Author Topic: Speed limits --- safety?  (Read 11820 times)

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Offline Michael

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Speed limits --- safety?
« on: January 14, 2013, 09:03:21 pm »
   Not often you find me on the Police section of the TTF. However, what's the view of any readers.
   The Old Colwyn junction on to the A55 facing west. In the dark, around 6 p.m.   I drive up past a marked police car waiting on the hard shoulder. They are often there.  At a guess watching for speeding motorists driving west. You dont have to be clever in guessing that. They have got a camera in their hands.
   I am now on the A55, a fair amount of traffic heading west all in the nearside lane, all doing 50 m.p.h.
   Before I left the A55 at the first Colwyn Bay junction, only around 200 yards away, this police car passed in the fast lane. AND HE WAS MOVING.   In excess of 70 m.p.h.  No blue lights.
  I don't suppose it was particularly dangerous, there was nothing in the outside lane. But, it was dark and it was wet.
  So --- it is assumed that it is dangerous to drive at over 50 m.p.h.       Is is right that to catch a fast driver, its O.K. for them to go however fast they feel like?   Mike

Offline Yorkie

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Re: Speed limits --- safety?
« Reply #1 on: January 14, 2013, 09:25:06 pm »
Mike, he was probably chasing to catch up a speeding driver and would not switch on his two's and blue's until he was quite close to the car, and after he had followed it at a regular distance in order to prove the offence.   If he had put his warnings on too early the offending driver would have possibly slowed down and proof of the speeding would not be possible.

Alternatively if they had a "gun" it nay have been a ANPR device which had signalled a licence or insurance offence etc.
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Offline Michael

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Re: Speed limits --- safety?
« Reply #2 on: January 14, 2013, 09:55:18 pm »
   Yes, Yorkie, that is  what he was doing, there is no doubt about that. But, my last sentence. What are your feelings about them doing that i.e. driving at excess of 70 mph, dark and wet road, to catch a car doing I don't know, I didnt see it, but probably around 55 to 60?

Offline Yorkie

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Re: Speed limits --- safety?
« Reply #3 on: January 15, 2013, 09:30:35 am »
All are specially trained for such duties and would not drive at high speed if it were dangerous to do so.

I thought you had an Advanced Driver's qualification Mike?

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Offline Michael

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Re: Speed limits --- safety?
« Reply #4 on: January 16, 2013, 12:13:10 am »
  Yes I have. But that does not mean that I have studied Police practice in training for special duties.  This is the whole point of my question.
  Are they driving at high speed when it MAY BE dangerous to do so?  And in this case they were driving in excess of 70 mph, at my guess, in a 50 mph area and, seeing as there were no blue lights, presumably after a comparatively minor offence of someone speeding in front of him.
  And I only asked for forum readers opinions.   Well, I've got yours. Silence from everyone else.
  Oh, and in passing I'll give you my opinion in general. Virtually every driver in police uniform thinks that they possess special skills in driving. And the vast majority hav'ent. Twice over the years I have been stopped by police in a car, given a lecture about my driving, when I've stood up for myself they finished with "I'll let you off this time" --- and I had done nothing wrong' on the second occasion the police were in the wrong. It should have been me letting HIM off.

Offline Yorkie

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Re: Speed limits --- safety?
« Reply #5 on: January 16, 2013, 09:09:22 am »
We all have experiences relating to the Police and we all know that some of them take their powers a bit too seriously, but can I now pose other questions?

You said, "Before I left the A55 at the first Colwyn Bay junction, only around 200 yards away, this police car passed in the fast lane. AND HE WAS MOVING.   In excess of 70 m.p.h. No blue lights.  I don't suppose it was particularly dangerous, there was nothing in the outside lane. But, it was dark and it was wet."
and also you said, "Are they driving at high speed when it MAY BE dangerous to do so?  And in this case they were driving in excess of 70 mph, at my guess, in a 50 mph area ".

In answer to the first part I believe that they do not want to injure themselves or be involved in an accident and so most will drive accordingly, you say the road was clear.   Next, how qualified are you to judge the speed of another vehicle where you admit it was dark, it was raining and you were obviously concentrating on your own driving?  The car could have been doing 90 let alone 70+.

The same comments about the Police could also be levelled at the Paramedic Car, Ambulances, Fire Engines, the Coastguard, Blood Deliveries etc. all who are concerned with the preservation and saving of life.   We have to appreciate such services (that we could well need ourselves), and therefore accept that whatever they are doing is in the interests of the public, and society in general.

My last offence (in 2005) was doing 95 on the A55 when I was caught by an unmarked Police car.   My own fault completely but the officer who dealt with me could not have been more polite.  He had to travel at over 100 to apprehend me.   I paid my £60 and got my first 3 points ever.
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Offline Michael

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Re: Speed limits --- safety?
« Reply #6 on: January 16, 2013, 08:22:29 pm »
  Yorkie, I must take my hat off to you.I felt quite ashamed of myself starting this thread after reading your reply Mike

Offline FatAndy

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Re: Speed limits --- safety?
« Reply #7 on: August 24, 2013, 01:48:51 pm »
I saw the speed camera van perched on the bridge between the RSPB and Tesco in the Junction yesterday looking down on the A55.  That's the first time I've ever seen them there and no doubt lots of people will be receiving unwelcome mail in the next 13 days  ;)
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Offline dwsi

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Re: Speed limits --- safety?
« Reply #8 on: August 24, 2013, 01:55:35 pm »
I saw the speed camera van perched on the bridge between the RSPB and Tesco in the Junction yesterday looking down on the A55.  That's the first time I've ever seen them there and no doubt lots of people will be receiving unwelcome mail in the next 13 days  ;).

