Fecking Police Mobile Speed Traps

[moggy]

Laser gun
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The latest addition to the police's speed detection arsenal is the laser speed gun, otherwise known as Lidar (Laser Infra-red Detection And Ranging).

Laser guns do not use the Doppler Effect like radar guns. Instead, to measure a vehicle's speed, they time how long pulses of infra-red light take to travel from the gun to the vehicle it is being fired at and back again. The light reflects off any flat surface on the vehicle. By sending out a series of infra-red pulses at short intervals and comparing the distance the vehicle has travelled between times, the gun very accurately determines the vehicle's speed.

Laser speed guns are more expensive than radar models. However, their one big advantage (from a police point of view) is that they can be aimed with far greater precision. The light beam from a laser gun is much narrower than a radar beam, so laser guns are much less subject to interference from other vehicles or roadside furniture.

It's not all bad news for motorists, however. There are some factors which mean laser devices may not be as accurate as the authorities would like to believe.

They must be aimed at a vehicle very accurately, requiring the skills of a marksman. The devices are also more complex than radar guns, leaving more room for human error. Operators therefore require more training, and lack of this may be sufficient to cast doubt on any conviction.

Laser devices cannot be used through glass, as this will distort the readings. If an officer has 'lasered' you through his patrol car window, therefore, the case should be thrown out of court.

Lasers cannot be used properly in rain, snow, fog or other conditions of reduced visibility. If the operator cannot see your car clearly, he will not be able to aim the gun precisely enough. Note that lasers CAN be used at night, however, unlike radar guns.

Like radar guns, lasers must be professionally calibrated at least once a year and a certificate issued. And again like radar guns, both before and after they are used for any tour of duty, they should be checked against a police vehicle fitted with a certified calibrated speedometer at a speed compatible with the sites where they will be used.
If you are stopped by a police officer using a laser speed gun, therefore, it is very important to note carefully all the circumstances applying at the time to see if any of them may provide grounds for appeal (we will go into more detail about this a little later). However, there are some precautionary measures you can take to reduce the risk of detection in the first place.

Go for a sleek, low-slung, aerodynamic car. Such cars offer fewer flat surfaces for a police officer to aim a laser at.

Choose a dark coloured vehicle, e.g. black, dark blue or dark green. Such colours are harder to target, especially in overcast conditions, and do not reflect the laser light as well.

Tilt your numberplate so that it is pointing upwards or downwards. Many operators aim at the numberplate as it reflects better than a vehicle's bodywork, but if it is tilted away the beam will be deflected into the air or onto the road.

Powerful driving lights can also help you to avoid detection. Operators are told not to point their lasers at bright lights, as this can burn out their circuitry!

 

[moggy]

Vascar
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Vascar stands for Visual Average Speed Computer And Recorder. These devices are essentially glorified stop-watches. They use the formula speed = distance divided by time to work out the speed at which a vehicle is travelling. For example, if a car takes 1 minute to travel a measured distance of half a mile, its average speed will be 0.5/1.0 = 0.5 miles per minute or 30 miles per hour. Because of this, these instruments are sometimes also referred to as time/distance devices.

Vascar units are mounted in a patrol car's console, allowing the officer easy access to the controls (they can also be fitted on motorcycles). The devices may also be linked to video cameras, so that a visual record is preserved of any alleged offence.

Two main methods currently exist for using Vascar units as speed measuring devices.

1. Pre-fed Distance Check

This approach, the more common of the two, requires the police vehicle to first travel between two reference points, turning the distance switch on at the first point and off at the second. This 'pre-fed' distance, set into the device, must be greater than 0.125 miles but less than or equal to 1 mile. The police vehicle then parks in a position where the two reference points can be clearly seen by the operator.

As a target vehicle passes the first reference point the time switch is turned on, and when it passes the second reference point it is turned off. As the device already knows the distance between the reference points, it can then calculate the vehicle's speed. Providing the distance information is not cleared from the device, the police vehicle can remain parked and, by clearing the time information only, another target vehicle can be checked.

