which they have no right to do and then have their false allegations backed up by some wannabee. I would enter into correspondence by lodging an official complaint with the chief constable of that area since he is the one who presumably sanctions this rubbish.

Sagz_2

It's worth following up just in case your plate has been cloned. Next time it may be a "real" speeding ticket.

ankspon

Your car could have been cloned

Sir_Roger_deLodger

C_Mababejive wrote: »

True but it is an abuse that some bunch of busy bodies with sod all better to do can sit out with flasks and butties doing work which they have no right to do and then have their false allegations backed up by some wannabee. I would enter into correspondence by lodging an official complaint with the chief constable of that area since he is the one who presumably sanctions this rubbish.

I agree.

My post was just to reassure the OP that no fine or points could come of it.