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FOGHORN LEGHORN said:
I follow plenty of old cars on the road which absolutely do not have cruise control and yet stay safely below the limit. I dare say that their need to not worry about the odd mph here or there means they stay safely heads up. People being in a hurry, mostly self induced, are the issue. That and people who overestimate their driving abilities. Be that the mum in her Picasso steaming through traffic to get to the school gates on time, or the bmw/Audi driver who owns the road (in his head) - excuse the stereotypes but I see them all the time. Especially now that I've slowed down...


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I'm sure you have, but I will put it to you that those same drivers will exceed the speed limit when pulling away from traffic lights, or when going down a hill, or on a country lane where there is no one else around them. In fact, when I learnt to ride a motor bike in 2012 I was advised by my instructor that it is perfectly acceptable to do 34/35 mph in a 30 zone. And he was IAM approved.
 
Why would you accelerate to 35 in a 30??? That makes no sense. IAM or not. Why would you ever accelerate to a speed faster than you would or should go??? Confusing. Driving and accelerating slower is both safer and more economical. I now average just shy of 75mpg now that I have started driving with more care. Up hill, or down hill. I'll say again, if there is a speed limit it is there for a reason and there is no excuse for exceeding it. IAM approved or not... This isn't a disagreement as your last comment is factually incorrect whatever your source.


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FOGHORN LEGHORN said:
Why would you accelerate to 35 in a 30??? That makes no sense. IAM or not. Why would you ever accelerate to a speed faster than you would or should go??? Confusing. Driving and accelerating slower is both safer and more economical. I now average just shy of 75mpg now that I have started driving with more care. Up hill, or down hill. I'll say again, if there is a speed limit it is there for a reason and there is no excuse for exceeding it. IAM approved or not... This isn't a disagreement as your last comment is factually incorrect whatever your source.


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I'm going to suggest we call a stop to this as we clearly disagree with each other's perspectives and I really don't want any further posts misconstrued or misunderstood. I do get your point and I salute you for your driving prowess - I was merely attempting to factor in "human nature" and state that a lot of people out there do drive just above the speed limit.

And as a point of note - the law states that you will be prosecuted for speeding if you exceed the speed limit by 10% and 2 mph, which means that you will escape prosecution if you do 35 mph in a 30, but will be prosecuted if you do 36 mph. This is what my instructor meant when he made the statement I posted earlier...
 
Again you are wrong. The law does not state that. It states that in all likelihood you will not be charged for exceeding 10% +2mph but a traffic police can do so at their discretion. Quote:

Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) has issued speed enforcement policy guidance, which suggests that enforcement will normally occur when a driver exceeds the speed limit by a particular margin. This is normally 10 per cent over the speed limit plus 2 mph. It also sets guidelines for when it would not be appropriate to issue a fixed penalty notice but to issue a summons instead (see below). Note that these are guidelines and that a police officer has discretion to act outside of them providing he acts fairly, consistently and proportionately.


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FOGHORN LEGHORN said:
Again you are wrong. The law does not state that. It states that in all likelihood you will not be charged for exceeding 10% +2mph but a traffic police can do so at their discretion. Quote:

Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) has issued speed enforcement policy guidance, which suggests that enforcement will normally occur when a driver exceeds the speed limit by a particular margin. This is normally 10 per cent over the speed limit plus 2 mph. It also sets guidelines for when it would not be appropriate to issue a fixed penalty notice but to issue a summons instead (see below). Note that these are guidelines and that a police officer has discretion to act outside of them providing he acts fairly, consistently and proportionately.


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You quote:

"...suggests that enforcement will normally occur when a driver exceeds the speed limit by a particular margin. This is normally 10 per cent over the speed limit plus 2 mph"

I quote:
"...you will be prosecuted for speeding if you exceed the speed limit by 10% and 2 mph, which means that you will escape prosecution if you do 35 mph in a 30, but will be prosecuted if you do 36 mph".

What I should have said was:
"...you will be prosecuted for speeding if you exceed the speed limit by more than 10% and 2 mph, which means that you will escape prosecution if you do 35 mph in a 30, but will be prosecuted if you do 36 mph".

So I was in error. I believe that the premise was the same.
 
No. You should note the use of the word normally which is there because you can by law be prosecuted for travelling at 31 mph in a 30 mph zone at an enforcement officer's discretion, also on the quote.

Incidentally you can also be prosecuted for travelling dangerously slow...


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FOGHORN LEGHORN said:
No. You should note the use of the word normally which is there because you can by law be prosecuted for travelling at 31 mph in a 30 mph zone at an enforcement officer's discretion, also on the quote.

Incidentally you can also be prosecuted for travelling dangerously slow...


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By chance re you a policeman? Do I need to be suddenly afraid about this particular thread?
 
Reading the posts, I believe you guys are talking slightly at cross purposes.

No-one disagrees that if you choose to speed, and get caught – you deserve the fine you will get.