Typical scenarios for this method are patrol cars parked on humps of the hard shoulder or bridges of motorways and dual carriageways, and adjacent to the Vascar landmarks, one of which will be usually be a white square painted on the road surface.

2. Following Check

This check is carried out when the police vehicle is following a car suspected of speeding. It can also be used when the police vehicle is travelling in front (in other words, the target vehicle is approaching from behind at a speed which the officer believes is excessive).

The method works as follows. As the target vehicle passes the first reference point, the time switch is turned on. As the police vehicle passes the same point, the distance switch is turned on. As the target vehicle passes the second reference point, the time switch is turned off.

The device now knows the time the target vehicle took to travel between the two reference points. As the police vehicle passes the second reference point, the distance switch is turned off. The device now knows the distance between the two reference points that the target vehicle has travelled. From this information it can therefore calculate the vehicle's speed.

The courts generally accept that Vascar is an accurate method of speed detection, so there is little point in challenging its legitimacy. It does have its limitations, however.

Using these devices accurately requires skill and visual acuity, as well as good reaction times. Officers using them must therefore be trained to a high standard, and have their abilities tested and certified.

It also necessary to use the device in well-lit areas and good weather conditions. They should not be used in fog or snow.

Officers using the 'following' method must be careful to avoid a charge of acting as agent provocateur, i.e. enticing the driver in front of them (or behind them) to break the speed limit.

As with radar and laser devices, Vascar units must be professionally calibrated at least once a year and a certificate issued. They should also be checked before any tour of duty, and afterwards if they have been used to detect an offence.
As with all of these detection methods, motorists stopped for an alleged speeding offence detected by Vascar should make a note of all the relevant circumstances, as if any of the above requirements have not been met, you may have good grounds for appeal. There are also some precautionary steps you can take to avoid being caught in the first place.

Always be on the lookout for police cars which may be using Vascar. They may be marked or unmarked, in front of you or behind you.

You can often tell where Vascar is in use by marks such as circles, squares or lines painted on the road. However, note that it is not essential for police to use such marks - they may also use bridges, lamp-posts or other roadside objects to operate Vascar.

Unlike radar and laser speed guns which give an absolute measure of your speed, Vascar shows your average speed over a set distance. If you become aware that a check is being made on you, therefore, you can reduce the average speed which will be shown on the Vascar unit by braking. Don't brake too sharply, however, or you may be accused of dangerous driving (a much more serious offence).

 

[moggy]

Pacing
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This is perhaps the most basic method of speed detection. The police car follows a vehicle suspected of speeding at a constant distance behind. By checking their own speedometer, they can see how fast the target vehicle is travelling.

The best way to avoid being caught this way is to stay aware of the vehicles around you, and whether any of these might be a police car pacing you. Most often the pacing vehicle will be behind your car, but it could be in front of you, or even beside you. The correct procedure for pacing is as follows:

1. The police car takes up a position to the rear of the target car, say around 60 yards behind.

2. The police car maintains that distance, neither catching up nor dropping back.

3. The speed of the target car is matched for a distance of around 1/4 of a mile (however, there are no set minimum or maximum distances for pacing).

4. No other vehicle must interfere with the check, e.g. by coming between the police car and the target vehicle.

If this procedure has not been followed correctly, you should draw it to the attention of the court. However, perhaps the best defence open to the driver is to query the calibration of the police car's speedometer.

All road traffic patrol cars are fitted with super-accurate speedometers which measure in increments of 1 mph. Most police forces require that traffic patrol cars have their speedos professionally calibrated once (sometimes twice) a year. In addition, the officers are required to check the calibration themselves before and after each patrol, and make a note of the calibration check in their pocketbooks.

