Bloody Speed Traps!!!

It's at their discretion and if you're clocked at more than 10mph over the limit then it's not an option here either (as I've found out!)

 

I seem to recall that even if they don't get your number plate they trawl social media and forums to see if they can match your bike and riding gear and then nab you

 

Hmmm... so in the UK how sophisticated are police camera vans/ cars/ hand held etc etc... I used to think they point the gun / position the camera van, at approaching traffic and it links the speed of a vehicle with its number plate... it can’t therefore get a bike ... but nowadays can they get you by linking your approach speed with registering your plate as you go past them... even if by then you are under the speed limit ... anyone know?

 

More than one (hardened lawbreaking speeding criminal) motorcycle owner has been caught by this method which is why I keep an old Belstaff jacket, a high vis and an open face helmet bought at a jumble sale hanging up in the garage next to my bikes. Plausible deniability just in case I ever get a home visit. If people are going to play games, they can’t get upset when others join in using a new set of rules.

 

It’s the speed recorded by the equipment which can detect and capture an offence over a kilometre away. The required proof is in the continuity of sight. The camera vans now have cameras on the side of the vans and a rearward facing to capture your plate as you pass so you’re never out of sight.

If you ever get a chance to chat with a ‘friendly’ bike cop ( not civilian) at a bike night either with a speed camera equipped bike or in a van you should take it. You can pick up a lot of useful information. What I’ve learnt has kept points off my licence on more than one occasion - not that I’m a habitual speeder, but with old age comes more momentary lapses of concentration.

 

Plastic sheeting, axe, bone saw and a drum filled with sulfuric acid?

 

KinJane you are spot on about a left turn or right turn, on a similar vein a few years back I was coming home from a ride out, I was in a 60'NSL the road has a long section until you hit a 30 with no junctions, houses, schools or sod all else, for some reason things felt wrong (gut feeling) I decided to stick just below 60, then a guy appeared from behind a hedge in dark clothing from a a farmers field and pointed something at me, hand on heart I thought it was someone with a gun, I automatically hit the brakes and tucked down low, you guessed it guys a Police Officer with a radar gun, blasting the horn and loads of expletives, at the end of the 60 limit a Police car was placed, I stopped and fuming asked for an explanation robustly saying a similar thing happened that resulted in a motorcyclist losing his life, he hit the brakes lost control hit a wall and died at the scene, all I can say is the response was what I have come to expect from a lot of Police, it's not good, a letter to the CC made no difference, bullshit response no wonder the public have lost confidence in them, most camera van speed enforcement vehicles are farmed out to partnerships (profit) similar to the traffic wardens (targets to meet) that means profits for the directors etc. A few years back a consortium of Chief Police Officers (CPO) set up the system for speed awareness courses, it was only after a lengthy battle that they stepped down, how can a serving CPO paid by the public purse get extra revenue by sending the public on speed awareness courses. If the speed cameras where placed in risk areas or 30/40/50 zones it makes sense, but in low risk NSL areas that see little in the way of accidents or incidents it makes a nonsense of what the camera vans are allegedly about, it is revenue in a lot of cases and most of us know it. It's interesting to note that one CPO is currently pushing for zero tolerance on speeding if you are doing 31 in a 30 you get a ticket. Look at the newly fixed placed speed cameras, and also mobile units in the Isle Of Man and see the penalties for speeding, it goes up in scale from fines to custody, and I'm not talking about double the limit here. Safe riding all.

 

Just a tad too far i guess.

Some people are too honest for their own good, which can be a bad thing.

 

And try to retract the 500 photos of himself in a unique helmet and bike paint job he/she/LGBT (see I am diverse(ish)) posted in the Gallery

 

Excellent thanks for info... I suspected the law of the land would have the technology to catch motorbikes so will be even more careful .... just one other question if you know.. and that is the accuracy of the speed indicator signs all over the place... when my analogue speedo indicates 30 mph the sign says 27 ...so am I safe to ride through speed traps at 33 according to my speedo or are the speed indicator signs not accurate enough to trust. The digital speedo in my car reads the same as the bike... 3 mph over what the signs flash at me ... if I get chance I’ll have a chat with a police biker... see what I can catch up on, but never see any round my area anymore.. cheers

 

Something I used to ask myself a lot. Whenever I came across one I’d double back and approach it at a steady 30 and apart from the one situated on a steep hill (which didn’t) found they’d all read 32 so I came to the conclusion they were all set to give an accurate readout within my police area. Round my way they were at one time offering speed awareness courses for 31 in a 30 so running close to the limit does reduce your chances of correcting for error if you accidentally stray over the limit. I’ve found the permitted leeway tends to drop whenever there’s a fortnights speed reduction operation on, that way it can be deemed successful by being able to educate more motorists on the speed awareness courses.

 

In general speedo readings in cars and bikes show between 2 and 3 mph higher than they really are, so if your car or bike speedo shows say 30 you would be doing 28 at most, if you have an up to date quality sat nav look at the speed reading and compare it to the speedo on you car or bike, the satellites the give the data are military and the random deliberate grid discrepancies of the past are a thing of the past, the information transmitted to your sat navy is as accurate as you will get, unless you have your speedo calibrated on a regular basis, like the systems used for speed enforcement. It's no good using the defence in Court such as my sat nav showed speed X but my speedo said speed Y, if you are unfortunate enough to get caught out speeding usually you take it on the chin, there are defences of course, and also aggravating and mitigating circumstances. Ride safe all.

 

Speeding is a mugs game, but we all do it. I've had my share of fines and points in the past, and yep got really pissed about it. But as has been said if you do get caught you just have to take it on the chin or don't do it

 

Unfortunately not the case mate. When I was station near Aldershot I used to regularly travel north to Newcastle. It was before the M25 was built and used to have to go through Windsor to get out to the M1.. One Friday night I was following a constant flow of traffic along a wide single carraige road. As I approached a roundabout I got pulled into a layby and was given a speeding ticket for doing 38 in a 30 zone, they had a speed trap deployed. 3 points and a £10 fine, the year was 1972 I'm sure it was a money generating exercise even back then.

 

Yep I was really p!ssed about it cause I had my clean little red book driving licence updated with a green endorsement. Happy days eh!

PS: I reckon you punishment would be a little harsh, even for the triumph forum

 

Ha ha not quite mate, but that picture did make me smile

 

I’ve never got over the trauma of being caught in a speed trap doing 48mph in a 30 limit ... I was hauled into juvenile court and fined 10/-... (50p in modern money)... all the other defendants were handcuffed to policemen so my crime must have been a bit of light relief for the magistrates. ..

 

N.I.P. arrived this morning, I was doing 36mph, they say.
Guilty as charged then, no point getting upset, I'm just going down the garden to set fire to the shed.

 

Bad luck mate.. hope you get a speed awareness course

 

Might be worth asking the question?