OT: Speed Cameras on motorways

that would be right- my Focus shows an indicated 100mph at a true 95mph checked via marker posts and GPS.

Tim..

I've been amazed at the accuracy of the speedo in my Fiat Stilo Abarth - according to my Origin Blue i GPS camera detector (which has an inbuilt GPS speedo), the reading I see on my speedometer is spot-on at every speed I've tested it at - i.e. up to 110MPH. As well as GPS, the navigation system in my Stilo also takes readings from other car mounted sensors such as inertial navigation/positioning sensors, so that probably plays a part in this.

Tim (Remove NOSPAM. wrote

Never tried it at that speed - watching the GPS and dodging all those idiots reversing at me would be dangerous. ;-)

Must admit you can normally tell when an HGV is approaching a slower moving vehicle.

Funny, I always thought it was the CPS who decided to prosecute. Procurator Fiscal in Scotland. Guidelines are guidelines. Thats all. The pressure group wanted an unrealistic target of 30 being 30.without any margin for speedometers being within the 10% margin for error.

Dear me. Just a tad sad. Speedometers do not have to be "spot on". Manufacturers make the things to an agreed + or - 10% accuracy. That is why the police have a policy of working to these figures. Thay also give you a bit more leeway by adding another 2 mph. In much the same way that they give a slightly higher figure for the breath test than the laid down standard before deciding to submit papers to the cps.( Not that I have personal experience mind)

You would not be contravening any law if your vehicle speedometer was within the prescribed limits - which is + or - 10%.

Try driving on the M74. HGV,s occupy left hand lane period. They also play "who is going to lead" with their buddy up front. When I say "no warning" that is a statement of fact. Its not a case of one HGV going at 50 and another at 40. Some give an indication of what they are going to do by edging closer and closer to the lane marking. Then its pull out time. That said, the majority of drivers are responsible, but they also have a fair share of nutters. Bit like us ordinary folk., but they have a 40 ton truck to play about with.

40 years of driving? How many motorway miles?

Which part of the C&U regulations which states a 'speedometer must not under-read' do you find so hard to understand?

The initial decision to prosecute (to institute legal proceedings) is taken by the police officer (in cases dealt with by police). The CPS are a body which decide whether that prosecution should continue or not. If they decide that the case should continue, they take over the prosecution from there. I do not know about Scottish law.

Nope it's +10%-0% i.e. it isn't allowed to read a speed lower than the one you're doing.

If you set the limit at 70, people do 80, and don't get fined for it. If you set the limit at 80, people would do 90.

80 is a perfectly reasonable, safe speed on a motorway, so where's the problem?

"Adrian" Sneezed on his keyboars and lo! A message appeared. :-)

were saying :

kept empty, just for me to use...

No, they're open for *me*! That lane is there so I can rest the front of my car against a handy lorry which allows me to make that phone call I was putting off for the last hour, munch through a sandwich and sip a coffee. Mind you, last time I did this I saw some total muppet of a woman trying to put makeup on whilst driving! I was so surprised, I rehashed an old joke from Usenet!

Tom.

I was trying to split VASCAR as the technology, and the operation of it as a separate process, and this has not been made clear( Or I suppose correct!)

The actual technology and the calibration is spot on but errors can be introduced at the operator stage(start /stop) That said, its usually the case that the vehicle is way over the legal limit and the offender is well aware of that. Don't think that there is any injustice as such. Just a bit inaccurate on the odd occasion, percentage error probably quite low.

Rarely see traffic cars on the motorway in any event - even the Shap/Tebay (M6) car is not always evident. Used to make my day seeing yet another BMW plonker getting pulled over.

I should have added " inaccurate within prescribed limits" or you saying that all speedometers should be accurate. If so, then to what level of accuracy. 0% or 5% or 7.5% or 10%.

Or perhaps more likely you do not know !

I am not saying that you are not breaking the law if you go over the over the limit. Its just a factthat the police are faced with far more serious issues than this zero tolerance 1mph over crap that some posters on this forum have taken as fact.Yes, I am aware that ever time I start up my car I could potentially be breaking all manner of laws, most of which I am completely unaware that I am breaking.The fact that I am acting in good faith means nothing in the eyes of the law. However, lets get some common sense into the discussion. Let me know the construction reg - limit of tolerance for speedometers. My facts may well be out of date, lets have your informed comments.

Give some instance that can be checked, of a police force issuing a ticket for less than the standard on motorways. That is a ticket for 78 mph or less when the speed limit is 70mph ( not restricted to less because of roadwork's.) If it has been issued ,then what % against the total of all speeding tickets issued - given that a fairly high minority do go over

70mph (usually up to 80mph) limit on motorways.(a speeding ticket or summons would do - blanked out spaces for name etc.)

Speeds in built up areas should be far more tightly controlled (IMO) as the capacity to kill or injure with a vehicle is that much greater with non motorists involved.

I was always under the impresssion that it could go either + or -. It does make more sense to overstate but how can you account for change of tyre type or is it breaking the law to fit tyres that are not approved by the manufacturer?

Nope ,only for the manufacturer, if you do it it's your problem. It's technically your problem anywat

Yes I agree that the Police have the role of interpreting the law and gathering evidence in order that prosecution can take place. And much thanks they get for, in the main, acting with common sense. However, it is still up to the CPS to decide whether or not to prosecute. And up to the courts if that evidence is proven or not proven. Actually in Scotland we have a rather good system or 1) guilty as charged 2) not guilty 3) not proven (which actually means we know you did it but the evidence is not enough to convict. However, when you walk out of the court it is not without a stain on your character) Enough said. But then Scottish law is a bit wiser than the english system.