You can try to obtain the calibration records for a vehicle, perhaps by asking for them to be produced in court. The police often get behind with their paperwork, and if you can throw sufficient doubt on whether the equipment has been properly calibrated, the court may have no alternative but to find in your favour. This is further discussed later in the chapter.

Finally, only road traffic patrol cars have these special speedometers. If you are stopped by a non-traffic officer and told that he followed you and you were speeding, simply ask when his speedometer was last calibrated. It is likely he will let you off, since normal police (beat) cars do not have certified speedometers.

 

[moggy]

What To Do If You Are Stopped For Speeding
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1. Check which type of officer has stopped you: a normal beat officer (black hat, black uniform) or a traffic patrol officer (white hat, green overcoat). A beat officer is much more likely to let you off with a warning: for one thing he is unlikely to have solid proof that you were speeding, and anyway he won't want the extra paperwork. On the other hand, it's a traffic cop's job to catch speeders, so the likelihood of getting a ticket from him or her is much greater.

2. Try to remain calm. Stop the car in a safe place and remain in the driving seat with your hands on the steering wheel as the officer approaches. Don't make any sudden moves or reach into your coat pocket - police officers are becoming understandably more nervous in case drivers are carrying knives or even firearms. If you stay cool and keep your hands visible, you will take a lot of the heat out of the situation.

3. Don't jump to conclusions about why you've been pulled over. It could be for speeding, or then again it may be that one of your tail-lights has blown. Don't talk yourself into a speeding ticket, but wait for the officer to explain why you have been stopped.

4. Be polite to the officer, and certainly be respectful. Remember, he is only doing his job, and may well wish he was somewhere else too! Police officers in the UK have a lot of discretion in how they pursue an alleged road traffic offence, from reporting you for prosecution to letting you off with a warning. Your attitude when you are pulled over can have a considerable bearing on whatever action the officer decides to take.

5. Do not lie, but if you have a genuine excuse for speeding, use it. Being late for a meeting or a job interview won't work, but rushing your wife to hospital to give birth (though not a statutory defence to a speeding ticket) probably will.

6. Avoid being cocky, but never admit an offence at the roadside. Remember that, when speaking to the police, anything you say really can be taken down and used in evidence against you. If you are sure you did not commit the alleged offence then say so, and stick to your story. On the other hand, if you're not sure whether you committed the offence or not, avoid saying anything that might incriminate you. A good approach is to tell the officer you thought you were going under the speed limit, but avoid getting into an argument with him.

7. Another reason for never admitting guilt at the roadside is that the officer may not have legally watertight proof that you were speeding. He may be hoping you will admit your guilt, accept the ticket and make life easy for him. Don't do this! If you don't admit to speeding and he knows he can't prove it, he may have no alternative but to let you off with a warning.

8. If the officer decides to issue you with a fixed penalty ticket or report you for summons, ask what offence it is for, but don't say or do anything else which could harm your defence later. Don't refuse to accept the ticket, or refuse to give your name and address. If you do, you could be arrested and held at the police station. By accepting the ticket and co-operating with the officer you are not admitting guilt.

9. However, do NOT hand over your driving licence, even if you have it with you (unlike some countries, there is no legal requirement in the UK to carry your licence with you). If you tell the officer you do not have your licence to hand, he or she will tell you to present it a police station within seven days, which you should do. If you hand over your licence at the roadside it will be taken as an admission of guilt - but if you present it later at a police station, you are just complying with the law.

10. Take detailed notes of all the facts relating to the situation, including:

the time, date and location;
the position of any other vehicles (especially if they may have affected the reading on the speed detector);
the weather conditions and visibility;
what the officer said to you, and what you said in reply;
the officer's collar number and their vehicle registration number; and
a brief physical description of the officer, so that you recognise him in court (a photo would be ideal).
Make these notes at the time rather than later. In court you may be asked if your notes were made at the scene. You need to be able to answer 'yes' to this.

