Would cops with a handheld speed gadget stop me on the spot?

[Jukie]

Yep two of my friends were in the Speedwatch scheme in their Surrey village. They had some basic training on using the 'gun' but I don't think it had the normal schedule of calibration/certification so although the data from it was probably fine it wouldn't have stood up in court. This was 15+ years ago ... IIRC they were only allowed to operate in 30 or 40 mph zones.

If a 'gun' is supplied by the police, the calibration certification ought to be in order so that officers can also use the device!

Certainly in my area volunteers are not allowed to operate on 'fast' (national speed limit) roads.

 

[zipdip]

We had a few locals who had been on a course with a speed gun,I think that unless they had a real cop with them whatever they did was not allowed to go forward ,my thoughts were the police would hate a speeding case to be overturned when only the locals were behind the speed gun,echos of the thousands of convictions that were quashed when it was found that the highway code said you must not park on a bridge,which is where the police caught all those drivers,of course that might tomb the Highway Code which is there for all our safety very quickly made it ok to park on bridges ,anyway not seen our local do gooders since the end of covid so suspect they may have gone to a better place.

 

[BTB 500]

On our street I've stepped out to slow drivers down a few times. 20mph limit but it's a cut through between two larger roads, cars parked on either side, one car width down the middle and a primary school at the end. A child has been knocked down before suffering a broken leg and also we had two cats killed within 12 months.

I've just buried our 1 year old cat, who was run over outside the house this morning. It's a narrow single track lane with passing places, but out in the sticks so NSL applies and you do get folks hammering down it sometimes. A major A road in the area was closed for 5 weeks recently and quite a few people ignored the signposted diversion and cut through our local lanes instead. I personally saw two quite serious crashes then (both involving roll-overs) and heard of at least one more. The council already had yellow roadside signs dotted around saying access for residents only but then added 30 mph and speed camera ones (no actual cameras though).

 

[BTB 500]

If a 'gun' is supplied by the police, the calibration certification ought to be in order so that officers can also use the device!

I think they were kept by the volunteers on quite a long-term loan.

 

[JHS]

The do gooders are usually in the villages either side of where we meet up for SADCASE. You would think they would have better things to do with their time. Self righteous nimby's the lot of them. I bet they speed as much as anyone else....buy oh no....not through my village!

I am sure that you have a perfect right to speed through residential streets and rural villages. Perhaps if you gave these do gooders your address they could come and return the favour?

Maybe consideration for others is something that comes with age?

 

[JHS]

If you remain within the posted speed limits, it matters not one iota if someone with a speed gun is standing there, be it a copper or a local volunteer.
I am baffled by the vitriol aimed at them.

 

[Fastcar155]

The do gooders are usually in the villages either side of where we meet up for SADCASE. You would think they would have better things to do with their time. Self righteous nimby's the lot of them. I bet they speed as much as anyone else....buy oh no....not through my village!

Hi , my mother lived in a village near Malvern and the residents continually complained to West Mercia Police re speeding in the village.

The local busybodies demanded action by the Police , speed traps are the answer !

I know the officer who was tasked to carry out the dasterly deed , he told them it was not a good idea and they will find that the speeding culprits will live in the village.Utter rubbish they replied.

The speed trap was duly set up and the speedsters were taken to court ( local reporter happened to be in court ) and details printed in local rag.

From memory only one person caught speeding did not live in the village , the chief busybody was caught travelling at 43mph in a 30mph and a local magistrate had to fall on the sword.

 

[SpikyMikey]

I've just buried our 1 year old cat, who was run over outside the house this morning. It's a narrow single track lane with passing places, but out in the sticks so NSL applies and you do get folks hammering down it sometimes. A major A road in the area was closed for 5 weeks recently and quite a few people ignored the signposted diversion and cut through our local lanes instead. I personally saw two quite serious crashes then (both involving roll-overs) and heard of at least one more. The council already had yellow roadside signs dotted around saying access for residents only but then added 30 mph and speed camera ones (no actual cameras though).

View attachment 146394

Sorry about your cat bud. I'm not the biggest cat fan, but I have in the past picked up more than one from the side of the road after being hit by cars. I can't see them just left there.

 

[Jukie]

I've just buried our 1 year old cat, who was run over outside the house this morning. It's a narrow single track lane with passing places, but out in the sticks so NSL applies and you do get folks hammering down it sometimes. A major A road in the area was closed for 5 weeks recently and quite a few people ignored the signposted diversion and cut through our local lanes instead. I personally saw two quite serious crashes then (both involving roll-overs) and heard of at least one more. The council already had yellow roadside signs dotted around saying access for residents only but then added 30 mph and speed camera ones (no actual cameras though).

Sorry for your loss

 

[190]

We had the volunteers with speed cameras in our village but they soon got fed up and fitted the radar signs with mph readout and smiley face or not as the case may be. I found these signs very useful when I had the speedo on my bike to bits to do a repair

The most annoying speed traps I've seen were in Wales. If you exceeded the 30 limit a set of traffic lights further down the road turned red with the sole purpose of holding you up. I'm surprised it was legal.

