somerset police speed vans can catch bikes!!!

[clayt74]

Just received my first ever nip! 7.30am came round a bend and saw the police camera van... immediately hit the brakes to 30 mph and was still a good 100 yards in front of him. Ambled past at 30 till hit the 40 zone and gently rode off and out of site .

Anyway got a nip with recorded speed of 44 in a 30...
Only way he could of got that speed was as I came out of the corner and saw him a good 200 yards off n thwy got my detaild after I had gone past...oops

[DekF]

Just be grateful you don't live near Enceladus & his snoop cam otherwise you'd have been reported for slamming on your brakes as well 

[andybesy]

So how's this work, they measure your speed front facing and then record your plate after you've passed? Automated or some dude sat inside writing down the plate? Wondering if you could stop and turn around before passing the van.

[Razgruff]

I've seen vans on the pig perches in Oxfordshire with cams facing both ways out of the front and back, if the cams timestamp, it's not that hard to match stuff up

[chaz]

I was wondering if you could stop cover your plate then continue past the van, maybe give them the finger and hope there isn't a cop car 200 yds down the road, as there often is if they're looking for untaxed uninsured vehicles ?

please note I do not recommend this sort of action?

[Punkstig]

I was wondering if you could stop cover your plate then continue past the van, maybe give them the finger and hope there isn't a cop car 200 yds down the road, as there often is if they're looking for untaxed uninsured vehicles ?

please note I do not recommend this sort of action?

As comical an idea that is it's not recommend it in the slightest, covering the plate when you know you've been spotted speeding is classed as perverting the course of justice which is jail time minimum!

[stevierst]

As comical an idea that is it's not recommend it in the slightest, covering the plate when you know you've been spotted speeding is classed as perverting the course of justice which is jail time minimum!

Same offence as flashing other drivers and making them aware of the speed camera van.
 
By the way, most cops hate the camera vans too, and the traffic cops round N/W don't go anywhere near them. They're nothing to do with the Police.........apparently.

[Grahamm]

So how's this work, they measure your speed front facing and then record your plate after you've passed? Automated or some dude sat inside writing down the plate?

I've seen vans with a small CCTV style camera stuck on the side, so it will clock your plate as you pass.

BTW If I were you, I'd be interested at which point they actually saw you. AIUI they're supposed to look to see if you appear to be speeding before putting the detector on you, rather than simply scanning every vehicle that comes in to range (although I'm not a lawyer, so you'd better check this first!)

[Pat]

As comical an idea that is it's not recommend it in the slightest, covering the plate when you know you've been spotted speeding is classed as perverting the course of justice which is jail time minimum!

Same offence as flashing other drivers and making them aware of the speed camera van.

I think you'll find that's obstructing the police which whilst still a criminal offence, is a much less serious one.

eg:

http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/the-staggers/2011/01/police-officer-thompson-speed

[Punkstig]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/news/7473547/Daredevil-biker-caught-on-camera-pulling-a-wheelie-at-70mph.html


Covering up your plate constitutes the same as having one of these flip up plates, and as I said this is perverting the course of justice, jail time!

[Pat]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/news/7473547/Daredevil-biker-caught-on-camera-pulling-a-wheelie-at-70mph.html


Covering up your plate constitutes the same as having one of these flip up plates, and as I said this is perverting the course of justice, jail time!

Sorry if it's unclear, my reply was saying that flashing your lights to warn other drivers is obstructing the police in the course of their duties not perverting the course of justice, which I agree covering your plate is.

[BBROWN1664]

Same offence as flashing other drivers and making them aware of the speed camera van.

I have always disagreed with this as the speed cameras have always been promoted as a deterrent, therefore alerting people to their presence is working as a further deterrent.

[clayt74]

The sad thing for me is that 3 weeks ago work made me attend a speed awareness course as their duty of care cos I do a lot of miles in company cars. Of the 12 people on that course I was the only motorcyclist so got a lot of stick for being the sterotype speedster. ....but I was also the only one with a clean licence! !!!
I have my practical driving assesment on the 9 july n now have to appear with 3 points accrued in between the theory n practical 
Feel a bit of a dumdass now 

[stevierst]

I think you'll find that's obstructing the police which whilst still a criminal offence, is a much less serious one.

I think you'll find that's written by some lefty tosser of a lawyer who writes for a blog. It was infact a one off case, and the original 'offence' is still perverting the course of justice, especially where the speed vans are manned by non police staff. This case was possibly a 'police' speed trap.
 He was probably charged with obstruct police due to as the blog says "were not sure what was said during the conversation between him and the police officer". It speaks books to me. A lawyer skimping on detail only means one thing..... Lies/hiding the truth!
 
Don't take one side of a story, especially where media is involved.

[andybesy]

Didn't it used to be a pat on top of your head to warn other bikes that plod's about?

Andy

[Grahamm]

the original 'offence' is still perverting the course of justice, especially where the speed vans are manned by non police staff.

Really?

