Safe Speed Forums

Great site. I am new today! I have just received a letter to say I was caught doing 35mph in a 30pmh area. I recall the police van and I also recall approaching it at no more than 25mph, from a distance of about 400 yards away. Should I appeal by writing to the police or just accept it and get the points and pay the fine? Do I have a right to ask for evidence at this stage?

Thanks

www.pepipoo.com is the place for this.

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Less Kodak, more Kojak.
In times of deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.

Appealing to the better nature of the police is a waste of time and effort. They are just running a legalised “highway robbery” business with their laser guns, they want your money and don’t care about the penalty point you get.

First ask for evidence that it was your vehicle, that it is not mistaken identity, and you should get at least a couple of photos from the video. They may select the photos to make it look as bad as possible for you and to conceal anything in your favour. You need to see the video to find out.

Yes you should then be able to get the video under the data protection act if you accept you were the driver. PePiPoo explain about the PACE statement you may wish to consider.

From the video you might then be able to determine and prove your speed, but it will depend on the circumstances and if their are good refernce markings. It may require some geometry and maths.

You should be able to get the video and check the validity of the speeding allegation before taking the matter to court.

You could take a look at my posting at http://www.safespeed.org.uk/forum/viewt ... ght=#82975

Understand if you fight the case then you are likely to have at least six months of worry and effort ahead of you and you may not win, even if you are innocent, so it could then cost you about £400 in fines and costs. If you win you can’t claim costs for time off work to attend court. If you believe you were not speeding and think you can prove it then have a go and you will learn a lot and be better prepared for the next time. It depends how much you think your licence is worth and how many penalty points you already have.

We will give you what support we can. Can you give more information about the circumstances and let us know if you get the video, assuming it was a mobile laser camera van with an LTI 20.20.

There is a lot of stuff here on SafeSpeed and PePiPoo about the inaccuracy and unreliability of the LTI 20.20

As my memory serves me, it was a white van with a police officer in the driving seat with a hand held speed gun. I have no points on my license to date.

Thanks so much for your advice. :)

It may well be that the officer pinged you from much further away.

In which case you need to find out how far away. Anything over 500M and you may well have a case that (and assuming he was a copper) he didn't form the prior opinion of speed before using his scamera. In such a case he would not have complied with the law and you conviction would be unsafe.

A simple test in court would be to show a video of vehicles 500m away and ask the copper to tell you if one is over a set speed limit. time how long and how far away it is.

I bet (without the assistence of a high power video camera) he can't tell you as quickly

I actually spoke to someone ho I bought a new car from and he says the police just sit there zapping everyone that passes. He knew where I had been done even before I told him!!!!!!!! : :(

are you sure he was sat in the front with the laser, the lastec system is pretty heavy to handle without a tripod ?

maybe the van was doubled crewed (wimps)

have you any photos these would clarify the distance etc

35 in a 30 intresting are you 100% it was a mobile you were caught with rather than a static

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now retired

There was def one officer in it. The radar gun thing was resting on his door with the window down. I have written to police and they say I can view the photos but I will have to go there!

Don't fall for that, insist on them sending you the photos, if necessary use the Data Protection Act, see my previous postings on this matter.

You will need the photos to analyse them to check the validity of the speeding allegation.

Exactly - and that can't be done in a few seconds with a desk jockey breathing down your neck.

Just to add to this, who's to say you will understand the information on the photos, tell them you need the originals to take away and have them analysed by a proffesional person who understands the information on them.

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Useless laws weaken necessary laws.

If you miss the deadline for the Fixed Penalty Offer (FPO), but decide to accept you were speeding, you can still plead guilty at the first court hearing. This will cost more than the FPO, but not execesively so.

After the deadline for the FPO they are likely to still repeat the offer a couple of weeks later, together with some intimidation, since they would rather just get you money than go through the courts.

It will give you much more time in which to make up your mind and learn more about the system and how to deal with it.