Safe Speed Forums

I was caught doing 50 MPH by a mobile speed camera van on the A38 near sutton coldfield. The Usuall speed limit of the road is 60mph but was reduced to a temporaty 30 MPH beause of road works, though the road works were in exces of 2 miles down the road.

As I was traveling almost twice the speed limit I was wondering what fine i am likely to recieve from the police.

Also im I right in my unerstanding that the NIP is not admitence of guilt but only admitence that I was the driver of the car at the time and aqused of speeding? and if i agree to a fixed penaulty notice will i get a criminal record?

Have you had a NIP yet?

Are you just going to accept it and hope you don't have another three in the post?

Ive had ny NIP, got it earlier today. I know im not likely to get ne more speedning conviction from then to today. I have filled it in as i was driving the car. I just think its weak that they restircted so much of the A38 when it was holely unnecesarry

DON'T rush to send it back. They have given you 28 days to reply. Take 27. And get along to Pepipoo: http://www.pepipoo.com and see if anyone there can help you to get justice.

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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

If it’s any consolation I’m in the same opinion, I beleive they are deliberately extending speed limits well beyond the actual roadwork’s and set them ridiculously low. This not only gets drivers back’s up, but once drivers realise how ridiculous the limits are they start to ignore them. They know drivers will start to ignore them so place a few cameras along the route knowing they will collect revenue. Don't just pay up without a fight, and I'd go back and take some pictures or video the roadwork's.

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Useless laws weaken necessary laws.

i am going back tmrw to take picture s and vieo the route. i am going to cehck all the signs for legality too. After what i have seen on the net their is a good 60% chance that i will get a summons and not a fixed penaulty notice. Ne help would be greatfully apreaciated.

On another no though i do fulyy suport the speed restirction but only where they are near the workers. 30mph was way to low for a dual carrage way with little to no obstuction on the roads.

Hi Mark,
The restrictions are absolutely ridiculous. I have complained to the Highways agency and spoken to the 'contractor'. The road works are on the Bassets pole island. Because of the separation distance the speed limit is 30 mph. The reason the limit is for 2 miles before is the police are worried about tail backs backing up to the slight bends. when I phoned over a hundred people had complained. The speed limit is 24/7 and not removed when no roadworks are in progress. Annoyingly the island is also on the A444 there are no speed restrictions on that road ??? Where were you scammed ? ( by the way the road is dual carriage way so normal speed limit is 70 mph ). If it was me who had been pinged I would fight to the limit and I would rather go to court and fight it than let the idiots get your cash. good luck mate. The law is an ASS.

Richard

Hi Richard,

Surely if the police are worried about traffic backing up, then what’s wrong with putting sign’s up further back down the road like they do on other roadworks I’ve seen, and even repeat them nearer the works. Not a hard-wearing excuse if you ask me.

Dixie

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Useless laws weaken necessary laws.

I was scaned on the road towards the round about but about a mile back where london road splits from the A38 and their is a car dealership(?).


If u lkook at this link u can see london rd on right. right at the top where it merges with the A38 was where the speed van was located. About 50 meters or so down from their is where i belve you are forced into one lane. This IMHO is where teh 30 MPH limit should start

http://maps.google.co.uk/?ll=52.602943, ... 2,0.031285

Hi Dixie,
They do hold a meeting to discuss the safety implications. I can only think that if they leave the limit alone and have 1 accident there will be an inquest/witchunt. If they put in the most ridiculous limit and have 10 accidents they can just blame non adherence to the limit and pat themselves on the back.

Hi Mark I know the area - earlier I should have said there is no limit reduction on the A446 to the island. I can only say get all the evidence video etc. The road curves before and after the place I think the van was. There is hard standing for a camera van on the other side( northbound carriageway ). They are only allowed to monitor the side the van is on. Pepipoo is the place for the legal side of things. Good luck please keep us informed of how you get on.

Richard

As per HalcyonRichard statement that the A38 is restricted so much because

"The reason the limit is for 2 miles before is the police are worried about tail backs backing up to the slight bends"

Does ne one know who i can talk/write a letter two to get the actuall layout of what area is cnsidered to be restricted for the safety of teh maintenece workers and what area is used for traffic conjestion measures.

Hi Mark,
I started off with the highways agency 08457504030 they are quite helpful and will probably get the contractor to contact you direct. Having the history of the site I wonder if they have applied for the restiction on the speed limit for all of the 2.4 miles. You just never know. Good luck if you get no luck - I have the contractors number ( He gave me this but I do not know if it is a private number )

Good luck

Richard

could it be that no one takes heed of the signs !!

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now retired

Hi Camera Operator,
Probably the reason that some people ignore the signs is that the road works are 2 miles away. I have driven this road for over 20 years this is the most dangerous its ever been. I have driven through it about 20 times and it is frightening. I now avoid it. The 'road works' are on an island 2 miles away and the limit is 30 mph on an excellent 70 mph dual carriageway. I have never seen the road works active. Also other roads that cross the island have no speed limit reduction. This is safety dogma gone mad. Please read TRL595 that confirms cameras in road works increase danger.

Richard

Two lanes very little traffic on the road. weather conditions are good and the road is dry. No cones in the road. No other hinderence in the road. Maximun speed 30 MPH. Used my judgement that given the current conditions that 50MPH would be safe.

Comare to day. went up to the A38 drove at 30 MPH. Almost had a large van hit my rear. Down london road. traffic was a heavyer and im crusing at 30MPH. getting overtaken by about 50% of the traffic.

Also I have noticed that the speed restirctions are only for the A38. The other roads leading into the island have speed restriction placed at the island and those are non inforcable signs. All roads leading into bassets pole are goverened by the NSL which meens cars can come in at 60MPH

I do support the use of speed restriction and cameras in such areas as road maintanece. The thing that anoys me is the two mile run up restriction and such a drastic speed cut. As my dad pointed out in the old days when they wanted to cut speed on the Motorway they would use a step down system IE 70->50->30 and not just go from 70->30. If their was a step down system in place people are more likely to take heed of the signs.