This came in the post yesterday and I've never had one before:

"my registration number was observed exceeding the permitted speed limit contrary to section 81(1) and 89(1) of the Road traffic regulation act 1984. It was monitored and found to be exceeding the speed limit at Bradford RD, RODE at 0914 on 15/4/18"

no points or any form of fine. Its a national speed limit road and my wife remembers me overtaking a car (its a long straight road probably just over a mile) and i would have sat at 70 as most do on that road. There was only two cars on the road me being one of them. Didn't see a hi-viz plastic police, no vans etc, nothing.

My wife recons I've been reported by a bizzy body.

Steve. 2006 2.7 TDV6 HSE in Cairns Blue.

Surely if it was a speeding summounds then the actual speed you were doing would be itemised and also your registration and there would be a photograph if it was a speed cam. You’v been reported by a busy body and the Police have sent you a warning I suspect.
My next door neighbour was one of those who was reporting people for speeding ............. until he was caught driving at 60 on a 50 limited local road oh boy was he embarrassed or what! 2020 Pangea Green 1st Edition D240 New Defender 110 is here and loving it
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Sound like you may have been through a neighbourhood watch style speed check. They do not have any powers and just report registration numbers to plod who issue letters like the one you received.

The other thing is there is about 4 weeks between your "offence" and the "letter". My understanding is it has to be issued within 14 days of the offence to be valid (unless it has done the rounds of (say) a lease company who owns the car, in which case there should be an audit trail).

Tim in Scotland wrote:

You’v been reported by a busy body and the Police have sent you a warning I suspect.

I'm not a busy body but I do it - not with a speedgun or for 30.5 mph, but if I get overtaken when doing 30, I see someone going at silly speeds in a 30 zone, or on their phone, I use Sussex Police's online form. The drivers get a letter telling them they have been spotted and any further reports may lead to a visit and/or having their registration added to the database of 'cars of interest' in Police vehicles.

My reasoning is that these behaviours are indications of risk-taking and/or lack of awareness and/or contempt for the rules, i.e., they increase the risk to the rest of us. If one of these drivers knows they have been spotted and that any other driver might be someone who could report them if they do something similar, they will think twice. There's an interesting map of these reports which shows clusters of behaviours.

After I reported seeing a couple of near-misses with pedestrians, the local road safety organisation suggested I do exactly this type of reporting for the situation below: lots of reports are the only way they get resources to do anything about it, as it is all based on statistics.

Cars travelling westbound approaching the crossing and overtaking an existing queue of cars so they can turn right at the roundabout. It is marked as a single lane and drivers in the queue to go straight across the roundabout have a habit of waving pedestrians across. It's next to a school...

Click image to enlarge

Yep I see the reason behind it, in a sense find it amusing. It was certainly a talking point in our household last night and the fact I received 2 letters (same thing) so a bit of duplication. I never knew this even existed . My wife and son are pleased as I am Captain slow, they're getting mileage out of it

Steve (Red # 5) 2006 2.7 TDV6 HSE in Cairns Blue.

Last edited by Stevepd on Wed May 16 2018 6:34pm. Edited 1 time in total

Just to ask a question i have thought about these so called speed watch people with the speed guns as to when would the guns last have been calibrated or is it just an old police speed gun and therefore no good or would it need to be all legal and would they also need to have public liability insurance in case there was an accident that they accidentally caused when pointing the radar gun

I think they are pukka guns loaned out to 'Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells' on a formal basis.

There were two lurking near my mother-in-law's house recently. I gave it some welly but didn't go above 30 and they were waving and jumping up-and-down like they were about to orgasm.

When I was a police sergeant we had a problem village with speedsters and the local neighbourhood watch were trained and given use of an official speed gun. The whole point of the exercise is to make people aware of speeding and the letter is designed to be a wake up call.

Some people will think twice and others will carry on regardless.

These exercises are used in areas of reoccurring problems and the local residents give their own time to monitor and pass on their sightings.

If it stops one death or serious accident because someone didn't realise they were exceeding the law and they pay more attention in the future then where is the harm.

After all, if the people are not speeding and are complying with the laws of the road....as we are all required to do so then no letter would be forthcoming and the 'busybodies' would be wasting their time.

If you do break the laws of the road, albeit it cannot be enforced when done so, then see it as a lucky escape rather than some stranger interfering with your day to day business.  Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience.

So thats one part answered as they are calibrated speed guns but what about the need for public liability would they need that just in case something did happen

The one big question for me is: why did the OP need to start the thread title with "So" rather than just "I've"?

Bizarre.

I suppose it's just the latest media fad - every interview these days has people starting every answer with "So...". Makes me scream.

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geoffsnook wrote:

So thats one part answered as they are calibrated speed guns but what about the need for public liability would they need that just in case something did happen

RRSTDV8 wrote:

The one big question for me is: why did the OP need to start the thread title with "So" rather than just "I've"?

Bizarre.

I suppose it's just the latest media fad - every interview these days has people starting every answer with "So...". Makes me scream.

Sorry. I'll go now...

So, would you like me to change it  2006 2.7 TDV6 HSE in Cairns Blue.

RRSTDV8 wrote:

Makes me scream.

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Tell-tale-tit!
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Shall have a little bit.

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Godders i see where your coming from but should they be insured as they are on public roads i often see them in tintern just stood there in plain view as you come round a long bend