driving on m6

[Robmac]

I usually have my GPS speedo going so I'm bang on the speed, but idiots still come flying past me, the message isn't getting out to them.

Slow The EFF Down.

They normally don't impose speed limits just for fun, it's to save lives.

So do I Kev, but it would be unsafe to watch the speedo 100% of the time. I have an alarm on my GPS to tell me that I have just edged over the speed limit but by then it's too late, I could be 1mph over and depending where I am the offence is complete.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Last speed awareness course was presented by an ex motorcycle cop ...

Knowledgeable and down to earth ...

There were a lot of moaning know it Alls taking part about how unfair getting caught speeding was ...
I actually found it useful and came away having learnt quite a few things ...

I suspect there are 2 ways of looking at speed awareness courses ..

1. it's better than 3 points but all coppers are out to earn money from you .

2. You AREN'T actually as good at driving as you thought
And You can actually learn something and come away a better driver .

At mine, Just two old blokes who seemed to have been doing it for years and had lost the will to live, they were giving glib answers to questions, they were not in the least inspiring, I did take notice and I am more aware, but I still say the same thing make the signs more visible, put them on the road, that is where most of us look it stands out more than any post sign and is never hidden by a lazy council not keep bushes and trees pruned, and lets have repeater signs for 30, Liz and I were on some road down south last week and I said is this a 30 or a 40 as I'd got distracted, no signs on post so kept to 30, about a mile later there was a single 40 repeater sign, didn't see another on until we hit a 50 sign.

France is worse still, I'm expecting a letter or two, half the time you didn't know what limit we were in despite us both being observant, and assume 30k for safety what made me laugh was the Rappel under the signs (reminder) you would hit a village at whatever see a sign 50k drive through it see no other signs then eventually see a Fin30 sign.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Probably. I think 51 in a 50 is draconian though!

I'd go to court on that Rob.

 

[Robmac]

I'd go to court on that Rob.

I think I would too Kev and ask them to have the camera calibration checked (if that applies on average speed cameras).

 

[mark61]

Not 100% sure on this, but I understand that if challenged in court, the picture will be used to for a technician to manually work out the speed by distance covered, this apparently has an accuracy of +- 1 MPH.
Being done for 51 MPH in a 50 limit is proper harsh.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

I think I would too Kev and ask them to have the camera calibration checked (if that applies on average speed cameras).

I would argue that 1mph on a Speedo would pop up in a heartbeat and your attention should be through the screen not staring at the dash.

 

[mistericeman]

Not 100% sure on this, but I understand that if challenged in court, the picture will be used to for a technician to manually work out the speed by distance covered, this apparently has an accuracy of +- 1 MPH.
Being done for 51 MPH in a 50 limit is proper harsh.

I've never heard of anyone being prosecuted for such a low figure over ...

Even allowing for the inherent innacuracy of most vehicle speedos (as I understand the legislation was instigated in the days of mechanically/magnet driven speedos .

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Not 100% sure on this, but I understand that if challenged in court, the picture will be used to for a technician to manually work out the speed by distance covered, this apparently has an accuracy of +- 1 MPH.
Being done for 51 MPH in a 50 limit is proper harsh.

That would work for a specs system would it?

We all stray over so if you clock yourself doing 55 in a 50 you have to slow down to? 45?

 

[Pudsey Bear]

I've never heard of anyone being prosecuted for such a low figure over ...

Even allowing for the inherent innacuracy of most vehicle speedos (as I understand the legislation was instigated in the days of mechanically/magnet driven speedos .

A speedo has to over read by law.

 

[wildebus]

A speedo has to over read by law.

I think maybe it is that it must not UNDERREAD?

 

[Robmac]

I've never heard of anyone being prosecuted for such a low figure over ...

Even allowing for the inherent innacuracy of most vehicle speedos (as I understand the legislation was instigated in the days of mechanically/magnet driven speedos .

I do seem to recall that one region were going to introduce 0 tolerance a few years back but I don't know what became of it?

 

[Robmac]

Just been looking at speeding fine calculations;

Speeding fine calculator

Speeding laws changed in 2017 so you're likely to pay a bigger fine. This calculator tells you how much you could be fined for breaking the speed limit.

www.confused.com

So your average Joe would have to go shoplifting and steal £199 worth of goods twice to cover the cost for being 10mph over!

 

[Boris7]

I’m on a a speed awareness course again next week, good news is you can do it on line now, and with Ai I don’t actually need to really be there

 

[Pudsey Bear]

I think maybe it is that it must not UNDERREAD?

Effectively the same result.

 

[wildebus]

Effectively the same result.

difference between some reading right - and something reading wrong.
2+2=5? close enough

 

[Drover]

Probably. I think 51 in a 50 is draconian though!

So did I at the time. There was 8 of us on a online course and all were between 51mph and 53 mph..
Others over this had fines and points along with court appearances so I suppose I was lucky.
The course was taken by a retired police officer and we aren't supposed to say what went on....no idea why.

 

[ricc]

I did one recently, they spent a fair bit of time showing pics of roads and asking what we thought the speed limits were from the visually clues...surprising how many of the attendees got them wrong, and most were surprised when i mentioned the reduced limits for vans.
Totally different from the one I did 20 odd years ago which was a total waste of time....some ex copper insisting u should drive in 3rd gear in 30 limits to stay under the limit

 

[mark61]

I'm surprised more people don't make us of cruise control or the speed limiter functions that I'm pretty sure are standard on most modern vehicles.

I set mine for 45MPH in town, and 105MPH on the motorway and touch wood, no tickets yet.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

I did one recently, they spent a fair bit of time showing pics of roads and asking what we thought the speed limits were from the visually clues...surprising how many of the attendees got them wrong, and most were surprised when i mentioned the reduced limits for vans.
Totally different from the one I did 20 odd years ago which was a total waste of time....some ex copper insisting u should drive in 3rd gear in 30 limits to stay under the limit

I drop to 4th in 40s and 3rd in 30s in the van, (5 speed ducato) but the car is so gutless I'm in 3rd most of the time anyway .

 

[maingate]

The 2003 Ducato I had with the 5 speed gearbox was a pain to drive in 30 and 40 mph areas. The gearbox ratios meant that you were either revving high or under revving if you changed up. The Renault based motorhome with the 6 speed box was an absolute dream to drive after having the Ducato. The gear ratios were perfect (2nd for 20, 3rd for 30, 4th for 40 and 5th for 50 mph limits)