11. In addition, if a radar or laser speed detector was used, ask to look at the device and check that it displays the speed you were stopped for. Take a note of the make, model and serial number. If a laser speed gun was used, note down the position of the sun and any other bright lights which may have affected the reading. Ask the officer when the device was last calibrated, and make a note of his reply. This information may be crucial if you decide to contest the charge in court.

By following this process, you will minimise the risk of being issued with a ticket. And, if a ticket IS issued and you decide to challenge it, you will have avoided harming your case and prepared the ground for your defence.

 

[moggy]

SPEED CAMERAS
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These are the other main method used to detect and prosecute speeding motorists. Speed cameras came to the UK in 1992. There are now around 5,000 installed on Britain's roads, with the greatest concentrations in London and the West Midlands. They have proved hugely efficient in extracting fines from British motorists, though (as mentioned at the start of this chapter) the contribution they make to road safety is far more debatable.

The speed cameras most widely used in Britain are Gatsometers, or Gatsos for short. These are the large grey boxes which have become such a familiar sight along Britain's roads (though some are now being painted other colours following criticism that they were not providing a sufficiently visible deterrent). Gatsos are named after their inventor, the former Dutch racing and rally driver Maurice Gatsonides. They are manufactured in the Netherlands by Gatso BV, a company originally formed by Gatsonides.

A speed camera installation consists of two parts:

1. A radar gun projecting a narrow beam across the road and using this to measure the speed of every vehicle (in some of the latest units, speed is measured instead by an inductive loop under the road).

2. A camera unit, which takes flash pictures of every vehicle exceeding the speed limit. In Britain two pictures are taken, usually half a second apart, to provide further evidence of the speed at which the vehicle was travelling. The camera points in the direction of motion and photographs the vehicle from behind. Forward-facing cameras are not generally used in this country.

On the road beside each Gatso you should see a series of white lines a few yards apart, at right angles to the kerb. The function of these is to confirm the speed shown on the camera's radar. By comparing the position of the vehicle in the first photo with its position in the second, it is possible to work out exactly how far the vehicle has travelled during that half-second, and from this the speed at which it was going. If you are speeding this provides additional confirmation, though if the radar is faulty (as we shall see shortly) it may also provide the evidence you need to prove your innocence. Note, however, that these marks do not have to be used on single carriageway roads or with mobile speed cameras.

Most current Gatsos are the so-called 'wet film' type. They are loaded with cartridges of film consisting of 800 frames. Once a cartridge has been fully exposed it must be removed for processing, and the unit will be unable to function until a new cartridge is installed. However, technology is moving on all the time, and the latest generation of Gatsos have digital cameras which do not require film, along with optical character recognition (OCR) software which analyses images for details of vehicle registrations. In the latest fully electronic systems, cameras are linked to remote computers by telephone or ISDN lines. Speeding tickets can be printed remotely a few seconds after an offence has been observed - linking with vehicle registration databases to match the owner against the registration number, and printing and mailing the prosecution documents automatically.

Gatsos are expensive to buy and maintain, and the 'wet film' type need to have their cartridges changed regularly. For this reason, only a minority of speed cameras are actually working at any one time. According to Serco, the official distributors and installers of Gatsos, the figure is around one in eight, though the proportion is higher in London and Scotland.

Of course, although a camera may not be operational one day, the next day it may be loaded with film. By constantly changing which cameras are working, the police aim to sow the seeds of uncertainty in motorists' minds and ensure that even dummy cameras have a deterrent value. Contrary to some 'urban myths', there is no easy way to tell which speed cameras are dummies and which are real, and both real and dummy cameras are equipped with flash.

 

[moggy]

Defending Against a Speed Camera Ticket
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If you are caught by a speed camera, generally the first you will know of it is when a Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP) arrives in the post. Legally this must be within 14 days of the date of the alleged offence, and the police also get an allowance of a couple of days for the post to deliver them. So if it's more than 17 days since you were flashed they are too late to prosecute you, unless you were driving a company car, hire car or someone else's car, in which case they are allowed more time to track you down.

