Camera Saftey Van, yeah right!

[Evilgoat]

On my way to work this morning, I cam accorss one of the mobile speed camera wagons. Now I'm doing 40 at this point, 40 limit in a country lane type of thing and hes really pulling away. So for a few seconds out of curiosity I match speed.

60mph! no blues and twos or anything.

So anyone care to tell me how that works?

[Thrasher]

take the number and report it.

[Guardian.]

ITS ONE RULE FOR US AND ONE FOR THEM.
I OFTEN SEE OUR OLD BILL DRIVING AROUND USING MOBILE PHONES AND GOING QUICKER THAN THEY SHOULD.
YOU REPORT THEM AND I GOT A FEELING YOU WOULD BE FOREVER GETTING PULLED!

[Evilgoat]

take the number and report it.

Went one better, Local newspaper has a story to play with now :) Theres so much anti camera sentiment round here it'll turn into a field day.

[MrsMuddy]

Thats nothing.....
my dad was in his tractor indicating to turn right with one car behind him

just as Dad started to pull across the road a camera van decided to try and over take Him!!!!! Luckerly Dad stopped in time

When he went to the local cop shop to report the incident.. Guess what .....They weren't interested.......this however did change when he stood there got his mobile phone out and asked for the number of the local paper

[Lord Shagg-Pyle]

I have to agree with Thrasher, although they may respond with 'it is a 60 mph limit'.
When I was did my driving course, I was told to drive according to the conditions of the road, location,weather and the vehicle.
From what I am aware, most of these 'safety vans' are driven by civilian employees, not Police drivers, not that I am trying to make excuses for them.
If they are a representative, they should stick by the rules.

[DarrenG]

ITS ONE RULE FOR US AND ONE FOR THEM.
I OFTEN SEE OUR OLD BILL DRIVING AROUND USING MOBILE PHONES AND GOING QUICKER THAN THEY SHOULD.
YOU REPORT THEM AND I GOT A FEELING YOU WOULD BE FOREVER GETTING PULLED!

The mobile phones are in fact radios, they are the the digital 'tetra' system which may look like phones but aren't.  As they are two way radios they do not fall under the legislation that prohibits use of mobiles, same for CB and Amateur Radio.

[Lord Shagg-Pyle]

Mmm, Tetra. Guaranteed to make your brain hurt, and very annoying when the antenna goes up your nose.

[sleeplessparadise]

Didnt a police man just get his hand slapped for using a mobile while driving? A chief constable of somewhere I seem to remember but it really was just a hand slap :?

[baileys_1984]

cant be sure but on the news it was said about the police and them speeding and out of all only a percentage were duty runs and the rest just come up with a good excuse there was no say about any getting done for speeding
now if we was to say the kebab shop gonna shut in 5 mins we wont get away with it

[Frankie-Boy]

although they may respond with 'it is a 60 mph limit'

Don't forget that a "van" is a commercial vehicle and is limited to 40mph on single track roads and 50mph on dual carriageways unless the local limit is lower.

[Lord Shagg-Pyle]

although they may respond with 'it is a 60 mph limit'

Don't forget that a "van" is a commercial vehicle and is limited to 40mph on single track roads and 50mph on dual carriageways unless the local limit is lower.

Now you're getting crafty, matey! I like it.

[Range Rover Blues]

And where does it say they can park where they want too? on the pavement, zebra crossing, that's 3 points straight away.  If I'm feeling like a b****rd then I sometimes park behind them, so all they can see is spotlights :D
Or if you're in a fould mood, wait 'till they are looking through the veiwfinder and flash them :lol:

[TDi90]

country lanes have a 60 limit. (providing you pass a white round sign with one black line diagonally through it - this means "national speed limit applies" (60mph))

[Frankie-Boy]

country lanes have a 60 limit. (providing you pass a white round sign with one black line diagonally through it - this means "national speed limit applies" (60mph))

That is the case for cars but a van is a commercial and is limited as such.

[Evilgoat]

country lanes have a 60 limit. (providing you pass a white round sign with one black line diagonally through it - this means "national speed limit applies" (60mph))

That is the case for cars but a van is a commercial and is limited as such.

Irrespectice, I was going from the Posted speed limit.
And The tetra handsets do look like older Nokia Phones.

They suck too :)

[gords]

Didnt a police man just get his hand slapped for using a mobile while driving? A chief constable of somewhere I seem to remember but it really was just a hand slap :?

Our local paper had a story of a "general public" chap who was "cut across" on a roundabout or junction (can't remember exactly).

