Andrew Bangham - 1mph Over the Speed Limit - Prosecution

[The Thong]

How many accidents happen in roadworks and there are still fatalities? An accident in a 50mph zone, that in itself proves it’s a Drivers effor cause and not speeding. In reality, a more visible police presence on the public roads is the answer instead of sledgehammer tactics which is being suggested. All this tosh about Drivers should be more regretful about breaking the speed limit, respect the police etc etc is just insulting, perhaps Bangham should be more aware of why the police are losing credibility. A more adult approach is required towards road management on British roads.

TT

[Ninja59]

Any thoughts about this bit?

Furthermore, even if you are happy with the above. Do you believe a serving officer should be a trustee of a Road Safety "Charity" (The Road Safety Trust) that has a sub company (UKROEd) offering speed awareness courses that had an income of over £50 million last year?

[green van man]

North Wales police operated zero tolerance on speeding for many many years.
It was well known 1 mph over and you were booked if caught. Many were caught but the world didnot end and many were never caught, either because they were lucky or because they abided by the rules.
Wether you agree with them or not it's a speed limit not a target.
I fully agree we need more roads policeing officers to sort the poor driving out not camera vans.

Just a friendly warning to anyone venturing into mid Wales for a visit, we have a very active roads policeing unit, they know the rules and enforce them. If you are towing a caravan, make sure it's as it should be and you have towing mirrors fitted. It has been known for a caravan to be unhiched in a lay-by for the driver to go to halfords and buy towing mirrors before the rig was allowed to proceed on its journey.

Some will try to educate before they book, others just book, if you abide by the rules you have no problem. Pity is that there are not enough of them to be everywhere all the time.

Paul.

[john.wigley]

I take your point, Paul, (GVM, Post #13, above), but I must return to the question of speedometer accuracy. Is it technically possible to measure a vehicle's speed that accurately with any degree of certainty?

I imagine that a sat-nav may give an accurate indication, but mine tends to under read against my speedometer by 1 - 3 MPH and takes time to react.

I occasionally drive a 1950's car and the speedometer on that oscillates. At 30 MPH it will swing up to 33, fall back to 27, return again to 30, and then repeat the cycle. It has always done this in the time that I have known the car, and I understand they behaved thus even when new!

As an engineer yourself, you will know that there are no absolutes. Everything is made to appropriate limits. You don't specify a bore of say 2.500" dia. If it is a precision job, the limits may only be 2.500 +/- 0.0005", but there is still a range into which it may fall and yet still be considered accurate.

The same logic should apply to speed limits too, if only to protect those among us who do not intentionally speed, but occasionally find themselves a mile or two over the limit.

Regards, John.

[NigelDay]

My speedo is an almost constant 2.5mph optimistic relative to my Garmin. Set the cruise control at 72mph and the Garmin reads 69/70. Set at 73mph and it reads 70/71. The same pattern if followed at other set speeds, 30/40/50/60.
What is interesting is that the car actually probably knows what the TRUE speed is. In September 2016 I found myself on a near-deserted German autobahn and put my foot to the floor. The Garmin recorded (in the database) a maximum speed of 130mph. I did not look at the speedo (preferring to look at the road !) but for sure it would have been reading over 130mph. The point I'm making is that the car is electronically limited to 130mph, - and despite what the speedo would have read, it was spot on. It was also fun for a short time, but the fuel consumption was appalling !

[Grimble]

Originally Posted by john.wigley

I take your point, Paul, (GVM, Post #13, above), but I must return to the question of speedometer accuracy. Is it technically possible to measure a vehicle's speed that accurately with any degree of certainty?

I imagine that a sat-nav may give an accurate indication, but mine tends to under read against my speedometer by 1 - 3 MPH and takes time to react.

I occasionally drive a 1950's car and the speedometer on that oscillates. At 30 MPH it will swing up to 33, fall back to 27, return again to 30, and then repeat the cycle. It has always done this in the time that I have known the car, and I understand they behaved thus even when new!

As an engineer yourself, you will know that there are no absolutes. Everything is made to appropriate limits. You don't specify a bore of say 2.500" dia. If it is a precision job, the limits may only be 2.500 +/- 0.0005", but there is still a range into which it may fall and yet still be considered accurate.

The same logic should apply to speed limits too, if only to protect those among us who do not intentionally speed, but occasionally find themselves a mile or two over the limit.

Regards, John.

Tolerance. Now there's something sadly lacking on the roads today. From users and authorities.

[Welton]

"Drive at a speed that allows you to stop safely within the distance you can see to be clear"

That's kept me out of trouble for 30 years, I do push the speed on motorways though, always have done, I think 70mph is unfeasible personally.

[tt82]

I used to spend time at a Conference Centre where they did Speed Awareness Courses. Many times I would get talking to the Instructors who took the course. A few told me that they used cruise control almost all the time to avoid going over the limit. I think with modern cars that have cruise control or speed limiters, it is very hard to argue that you went over the speed limit accidentally. I see many posts from various police forces where they refer to the fatal 4

*Motorists travelling at excessive speed.

*Motorists who fail to wear a seatbelt.

*Motorists who drink and drive.

*Motorists who drive whilst using their mobile phone.

1 mph over a limit does not constitute excessive speed. Whilst I can not complain if I am caught speeding, whatever I may be over the limit, I can rightfully question whether the police would be better off using their resources to catch those committing the fatal 4 acts, as opposed to those slightly straying over the limit.

[GreenBrick]

Originally Posted by The Thong

How many accidents happen in roadworks and there are still fatalities? An accident in a 50mph zone, that in itself proves it’s a Drivers effor cause and not speeding. In reality, a more visible police presence on the public roads is the answer instead of sledgehammer tactics which is being suggested. All this tosh about Drivers should be more regretful about breaking the speed limit, respect the police etc etc is just insulting, perhaps Bangham should be more aware of why the police are losing credibility. A more adult approach is required towards road management on British roads.

TT

I was hit by a suspected drunk in roadworks and he was doing at least 50/60 mph over the speed limit. This law will make him think twice.

Oh, that's right, no police could attend so the git got off with just writing his car off and having 10k of claims against him.

[AndyJudge]

Years ago I was pulled over on a deserted motorway at 3am doing 90+ mph.

Road conditions were perfect, literally no traffic, me totally sober & alert.

Policeman who spoke to me gave me the ticking off saying the limit is 70mph no matter what time of day & conditions. I must be seen to uphold the law but.... take this as a warning, please try & stick closer to the limit.

After delivering the lecture he then proceeded to have a chat about the car & what was it like to drive ( One of the early Impreza's into the UK).

Cars today are now easily able to exceed the limit & stop in a shorter distance than quoted in the highway code (I'm talking motorway) provided they are correctly maintained & the driver is fit to drive. The Motorway limits should be made variable so when conditions allow 80Mph is permitted but when the conditions are incorrect it gets lowered (as per other countries in Europe)

I'm all for limits around town & accident blackspots etc.. but the limits need some tolerance to allow for inaccuracies in speedo etc..

Don't Police traffic cars have to have their speed measurement devices calibrated on a weekly basis & the calibration details entered into the log ? for just this reason to remove any inaccuracies.