Protesting speed cameras
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From: bod on 9 Jun 2010 09:54 Ret. wrote: > Nkosi (ama-ecosse) wrote: >> On 9 June, 13:01, "GT" <ContactGT_rem_o...(a)hotmail.com> wrote: >>> "Chris Hills" <c...(a)chaz6.com> wrote in message >>> >>> news:huntva$sai$1(a)chaz6.eternal-september.org... >>> >>>> Near where I live a mobile police speed camera van frequently parks >>>> on a grass verge, on public property. Would it be legal to protest >>>> in the form of holding a sign or banner, perhaps with the words >>>> "Speed kills", deliberately behind the van to block the view of the >>>> camera? >>> >>> In our area, the mobile van parks in two places - one on a double >>> yellow line and the other on the verge next to a solid white line on >>> a dual carriageway. Both illegally parked and if a 'normal' car was >>> parked there it would be towed and the driver fined etc etc. >> >> I was caught by a scanmming van on a flyover over the M80 parked half >> on and half off the pavement at Glenbervie on the A9 as you know it >> one law for us and none for them. > > Back in the early 1970's I was serving in the Sussex Police. The speed > measuring equipment in those days was very rudimentary - if I recall > accurately it was referred to as 'PETA' although I cannot recall what > the letters stood for. > > The equipment comprised of a huge black letter box shaped device that > was set up on a table at the side of the road, connected to a car > battery, and which put a beam across the road. As a car passed through > the beam a needle on a large analogue display would flick up to the > speed, remain there momentarily and then drop back. Because the car > would be passing the officer reading the meter, the only way to stop a > speeding motorist would be by having a second officer further down the > road with a radio. > > The officer with the 'PETA' would radio to the second officer: "Green > Escort 46 mph". The second officer would then step out into the road, > stop the motorist and book him. > > On one occasion, the location we set up meant that I, as the stopping > officer, had no place to park my police car other than half on and half > off the pavement. > > One motorist that I stopped was a commercial lawyer working for a > private firm. He pleaded not guilty and came to court carrying several > thick legal tomes. He relied on some ancient piece of legislation which > stated that any evidence gleaned whilst in pursuance of an illegal act > was impermissible. He argued that as I was parked illegally on the > pavement, my evidence should not be allowed. > > Sadly for him, the magistrates did not accept his argument and convicted > him... > > Ha! Kev, are you actually admitting that there is one lw for plods and one for everyone else? :-) Bod
From: Ian Jackson on 9 Jun 2010 09:55 In message <879g3bFhe6U5(a)mid.individual.net>, bod <bodron57(a)tiscali.co.uk> writes >Adrian wrote: >> "Mortimer" <me(a)privacy.net> gurgled happily, sounding much like they were >> saying: >> >>> I find that I say to myself "the limit is 30... it's still 30... >>>it's still 30" to prevent me subconsciously increasing back to a >>>sensible speed for those road conditions. >> Is the signage not sufficient? >> >> > > Wherever I've seen those 'slow down'signs or signs showing your >actuall speed, every car I've seen going faster than the limit, slows >down. > I reckon that most drivers do not really intend to break the speed limit - at least not by an amount that would be considered unduly dangerous, having regard to the prevailing road conditions at the time. Most cars do indeed slow down if they get flashed by a 'slow down' sign - especially if it shows their true speed. One of those is probably far more effective than any number of speed cameras (and probably a lot cheaper). -- Ian
From: Adrian on 9 Jun 2010 09:57 bod <bodron57(a)tiscali.co.uk> gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying: >> On one occasion, the location we set up meant that I, as the stopping >> officer, had no place to park my police car other than half on and half >> off the pavement. >> >> One motorist that I stopped was a commercial lawyer working for a >> private firm. He pleaded not guilty and came to court carrying several >> thick legal tomes. He relied on some ancient piece of legislation which >> stated that any evidence gleaned whilst in pursuance of an illegal act >> was impermissible. He argued that as I was parked illegally on the >> pavement, my evidence should not be allowed. >> >> Sadly for him, the magistrates did not accept his argument and >> convicted him... > Ha! Kev, are you actually admitting that there is one lw for plods and > one for everyone else? :-) <sigh> No, Bod, that's not what he said.
From: bod on 9 Jun 2010 10:00 Ian Jackson wrote: > In message <879g3bFhe6U5(a)mid.individual.net>, bod > <bodron57(a)tiscali.co.uk> writes >> Adrian wrote: >>> "Mortimer" <me(a)privacy.net> gurgled happily, sounding much like they >>> were >>> saying: >>> >>>> I find that I say to myself "the limit is 30... it's still 30... >>>> it's still 30" to prevent me subconsciously increasing back to a >>>> sensible speed for those road conditions. >>> Is the signage not sufficient? >>> >>> >> >> Wherever I've seen those 'slow down'signs or signs showing your >> actuall speed, every car I've seen going faster than the limit, slows >> down. >> > I reckon that most drivers do not really intend to break the speed limit > - at least not by an amount that would be considered unduly dangerous, > having regard to the prevailing road conditions at the time. > > Most cars do indeed slow down if they get flashed by a 'slow down' sign > - especially if it shows their true speed. One of those is probably far > more effective than any number of speed cameras (and probably a lot > cheaper). > > Yep, but the government would lose their 'cash cow'. Bod
From: bod on 9 Jun 2010 10:01
Adrian wrote: > bod <bodron57(a)tiscali.co.uk> gurgled happily, sounding much like they were > saying: > >>> On one occasion, the location we set up meant that I, as the stopping >>> officer, had no place to park my police car other than half on and half >>> off the pavement. >>> >>> One motorist that I stopped was a commercial lawyer working for a >>> private firm. He pleaded not guilty and came to court carrying several >>> thick legal tomes. He relied on some ancient piece of legislation which >>> stated that any evidence gleaned whilst in pursuance of an illegal act >>> was impermissible. He argued that as I was parked illegally on the >>> pavement, my evidence should not be allowed. >>> >>> Sadly for him, the magistrates did not accept his argument and >>> convicted him... > >> Ha! Kev, are you actually admitting that there is one lw for plods and >> one for everyone else? :-) > > <sigh> > No, Bod, that's not what he said. > > <sigh> Joke Adrian, it was a joke. Bod |