Mobile Speed Trap

[Juliand]

Doh, approached one of these today, parked up on verge on the edge exit of a village / small town as the speed limit goes from 30 to national speed limit, at circa 40 mph. Have to see if anything arrives in the post, but wondering at what stage do you have to inform insurers, if it ends up in points / endorsements. Only just renewed.

Dorset /Hampshire. Thought they had better things to do. Just looks set up as as a cash cow; no real need for it on the exit of the place, into the open countryside.....

Any thoughts / knowledge??

Ta

[Ninja]

You'll not get accurate information on a forum as everyone has differing views.

However, my understanding is -

If the NIP gets to you and hasn't been sent within two weeks, or specifically if it's been printed over two weeks after you were caught (check the date) then you can contest it.

You don't have to tell your insurer until you accept the penalty

If it's your first penalty there's a good chance you'll be offered a Speed awareness course instead of points.

I agree - speed cameras are money making evil things. Absolutely hate them with a passion. But that's for another post.

[garrardrj]

There will have been complaints about speed from the residents at the location. They can only set up on a straight piece of road , so probably only place to site the van due to bends ? People think speed traps are just set up to make money which is not the case , there will be people breaking the speed limit regularly , keep to the speed limit = No Fine or Points or Phonecall to Insurers

[Juliand]

Quite right. However, this was turning out of a definite 30 built up area, onto main road into countryside, so thought it was a 40 - no 30 sign between junction I came out of and the police van, then only a few yards further on onto the national speed limit sign , and into the countryside......

Approaching the built up area I can understand, but leaving?

[garrardrj]

So you were in a 30 zone and turned into another road , having not seen any other change in speed limit and think the speed limit is different ? We have hundreds of miles of Countryside in our county which has 30mph limits. They are not just for urban areas.
Perhaps you are not the only one to get it wrong and hence why they are there?

[jason_rmh]

I've been through this so here's a bit of info...

Firstly, do you know roughly how fast you were going?
If you are outside the 10% + 3 for the speed limit.
Eg in a 40mph zone, over 47mph,  that will trigger a Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP).
If within that limit you *should* be OK.

The purpose of the NIP is to identify the driver. As the owner of the vehicle you are obliged to give that information.

Once the Police have identified the driver, they will clarify their intended course of action, whether it be a driver training course, fixed penalty or court summons.
This is done again by letter once the NIP has been returned and processed.

Court summons is usually when you are caught speeding outside the upper threshold or if you already have points on licence and the fixed penalty would take you up to or over 12 points.

For now, I guess it's just a waiting game. You usually receive the NIP in a couple of weeks but can take up to 6 months.

Hope this helps.
Jas

[eddie pk]

have a look over on pepipoo forums , loads of advice and experiences there. good luck !

[xjay1337]

As above head to Pepipoo.

The NIP for a speed camera van type offence has to be dated and get to you within 14 days. A roadside summons eg 55 in a 30 can take up to 6 months.

If not then it's invalid.
usually they do 10% + 2 as a guideline but you can get done in theory for 31 in a 30 although a few people have said they have, I've never seen a single actual ticket to prove this.

Unfortunately it doesn't really matter where or how, and the limit 200 yards up the road.

You only need to alert your insurance company to points once you have received them (this will be via letter usually). Speed awareness courses, only Admiral / Bell / Elephant etc ask  specifically AFAIk but more are.

[Gazza747]

Just my experience:

First time I was caught, 95 in a 70 so instant 3 points and fine, no chance of a speed awareness course as I was going too fast compared to the speed limit.
Second time 83 in a 70 so I got offered to go on the speed awareness.
On the speed awareness course they told me there is tolerance of 10%+2 mph before you get a notice.
I phoned my insurer to ask if I need to tell them about the points. They said no, not until renewal. They put it on as a note anyway.
I got all my notices about a week after going through the mobile speed traps.

[Juliand]

Thanks for the comments. I thought it was 10% +2 mph; so that gets you to 35 in a 30. I reckon I was about 38 when I first saw it, then lifted straight off, as a natural reaction I suppose. On the return journey the trap had moved on, but the spot did look to be a 30 limit, coming off a national speed stretch,  as I was then heading into the built up bit.

Have to see what Postman Pat brings. Curious though, do those radar things in the police vans just take an instant speed reading, or does it take a couple of readings as you approach? Will check out the website mentioned.

I live on a 30 stretch, with double yellows, so nothing to slow cars down, and the cars are often blasting by at what seems like well over 70 mph, .......Never had a mobile out here, more's the pity!

It's not fair! Ha ha. 

[Gazza747]

Remember that your speedo has tolerance too. When I got caught at 95 I has cruise control on 100.

[AJP]

One of my mates got done by a van and I'm pretty sure he was doing 34 in a 30, which obviously is within 10% + 2mph. He did the awareness course, I assume it was his first offence.

I'm personally 50/50 on their intentions. Some near me often set up on a long 30mph stretch that's certainly not a dangerous road and hasn't been the scene of any bumps in the many years I've been here. I'm not sure why it's even a 30 limit, and tellingly it was a 40 limit until quite recently. That for me is a cash cow.

But there are spots where the opposite applies; clearly dodgy built-up areas where only a stupid driver would exceed the limit. Plenty do, so in that case the van is justified.

[garrardrj]

Some years ago local parishes were given the power to control the speed limits on the roads in their parishes, guess what they virtually all opted for the lowest speed possible. Many 30 mph areas are totally unnecessary and to some degree to frustration on the roads. When the speed limit increases after these 30's you get quite alot of dodgy overtakes and hence more accidents. Also another reason why this threads speed trap was where it was.

[Juliand]

Update.....

NIP in the post today. 35mph was the recorded speed (30mph limit). This seems to be within the threshold (30 + 10% + 2 =35). I would have thought that meant a NIP for 36 and over, with 35 being inside (just). Anyone know?

I can apply for speed awareness course, as it's in their band 35- 42 (43-49 = conditional offer; 50+ = prosecution). 4 hour course £90

Anyone know if Hampshire uses the ACPO threshold of above 35mph?

Thanks

[Gazza747]

I guess that 10%+2 is the lowest conviction so 78 in a 70 and you are ok, 79 and you get a ticket.

This seems to be the case as they say 35-42 for a course, not 34-42 or 36-42.