I wonder if they'll catch and fine the idiots that go 30mph between Tesco and Black Cat on the A55, more of a danger than speeding.

Offline Gwynant

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Re: Speed limits --- safety?
« Reply #9 on: August 24, 2013, 02:04:14 pm »
              I was informed last night by a usually reliable source that there were several police camera vans positioned on numerous bridges on the A55 yesterday, ( allegedly 3 were spotted between Menai Bridge and Junction yesterday), but they were primarily being used for the Numberplate Recognition System, which tells them instantly if a vehicle is stolen or untaxed/uninsured etc and then they can be stopped further down the road.

Offline FatAndy

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Re: Speed limits --- safety?
« Reply #10 on: August 24, 2013, 03:24:23 pm »
              I was informed last night by a usually reliable source that there were several police camera vans positioned on numerous bridges on the A55 yesterday, ( allegedly 3 were spotted between Menai Bridge and Junction yesterday), but they were primarily being used for the Numberplate Recognition System, which tells them instantly if a vehicle is stolen or untaxed/uninsured etc and then they can be stopped further down the road.

There's a Europe wide anti-speeding campaign going on this week so I suspect the police presence on the A55 has something to do with this.  The A55 is part of Euroroute E22 which runs from Holyhead to Ishim in Russia (a much traveled route I'd imagine) so it would make sense it would be part of the Europe wide speed campaign.

This is taken from the NWP website -

"Motorists who risk live by speeding will be targeted by North Wales Police as part of a week-long campaign.

The crackdown on speeding motorists is set to take place throughout Europe next week as part of the European-wide initiative to crack down on speeding motorists - starting on Monday, August 19th until Sunday August 25th.

The TISPOL (European Traffic Police Network) campaign will see all police forces across Europe tackling speeding by conducting random speed checks.

North Wales Police Roads Policing Officers along with Go Safe will be combining their efforts to deter and detect motorists who choose to ignore the speed limits. Drivers who are caught speeding will be issued with anything from a Fixed Penalty Ticket to a summons to attend court.
"

http://www.north-wales.police.uk/news__appeals/latest_news/tispol_speed_awareness.aspx
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Offline Big Alan

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Re: Speed limits --- safety?
« Reply #11 on: August 24, 2013, 04:03:50 pm »
ACAB
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Offline DaveR

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Re: Speed limits --- safety?
« Reply #12 on: August 24, 2013, 04:15:37 pm »
              I was informed last night by a usually reliable source that there were several police camera vans positioned on numerous bridges on the A55 yesterday, ( allegedly 3 were spotted between Menai Bridge and Junction yesterday), but they were primarily being used for the Numberplate Recognition System, which tells them instantly if a vehicle is stolen or untaxed/uninsured etc and then they can be stopped further down the road.

There's a Europe wide anti-speeding campaign going on this week so I suspect the police presence on the A55 has something to do with this.  The A55 is part of Euroroute E22 which runs from Holyhead to Ishim in Russia (a much traveled route I'd imagine) so it would make sense it would be part of the Europe wide speed campaign.

This is taken from the NWP website -

"Motorists who risk live by speeding will be targeted by North Wales Police as part of a week-long campaign.

The crackdown on speeding motorists is set to take place throughout Europe next week as part of the European-wide initiative to crack down on speeding motorists - starting on Monday, August 19th until Sunday August 25th.

The TISPOL (European Traffic Police Network) campaign will see all police forces across Europe tackling speeding by conducting random speed checks.

North Wales Police Roads Policing Officers along with Go Safe will be combining their efforts to deter and detect motorists who choose to ignore the speed limits. Drivers who are caught speeding will be issued with anything from a Fixed Penalty Ticket to a summons to attend court.
"

http://www.north-wales.police.uk/news__appeals/latest_news/tispol_speed_awareness.aspx

I found the statement from NWP Police interesting. They seem to be saying that speeding is dangerous; but the reality is that it is surely the standard of driving that dictates whether it is or not. You see just as many idiots driving dangerously at 40mph as you do at 80mph.

Offline Yorkie

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Re: Speed limits --- safety?
« Reply #13 on: August 24, 2013, 05:04:47 pm »
Quite agree.....  Speeding per se is not neccesarilly dangerous.  In fact the I.A.M. and RoSPA advocate using the fastest safe speed in their Advanced Driving Course.  Going too slow can result in a failed test! :D
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Offline Merddin Emrys

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Re: Speed limits --- safety?
« Reply #14 on: August 24, 2013, 06:27:32 pm »
I also agree, it's driving skill and ability that counts, looking ahead on the road anticipating various potential hazards, not staring at a speedometer!
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