Safe Speed Forums

I was out for a little drive this evening when I passed through Sharpthorne in East Sussex. I had known this village had civilian speed 'monitors' after seeing them on the local news. So much to my delight I saw a couple of day-glo clad people with a hair-drier at the side of road pointing towards me. Needless to say I was under the limit when passing them. I decided it was a chance to have a chat with them, so I parked up in a nearby road.

They were man and a woman in their 60s I reckon, quite polite and willing for a discussion which was nice. I asked the woman who was holding the radar gun whether it has been calibrated, and she replied "no" with a touch of surprise, but at least she was honest. The man then chipped in by saying these devices are very accurate so don't need it. Needless to say I had to challenge him on this one, particularly with the hap-hazard technique the woman used the device like some drunk cowboy shooting cans. I was surprised it got any readings within +/-10 mph the way it was used. He said they don't log any drivers that go over 37mph so any inaccuracies should be handled by this margin. I suggested a badly parked car in front of them was more a danger on the road, and also a possible source of mis-read speed due to reflections. The man just said its our village and we can park where we want.

We then had a discussion on the rights and wrong of what they were doing, the accuracy of speed detection, and law breaking in general. While the woman appeared quite charming, though sadly misinformed, and probably railroaded by those around her; the man came across like a little Hitler (well a big Hitler, as Hitler was a short-arse...). He said he would do away with fines, but give any caught driving over the limit an instant ban. I asked what if someone's speed was wrongly detected while driving under the limit (something currently close to my heart); and he said "tough, they'll just have to suffer". Needless to say I was rather taken aback by someone happy to have an innocent person wrongly convicted. He went on about we should stick rigidly to all laws regardless of what they are and the consequences. Unfortunately I struggled to come up with any examples at the instant. But he did leave me with a rather bitter taste in my mouth. Maybe he was winding me up a bit, but it did sound too much from the heart. I've met some idiots in my time, but never anyone like that.

I certainly wouldn't advocate this - but speaking hypothetically...

60 year old woman "nice sort"... No police around at all; why didn't you just slap the pair of them down - you'd never have got caught because as we all know, the police are not interested in people who mug pensioners (or beat them up for a 'larf' come to think of it).

Next time you might consider hitting the bloke with an axe, robbing the old dear blind and walking away (remember 'walking' is safe).

I would like to finish by saying I am merely thinking about the plot of my next fictional book - surely we don't live in a society where the police are given the power to practice theft on the highway, do we???

The ex-law abiding citizen

_________________
Although I used to consider myself to be a "reasonable man", the law just sees me as a criminal... My uncontrolled anti-social activities solely include the undeniable fact I usually drive my car at or just below the 85th percentile.

Jesus Christ on rollerblades, and these are the people who can be responsible for a warning letter, or worse, dropping onto the doormat?

Have you considered reporting this? If it weren't so serious it would be laughable.

They did appear on the local news, though I don't think it was these actual two people. There's probably a whole group of them and they work in shifts. The local news was certainly spun to make is sound like they were heroes fighting against the evil motorist who has the temerity to drive through THEIR village.

Who would it be reported to, as they are in collusion with the local police?

Presumably, they do this because a lot of boneheads speed there.



Perhaps you bit off more than you could chew. He doesn’t have to take any crap just because he is a pedestrian!

_________________
I stole this .sig

Eh? Surely everyone is a pedestrian?

_________________
Carl Prescott

The civilian speed trap thing brings up interesting legal issues. Has anyone here had one of the warning letters from the plod?

Under the freedom of information act you should be able to get details of your accuser or their agent.

Anyone fancy sueing for libel? Lorry drivers with tachographs should have good grounds here.

The scheme would soon collapse after a few of the "local shop" busybodies get taken to the cleaners, no-one would want to do it any more.

How can you be a pedestrian when you are driving? By running alongside the car with you hands through the window? Or cutting a hole through the bottom!

_________________
I stole this .sig

A bit laim even for you....

You must be out of practice...

_________________
Speed camera policy Kills

I'm growing gradually more dull and less horrid, and I feel sympathy for my fast lane friends as I get to know them. Even you appear to have a soul, Gizmo. But look, first of all, AFAIK, nobody has been fined by these radar wielding fogies. The idea is to knock the confidence out of passing “speed kings”, by putting them under surveillance.

_________________
I stole this .sig

So long as they are there for their own amusement I don't care.

BTW....thanks for the complement...

I feel a group hug comming on

_________________
Speed camera policy Kills

Another idea - try putting a CCTV camera up to watch your car - a big no-no , unless it might catch a tyre slashing mob.The police etc can do it but not joe public- breaks the human rights act apperently.
Isn't this just the same thing -a breach of human rights , because its being done by civilians.
Another thought - somewhere on this site i saw that onlya police constable could decide that someone was exceeding the speed limit and only in that case could their speed be checked.It was illegal/etc/etc for a civilian to do so -- think it was an answer to a civilian speed camera man, and i think, just think rigpig/gizmo/ participated in that debate.