This chap was rather upset when he saw the driver using his mobile, so he followed him ... all the way to the regional Police headquarters! He followed him in and asked for his name and number :shock:  :lol:

He "appologised" in the paper and paid the usual fine (£40?) to a charity - i.e. he was not actually fined :roll:

The chap who followed him was ex-army - I'm not too sure many "normal" people would dare do that?

[V8MoneyPit]

From what I am aware, most of these 'safety vans' are driven by civilian employees, not Police drivers

This is correct. The job is contracted out to private companies. All they are doing is collecting data, not making arrests. So it is not necessary to have a police driver who is better off using his or her time chasing 'real' criminals. Well, at least that is the idea  :roll:

So a camara van is not even equiped with 'blues and twos'.

Maybe a traffic car would have been useful to have around at the time..... might have amusing having a camera van pulled for speeding  :lol:

Edit: I wonder is a camera van has ever been caught by another camera van?  :lol:

[Lord Shagg-Pyle]

[

Maybe a traffic car would have been useful to have around at the time..... might have amusing having a camera van pulled for speeding  :lol:

I doubt it. I travelled all the way from Hants to Norfolk and back at the weekend and didn't see one traffic patrol car. Saw plenty of those 'Highways Agency Traffic Officers' though.

I have to say that I don't really see the point of that department. They can't prosecute anyone, so whats the point? At the risk of becoming unpopular, I'd much rather see real Police vehicles on the roads, acting as a deterrent, than a load of motorway traffic wardens.
Disband them, do away with camera vans and give the money to the Police for more officers in marked vehicles to be able to actually do their job.

[V8MoneyPit]

Couldn't agree more. They are heading that way in some areas. We now actually have foot Police in our local town. Well, "a foot policeman" to be precise!! But it is a step (excuse the pun!) in the right direction. I have little doubt that Police presence reduces crime.

[muddyjames]

country lanes have a 60 limit. (providing you pass a white round sign with one black line diagonally through it - this means "national speed limit applies" (60mph))

That is the case for cars but a van is a commercial and is limited as such.

Isn't it for a vehicle weighing over mgw of 2 tonnes? Never heard the 40mph limit for vans on a single carriage way road. Lorries yes but not vans.

If it is vehicles over 2 tonne mgw that is most 4x4's too!

Here is the highway code with all the speed limits!

[Sider]

although they may respond with 'it is a 60 mph limit'

Don't forget that a "van" is a commercial vehicle and is limited to 40mph on single track roads and 50mph on dual carriageways unless the local limit is lower.

I beg to differ, commercial vehicles over 2 Tonnes or not derived from cars, but under 7.5 tons are limited to 50 mph on single carriageways, 60 on dual and 70 on motorways.

For general info:

http://www.highwaycode.gov.uk/09.htm#103

[Sider]

Darn you muddyjames, for taking advantage of my dislexia :D

However, most 4x4s are considered cars, hence the weight limit does not apply. I dunno where the law stands regarding the commercial versions of the Landys, though.

[beast5680]

pinched from elsehwere  :lol:  :lol:  

[Skibum346]

NOT such a smart car...?!

 :lol:

[davidlandy]

Grrrr - here is one of them

[muddyjames]

If only there was a deep puddle behind his van you could have driven fast through and got him wet inside :lol:

[Lord Shagg-Pyle]

I was once tasked to go and pull a camera van out of a boggy bit at the roadside. He wanted to get out as he had to get to a important meeting. Needless to say, I was very busy all of a sudden, which was a shame.
C'est la guerre.

[Toppa]

I had a car trying to force me to give way to them merging in rush hour in crawling traffic onto the M4 london bound form the m25, they came from the oppisite direction in the m25, tried to force into my lane, remebering there was still two lanes, they wernt indicating of anything, i was mouthing indicate to the driver, anyway they were behind me, with about a foot of their bonnet up the side of my van when they flicked oin blues and twos (this was a unmarked car)  i pulled over to let them passed, as you do, they got next to me, the driver gave me the finger and mouthed [!expletive deleted!] at me, they then proceeded to pull in front of me and sit in the traffic (they only flashed the blues/twos enough for me to notive who they were)  matey took my number plate and whipped his moblile, out, so i did the same, took his number plate and make of car..  they pulled off at the next junction, as i passed, the driver gave me the finger again and mouthed [!expletive deleted!] several more times..  I pulled into the next services and called the police complaints comsission adn put in a formal complaint..  Got several letters and a couple of phone calls from a very unhappy sounding DCI appologising, and telling me that he does not like haveing to appologise for his officers and they would be getting displinary action taken against them...

If they had indicated, i would have let them in, but i will not have the [throw it] taken while driving, i drive all day every day and expect the comon courtesy's..

Hope they got the bollocking of their life..

Call the police complaints, they are independant and will take the action required.


Cheers