Although the police and courts place great faith in speed cameras, these devices can and do produce errors.

Objects can act as radio mirrors and reflect signals from moving vehicles outside the area of coverage. For example, a signal could be reflected around a bend in the road and measure the speed of a vehicle not visible to the camera.

Large vehicles such as lorries and caravans are well known to produce false readings, especially if they are vibrating excessively. If they cause roadside objects to vibrate as they pass, this can also trigger false readings.

Tests have shown that loud noises or music can also produce inaccurate results. If you turn your car radio up loud, it is theoretically possible that a speed camera could record your speed as over 100 mph, even if you are actually going at a steady thirty!

Youths have also been apprehended spinning highly polished tin cans and other metal items in front of speed cameras, which mistake this for a speeding vehicle and 'flash' anything which may be passing at the time.

Even birds can trigger a speed camera! One in Germany filmed a duck breaking the speed limit. It was registered as flying at 24 mph in a 19 mph zone. The bird was flying just above ground level in Gluckstadt when it set off the speed camera.

 

[moggy]

Other Speed Camera Defences
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There are several other defences which can be used in response to a speed camera NIP.

1. Identity

Speed cameras take photos from behind, so that the driver's face is not visible. This means you may be able to have a speeding charge quashed if you can show that you genuinely do not know who was driving the vehicle at the time of the alleged offence.

The celebrities Neil and Christine Hamilton used this defence in 2003 to dodge a speeding ticket. Their vehicle was caught by speed cameras on the M62, travelling at 62 mph in a section with a temporary limit of 50. As the owner, Christine Hamilton received the Notice of Intended Prosecution, but she claimed she could not remember who was driving the car at this time, her or Neil, and the photograph was inconclusive. The case was thrown out at Manchester Magistrates Court.

If you plan to use this defence, it is a good idea if you have more than one designated driver on your insurance policy (to show that it could have been any of these people driving the car on the day in question). Note that it is an offence not to make your best efforts to establish the identity of the driver, and if the court finds you guilty of this the penalties could be worse than for a speeding offence. However, if there is genuine uncertainty, the Hamiltons' example shows that this can be a highly effective line of defence.


2. Camera Incorrectly Sited

Another possible defence you can use is that the camera was not sited and used in accordance with the regulations. According to the guidelines, cameras may only be used in the following locations:

The site must be at least 400 metres in length.

The number of injury accidents in the preceding three years is eight or more.

The number of fatal/serious accidents in the preceding three years is four or more, and the site has a history of excessive speed.

The 85th percentile speed is greater than ACPO guidelines (the 85th percentile speed on a road is the speed at or below which 85% of vehicles travel on it).

The site conditions are suitable.

No other speed reduction methods are appropriate, e.g. speed humps.
If you believe that the speed camera which caught you does not meet these requirements, it could certainly form the basis for your defence (and will have the additional benefit of causing the authorities considerable embarrassment if you are correct!).


3. The Right to Silence

Common law in Britain gives everyone the right not to incriminate themselves, and this right is further enshrined in Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).

However, a motorist receiving a NIP from a speed camera is required to reveal the identity of the person driving the car so that they can be prosecuted (remember that Gatsos, by far the most commonly used speed cameras, only take photos from behind, meaning it is often impossible to identify the driver). Some motorists have therefore refused to provide this information, citing their right under common law and Article 6 of the ECHR to remain silent so as not to incriminate themselves.

At the time of writing a case based on this defence is being taken by a driver called Idris Francis to the European Court of Human Rights. Mr Francis is being supported by the Association of British Drivers, and you can read the latest news about this on their Web site at www.abd.org.uk/righttosilence.htm. Obviously much now depends on the outcome of this case, and if you are considering using a 'right to silence' defence we would strongly recommend speaking to a solicitor rather than attempting to fight it entirely on your own.