Wrong shaped number on motorway gantry signs

[Palfrem]

'Wrong-shaped numbers' let speeders off hook: Convictions overturned due to irregular motorway warning signs | Mail Online

Love this sort of thing!

Surely though, if they are not in accordance with Transport Dept rules & regs then all prosecutions are illegal and the drivers must be reimbursed.

 

[Harrythedog]

What if the drivers had been travelling over the national speed limit?

 

[st13phil]

Love this sort of thing!

So do I.

If the authorities want to be petty minded with respect to law enforcement then the least that should be required is that they have to comply with their own rules.

That said, I suspect that this is a smokescreen wrt the M42. There are many, many instances over on PePiPoo where drivers have received NIP's for exceeding the variable limit on the M42 at one gantry in particular where they are certain that the limit being enforced was not being displayed. Dropping prosecutions because the font is incorrect is a great get-out that avoids further investigation / embarrassment.

 

[Martyn_n]

There are many, many instances over on PePiPoo where drivers have received NIP's for exceeding the variable limit on the M42 at one gantry in particular where they are certain that the limit being enforced was not being displayed.

I've had a tour of the factory where these signs are assembled (A small company called VMS). Most LED signs are proved working by the current being drawn by the diodes but because these ones relate to speed enforcement where someone was bound to use this defence these ones actually have a sensor in them that proves that they are indeed showing the correct indication to drivers, not just drawing the current and not lighting. The camera is set to operate in support of the actual indicated speed, no illumination no flash. This information is retained in a black box and is available to support any prosecutions.

 

[Dieselman]

I've had a tour of the factory where these signs are assembled (A small company called VMS). Most LED signs are proved working by the current being drawn by the diodes but because these ones relate to speed enforcement where someone was bound to use this defence these ones actually have a sensor in them that proves that they are indeed showing the correct indication to drivers, not just drawing the current and not lighting. The camera is set to operate in support of the actual indicated speed, no illumination no flash. This information is retained in a black box and is available to support any prosecutions.

That's a neat way to ensure compliance, the camera takes it's speed trigger from the actual illumination of the display diodes.

 

[Martyn_n]

It is neat, the company are really quite obssessive about standards / regulations (at least they are with the railway signals I deal with them on) so I'm surprised the wrong font was applied on these signs.