Yes it's the same 35 in a 30 zone

 

A traffic bobby once told me that if 99% of them were following a car on the motorway and it was doing up to 80 then theyd leave it but over that then the camera goes on.

 

Absolute nonsense - I don't suggest you try it.

Sorry Niall, even the 35 in a 30 myth is not law! The speed limits are the law so 30.0001 is breaking it. Aside from all sorts of procedural issues that can affect 'guilt', the Association of Chief Police Officers has GUIDELINES which are generally interpreted as 10% plus 3 (so 80 in a 70) but there are many other factors.

Don't forget manufacturers speedo standards allow for over-reading and although modern cars are more accurate than the cable driven ones of old, speeods typically still overread 5%+......assuming the driver hasn't changed the wheel/tyre size! So at 80 indicated on a motorway, a standard car is well below ACPO guidelines.....but they are only guidelines, not law.

If anything there is talk of reducing the speed limits to 50-55 to save fuel, but I suspect that's just a rumour.....but look at how many 60 mph A roads are now 50.....

The Speed Awareness Course is not available everywhere - only certain Police Authorities offer it and they differ in terms of eligibility. As the SAc generates revenue, I reckon we may well see more of these....£100+ vs £60 FP....go figure!

 

Absolute nonsense - I don't suggest you try it.

If anything there is talk of reducing the speed limits to 50-55 to save fuel, but I suspect that's just a rumour.....but look at how many 60 mph A roads are now 50.....

to be fair its pretty hard to keep it at 60 on some of those A roads

 

Yes read this this morning.

Not a new speed limit just looks like no points awarded upto this speed.

Seems like common sense.

adios

 

I would say your correct if as all ready stated they do the courses in your area but there's one small snag.After completing one there is a time period before your eligable to take another course(think it's 2/3 yrs) if you get caught again within that peroid not only do you collect points but could end up with the previously waived points as a Brucy bonus.

 

How about we use eyes, ears and brain when choosing our speed?

Doing 30mph down a double parked residential street in a 30mph zone is daft. Like wise 70 mph on a motorway at 3am might be deemed overly restricive.

However, I would always recommend obeying the law.

 

Totally agree, regardless of the speed limit the determining factor should be conditions at the time. Doung 70 in thick fog/heavy rain is stupid, but 80 in clear weather is acceptable. Both examples based on dual carriage ways not residential streets obviously.

 

wouldnt bet me lisence on it, i drive a hell of a lot of miles, monday ill go to broadstairs and folkstone, then ill be off to aberdeen and inverness, carlilse on friday, i see more speed camera vans out there than ever this year, talking to someone at vosa and basicaly they are revenue raising, speed camera's and health and safty are the only industrys doing well in this country

 

afcneil's post above is absoloutely spot on ( just a teeny correction, acpo guidelines are now ten percent plus 2 ) the partnership mobile camera's operate at these guidelines and give a provisional offer of the speed awareness course for being marginally above these guidelines..every case is looked at on its merit so you are not guaranteed the offer ( ie, past a school when kids are coming in/out)........the normal " unofficail" guidelines are up to 15mph above the limit...warning ( depending on attitude test) ..15 to 25 mph above endorsable pfn....over 25 mph above, summons as it is likely to lead to disqualification !

 

Read an article in the Telegraph a couple of weeks ago that agrees with this. It said that as police forces have had budget cuts they are upping the limit for speed awarness courses from 10%+5mph to 10%+8mph. These courses vary in cost from £70-£110 and go to the actual police forces concerned rather than speed camera fines which go to the government.

 

so as not to confuse .. the "unofficial" above relates to traffic police.

 

Spot on Alan. Duly corrected!

Many confuse 'guidelines' with 'law' (or rules)...guidelines are really worth a toss....

The SAC for motorway 'excesses' is progress of sorts, but let's not forget the 'offence' has already taken place so these cameras and the SAc are after-the-event taxation......nothing more.....

 

Fully agree..massive revenue maker...they have just brought out progressive endorsable fixed penalty notices now...can be issued now for no insurance ( £200 and 6 points) obviously only for first offence or less than 5 current points due to totting up.

 

Am I right in thinking that if vehicles around you are speeding at 80mph the general concensus is that if the motorway is running at 80 mph it is ok?

But if the motorway is running at, say, 70mph and your doing 80mph they are more likely to pull you? :confused

 

Thats how I think, I try to match whatevers happening in the fast lane, unless I am pushing 80-85 and someone is sniffing my tail trying to get past then I let them through.

Its hard to judge what to do and what not to do, best to always be on ur guard as my friends wife was camera'd off a bridge on the M1 and chased by a rangerover and fined and 6 points for doing 86 not long back!