 

[JHS]

We had the volunteers with speed cameras in our village but they soon got fed up and fitted the radar signs with mph readout and smiley face or not as the case may be. I found these signs very useful when I had the speedo on my bike to bits to do a repair

The most annoying speed traps I've seen were in Wales. If you exceeded the 30 limit a set of traffic lights further down the road turned red with the sole purpose of holding you up. I'm surprised it was legal.

Its called Die Gruene Welle in Germany.

 

[Riva811]

i can understand what people are saying about kids and pets crossings but this is a 3-lane A road with millions of cars a day, passing through central london. If you leave a kid or pet unsupervised in such road conditions then I am sorry to say you are as responsible as the person hitting them. In fact this was a 40 road which was dropped down thanks to our dear mayors.
I am super careful in most places and i agree the 20mph limit works in most cases because pedestrians turned stupid. in the west end they wait for you to approach them before jumping in. And then they also complain that you are at fault.
I had a great laugh were people stopped traffic to cross, only to be seen by a cop and taken to the side for a chat where they felt very stupid.

Now cyclists, I dont respect at all, cos they don't respect me as a pedestrian (and i do 20k steps a day with my dog) or as a driver.

 

[Fastcar155]

Hi , not a fan of busybodies using speed cameras and loathe civilians doing the job of a police officer.I understand that civilians are seconded to the police but I feel that are still a civilian.

 

[ALFAitalia]

I am sure that you have a perfect right to speed through residential streets and rural villages. Perhaps if you gave these do gooders your address they could come and return the favour?

Maybe consideration for others is something that comes with age?

I have not had any points for speeding or anything else since I was nicked for speeding on my bike in 1989 when I was 22 (41 in a 30).....so that comment is unfounded. No warning letters due to these "speed vigilantes" either! I don't mind proper coppers doing the job of catching speeder.....but these guys are grasses on their fellow motorists at best...and, since everyone speeds to a degree, hypocrites at worst!

 

[JHS]

I have not had any points for speeding or anything else since I was nicked for speeding on my bike in 1989 when I was 22 (41 in a 30).....so that comment is unfounded. No warning letters due to these "speed vigilantes" either! I don't mind proper coppers doing the job of catching speeder.....but these guys are grasses on their fellow motorists at best...and, since everyone speeds to a degree, hypocrites at worst!

You are missing the point ALFA, they are fed up with speeding through their villages, you know, where they live. They are not going around the roads catching motorists at random like the Lycra mafia on bikes.
I live in what is called a "linear village" , that is one where there is only one road through. Cars parked on both sides but room for 2 lanes. I have just come back home and on entering the 30 limit dropped down to 30mph only to be passed by some clown doing well in excess of 30, probably more like 50.
The issue is not speeding at 65/70 on an A road.
How do you not see that?

 

[ALFAitalia]

Missing the point....I'm not saying that speed limits should not be enforced....They should of course.....but by the police or cameras.....not some bored old man who probably goes slightly over the limit as much as everyone else does.....it's hypocrisy.

 

[markjay]

Missing the point....I'm not saying that speed limits should not be enforced....They should of course.....but by the police or cameras.....not some bored old man who probably goes slightly over the limit as much as everyone else does.....it's hypocrisy.

If there's an official volunteering scheme, where people receive equipment and training, then I don't see the problem. Special Constables and the RNLI are volunteers too, as are many firefighters.

My only concern would be the safety of the volunteers, and ensuring they are not inadvertently posing a hazard to motorists. And ideally, they will also have suitable insurance cover for personal injury.

 

[JHS]

Missing the point....I'm not saying that speed limits should not be enforced....They should of course.....but by the police or cameras.....not some bored old man who probably goes slightly over the limit as much as everyone else does.....it's hypocrisy.

 

[markjay]

....but these guys are grasses on their fellow motorists at best...and, since everyone speeds to a degree, hypocrites at worst!

Ah, the omertà.... If there's a motorists fraternity that I am unaware of, I'd appreciate an introduction. Having said that, those villagers might not even be drivers themselves, in which case they wouldn't qualify anyway.

 

[TC350]

On our street I've stepped out to slow drivers down a few times. 20mph limit but it's a cut through between two larger roads, cars parked on either side, one car width down the middle and a primary school at the end. A child has been knocked down before suffering a broken leg and also we had two cats killed within 12 months.

Hate the damn things but if the council decided to install speed bumps I'd be very happy.

I live in the middle of a 20mph zone with speed humps on every road. I’ve seen cars and vans doing well over 40mph, despite parked cars in many places reducing the available width to one lane. I’m not aware of any injuries yet, but there have been a few crashes and several cats have been killed.

I’ve never been brave enough to step out to slow drivers down, instead making do with ineffectively shouting ”20”.