Safe Speed Forums

In the Mail on Sunday yesterday, columnist Liz Jones claimed to have been prosecuted not once but four times in a year for doing 32 in a 30.


Link

It being part of the Mail stable, this sounds extremely dubious to me.

Any thoughts?

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"Show me someone who says that they have never exceeded a speed limit, and I'll show you a liar, or a menace." (Austin Williams - Director, Transport Research Group)

Any views expressed in this post are personal opinions and may not represent the views of Safe Speed

"Never let the facts get in the way of a good story."

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

Have you ever read anything by Liz Jones that wasn't tripe?

I think the general thrust of this article is true and important. We're fining soft targets (i.e. us) while the criminals go free.

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

I spoke to a taxi driver the other day who told me that both his speeding tickets were for 32mph in a 30. He is a colleague of my very close friend, and stood nothing to gain by lying to me, as he knows full well my stance on the current policy, so I have no reason to doubt him.

I was very surprised, especially since Shropshire does not have a 'rabid pratnership' as such. Having worked in the magistrates' court here, however, I do know we have several jackass magistrates!

Also interesting is that there are several colleagues of his who have well over 12 points. Since taxi drivers make their living from their licences, and as such can argue exceptional hardship from a ban, it would seem they are seldom disqualified through the totting-up process. I would take this as tacit acceptance from the courts, licencing authority and insurance companies that numerous speeding transgressions by high-mileage professional drivers does not make them unsafe to carry fare paying passengers.

I have long asked for, and challenged people to provide, documentary evidence of speeding prosecution below ACPO guidelines of +10%+2mph.

Scotch mist. People exaggerate.

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

I would tend to agree with you except that, as mentioned, he had no reason to lie to me. He seemed quite certain that 32mph was the figure on his tickets. I will ask him if he has any documentation the very next time I see him.

I've been done for 44 in a 40 through a temp limit on the motorway and still have the paperwork

Presumably this was from a police officer rather than a fixed camera or Talivan, though.

There's nothing in the guidelines to stop actual police officers issuing tickets for speeds below 10%+2 mph, although in practice I suspect this happens very rarely.

Also a couple of years back there were reports of Thames Valley Police "inviting" people to go on speed awareness courses for speeds as low as 31 in a 30. What happened if you refused the course?

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"Show me someone who says that they have never exceeded a speed limit, and I'll show you a liar, or a menace." (Austin Williams - Director, Transport Research Group)

Any views expressed in this post are personal opinions and may not represent the views of Safe Speed

Nope it was fpn from a specs set up.

10%+2mph are just guidelines, one of those police camera action thingys a couple of years ago the officer from west yorkshire said theirs was 10%+4mph I wound the tape back to be sure I heard right. I DID.

Our local paper a legal bod stated at one stage that speeding is speeding even if only 1mph over and that technically you could be prosecuted

I was with a friend driving in Shropshire when he was flashed by a speed camera. He was driving at 34mph.

And they DID prosecute him.

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

I like Paul have never seen a NIP with 32 on it. However people send back the paperwork or distroy it and keep it private if they accept a FPN. The same way people hide thier bank statements when they are in the red.

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Speed limit sign radio interview. TV Snap Unhappy
“It has never been the rule in this country – I hope it never will be - that suspected criminal offences must automatically be the subject of prosecution” He added that there should be a prosecution: “wherever it appears that the offence or the circumstances of its commission is or are of such a character that a prosecution in respect thereof is required in the public interest”
This approach has been endorsed by Attorney General ever since 1951. CPS Code

My sister has had a nip in the last few days from Northumbria police for 35mph in a 30mph, she still has the paperwork any advice??

35 is on the button for the 10%+2 threshold (it's not >10%+2).

Advice, you have 28 days to reply to the NIP, use them wisely.

Technically you could but they don't prosecute because with such a narrow margin you are likely to have the sympathy of the Magistrates and quite likely to succeed with questioning the accuracy of the reading.

When I got my first talivan NIP he had the threshold set at 41mph for a 30 zone. If I had been doing 40 I would not have been nicked.

Personal experience suggests that NIPs give 42mph as the magic potion to get nicked in a 30mph limit. I've never challenged the evidence. Fool as I am.
As for the A515 tonight
Traffic was moving at a sensible 60mph+ speed tonight yet we still get a regular Audi A3 2.0D driver who drives at high speed (irresponsible), forcing opposing traffic to slow when overtaking with crests, bows and bends irrelevant. I want that man caught.
Hey, next time I will take his plate, tricky though at that speed.
Anyone know how to reverse local government stupidity re the A515 50mph limit?
Cheaply of course. A Judicial review sounds expensive.