When was your last speeding ticket?

[NVP]

- What type of camera was it?
- What part of the country?


I have a theory, currently yet to be proven wrong, that all the old Gatso speed cameras on non-motorways no longer work.

All A roads, dual carriage ways, even town cameras don't seem to work anymore.


Even motorway ones, newer type cameras, flash but no ticket (only tested when variable speed signage not lit).



When was your last?




Note: when/if they do turn the cameras back on I'm going to be screwed!

 

[NVP]

You've fitted the roof box over your number plate haven't you?

No comment

I've been flashed at least twice on the M1 by the gantry cameras, doing about 80-85 (variable speed signs not lit) but never heard anything months on.

There is one on the M1 I regularly set off when going to the airport and back.


My last points were after I was pulled. The last ticket I got from a gatso camera was about 2009 in stoke somewhere.

 

[NVP]

There's a few average speed sets around Birmingham, but the most of the old Gastos don't seem to work.

I swear these must be set to 100mph+ as I've bombed solihull to Brum and back a million times without any ticket.

 

[NVP]

My understanding is that all Birmingham Gatsos are literally turned off. Average speed camera zones are very much active though.

And last time I had a speeding ticket? Never... somehow.

Did you hear this from somewhere, or is it just personal experience? I vaguely remember something in the news about Norwich not renewing cameras etc but nothing about the midlands.

I'm confused, what was your point then? I stand by my point that you have to be stupid to be caught speeding. It really isn't difficult to not speed, you kind of just... Well don't speed.
A bit like not stabbing someone it's just a do or don't scenario.

Or some people just don't care enough about them.

Then you've clearly not gone through the average speed camera zones?

Why clearly?

My understanding of the average cameras around Birmingham is they were set up to discourage racing around Birmingham's "track". They have high limits are far as I can tell.

We're talking about those mini Motorola looking yellow ones right? Coventry road has them and not even one ticket.

 

[NVP]

So currently.... my theory hasn't been disproven....

 

[NVP]

I remember a news article on it too.

Clearly because again a news article on how many people were caught/how much was put into the kitty as such. Also know a couple of guys that have been caught out. So who knows what you're managing to do?

Damn, are you sure those guys aren't fibbing? My theory is they install dummy cameras and put out a fake article, cheaper that way but most people obey them (slightly serious, but not sure I believe it myself actually haha)

 

[NVP]

I personally don't risk it. Never know!

First time I was racing to the hospital so didn't care. When nothing came through I decided to test the limits. So far cruise on 70 in the 40 and nothing...

 

[NVP]

I definitely remember something a while back where someone freedom of information requested the percentage of speed cameras that were working in each county. The overall number was surprisingly low, though it stuck in my mind as I remember being disappointed Suffolk and Essex had 100% and 99% working respectively

This would be interesting to read. Will have a google see if I can find anything.

They installed a couple of new dummy ones on the birm new road a year or two ago and openly admitted they were fake cameras, it's also well published that all black country cameras are off apart from the new average ones that have gone up in places like the black country route.

I Got pulled for doing triple digits on the m54 a couple of months ago, still waiting on my spanking.

Oh really? This I need to read about.

Regarding your being pulled... take them to court and see how you do. I got off with a technicality when they followed me at 120 and said I was still pulling away. They didn't specify road markers, or how long they were "following" me etc.



PSA: If you are ever pulled over by the police and they charge you, when they ask if there is anything you would like to state always say: "I deny the speed you say I was doing, I was not going faster than the speed limit" regardless of how much the copper laughs at you

 

[NVP]

I'm going to be that guy and ask what is the need to be doing 70 down the Coventry Road, on cruise control?

Cruise is only to test the limits of the camera, started 55, then 60, then 65, 68, 70... don't think I tested higher than that.

