BXProject

[Bx Bandit]

Talking of which............I think I got had today...58 in a 50. I'm normally quite careful with speed limits, but this plonker was 'supposedly' towing a caravan but was clearly unable to and anything above 20 miles an hour, so I lost my rag and over took in a fit if rage.....blaa blaa blaa bastard cop!

[Vanny]

Your allowed to accelerate past a danger, and that includes overtaking, and that includes (where suitable) an excess of speed above the posted speed limit.

An actual copper would probably know this, older the better too, explain that these are the instructions in Road Craft.

[mickey taker]

im surprised he bothered , allowing 10% for speedo error you were only 3 mph over

[Bx Bandit]

Well I only suspect MT, I saw the van and then looked at my speedo. What annoys me is that, ok, I got caught when I was 17, doing 45 in a 30. The best thing that the policeman did was educate me:
After the usual "you've been 'ad" thing, he asked:
"why do you think the speed limit is 30?"

Being all spotty and not having a clue I said

"I dunno.............."

he replied

"Well, there's no pavement, there is a school and an old people's home. Where do you think they are going to walk?"

Being honest, I was as naive as a non educated hermit, but he made me think, and I've taken built up 30/40/50 speed limits quite seriously. BUT, 20 yrs without a penalty and, ok, my toe slipped over a little, but it's gonna cost £90. I know this as Mrs B got caught only 6 weeks ago That's £180 in fucking fines. Ok, my fault, (and Mrs B's) but it's not like we're the fucking dangerous bunch like

[mat_the_cat]

Bugger. Do you mean your speedo was showing 58? If so you'll probably be OK - my understanding is the tolerance you are 'allowed' is 10% for the speedo accuracy and 2mph for the readability of the speedo.

[Bx Bandit]

Yeah i rekon speedo was about 60, certainly not over. But what a bummer bastard cunting........................erm cunt copper!

[Vanny]

thats not a copper then, it'll be one of those PCSO things!

[docchevron132]

plastic pig's.. arses.
The equipment on the mobile rigs is also known to be wildly inaccurate, since it was deemed fine to only calibrate them once a year. Angle of attack wildly alters recorded speed also..
Do you not get the option of a Sped Awareness course over there then? £60 "fee" for attending the course, no points.

[Bx Bandit]

Yep, it's £60 + 3 points or £90 (or possibly £80 thinking about it) for the course and null points

[docchevron132]

Fucking hell, you get arse raped for £30 more for a course that is, erm, largely a it pointless..

[Bx Bandit]

I know, but it stops you getting points on your licence and so protects your insurance..............................in theory

[docchevron132]

It does, you don't have to declare it because it's it's not an endorsement offence.

[stu]

I got caught on camera and took the course a couple of years back (I was late for my own 29th birthday) - I thought it was a quite useful refresher.

Face it - we MoT our cars every year and what proportion of accidents are caused by car faults? Hardly any.

But we can drive from age 17-80 without a refresher and what proportion of accidents are caused by driver error/stupidity/incompetence? Quite.

I'm saving for my IAM at the moment.

[docchevron132]

true..
I can't say I learmnt anything I didn't already know, but then I get to sit in a classroom a few times a year and be spoken to like I'm a three year old in work anyhow!

[jayw]

I get to sit in a classroom a few times a year and be spoken to like I'm a three year old in work anyhow!

How is the "special kids" nursery?...

[Father Ted]

Ahhhh, they days of being bollocked by a copper.

Largely gone now, though I did get my knuckles rapped after dad died when I went through a red light and nearly side swiped a Merc. It didnt help that there were 2 panda cars and a van behind me at the lights.
In my mitigation (apart from my head beig a bit up my arse) there were three sets of lights in close succession and whilst I was at set of lights one, set of lights two went to green and I was watching them - away I went...

[mat_the_cat]

I wonder what proportion of accidents are caused by poor drivers versus typical drivers who lose concentration for a short time?
The irony is that advanced driving courses seem to attract good drivers (i.e. those who realise they aren't perfect and have something still to learn) but not those drivers who think they know it all already...

[mickey taker]

iirc you can ask to see a calibration test for the day in question , if the gear isnt calibrated on that day its accuracy can be put into doubt .

Also you can ask to see the officers certificate of competency to operate the equipment, if he cant produce it his skill in operating the machinery can be questioned , usually if you do either you hear nothing more about the incident

[Bx Bandit]

That's nice to know Suggs! We shall have to see if I get the dreaded letter! Rather oddly, I tend not to jam on the brakes if I see a camera with a person behind it, I just ease off - as if to suggest that by suddenly braking, I was guilty.

[stu]

Father Ted's post moves me to describe the utterly lethal lights at the bottom of the road where I now live.

When I come home from work, I approach a set of traffic lights and turn right into my road.

Ordinarily, you ease across the line and into the middle of the junction on the green, wait for a gap in the oncoming traffic, and if there isn't a gap you turn right when it changes to amber - because the oncoming traffic has been stopped by then, right?

Not at these lights, it hasn't. I've got used to it now, but it almost got me the week after I moved here.