[birdiemachine]

Just tonight I was pulled over and wanted some other members opinions.

Passed through a large town, kept religiously to speed limits as always I do, 30mph, into a 40mph, then a section of about 400 yards before a dual carriageway. There was a large layby at this section.

After the 40mph limit I planted it in 3rd to 60ish and entered the dual carriageway subsequently pulled it into 6th and set the cruise to slightly above 70 and was admiring the nice weather when I seen a skoda pull up behind me with the flashers on. I pulled over and first thing he said was "have you a licence that you can drive at any speed you like?"

I was genuinely shocked and asked him where was I speeding and he said we had to do almost 100 to catch you. I was going to be a smart ass and say well simple physics if I'm a mile in front of you doing 70mph your going to have to do 90mph to catch me.

This went on for quite some time and I stuck to my story which was the truth, he checked all the details etc etc I asked him few times what speed I was doing and he couldn't answer me and eventually he let me go on my way and said "he'll be keeping a eye out for me".

Long story short, was he bluffing me? Can two police men in a car do you for speeding based on their speedo?

I've been driving for 10 years and have a clean licence and value my licence highly and don't speed.

Just seemed strange to me.

Your thoughts please gentlemen.

 

[JamieP86]

Of course you can't be done for speeding going by a speedo reading from a Police car, otherwise you would have 3 points and a £60 fine tonight from those Officers.

Speeding has to be recorded via a calibrated speed enforcement camera or dash cam located in the police car (used for average speed etc)

If the Officers 'thought' you were speeding then you have nothing to worry about... They have to have some sort of evidence to present a case, without evidence there is no prosecution (points and fine) etc... Unless you're really unlucky and then it's your job to prove you weren't against them trying to prove you were.

 

[L_O_Z]

Almost exactly same thing happened to me. Officer accused me of speeding and when I asked for proof he made out like he was doing me a favour by treating it as a warning. He said I pulled away too quickly and accelerated up to the speed limit too quickly. Then accused me of speeding saying he had to break the speed limit to catch me. I was going to give him the simple physics lesson but thought I was best off maintaining I did not break the law and listen to his advice.

 

[TheDoc]

Obviously bluffing as 100 would be an instant ban anyway. Probably heard the car as you dropped it into 3rd and hit 60. Also, I'm pretty sure they need definite proof to charge you.

 

[L_O_Z]

Again as I said in the topic I made I think these officers are the minority. Most police officers I've spoken to have been nothing but professional and polite, doing a job I don't want to do for not nearly enough money.

 

[birdiemachine]

Yea he was a civil enough lad, my car is noisy so he probably heard me going through the section between the 40 and the dual carriageway and thought I was hammering it. G8 summit coming up over here soon so lot of police prescence about.

 

[vrt]

Was it traffic? & did they have a camera in there car?(if not)
No proof
No case
No been convict
Your fine

As contridicting, as this sound.
Am unsure now if the police let you away wif nothing @ the incdent that the end of it.
I was driving a hyper/supercar in a glasgow in a rougharea
Police pulled me, then tryed to do me for IN10 (no insurance) but then goes your ok on you go,
Thought that was the end of it.
4months later had a warrent out in my name,
Because they went back to the H/O and something was clear from the insurance company.
Took to court
Then got proved i was insured,
Basically I think this copper or those coppers(who pulled) whill keep a eye out for your car that all(i could be wrong)

Regards
Vrt

 

[birdiemachine]

Was it traffic? & did they have a camera in there car?(if not)
No proof
No case
No been convict
Your fine

As contridicting, as this sound.
Am unsure now if the police let you away wif nothing @ the incdent that the end of it.
I was driving a hyper/supercar in a glasgow in a rougharea
Police pulled me, then tryed to do me for IN10 (no insurance) but then goes your ok on you go,
Thought that was the end of it.
4months later had a warrent out in my name,
Because they went back to the H/O and something was clear from the insurance company.
Took to court
Then got proved i was insured,
Basically I think this copper or those coppers(who pulled) whill keep a eye out for your car that all(i could be wrong)

Regards
Vrt

Weren't traffic just regular police, he said they had to do 90-100 to catch me but I genuinely was only doing 70mph, what I wasn't sure of if two policemen are sitting in a car is there word based on their own speedo good enough or do they need cameras etc?

