Why is it illegal to warn of mobile speed cameras?
Why is it illegal to warn of mobile speed cameras?
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Discussion

mancred

Original Poster:

4 posts

74 months

Saturday 19th August 2023
quotequote all
This makes no sense to me.

It is said that it might be argued to be interfering with the Police's work - what to make money?

Satnavs warn of permanent speed cameras and are perfectly legal..

Society encourages others to follow the law generally..

The proper reason for speed cameras is safety. If people are slowing down following a warning about them, then surely a warning is achieving the objective and assisting not obstructing a constable. Could there be more than one mkbile speed camera perhaps too.. a good reason to stay slow.

If people are slowing down at them, then this is no different than permanent speed cameras anyway and surely the simple answer is to install more of them....

I'd be interested in your thoughts...

Thanks

Geertsen

1,858 posts

87 months

Saturday 19th August 2023
quotequote all
Does seem funny. It’s a bit like fining the pub landlord for advising a customer to not drive home because he’s been drinking...simply because the police want to catch him at the wheel down the road.

anonymous-user

82 months

Saturday 19th August 2023
quotequote all
AIUI it is illegal if the person you warn is speeding when you warn them, and then they slow down in response to your warning so as to dodge the speed trap.

soad

34,594 posts

204 months

Saturday 19th August 2023
quotequote all
A breach of section 89 of the Police Act 1997?

Local police force publishes mobile speed enforcement camera locations online themselves. hehe

“These locations are accurate at the time of publication, but are subject to alteration without further notice.”

R0G

5,035 posts

183 months

Saturday 19th August 2023
quotequote all
Assisting an offender or perverting the course of justice comes to mind

If a driver chooses to speed then they are volunteering to pay the fine if caught

All drivers proved they can stick to limits when they were learners and when on the test

Andeh1

7,574 posts

234 months

Saturday 19th August 2023
quotequote all
I always give a cheeky flash to oncoming traffic as a heads up!

Vasco

18,009 posts

133 months

Saturday 19th August 2023
quotequote all
mancred said:
This makes no sense to me.

It is said that it might be argued to be interfering with the Police's work - what to make money?

Satnavs warn of permanent speed cameras and are perfectly legal..

Society encourages others to follow the law generally..

The proper reason for speed cameras is safety. If people are slowing down following a warning about them, then surely a warning is achieving the objective and assisting not obstructing a constable. Could there be more than one mkbile speed camera perhaps too.. a good reason to stay slow.

If people are slowing down at them, then this is no different than permanent speed cameras anyway and surely the simple answer is to install more of them....

I'd be interested in your thoughts...

Thanks
Your warning won't change their routine poor driving - a fine or points will have more impact.

Until people improve their driving standards we need much more enforcement and heavy penalties.

Riley Blue

23,205 posts

254 months

Saturday 19th August 2023
quotequote all
Geertsen said:
Does seem funny. It’s a bit like fining the pub landlord for advising a customer to not drive home because he’s been drinking...simply because the police want to catch him at the wheel down the road.
Where does that happen?

Blib

47,915 posts

225 months

Saturday 19th August 2023
quotequote all
Vasco said:
Your warning won't change their routine poor driving - a fine or points will have more impact.

Until people improve their driving standards we need much more enforcement and heavy penalties.
My friend flashes oncoming cars whether they are speeding or not. He doesn't make that judgement.

So, if they are under the speed limit when he flashes does that mean he has not committed an offence?

paradigital

1,098 posts

180 months

Saturday 19th August 2023
quotequote all
Vasco said:
Your warning won't change their routine poor driving - a fine or points will have more impact.

Until people improve their driving standards we need much more enforcement and heavy penalties.
Does speeding always equate to poor driving? I’d argue not.

We need these things (and human enforcement of things like lane discipline, poor observation, selfish parking, etc) in places where excessive use of speed is dangerous (town centers, schools, etc).