The issue being asked about was do to with a valid way of catching people speeding. We all accept there was many valid ways a speeding offence can be proven. The particular question was whether the telescopically mounted crowd control cameras had now been added to the approved list.

I have no idea whether they have or haven’t – if your mate gets a fine though the post, then probably yes. However if not, it might have been some proactive visibility as a warning in a known speeding spot.

FWIW, I have strong views on speeding in built up areas, especially near schools – and go out of my way to keep to the 30 or 20 limit in force.

However, I also do a lot of motorway driving, and on a quiet motorways, tend to take a more pragmatic approach to speed limits. In doing this I made as conscious choice, and am willing to take the risk of getting fined. (ie cruise around 85)

However, despite being pulled 4 times in the last few years – I have still never had a single point on my license. I have listened politely while being spoken to a few times (on M4, M6, and twice on M74)– and made an appropriate apology.

Generally I find being honest works, i.e. it’s 9pm, there are no other cars around (M74!), and I wanted to get home having been working away all week.

I’ve also had a police car I was rapidly catching up at about 11pm light up the blues for a few seconds on a quiet motorway to let me know he was there – so I slowed down as I went past.

In short, I generally find the police will be sensible on quiet motorways if you are honest and polite.

That said, no sympathy for people caught speeding near schools or residential estates
 
My understanding is that devices used for speed monitoring need to be both approved for such use, and adequately calibrated. Therefore unless the "camera on a stick" on the top of the vehicle meets that description, it should not be used for the purpose of prosecution.

As I recall, the reason for the 10% margin for speeding is more to do with the fact that your speedo only has to be accurate at 30mph, and accurate to within 10% elsewhere in the range, than it does with making it "OK" or otherwise to do a few miles over the limit.

Those using cruise control to "control" their speed in a 20mph zone explain the number of folk down our road battering hell out of their cars (and our houses foundations) by hammering over our rather vicious road humps.

I tend to stay pretty close to the limit - mostly traveling at around 65mph on motorways, however the exception to this is the fast road (motorway or dual carriageway) which suddenly and inexplicably drops to a 40mph limit on the dot-matrix signs, where I will, by slowing to that speed, run the risk of someone screaming up behind, and indeed straight into the back of me - then I'll drive with increased caution as to hazards ahead, and yes, I slow, but no, I won't drop as far as 40 if I feel that on balance that would put me at risk. I also don't have cruise control - a conscious choice, on my part.
 
Blue72 said:
Those using cruise control to "control" their speed in a 20mph zone explain the number of folk down our road battering hell out of their cars (and our houses foundations) by hammering over our rather vicious road humps.
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How does driving at 20 mph over a speed bump in a 20 zone batter anything???
 
FOGHORN LEGHORN said:
How does driving at 20 mph over a speed bump in a 20 zone batter anything???
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Driving over a speed reducing cushion at 20mph is no problem on a clear road with no-one parked against them. If you are unable to straddle he cushion because of a parked car and oncoming traffic, as a minimum, your passenger might well be saying goodby to a tooth or two if you keep at 20mph...
 
Kryten said:
Fogster, I think we are going to have to agree to disagree on this - you have cruise control so you can set an upper limit and know you will never exceed it, whereas I have an antiquated VW that doesn't have it fitted so I have to rely on engine pitch and tone to determine how fast I am going.....
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I would have said constantly changing your cruise control takes your eyes off the road and that can't be safe.

Sure having that extra bit of speed can help you get out of dangerous road situations which cruise control doesn't offer you.
 
justintime129 said:
I would have said constantly changing your cruise control takes your eyes off the road and that can't be safe.

Sure having that extra bit of speed can help you get out of dangerous road situations which cruise control doesn't offer you.
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Setting cruise control is a quick glance at the speedo and tapping a button on the end of the windscreen wiper stalk sets it. If you need speed, you can always kick down in an auto or just stay in a lower gear - Setting a cruise control (not a speed limiter) doesn't stop you accelerating (or braking).
 
My cruise control is on my steering wheel. I don't move my hands or look anywhere but at the road. If I need to slow down for obstacles etc then it's a quick tap of the cancel button or applying the brakes. I'd have thought that's just common sense...


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FOGHORN LEGHORN said:
Well I feel you are missing the point but here goes. My point is if you are caught speeding you are bang to rights. No excuses.
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yes and no to the above. Mr Nick "Loophole" Freeman successfully has defended high profile speeding cases (Sir Alex Ferguson for one)

I learn a lot everytime I read court transcripts when he is The Defendants brief, and how to make a better case for prosecution and a better Police Officer.
 
And to make it really clear? every police force in the uk has different rules. The 10% thing is mostly standard, due to speedo cals. If you look at your satnav saying 50mph, in general your car will show around 55mph. If you web search diffo police forces sites, you will see they will do you with between 3-7 mph over the 10%.
Back on thread "bikes are aloud to go a lot faster, because they can!" Not in 30mph zones tho
 
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