Safe Speed Forums

Hi All,

Just a quick question - can you only be flashed by a Gatso if you are within the markings?

It may sound like a ridiculous question; however I think I was flashed by one doing 40Mph in a 40 zone. The flashes went off when I was probably 10-20 metres outside the markings.

Annoyed, I looked back to see if it could be someone else; however I just don't know. There was a van behind, but it wasn't close to me, and I think it wouldn't have been more than halfway through the markings when the flashes went off. So surely it must have been for me, despite me making a conscious effort to not exceed 40Mph?

Normally I wouldn't be concerned, as it wouldn't unlikely come through. However:

a) It's a known regularly flasher in London,

b) I worry that it'll claim I was doing 45 or something when I watched my speedometer the whole way through (as I normally do if it's safe to do so), and

c) I had two more flashes within a few hours, once while going head-on to a hidden Gatso while doing 31 in 30 (definitely a flash for me, and definitely a Gatso so I *should* be okay), and once when I was doing a solid 55 in a 60 until I overtook someone on the dual carriageway (who proceeded to try racing me), and subsequently must have got zapped by the lingering mobile van around the corner while trying to complete the manouvre.

I know my speedometer is fine as I've never had a problem before, and realism says that I shouldn't have any of the fines come through as it was mostly bad luck and twitchy laser. But as it's possible I could get 9 points for a total of about 3Mph of speeding over 3 instances in 24 hours, I'm doing as much research as possible, and trying to rule out as much as possible

Cheers,

J

From the sounds of it you will be ok in all of the cases you specified if you were doing those speeds. In the first instance it was definitely the van behind you that set off the flash. 31 in a 30, you shuldn't get a ticket because it is less than speed limit + 10% + 2 mph and in the last case you were well under the speed limit.

My concern though is this line:


I have never found it safe to look at my speedo all the way through a Gatso's range. Possibly because most of the Gatso's that I pass are all positioned opposite junctions.

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Prepare to be Judged

Thanks for your reply R1Nut, that's helped put me at ease as much as one can be before the 14 days are up Cheers

Regarding the statement that you quoted, I guess my areas are different from yours, as the vast majority I go through aren't at junctions. Your concern is obviously well placed; however as I said, I only do it when it's safe to do so - being near another car or a junction are times when I wouldn't do it.
In this situation, I only had that van behind and it was a straight road with no sliproads/junctions around, so it's times like that that I can afford a few seconds to look at the speedometer.

Bedford prosecutes at anything over the speed limit + 10%.

I once heard that in London some cams didn't even apply the 10% but people didn't realised. Dunno if it's a myth.

Perhaps it's a good idea to have your speedo tested so if any Nips arrive you can contest them.

A van you say?
Gatsos love flashing for vans. Well HGVs usually. I saw one go off for a stationary bus too.

I don't suppose there was a large vehicle coming the other way too was there?

There is a reason they take two photographs.

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Andrew.