[205Chris]

Not seen this anywhere else on the forum so thought it worth a mention. It seems the recent sunny weather has brought out the mobile speed camera van in the peak. Seen last weekend on the A621 between Owler Bar roundabout and Baslow village and today on the A6 shortly before Topley Pike layby (the parking for Cheedale).

[Bubba]

There were two of them out the other weekend, between Owler Bar and Gardoms, each covering one direction. At least they're marked unlike the stealth vans they use on the Snake.

Remember to flash oncoming traffic to warn them, it's only right.

[Sloper]

I only flash selectively these days; ie if you're driving like a knob I don't.

[Johnny Brown]

Out yesterday on the A621 again, just south of Owler Bar.

[Bubba]

With the stealth van on the Snake, I've always been really tempted to mountain bike in and slash their tyres whilst they're sitting in the back on the camera

[tomtom]

With the stealth van on the Snake, I've always been really tempted to mountain bike in and slash their tyres whilst they're sitting in the back on the camera

As a yoof I remember getting pulled over by the old bill once and whilst he was checking my licence/writing me out a producer etc.. I looked over his shoulder and saw my mate Darren pissing through the open drivers side window of the Police Metro 

[mrjonathanr]

Was one on Manchester-bound side of A6 at lunchtime just where straight is off roundabout near Chapel ie where you go from dual back down to single carriageway travelling west.

[slackline]

It would appear I got tagged on the A6 a week or so ago (think it was coming off the dual carriage-way back onto single lane).  67mph in a 50 zone (which IMO should by 60, but that doesn't count for diddly-squat), ah well, been a while since I had any points on my licence and at least I didn't roll the car and write if off this time.

Anyway, just come across Derbyshire Mobile Speed Camera Locations, which may well be worth checking in the future.

[Johnny Brown]

Worth remembering the usual cutoff for prosecution is 10% + 4, ie 59 in a 50, 37 in a 30 etc.

[Danger]

Worth remembering the usual cutoff for prosecution is 10% + 4, ie 59 in a 50, 37 in a 30 etc.

I have had points for both 37 in a 30 and 59 in a 50 (Snake Pass).

[dave]

I heard it was 10% plus 2, but to be honest I don't believe it is anything hard and fast, could just be an urban myth. I'm sure they could and would bust you doing 32 in a 30 if so inclined.

Having said that, when coming into town on Ringinglow Rd that light-up 30 sign only comes on if you're doing 38 or more.

[Johnny Brown]

I have had points for both 37 in a 30 and 59 in a 50 (Snake Pass)

Yes, that's the usual point at which they start prosecuting. Anyone got any at 36 or 58? I got the figure from my Dad, who is a magistrate and often deals with speeding offences. Some forces go 'zero-tolerance', but I think its fairly widely applied. Whether its actually possible to measure with that kind of precision yourself is another question. Its pretty certain your speedo over-reads, so if you can keep it to 36 you should be safe on both counts.

[Adam Lincoln]

Having said that, when coming into town on Ringinglow Rd that light-up 30 sign only comes on if you're doing 38 or more.

That could be due to speedo being out. Obviously not by 8 though. For example, when doing 86, my sat nav is telling me i am doing 79.

[Drew]

I heard it was 10% plus 2, but to be honest I don't believe it is anything hard and fast, could just be an urban myth. I'm sure they could and would bust you doing 32 in a 30 if so inclined.

It's all a bit hit and miss. I got caught doing 37 in a 30, and they stopped me, but let me off with a caution. A week later a colleague got caught by a static camera doing 33 in a 30, and got the letter two days later.

Having said that, when coming into town on Ringinglow Rd that light-up 30 sign only comes on if you're doing 38 or more.

It's 35 on my speedo.

[slackline]

This site has info

[dave]

kiss my face.

[kingholmesy]

What's the stealth van that sits on the Snake look like?  I presume it sits in the layby on the east side of the Pass?

[Bubba]

The one I've seen there a lot is a green (transit I think) van with just a couple of small blacked out windows in the rear doors. It looks really innocuous. Whenever I've seen it it has been parked in a tiny layby at a bend in the road between two long straights.

[Johnny Brown]

When they did me they were , at the end of that downhill stretch good for overtaking. A couple of signs line up to hide them far too effectively.

[Jim]

thats where I normally see one. I always keep it to 50 coming over the brow of that hill until I can see if there is a van in that layby or not. Passed 2 speed camera vans this morning heading onto the snake at ladybower

[Bubba]

In a departure from the usual large saloon/estate unmarked cars, South Yorkshire Police are now running a silver Focus RS/ST/whatever.

 I've seen it nicking two people over the last 5 days, one at M1 J33 and one just round the corner from home in Norton.

[Norton Sharley]

Also seen the bastards a couple of times this summer on the A623 Tideswell Moor just above the Three Stags Head but they've always been blindingly obvious. 

