Safe Speed Forums

"Sgt Holley added: "What we don’t want to do is to create a bunch of vigilantes. "

Isn't that just what the police are in fact doing??

Imagine if a group of motorists found their cars getting damaged and started harassing all strangers or pedestrians to that area -- even the simple fact of setting up video survellance would bring down rath ( unless of course the police could use the tapes for intelligence, but not evidence)

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lets bring sanity back to speed limits.
Drivers are like donkeys -they respond best to a carrot, not a stick .Road safety experts are like Asses - best kept covered up ,or sat on

Botach

Couldn't agree more, Police inspired, led and funded vigilanties.

I will sleep well tonight knowing that my taxes are being spent on such a worthwhile "intelligence gathering" operation. I'm sure it'll make a huge difference in the fight against home-grown terrorisism!

If you dig around the forum you should find the response someone else sent after recieving one of these letters.

As I recall they got an apology in return.

hello all.
just registered on the forum because i too have just recieved a warning letter from sgt Holley.
my car was parked up 25 miles away at the time a 'community volunteer' clocked me at over 30 mph.
i phoned the number on the bottom of the letter and spoke to someone at Wilmslow cop shop. he gave me the number of the CAT team that manages this activity. i phoned them but had to leave an answerphone message. i found the CAT team e mail address and expressed my concerns and asked for any proof they have.
let's see what happens.

if nothing, i will send them a snottyish but firm letter, and may even speak to the local press.

just what you need eh?

My bold.

That'll be an awful lot of places, then.

Sounds to me like daytime TV is now that bad, these vigilantes are really bored and want something to do...

If they make an unsupported 'written' allegation, isn't that then slander?

Are the local burglars having a field day, 'cos everyone's out on the road?

I suspect it's a case of the police making residents feel like something's actually being done...

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Pecunia Prius Equitas et Salus

Dear Chief Constable Penny Pincher

I refer to your recent letter ref xvxvxvx from Sgt Small that I recieved on 141414

I am concerned that one of your officers has deemed it appropriate to write to me as registered keeper of a vehicle that was allegedly driven in contravention of motoring laws at dfdfdf on ghghghg. My concern centres on the fact that this 'speed trap' was operated by a volunteer and as such must question his training and suitability for the role. As such I consider the allegation to be unsubstantiated and I will be contacting my solicitor to investigate my response to this defamation.

I also take issue with the threatening tone of your letter and the fact that you state it is a 'final' warning when it is the first corresponadance I have recieved on this matter.

I formally request that you fully investigate this matter and provide me with a written summary within 28 days. In particular I wish you to include your force's policy regarding the use of volunteers, the training records for the individual concerned and your force's considered opinion regarding the issuing of letters of this nature based on unsubstantiated allegation vis a vie there libel and defamation laws.

PLEASE NOTE THAT FAILURE TO RESPOND WITHIN 28 DAYS MAY RESULT IN YOUR FORCE BEING PROSECUTED RESULTING IN DAMAGES AND UNLIMITED COSTS.

Yours F

Civil Engineer

i like that, can i use it? or use parts of it please?

That's off the top of my head but of course you can....i'm flattered

I would suggest a lot of rework though.

ta.
it's a good framework for a firm, snottyish letter i may send if they don't respond to my answerphone message and/or e mail.

Just wait until they start naming and shaimg the vehicle that they 'catch' in the local paper.

cut n pasted e mail just recieved from plod -

Mark, having made enquiries I can confirm that the incorrect number was recorded and the warning letter was sent to you in error. Therefore the record of allegedly speeding has been deleted accordingly and I apologise
for any inconvenience caused. PC Pete Horrocks

i asked for a hard copy of this text on headed paper in case anything similar happens again.

So this scheme is not exactly what you might call free from error then...

What a waste of time...

And exactly what enquiries were made? How do the police know you were 25 miles away?

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Pecunia Prius Equitas et Salus

old Herbert who recorded me, took the wrong spectacles with him that day, plus the fact his hip's been playing him up, he'd forgotten where he'd put his false teeth that day and because he was burting for a wee at 15.45ish that day, his writing was a bit illegible when he handed his notes in later.
or something.
allegedly.

I would now write, appending the e-mail to the CC registering an official complaint requesting a full investigation into how such a potential defamation of your character could occur.

Request their policy relating to this, all training records and a full process review. Give them 7 days to respond and a written summary within 28 days. Request that the responsible 'volunteer' is removed from the scheme on the grounds that he/she is not competant.

Specifically request what measures they will put in place to ensure that such a travesty will not re occur and advise them that your life long admiration for the police and criminal justice system has been severely tarnished and will take a long time to recover.

(I'm a bit of a pedant I'm afraid)

just had a phone call from the cop who e mailed me. very apologetic, explained that one digit must have been written down wrong, that it is only a letter, it isn't recorded anywhere, disregard it.
i said that wasn't satisfactory. i asked if the volunteers had recieved adequate training, yes, apparently. i suggested that that the person who incorrectly recorded my number be removed from the scheme. i also expressed concern that if i DID exceed the speed limit on that road, say tomorrow, it would appear that i am a habitual speeder which isn't the case.
again, he apologised, said that in a year of this scheme being run i was the first person to complain to him, he promised that he would speak to the person who co-ordinates the scheme to tell him what has happened.

not sure where to go with it now. not sure if it's worth a letter to his bosses really. i'm sure i'd get a 3 page reply telling me how naughtly speeding is, how commited they are to reducing casualties and more gushing apologies.

Depends on how traumatised you have been by this horrific, unjustified slur on your character.

Speak to a Solicitor for compensation.

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Pecunia Prius Equitas et Salus

I suspect that you, are also worried about be harrased by this indiviual, and you are little nerous driving the area you where "spotted speeding"

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Oct 11 Birmingham Half Marathon. I am running for the British Heart Foundation.
http://www.justgiving.com/Rob-Taylor

Civil Engineer, once again your verbage is excellent. The only change I would make would be the substitution of the word 'volunteer' with the word 'vigilante'. That always p****s them off asn they don't like vigilantees, which is exactly what these do-gooders really are.

Not to mention the stress and inconvenience it has caused you to clear your good name.

Dear Sirs

the Revolution IS coming so beware