Mobile speed units

[backofbeyond]

Not meaning to be picky, backof but can you point me in the direction of the legislation which says that speedos are allowed to be 10% innacurate?

It probably isn't what you meant but this comes from Speed-trap.co.uk -

"Vehicle construction and use regulations require a vehicle speedometer accuracy to be in the range of -0->+10%. The implications are that it must never under-read - for obvious reasons - but may over-read.

As the cost of manufacturing a speedometer with -0% error would be very costly they all over-read by a few percent without exception. Even if speed is measured correctly the display may not be accurate, so a speedometer error is allowed.

Because of this, the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) have an official formula for calculating a speeding offence. It allows a leeway of 10% plus 2mph. In reality, most speed traps are triggered at higher speeds than this because if they were set bang-on those guidelines, the sheer amount of paperwork generated would overrun the police speeding departments."

And, yes it doesn't allow speedometers to under-read so my "understanding" of it was wrong.

[Nigel]

Not meaning to be picky, backof but can you point me in the direction of the legislation which says that speedos are allowed to be 10% innacurate?

It probably isn't what you meant but this comes from Speed-trap.co.uk -

"Vehicle construction and use regulations require a vehicle speedometer accuracy to be in the range of -0->+10%. The implications are that it must never under-read - for obvious reasons - but may over-read.

As the cost of manufacturing a speedometer with -0% error would be very costly they all over-read by a few percent without exception. Even if speed is measured correctly the display may not be accurate, so a speedometer error is allowed.

Because of this, the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) have an official formula for calculating a speeding offence. It allows a leeway of 10% plus 2mph. In reality, most speed traps are triggered at higher speeds than this because if they were set bang-on those guidelines, the sheer amount of paperwork generated would overrun the police speeding departments."

And, yes it doesn't allow speedometers to under-read so my "understanding" of it was wrong.

At an indicated 80mph on my 800GS sat nav says 73mph, spoke to a bloke the other day who was done for 32mph in a 30 in Cambridge so zero tolerance there then hmy:

[RoadTrekker]

Watch out in Europe they use a lot of these vans and a lot of bikers go screaming past thinking the same only to find out a couple of hundred meters down the road there is a copper waving a lollypoy and stop them. Instant fine on the spot
Remember the speed camera takes a photo of you so they can identify you from your helmet, bike colour etc.

A few years a go I got busted on the German Autobhan by a speed camera in a police helicopter I was then chased and caught by a police car and taken to a mobile courtroom in lay-by where I made a donation to the German economy and set on my way. Bloody efficient the Germans!

[Mike54]

Thanks backof. I've had a look for an offical statement or any kind of legislation about APCO and a formula for a speeding offence but can't find one apart from on that website you referenced.

I've heard so much guff about speeding including thresholds, mandatory bans over certain speeds and everything in between (not saying what you mention is guff by the way) that unless I can find something which is legislative or otherwise official I tend to err on the side of caution.

[mark1150]

The one that really sticks in my throat is this one...

IMG_0001_2012-02-26.JPG (50.48 KiB) Viewed 2563 times

80 in a 70, the first I knew of it was a while later, as it took them time to trace through the company and leasing agents; a fair cop to coin a phrase, except Suffolk safety camera partnership, weren't playing cricket, as they were poaching in Cambridgeshire.
How do I know? I was testing and plotting the ANPR overbridge cameras sited close by on a previous contract.
Long story short, I rang Ipswich to complain and was advised of the following,
You can't prove we were in Cambs, [even though I had GPS coordinates for the aforementioned site a hundred mtrs away and Suffolk starts approx 1 mile down the road] so at the moment it's £50 and 3 points, argue with us and it'll be £1000 and 6 points, so send us your licence and money.

As an aside and or warning, the van that nabbed me above, was Chapter 8 marked, yellow / red chevrons and looked like a highway maintenance van, but I have seen something akin to a camper van being used in Norfolk, with Police bikes waiting at the next RAB, and Hampshire had done me a good few years ago outside Lymington from an unmarked white Tranny van.

But like the Murphy's, I'm not bitter!

[Mike54]

On the other side of the coin, imagine my surprise when after being radar gunned at 148 mph on the motorway and (predictably) getting a summons, I got just 6 points and a 400 quid fine. Trufax my friends.

[cozmo1589]

They are normally crewed by two people one can count and the other can do the alphabet so together they get your plate,

if there's only one in the car your laughing, they cant multi task[/quote

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

[NKL990]

People really should start fighting these corrupt police piggy banks, if you read the APCO guidelines (which the police have to conform too in order to make a prosecution) it states if there is another vehicle in the photo it should be discarded.
From my experience the police generally do not follow these guidelines and should loose if taken to court.

[Morph]

From my experience the police generally do not follow these guidelines and should loose if taken to court.

I have heard a rumour that if you choose court they drop charges as they can't risk setting a precedent if they loose.

I have a Snooper that tells me where the cameras are but got flashed last week in a tunnel in Docklands, GPS don't work in tunnels. Doh!

Still waiting for the paperwork.

[Mike54]

From my experience the police generally do not follow these guidelines and should loose if taken to court.

I have heard a rumour that if you choose court they drop charges as they can't risk setting a precedent if they loose.

I have a Snooper that tells me where the cameras are but got flashed last week in a tunnel in Docklands, GPS don't work in tunnels. Doh!

Still waiting for the paperwork.

That is categorically not true.