its over

Originally Posted by dangerous bri

this is the passage i was refeering to.

http://www.speed-trap.co.uk/Accused_...ge/The_Law.htm


ACPO Guidelines on speeding, and the UK law regarding prosecution.
Vehicle construction and use regulations require a vehicle speedometer accuracy to be in the range of -0->+10%. The implications are that it must never under-read - for obvious reasons - but may over-read. As the cost of manufacturing a speedometer with -0% error would be very costly they all over-read by a few percent without exception. Even if speed is measured correctly the display may not be accurate, so a speedometer error is allowed. Because of this, the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) have an official formula for calculating a speeding offence. It allows a leeway of 10% plus 2mph. In reality, most speed traps are triggered at higher speeds than this because if they were set bang-on those guidelines, the sheer amount of paperwork generated would overrun the police speeding departments.

ACPO Manual bulletpoints.
If you see this little icon next to something it means that the information there is extremely relevant to you if you're about to go to court. It's information from the 1999 ACPO Enforcement Technology National Guidance Manual. When you go to court, this is one of the manuscripts that could be used for reference. I believe that if the authorities wish to give you a fair crack of the whip, then it is only fair that you are well informed about the procedures and guidelines they will be referring to.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As that passage says, it's still a guideline, albeit an official one.
It talks of the speedo overreading, but never underreading. Surely that means if you follow your speedo, you will never be over the limit. If they can then prove that you were over the limit, logic says that you were doing it deliberately and if you weren't aware that your speedo was overreading, then you thought you were at a speed possibly higher than the one they caught you at.
I don't see how it overreading can possibly be used as a defense against a ticket.
That's how I think it would be viewed, anyway.

Thanks, caines, for clarifying the location. This is the bit of M4
where I travel from time to time, and I know how easy it is to get
carried away (even though I am not a fast rider). On a nice sunny day
it is almost impossible to keep the bike under a 100.

After riding on the M4 I always live in fear for the next few days expecting
a nasty letter in the post. You were just unlucky.

[Supervox]

Originally Posted by Cronos

Bad luck mate.

It's more luck than judgement that's prevented the same thing happening to a lot of us.

Sorry mate - gotta disagree with you on this one.

I've spent the last 4 years being a relatively ' boring' rider to go on a ride out with - purely due to the fact that I've been sitting with 9 points on my licence.

I knew what my points situation was - therefore I tempered my riding accordingly - the fact that I got through it with no more points was due to my judgement - not luck !!

Originally Posted by Supervox

I've spent the last 4 years being a relatively ' boring' rider to go on a ride out with - purely due to the fact that I've been sitting with 9 points on my licence.

I knew what my points situation was - therefore I tempered my riding accordingly - the fact that I got through it with no more points was due to my judgement - not luck !!

Don't the points disappear after 2 years?

I though it was like 5 years.

[Supervox]

Originally Posted by Professor

Don't the points disappear after 2 years?

Nope - its four years - I thought it was five until I checked the DVLA website.

It can be longer (can't remember exactly how long) if it's NOT a straight forward speeding matter.

It seems we really do live in a police state! I think it is a bit harsh to
have to carry these points for 4 years if they were imposed for a relatively
minor offence.

Penalty points are valid for three years but still appear on your licence for four years.


.

Originally Posted by jonboy

Penalty points are valid for three years but still appear on your licence for four years.


.

Weird ... I guess people who wrote these rules wanted
to provide work for lawyers.

[northwind]

Originally Posted by Flamin_Squirrel

Personaly I think that anyone 'caught' by a machine, especialy one that's more than likely completely inacurate has every reason to bitch

"More than likely completely inaccurate"? Come on... Sure, they can be inaccurate, but try and back up the suggestion that more than half are completely inaccurate. Handheld radar guns can be inaccurate too- in fact, if I recall correctly they're considerably less accurate than fixed cameras.