What is perverting the course of justice?

Perverting the course of justice is an English common law crime involving one of a number of actions which are designed to interfere with the administration of justice. This crime is triable on indictment only. Instances of other statutory crimes, such as perjury, fraud or witness tampering can also amount to perverting the course of justice. A similar statutory crime called obstruction of justice is enforced by the American legal system.  It is a serious criminal offence to pervert the course of justice.

In order to pervert the course of justice a positive act to actually do this is required. Inaction in itself is not a sufficient ground to use for this charge.

In order to pervert the course of course of justice any one of three acts may be carried out. These are:

    Intimidating or threatening a case witness or juror

    Intimidating or threatening a judge

    Disposing of or fabricating of evidence

http://www.inbrief.co.uk/offences/perverting-the-course-of-justice.htm

Which of these did the driver do?

[Pat]

I think you'll find that's obstructing the police which whilst still a criminal offence, is a much less serious one.

I think you'll find that's written by some lefty tosser of a lawyer who writes for a blog. It was infact a one off case, and the original 'offence' is still perverting the course of justice, especially where the speed vans are manned by non police staff. This case was possibly a 'police' speed trap.
 He was probably charged with obstruct police due to as the blog says "were not sure what was said during the conversation between him and the police officer". It speaks books to me. A lawyer skimping on detail only means one thing..... Lies/hiding the truth!
 
Don't take one side of a story, especially where media is involved.

If that was a one off then how come I can't find a single instance of a driver being done for perverting the course of justice for warning other drivers about the presence of a speed trap?


To be honest, with a halfway decent lawyer he should never have been convicted for obstruction either, as the court of appeal has already established that in order for it to be an offence the prosecution would need to prove that a driver being flashed at was already breaking the speed limit or would be likely to do so, which unless the police had a 'forward monitoring post' recording the speed of approaching vehicles would be pretty much impossible.

http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Admin/2005/2333.html

[stevierst]

Look fellas, you can Google this shit all day long and come up with defences as long as your arm. They're not going to put every stated case on the internet for every amateur wannabe lawyer smart arse trying to get off a menial offence that they have committed either on the road, or in a criminal circle, there's liability written all over that. The driver in the blog thought he knew better, challenged the police at the roadside, caused a problem, and lost in a court of law.
CPS have a strange way of dealing with offences, and the result in a court is generally a little different to what went in. Deals are struck, and more than one offence will generally fit the bill. Unless you work in these circles, you would not believe how twisted it can become.
At the end of the day, if you want to flash people to warn them of speed camera vans, crack on, were all adults and can take the consequences of our actions. Just don't be surprised if you get caught, a cop will state "perverting the course of justice". Challenge him at your peril, I'll guarantee if you push too far you'll feel what its like to wear handcuffs!
And that my friends is why this country is in such a shit state! Too many people that THINK they know better, too much crap info on the internet misleading people into believing they know better, and too many lefty's beating the drum out of beat.
Soap box now firmly put away, now has anyone seen a good pair of tits recently?

[Punkstig]

The few times I've been pulled over I've always removed my lid and been polite as possible without sucking plumbs, this was mostly for having a dirty black number plate (I mean proper can't see any letters dirty) from back when before we were allowed in bus lanes.
I know I was riding in the wrong, but found being polite always got just a 'talk to' (and a dirty hand after rubbing down the plate!) instead of a ticket which would be standard.
You hear about this stuff and there's a lot of videos of people just being dicks to the popo, I don't get it, make things difficult and they'll think 'fuck it, let's do him for something!'
One has to imagine this guy was just being a dick to them, and they had enough!

[littlejohno]

Re the original post you may get a speed seminar not points

[clayt74]

Re the original post you may get a speed seminar not points

Unfortunately the letter I received states either going to court or accept 3 points and pay £60 

[Grahamm]

And that my friends is why this country is in such a shit state! Too many people that THINK they know better, too much crap info on the internet misleading people into believing they know better, and too many lefty's beating the drum out of beat.

Yes, don't argue, don't stand up for your rights, just be an obedient member of the sheeple, knuckle under, tug your forelock, do what you're told, when you're told...

I could have sworn my grandfathers fought a war against this sort of crap...

[Skippernick]

And that my friends is why this country is in such a shit state! Too many people that THINK they know better, too much crap info on the internet misleading people into believing they know better, and too many lefty's beating the drum out of beat.

Yes, don't argue, don't stand up for your rights, just be an obedient member of the sheeple, knuckle under, tug your forelock, do what you're told, when you're told...

I could have sworn my grandfathers fought a war against this sort of crap...

Lets start a revolution, just when i get over my hay fever. [size=78%] [/size]

[stevierst]

I could have sworn my grandfathers fought a war against this sort of crap...

And here was me thinking its because the Germans invaded europe:

[Grahamm]

I could have sworn my grandfathers fought a war against this sort of crap...

And here was me thinking its because the Germans invaded europe:

Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it - George Satayana.