:rant::rant::rant:

 

 

Hi,

I was making my way back from Stranraer to Teeside last week. It was 10:45pm when I was travelling down the A66 towards Stockton/Middlesbrough. The speed goes down from 70 to 50 and I slowed accordingly.There is a 80 degree bend in the dual carriageway and as I was half way round it I spotted a patrol car in front of me. I want to point out at this time that as I spotted him, his window was closed and his vehicle was moving. He came out straight after me and pulled me over.

He explained about the 50 mph limit and that this particular stretch of dual carriageway was at 50 mph to allow people to get onto the road from the slip roads safely. I pointed out to him that it was 11 in the evening and that there was no traffic trying to get onto the main road and anyway, I wasn't speeding. At that, he picked up his speed gun and it had 74 mph on the display!. He told me his hands were tied and there was nothing he could do so I asked him if the gun worked through closed windows. He said it wasn't relevant because his window was open. I can assure it was not!. My wife and I both saw it and I got her out of our car to tell him. He also said he had me at 285 feet. I don't think so, not on that bend. Nothing would sway him and I feel totally robbed. I was in a new very capable car on a dry road doing the speed limit and he still did me.

So here's my questions:

Does the speed gun work through closed windows?.

Is the date and time of the recording stored in the camera?.

Does the officer have discretion in these cases?. If so, I think he took the reading off another vehicle and was getting his "tally" up for the week or whatever.

 

Totally pissed off, my new car arrives next month and because of this the insurance has gone up by over a £100.

What you should do is goto the police station before paying the fine and ask for the calibration certificate for the speed gun. These must be calibrated everyday before use and if not then you cannot be fined as they have then broken the law.lol.

 

People i know who have done this have not been given the ticket and just been informed to move on and watch there speed, worth a try.

big difference between 50mph and 74mph, If you are shure you were inside the speed limit I would fight it

Depends on if you can prove his window was closed with photos of the moment. If not then he will just say your lying and you will get even more fooked. I'd just accept you have been rapped up the pooper and carry on with life.

Why thanks tmttp my pooper is well and truly rapped!.

Why thanks tmttp my pooper is well and truly rapped!.

 

There's always help dude.

 

as i said before paying ask to see the calibration certificate of the speed gun on that date, you are within your rights and should be issued with a copy if you ask. if its not been calibrated you win.

Hi mate

 

If you are certain you were not speeding then you can elect to go to court. Take pictures and notes of where you were, at what point you slowed and why you did so, At what point and distance did the police car have line of sight to you, and check the distance either pace it out or use google earth or something. Make the case to the magistrates court. If there is a reasonable doubt they may find your way.

 

From your description it sounds like he could not have zapped you at that distance becasue when you had line of sight to him you were closer? is that the case?

 

Write it all down and take it to a solicitor, if you cant afford one and are confident enough to argue your case in court then do so. MAgistrates often get cases like this and will find in favour of the defendant if there is enough evidence to show that it was not possible for him to have you on the camera at that distance doing that speed or that there is a reasonable doubt that it was correct.

 

Have a think about it .

 

Ron

Cheers guys, going out with my measuring wheel and camera at the weekend and going to fight it.

What you should do is goto the police station before paying the fine and ask for the calibration certificate for the speed gun. These must be calibrated everyday before use and if not then you cannot be fined as they have then broken the law.lol.

 

People i know who have done this have not been given the ticket and just been informed to move on and watch there speed, worth a try.

 

my mate was caught doing over 140 in his m3 - went to court - they asked for the calibration cert..... which it came to light that on that particular day it WASN'T calibrated, so he walked away with his license.... very lucky as he needed it for work! so i believe it must be true that they need to be calibrated everyday!

Cheers guys, going out with my measuring wheel and camera at the weekend and going to fight it.

 

I would as well, mate:(

 

The speed recorded on the gun is not necessarily the same as that on a speed camera (ie a permanent record of the alleged offence). Also you mentioned to him about the closed window - the officer must make notes on what was said so it can be used in evidence should the case go to court.

 

Also was there another officer in the police car to corroborate his version of events? If not it's just your word against his with no other supporting evidence.

 

Hope it goes well for you,

 

Richard:)

Were you given an N.I.P A Notice of prosecution' were you cautioned at the time that you will be reported for the offence of speeding? the calibration question is a good one to follow too. I had a similar tadoo with VASCAR in car camera, I fought it and won.

I've been stopped a few times (never in the Z strangely!) and been treated like shit by some really nasty cops over the years who just try to stitch you up with anything they can vaguely get away with.

Does anyone know if you are allowed to record the conversation?

I know that for telephone calls you have to tell the person you are recording them for legal reasons otherwise it's not admissible as evidence.

Are you within your rights to say to the police, hang on a minute I want to record the conversation?

After all they will record you in an interview room.

Only problem is it will probably wind them up even more and make them more likely to charge you anyway LOL

Most smartphones have a voice recorder built in these days.

Edited May 15, 200916 yr by ChrisC

Are you within your rights to say to the police, hang on a minute I want to record the conversation?

 

No they can tell you not to video or audio record if they want. Why that is I dont know, surely its showing something to hide?

I think you are able to so long as you tell them why