 

Hi dog, No is the short answer, its 70 maximum ( but the guidelines are there for speedometer tolerences) it would be virtually impossible to stop and report everybody in them circs ( unless using a laser video)..its each case on its merit really, empty m/way you would most likely not be pulled at 80 ( as long as you took a bit off when seeing the traffic car ) its called discression :thumbsup

 

6 points ?? did she take it to court ? FPN is £60 and 3 points :confused

 

Yeh she went to court.

Must have made her a example!

I been caught once and got 3 points, a two friends at work been flashed and been to 2 awareness courses which I dont get. Esp as they all in same area.

 

could be a number of factors..time of day..location..actual speed...etc

 

lucky he didnt slap you with a due care dell....but really you would have only had yourself to blame :rofl :rofl

 

The motorway was deserted at the time and it was early 80's and apart from that i was running BFG plates which may of helped:thumbsup:rofl:rofl

 

I got nailed at 81 on the M74 last year.

Basically, if you stray over 30/40/50/70, you're at risk. If your speedo shows 33, 44, 55 or 77 you reduce the risk but don't take anything for granted as far as these bastards are concerned.

 

That was harsh, last time i got done was on the M74 and they didnt pull me till i was doing 92.99!!! just put my hands up, didnt argue and took it on the chin-got away with 3 points and £60 fine.

 

My mate ha just done one of those courses 38 in a 30 limit after the course you have to do a written test and if you fail that youstill get the 3 points lol

 

My mate ha just done one of those courses 38 in a 30 limit after the course you have to do a written test and if you fail that youstill get the 3 points lol

Let thats me Fooked:hihi:hihi:hihi:hihi:hihi

 

Dont forget 18:00/06:00 most police change over and dont want to do paper work... at around that time give or take...

Nevermind... was hoping that 86mph was the new speed limit... shame... Cant England do autobarn.......

 

Nevermind... was hoping that 86mph was the new speed limit... shame... Cant England do autobarn.......

I agree the Germans are pretty sensible fellows - having just come back from there I'd love to see some derestricted stretches here - though I just can't see it working somehow:frown

 

Been stopped by the police doing 90 on the motorway. Got 3 points he said if i were doing 80ish he would not have bothered!

 

I probably waste more fuel getting off the housing estate than the rest of my journey all in. 11 speed humps to get to main road along with a further 8 on the route to work. Lots of slamming on, slow to a crawl, hop over speed hump then accelerate to next suspension/wheel/sump killer

 

I was in Germany for six years and thought nothing about doing 140 plus because as has already being said the Germans are more considerate and are used to driving at high speed but don't have the Brit penis extension or macho attitude to driving.
When i was out there the Woofers(F*ck off wagon n drags) used to shoot past me most of the time when i was doing 80mph before they were restricted and they were going some but guess what----very few accidents.

 

Not that many German autobahns are derestricted these days. They are restricted around the junctions for example. They can drive at high speed because they basically pioneered high speed motorway travel, and have adjusted accordingly. There is some aggressive driving, mainly when you're in the way of a much faster car....the answer is to get out of the way. Rude hand signals a verboten, and frowned upon.

They have fewer accidents - but the few they do have can often be pretty big multiple pile up jobs. The worst drivers in Europe in my experience tend to be the Dutch and the in particular, Belgians. Oh, and the Brits. Derestricting UK motorways would result in utter carnage.

 

there should be some form of staggered limits for motorways depending on driving experience, maybe a 2nd test or something similar after 5 yrs experience..dont forget the speed limits on motorways were set in the 60,s based on the ability of the vehicles in production then ( and the stopping distances then ) a modern car will stop from 70 in the time and distance a 1960s car with drum brakes could do from 30 !!

 

Very good point! Clarkson done the test on top gear, a Mac merc slr can stop from 120mph in a shorter distance than the guideline says u should stop from 60, allowing a bit of time for human reactions you should atleast be able to go 100mph on motorways now days. 70mph is so bloody slow its unreal...

The world seems to be going backwards... rather than making it safer for us to go faster they just slow us all down... They just do it to get more people to use public transport (my own little conspiracy theory) lol

 

Having lived and driven in Germany, I've seen how well disciplined German motorists are on the autobahns. They understand overtaking, correct lane discipline and courtesy for other cars. British motorists don't have any of these on motorways. They sit in the middle lane doing exactly the same speed as the traffic in the inside lane, and even when there is nothing in the inside lane at all! They'll do just a few mph over 70 in the outside lane when they could get their asses back into the other lanes, but don't. And then they cry and get all upset if you flash them to remind them that people may want to pass them.