Safe Speed Forums

Hi all
I am a musician currently living in South Wales and last Friday I was driving back from a gig in the Rhondda (for those who are familiar with the area, I was driving past the Rhondda Heritage Park towards Hopkinstown, where there is a Gatso situated). I have been driving past this parasite for almost 4 years now on a twice monthly basis, the speed limit is 40mph. The camera is very visible, you can't miss it and I am fully aware that the limit is 40mph, so you can imagine my disbelief when I looked at my speedo BEFORE I got to the camera, noticed I was doing around 36mph and yet it had me nevertheless! The road has been resurfaced and there was no grid on the road, so I just assumed that there was probably a fault with the camera. Then, to add to my sheer disbelief, I was driving past the same bloody camera again, a week to the day, 35mph, and it did it again! I turned around, went back and checked the speed limit, definitely 40mph but this time was careful to only do 25mph as I drove by. They have painted a fresh grid on the road since last week by the way. I am not lying, I was well within the limit both times and as I said before, I am well aware of this camera having driven past it scores of times.
Has anyone any advice on this one? Jeez, I could get nailed for 6 points and £120 and yet I am genuinely innocent!
Cheers

Do not start to worry until you receive a NIP. If you do not within a fortnight (and the car is correctly registered to you) then you can relax. If you do recieve a NIP and you were not speeding, then check in here and/or www.pepipoo.com for further advice.

Have you had a NIP yet asking for the money?

They have 14 days to send you one, and since it is not entirely unknown for cameras to flash erroneously, I would only worry if you have the NIP.

In the meantime, take pictures of the site, the signage and any "clutter" which might be a cause.
While it is fresh in your mind, make a note of dates, speed, conditions etc. and ask if anyone else has had a similar experience.
I only found out how many had, AFTER my case went to court.

If you DONT get a ticket, then write to the Chief Constable, and cc to the local MP and newspaper, and ask if you can be compensated for the stress and anxiety caused by being flashed unnecessarily, pointing out that it has affected your private life as well as your driving!

_________________
Time to take responsibility for our actions.. and don't be afraid of speaking out!

Thank you for your replies.
I haven't as yet received a NIP for the first one (in my experience they usually arrive around the 10 day mark) but I'm certain I will. I have seen them flash erroneously but usually on the other side of the road when there has been no vehicle on the grid. The thing that really p****s me off is that if I do get a NIP for these, I will have to go through the grief of consulting a solicitor, so even if I do get these "convictions" thrown out of court, I will still have to grease a lawyers palm. In other words, even though I'm innocent, I will still be out of pocket? I have had genuine endorsements before, at one stage I went up to 9 points as I was doing 600 miles plus a week in work and so it was inevitable that I would rack up points due to pressure of the job, arriving on time for clients etc. but 6 of those have expired and the other 3 are due to come off next March meaning a clean licence for the first time since 2002. I'm really sceptical regarding courts as well, as the last points I acquired were in March 2005. I was driving through a village in South Wales and was stuck behind some pensioner doing less than 40mph in 60mph zone and eventually I had the chance to overtake. I lived in this village for two years and so knew the local road really well. Anyhow, I make my overtake as soon as the white line on MY side of the road became broken. The line on the other side of the road was still unbroken, but I was legal to overtake. There was no oncoming traffic for at least half a mile, so no probs, nice and safe. Next thing, NEE-NAR-NEE-NAR!, 3 or 4 cars back was the law who saw me do this and promptly pulled me over. He said that the line was unbroken when I made my move, I protested but he maintained that there was still at least 100 yards to go! Mandatory 3 points and 60 quid. To add insult to injury, he was'nt even a traffic copper, he was a dog handler and the alsatian was going ape in the back of his estate! Lawyer said that the court would rule in favour of him as he is a trained professional (YEAH RIGHT!!!!!!) and that as I already had points (6), I had a lot to lose by contesting it!!! Lovely!!!

I agree. I would certainly take this up with my MP and perhaps the local council, too.

Your case is proof that whenever some self-righteous prig blathers on about: "All you have to do to not get a speeding conviction is to drive up to the speed limit" is, frankly, talking rubbish!

_________________
www.thatsnews.org.uk / www.thatsnews.blogspot.com / http://thatsmotoring.blogspot.com/