Regarding the why 70? Why do 200+ on the M6 toll? Because I'm an idiot quite obviously

 

[NVP]

I definitely remember something a while back where someone freedom of information requested the percentage of speed cameras that were working in each county. The overall number was surprisingly low, though it stuck in my mind as I remember being disappointed Suffolk and Essex had 100% and 99% working respectively

Found this article:

Only about half of the UK’s fixed speed cameras are on and primed to catch traffic offenders, a survey suggests.

This means that speeding drivers may have been let off of hundreds of pounds worth of fines each, as police forces seek to cut costs.

Previously, police forces were allowed to keep the revenues raised from the cameras in their jurisdiction. The fines now go directly to the Treasury.

Four counties do not have any fixed speed cameras while 13 have less than half of theirs switched on.

...

he 36 forces which responded with data had a total 2,838 cameras, of which 1,486 were active. Nine refused to disclose the information or failed to respond.

Cleveland, Durham, North Yorkshire and Northamptonshire said none of their fixed speed cameras were active.

Northamptonshire said it turned its cameras off in April 2011, but left the structures in place to discourage speeders.

Staffordshire have only 14 of their 272 fixed cameras switched on; Derbyshire operates 112 cameras but just 10 of them ever catch speeder

 

[NVP]

They installed a couple of new dummy ones on the birm new road a year or two ago and openly admitted they were fake cameras

Looks like they only admitted it after accusations:

The region’s police chief David Jamieson has accused the authority of deceiving the public after bosses installed what he said was nothing more than ‘a metal box’.

The camera was set up in March on a notorious stretch of the Birmingham New Road, near the junction of Woodcroft Avenue on the Dudley-Sandwell border.

Council chief executive Sarah Norman admitted it was fake and is part of a wider scheme to dupe the public into believing that a number of speed cameras in the borough are still functioning.

ADVERTISING

She admitted the camera was ‘not operational’ and said ‘any deception’ was intended to deter drivers intent on breaking the speed limit

e off apart from the new average ones that have gone up in places like the black country route.

Yeh it seems so, an article from 2018 says:

Old single location static speed cameras were turned off five years ago. But there are still currently 160 mobile camera sites across the West Midlands.

 

[NVP]

I've been pulled for speeding three times total by traffic police and been let off each time

I honestly couldn't count the number of times I've been pulled. Big, young, brown man in a black BMW driving "spiritidly"... ding ding! Reduced quite a bit once I started wearing glasses surprisingly. Was so common in my m5 I got used to flooring it away before they had the chance to see my plate.

 

[NVP]

Unfortunately they clocked me over .6 of a mile iirc and showed me the video which calculated my avg speed. Not much to wriggle out of with this one

Deny and take it to court anyway.

Example: If you contest it, and the officer who wrote the ticket doesn't attend to put forward their case they will have to side with you. Lots of technicalities in our legal system

Never had a ticket in the UK, been pulled a few times and let off though.

Been stopped a few times in Mexico but all of the officers bar one had their memories miraculously erased by the equivalent of about £10 cash. The one proper ticket I did get was for 100kph over the limit, so his memory needed more cash to erase than I had on me at the time. Ticket was sub £100 though and they can’t touch my licence here, so overall still a good result.

Haha Mexico sounds awesome

 

[NVP]

Police don't get revenue from fixed cameras anymore, but what about police vans/traps? Seems to be the majority of tickets in this thread...

 

[NVP]

He offered me 3pts and £60 for the 97 or if I took it to court he’d be looking to use the 117 (backed up by the 97) and his years of experience to get me a harsher punishment.

Good offer!

 

[NVP]

take them to court and see how you do.

But don't be like this guy

 

[NVP]

What's your job say about points on your license?

 

[NVP]

I had a feeling this day would come. Looks like they're switching them back on again. Got two through for last week, 71 in a 50 and 68 in a 50... luck was going to run out sooner or later

 

[NVP]

I live at a higher level of risk, sometimes it bites me... most of the time it bites me

 

[NVP]

A45 and A5