Speed Traps and how to Beat them

[tamrsoft]

I met a guy last year who delivered cars for a living, claims that although he was often recorded as speeding he never paid fines or got points on his licence due to a technical loophole. Not sure if he was giving me bull**1t but he definitely still has a valid licence. I believe the loophole was around the fact that speed recording devices must be calibrated daily and have a signed/dated certificate to prove it. Apparently the police cannot be bothered to do this for much of the time. He says he queried the recorded speed and asked for the calibration certificate to validate the device, without this, the charge could not be upheld.

Does anyone have any specific knowledge to refute or support this, I know you can buy books telling you how to legally avoid these convictions.

 

[Shude]

...speed recording devices must be calibrated daily...

Unlikely, monthly maybe! I very much doubt anyone would have signed up to a requirement like that!

 

[R2D2]

It is monthly, I tried this myself and they produced the certificate. Many Police forces actually put the calibration certs on their websites to deal with this regular question. Whilst hey do have be calibrated, most the time they actually do do it! Sorry!

 

[Satch]

There have been cases where the Certificates were out of date, could not be found or were plain wrong. There was a case involving some footballer where he managed to show the mobile unit used had been incorrectly set up in the first place and the Camera Partnership was relying on the unit doing a "self test" every day which it simply could not work if the basic calibration was wrong

Needless to say the procedures around certificates are now being tightened up but always worth asking to see a valid, in date (annual I think) Calibration Certificate as it forms an essential part of the evidence presented by the Crown. That is a bit of a double edged sword as it makes such certificates exempt from the Freedom of Information Act but some forces do post them on their websites and if you get a NIP you can ask for it anyway.

 

[SimonsMerc]

www.pepipoo.com

-simon

 

[Rory]

www.pepipoo.com is a good place to look for this kind of stuff.
I think the problem with any of these things is that you've got to go beyond the fixed penalty (if it's offered) and go (or at least be prepared to go) to court. That's fine if your alleged offence is serious in the first place, but a biggish risk if you could have simply accepted the £60/3 points.
I got done is dubious circumstances a couple of years ago but in the end, the fact that the fixed penalty is simply that - a penalty - rather than the conviction that you'd get in court, made me decide to accept the penalty.

Edit: OK, so Simon's quicker at typing than me

 

[damyers]

I had an interesting one a few years ago.

Had only had that car for a few months and got flashed just outside of Wimbledon on a stupid 30mph dual lane road with nowt else around.

Anyways got the dreaded 'who was driving this vehicle' notice through the post and noticed that they had got the model of the car wrong. It seems that the Volvo (i know, dont say it ) dealership had provided the wrong info to DVLA on registration and had it registered as the wrong model.

I wrote to the DVLA and replied to the police saying that I couldnt sign the form since it was inaccurate. I also took some advise from a friend of mine and phoned them to request the photos that had been taken. They refused saying they would only be shown in court - I am told that that is wrong and if you request the photos they MUST send them to you or it wont stand up.

Anyway they wrote back and said that they still thought they had enough to take me to Court and to please sign the declaration (although I had at no point said that I was driving only that the information was incorrect).

I decided to leave it and see what would happen and heard nothing since. Since I heard nothing within 6 months they must have dropped it.

Dont know if the photo bit is still relevant but worth checking anyway!

 

[PJH]

....I decided to leave it and see what would happen and heard nothing since. Since I heard nothing within 6 months they must have dropped it.

Dont know if the photo bit is still relevant but worth checking anyway!

IIRC Shude got off a speeding charge because it took over 6 months to reach court....

 

[damyers]

IIRC Shude got off a speeding charge because it took over 6 months to reach court....

Yeah - if they dont send you any communication within 6 months then it is written off. Same goes with things like debt collection etc (not that I have personal experience of that of course )

 

[Shude]

IIRC Shude got off a speeding charge because it took over 6 months to reach court....

It was Koolvin.

http://mbclub.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=4802

Please don't tempt fate!

LOL see also:

http://mbclub.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=762

To see Koolvin's ticket for his pushbike!

 

[PJH]

It was Koolvin.

Oops! It's was the other one....

 

[scumbag]

i am not complelty sure but the point over the pictures is something to do with data protection. a policeman can show you them but you cannot be sent them. or something.

unfortunalty data protection protects big brother as well as us.

wont help my speeling tho