Does anyone know if the mobile cameras in the vans work facing forwards only, backwards only or both?  In other words if it's parked facing you on your side of the road is it shooting you or the other lane going the other way?  Or is it impossible to know.  Just in case I decide to buy a bike again 

[Bubba]

I read recently that Derbyshire had started using vans that work both ways specifically to get bikes who used to ignore them.

[chris_j_s]

I believe that most only measure traffic coming towards them but newer cameras can do both. Beware when travelling in either direction!

Hopefully with budgets being cut they won't be purchasing too many more new ones for the time being though...

Also worth noting that they aren't always set up to catch speeders (which is the real reason why some people who think they 'got away with it' don't get a ticket), they will sometimes just be looking out for tax/insurance evaders.

[Jaspersharpe]

In a departure from the usual large saloon/estate unmarked cars, South Yorkshire Police are now running a silver Focus RS/ST/whatever.

 I've seen it nicking two people over the last 5 days, one at M1 J33 and one just round the corner from home in Norton.

Also a silver 4 x 4 which I saw nicking someone under Tinsley viaduct the other day. Didn't catch what it was but they are certainly diversifying. Not to worry though, with the cuts they'll soon be back to running these:


http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagetaker1/3102789134/#

[slackline]

Hopefully with budgets being cut they won't be purchasing too many more new ones for the time being though...

With a bit of luck others will take the lead of Oxfordshire.

[Norton Sharley]

I believe that most only measure traffic coming towards them but newer cameras can do both. Beware when travelling in either direction!

Hopefully with budgets being cut they won't be purchasing too many more new ones for the time being though...

Also worth noting that they aren't always set up to catch speeders (which is the real reason why some people who think they 'got away with it' don't get a ticket), they will sometimes just be looking out for tax/insurance evaders.

Aren't the tax evasion vans DVLA (or whatever it's now called) rather than the Feds?

[Jaspersharpe]

It's soon to be called Big Society (Car, Van and Scooter Division) and will run by volunteers from the WI.

[dave]

It's soon to be called Big Society

Its convenient that the thing which already has the abbreviation of "B.S." is, in this case, interchangeable.

[Norton Sharley]

It's soon to be called Big Society (Car, Van and Scooter Division) and will run by volunteers from the WI.

Something positive from the coalition, we'll be able to pay for road tax in cakes and jam.

[Offwidth]

This site can be very useful: http://www.speed-trap.co.uk/

[chris_j_s]

Aren't the tax evasion vans DVLA (or whatever it's now called) rather than the Feds?

No, not always. Police can use their kit for either/or (I was working in the IT dept of Suffolk police when they were first bringing this kit in so am reasonably sure about this).

This was highly fortunate when I went past one on the motorway at "a bit over the limit" a few weeks back. 

The van was definitely police and the motorway was crawling with other coppers waiting to pull people over... not interested in me though (I was crapping myself for the rest of the journey mind).

[lagerstarfish]

Hopefully with budgets being cut they won't be purchasing too many more new ones for the time being though...

With a bit of luck others will take the lead of Oxfordshire.

The Big Society solution will be to allow volunteer mobs of Daily Mail readers to publicly lynch/burn anyone who knocks down a child/granny and looks like they might be the type of person who drives too fast.

[GCW]

Will Big Society have a Ministry of Speed that enforced a 20 mph speed limit everywhere, a Ministry of Health that closes all the hospitals, a Ministry of UKClimbing that does nothing but talk about jam, scones, walking and whether or not E0 exists, and a Ministry of Sound that produces infinite discs of tedious mainstream boom-boom compilations?

I love you,  B.S.

[slackline]

Hopefully with budgets being cut they won't be purchasing too many more new ones for the time being though...

With a bit of luck others will take the lead of Oxfordshire.

The Big Society solution will be to allow volunteer mobs of Daily Mail readers to publicly lynch/burn anyone who knocks down a child/granny and looks like they might be the type of person who drives too fast.

  You must know my father in-law, this was exactly what he was saying at dinner the other day, although he was advocating making them explain to those in the "parish" their actions.  I suggested that he may as well re-instigate flogging/stocks.  He seemed enthusiastic.

I then remembered he reads the Daily Fail.

[Snoops]

I read recently that Derbyshire had started using vans that work both ways specifically to get bikes who used to ignore them.

This is semi-true, it only has one laser/IR/whatever beam out the usual window, but its linked to a camera on the opposite side of the van in order to snap said motorbikes plate. Prior to this we could  buzz the vans at speed!

[benpritch]

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2943&Itemid=81&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+thedailymash+%28The+Daily+Mash.+It%27s+news+to+us.%29

[Bubba]

Another one - 56 plate Volvo saloon out on the prowl in Sheffield at 3am. Nearly overtook it on the way back from work but luckily noticed the strobes on the parcel shelf as I came up behind it.

[Jaspersharpe]

There's a few of those Volvos about. Seen one pull someone at Attercliffe the other day. Blue lights out of nowhere!