A hidden camera van on a die-straight, bone-dry, warm road, devoid of junctions in broad daylight is there to generate revenue, not to make the road safer.

Oilchange

9,681 posts

288 months

Saturday 19th August 2023
quotequote all
Just mention in court you were warning of pedestrians in the road.

I am always aware of hazards and will warn oncoming traffic of them without hesitation, traffic cops with cameras or not.

MikeM6

5,973 posts

130 months

Saturday 19th August 2023
quotequote all
Vasco said:
Your warning won't change their routine poor driving - a fine or points will have more impact.

Until people improve their driving standards we need much more enforcement and heavy penalties.
I think you are mistaken and have approached the issue a little too simplistically. We really do not need more enforcement and penalties, that has never worked and never really will. See every example of 'fun' things being regulated ever.

We need better education and training. We need better drivers, with a greater understanding of the risk to inform their own risk assessment.

Why do they only offer speed awareness courses to those that speed a little bit (i.e. not the really dangerous drivers)? Why do they not target the naive "it will never happen to me" drivers who speed excessively?

Why is it that I have never been offered a speed awareness course to prevent me from speeding?

If we really wanted to stop people driving dangerously, why is the speed awareness course not part of the initial driver training, and then mandatory on EVERY speeding offence?

It's difficult not to draw the inference from their current approach that this is just about money, although I suspect the risk from speeding is actually too low for them to really do anything expensive about it, so this halfway house approach will do.


V8 Animal

6,015 posts

238 months

Saturday 19th August 2023
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I guess to avoid accidents due to sudden braking.

BobToc

2,030 posts

145 months

Saturday 19th August 2023
quotequote all
Does anyone ever really get caught for doing this?

fridaypassion

11,457 posts

256 months

Saturday 19th August 2023
quotequote all
Vasco said:
Your warning won't change their routine poor driving - a fine or points will have more impact.

Until people improve their driving standards we need much more enforcement and heavy penalties.
Mods can this guy be banned I've never seen such utter crap this is fecking Pistonheads! Speed matters!

Why are you even on here?

loskie

7,050 posts

148 months

Saturday 19th August 2023
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I've flashed folks obviously driving too quickly (bikes and cars) and/or slightly recklessly to give them the impression there may be a speed trap ahead thus hopefully making the roads a bit safer. The A75 is like wacky races far too often.

jeremyh1

1,505 posts

155 months

Saturday 19th August 2023
quotequote all
There used to be a garage in North Devon and every time the speed camera was in the layby they would peg a sign in the grass verge saying "radar"

jeremyh1

1,505 posts

155 months

Saturday 19th August 2023
quotequote all
fridaypassion said:
Vasco said:
Your warning won't change their routine poor driving - a fine or points will have more impact.

Until people improve their driving standards we need much more enforcement and heavy penalties.
Mods can this guy be banned I've never seen such utter crap this is fecking Pistonheads! Speed matters!

Why are you even on here?
Yes but nobody actually means speed on the road
There is a big track car presence here along with some experienced track bikers

Road safety and good roadcraft is paramount and the members of this site put effort in to help save lives

Mr Squarekins

1,632 posts

90 months

Saturday 19th August 2023
quotequote all
If people stopped doing this (the flash) then there's really no hope for humanity. It doesn't mean 'hey you're speeding, slow down' , I interpret someone who flashes me as 'hey be careful ahead'. It could be horses ahead, a branch in the road, a sheep, a camera van.

Often, where (cynically) there is a van right on the point of a 60 going to a 30, doing 29 rather than 32 when you cross the line means all the difference to a ticket, but not to life. I see it as a good thing and welcome when someone does it to me.

BertBert

21,186 posts

239 months

Saturday 19th August 2023
quotequote all
In theory it's the same as seeing someone commiting a proper crime, burglary, rape etc and telling the perp that plod are right the corner and will catch them at it. The perp then scarpers.