[Buoux 8C]

Ok, i was just flashed by a camera on the way back form birmingham tonite, the camera flashed twice, and i was doing about 45 in a 30 or 40 not quite sure what it was.
Are their fixed penalties? or do each case vary, basically i want to know how much im might have to pay and how many points on me licence im might  get. This is the first time i may have been caught.

Also how likely is it that i will get a letter in the post, i have heard that some people get flashed but nothing ever comes of it.

Any advise would be helpful

[dontfollowme]

Sounds like you might get 3 points. Also if you have had your licence less than 2 years and get 6 points I think you have to retake your test. The more experienced speeders   here will be able to give you info about fines and stuff.

[DScuffle]

If they send you the demand it'll be within 2 weeks.  It's a £60 fine and 3 points fixed penalty.  I think that can be increased if you contest it in court, but that's up to you to decide.

Over a year ago I got done by one of the vans on top of a bridge over the motorway.  58 in a 50, there were cones but no roadworks and it was 10:30 sunday morning and there were no other cars on the motorway.  I wanted to go to court to argue about errors on the reading so I ignore the fixed penalty (this is what you have to do to contest it).  Interestingly they never pursued me for it (the threshold is speed limit  + 10% + 2mph - in my case 57mph).  So if it was a 40 and you got buzzed at 45, you probably won't get done anyway, if it was a 30 however just pay the fine if you get a fixed penalty notice through - you'll know within 2 weeks.

[lleyton]

north wales feds caught me with one of their little hand-held jobbies last weekend the dirty fuzz. doin late thirties in a 30 zone the fukkers - what  a way to ruin the best day in porth ysgo. plus the letter'll be sent to my folks OLD house, not their new one and by no means to my student crib. oh dear.

[ian h]

i also got nailed this am by the cops sitting on a motorway bridge over the m2

there is roadworks and the speed limit is 50mph

i was doing between 55 - 60 mph

just have to wait and see, bit gutted as i got 3 points £60 a couple of months back

[Obi-Wan is lost...]

I've been caught twice by camera vans, first time I just paid up, second time I fought it for 6 months to no avail.

The best site for advice is www.pepipoo.com , where you can read all about my saga. These guys know their shit.

Seriously considering getting a Snooper or similar, but I've heard the government are making them illegal too!

Don't get me started...

 :evil:

[Pantontino]

I was out with Streaky on Sunday (to Porth Ysgo), and he had a 'Road Angel' device - totally legal aparently. It tells him where all speed cameras are located and has an additional unit that detects random speed vans.

He said the full set up would cost about £350. I guess if you are a travelling sales punter it'd be worth the spend.

Not that I advocate fast driving, pafticularly in built up areas. Ever since becoming a dad, I've developed an acute awareness of the vulnerability of small children on roads. I drive round my village at about 15-20 mph.

[Bubba]

Snoopers et al are all well and good for trad speed cams, but they won't do shit for most modern laser speed traps.

you want one of these....i've got one but not put it on yet.

[Fiend]

Bubba, one of those....they don't sound to me like they'd get full police approval surely?? LOL.

[Bubba]

In theory you could get done for "perverting the course of justice" but the reality is that I've only heard of one person getting busted.

The idea of them is that they are linked to an alarm/LEDs inside the car - when the unit jams the laser gun and the alarm sounds, you hit the brakes and get down to a legal speed before they can re-measure your speed. The unit then turns itself off temporarily so that the police can then get a "good" reading on you.

The guy who got caught went through many speed traps in the same area without bothering to slow down. In the end, the local fuzz decided to pull him and searched his car. The head of the unit is very small, about the size of a match box end.

They do also have a legit use as a garage door opener apparantly.

Most of the time, the laser guns mounted on bridges/back of vans/etc don't have pursuit car backup, so even if they do smell a rat, what are they going to do about it? Chase you on foot

[Gad]

speed camera detectors are not illegal,  camera jammers are. They said so on 5th gear

[Bubba]

Exactly - the things I linked to are laser jammers.

Laser detectors are useless - by the time you've detected it, it will almost certainly already have clocked you.

I think a laser jammer combined with a GPS based system like Road Angel is the best combination.

[Sloper]

Right, a little clarity.

You cannot be prosecuted for perverting the course of justice (or indeed the lesser offence of obstructing a Constable in the execution of his duty) or s.5 (from memory) of the 1949 Wireless etc Act 1947/9.

To Lleyton, you have committed the offence of failing to correctly register your vehicle / notify DVLA of change of details so as such the 14 day limit for NIP / 6 month, limit for the prosecution of summary only offences may [if I was making the decision WOULD BE] extended.  As such you're likely to get two 'charges' and expect a total of 3 points (maybe 5 for taking the piss) and at least a £140 fine.

[Bubba]

Are you sure?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/2744329.stm

"The motorist in question has since been arrested for perverting the course of justice and has admitted the offence," said Sergeant Gary Smart from South Wales Police.

[Big Frank]

On BBC Look North last night was a piece about new Speed cameras in Keighly, they are the hand held ones BUT NOT used by the police but used in stead by volunteer members of the public!!

They will be trained by the Police, and offenders will get two warning letters through the post before prosacution.

[Sloper]

I was referring to the road angel type devices that warn the driver as to the presence of a camera or speed trap.

Usign a device to disrupt the laser can technically be 'perverting' but I think in practice would be almost certain to be charged 'obstructing a constable' the reason why the driver was arrested for 'perverting' is that (from memory) there is no power of arrest for 'obstruct pc'.