I carry my insurance with me now as its always too much hassle at road side. 2 years hassle free driving with the r and been pulled 4 times in the last month. Hope this isn't a sign of things to come.

 

[Paul]

I think you will find you can be done from a speedo in a police car as they will calibrate it over a set mile and it only takes 1 officer to say you were speeding ...i think it's 2 in Scotland.

They to have to follow you for a short distance to get a set speed but they can do you for going over 70mph with out giving a speed if they want to

They don't need any video to prove it...their word is enough especially if there are 2 of them

 

[birdiemachine]

Almost exactly same thing happened to me. Officer accused me of speeding and when I asked for proof he made out like he was doing me a favour by treating it as a warning. He said I pulled away too quickly and accelerated up to the speed limit too quickly. Then accused me of speeding saying he had to break the speed limit to catch me. I was going to give him the simple physics lesson but thought I was best off maintaining I did not break the law and listen to his advice.

Is there a issue accelerating hard up up a legal speed if road conditions permit? Or could they, if they want, claim reckless/dangerous driving etc?

 

[Paul]

If you ever bored have a good read on http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php? at the speeding section.

 

[birdiemachine]

I think you will find you can be done from a speedo in a police car as they will calibrate it over a set mile and it only takes 1 officer to say you were speeding ...i think it's 2 in Scotland.

They to have to follow you for a short distance to get a set speed but they can do you for going over 70mph with out giving a speed if they want to

They don't need any video to prove it...their word is enough especially if there are 2 of them

You see this is what I've heard before Paulie, which I wasn't sure if it was true as I thought they would need a camera etc, so two policemens word and their speedo is good enough, that's a bit worrying they don't have to have prove "as such".

 

[birdiemachine]

Proof*

 

[Paul]

1 officers word is good enough.( I think it's 2 in Scotland but not sure)..if they summons you and you went to court who do you think they would believe ...joe public who is facing a fine/points/ban or a policeman who has nothing to gain?

 

[birdiemachine]

1 officers word is good enough.( I think it's 2 in Scotland but not sure)..if they summons you and you went to court who do you think they would believe ...joe public who is facing a fine/points/ban or a policeman who has nothing to gain?

Yea see your point mate, bit flawed that really isn't it? Another good reason to always be polite and courteous when pulled over.

 

[L_O_Z]

Is there a issue accelerating hard up up a legal speed if road conditions permit? Or could they, if they want, claim reckless/dangerous driving etc?

I don't know for sure but my driving instructor said, once you pull out onto a main road it's best to get up to the speed limit as quickly as possible (without spinning the wheels)

 

[cuprabob]

If you were doing 70, they will obviously have to go a fair bit faster to catch you as you are doing over a mile a minute and depending on what their start position was they will have to go a fair speed to catch you. If they had stuck to 70 they could never catch you until you slowed down.

 

[L_O_Z]

1 officers word is good enough.( I think it's 2 in Scotland but not sure)..if they summons you and you went to court who do you think they would believe ...joe public who is facing a fine/points/ban or a policeman who has nothing to gain?

Why is there a loophole regarding speed guns? If the policemans laser clocks 70mph in a 30 and his gun hasn't been "calibrated" that morning (there's no log documented) then he can't issue you a ticket. I've heard of a lot of people using this loophole (not sure how true they all are ofc). But if they are true surely the police officer can say "there's no way he was doing 30"?

 

[Paul_N]

They can time you when following over a known distance and prosecute you or time you between two points. In this case they couldn't as you were on the limit not breaking it. However they are not all honest, I was once prosecuted for 103 MPH on the A10 (its a dual carriageway) they timed me between two bridges, but I know that at no time did I go over 90, and saw them ahead just after the first bridge and lifted off. I probably averaged 8 0 mph between their markers but it was my word against hers.

Be vigilant is my advice.

Paul

 

[vrt]

1 officers word is good enough.( I think it's 2 in Scotland but not sure)..if they summons you and you went to court who do you think they would believe ...joe public who is facing a fine/points/ban or a policeman who has nothing to gain?

Yeah agree wif the two officer scotland statement, as they need another officer to witeness them.
Same in security the law differ from scotland to northen ireland to the rest of the uk.
Civil & common law
Scots law and all that.
And as daft as it sounds,
A police officer can only do a fully arrest if fully in uniform ie wearing there hat at the time,
Cause if a peace of there uniform is missing it classed as a civil arrest(dnt quote me on that tho)

Regards
Vrt