midlifetrucker:
Saw one of these at Brinklow last week it DoD the job made me slow to the limit so I guess it works
Thats the whole idea behind these schemes. Far cheaper than stationing two coppers there once in a blue moon.
From what im told though the worst thing that could come out of it as a driver is a snotty letter from your local constabulary telling you to slow down.
Blue rinse brigade have too much time on their hands, they should be spending their kids inheritance on round the world cruises to avoid paying for care in later life, in the UK you are punished for working hard and saving money.
Got a letter from Wiltshire police saying I had been clocked by these busybodies so wrote under freedom of information to the police who confirmed that they can only report offenders to the police who will write to the driver.the police cannot take action as these people only have. 2 hours training and the machines they use are only calibrated every 3 years so if your number comes up to often the police will call and give you a verbal warning but they cannot prosecute on the word of the busybodies,
its all a big jolly for the blue rinse round here in the summer months. A group of 8-12 of them all at the side of the road on deckchairs passing a tea flask round while one desperately tries to catch anyone going over 40 (40 speed limit). Funny you never see them at lunch time or if the weathers got a bad forecast.
I used to cruise past at 40 in second gear in old focus ST and ease off as I passed them banging and spitting flames out the back 
Someone should drive past these oxygen wasters, dressed as the grim reaper and shout out “you’re next!”
Why can’t these fossils just do traffic surveys in their treasured Rover 45s, or sit in a garden centre cafe boring people with talk of the grandchildren they never see?
robroy:
I’ve got mixed feelings about this sort of thing.
On one hand we have the nimby type weasel type fannys that fancy themselves as Traffic Police, but on the other hand they and other villagers, are probably severely ■■■■■■ off with knob type truck drivers flying through their village.I live in a 30mph limit rural village and it does my [zb] nut in.
When my kids were little you had to have eyes in the back of your head.
Only recently this guy came around the corner in an artic on the wrong side as my wife and youngest daughter were coming in the opposite direction in her car. She was quite shook up, I just saw red, got in car and caught up with him on the by pass and had a word with him in the lay by.
To be fair he did apologise, (although I secretly hoped he would be agressive as I was that way out)
I always try and keep below the limit in the villages I frequently pass through in my job.
Same as that. I never speed anymore anyway, it aint worth the grief especially if you do it and get nicked driving motors that belong to the crowd I work for = deep ■■■■! I had 6 points about 8 years ago and don’t want anymore. People who don’t have any regard for 30mph limits are ignorant selfish ■■■■ bags in my opinion.
Gembo:
People who don’t have any regard for 30mph limits are ignorant selfish ■■■■ bags in my opinion.
I pretty much agree with that, 30 zones (and even some 40s) especially where there are houses on each side of the road, children playing, people walking dogs, folk cycling - then these areas should be sacrosanct. anyone speeding here, and especially speeding in HGVs should just loose their licences permanently. I possibly have quite different views when it comes to trunk and primary roads where we need to be making progress, that is arguably our world. But built up areas and country roads, No, that is not our world and we should tip toe through it with the greatest of care.
Bluey Circles:
Gembo:
People who don’t have any regard for 30mph limits are ignorant selfish ■■■■ bags in my opinion.I pretty much agree with that, 30 zones (and even some 40s) especially where there are houses on each side of the road, children playing, people walking dogs, folk cycling - then these areas should be sacrosanct. anyone speeding here, and especially speeding in HGVs should just loose their licences permanently. I possibly have quite different views when it comes to trunk and primary roads where we need to be making progress, that is arguably our world. But built up areas and country roads, No, that is not our world and we should tip toe through it with the greatest of care.
you are tiny tim and i claim my 5 pounds
rigsby:
a village local to me had a community committee who nagged the police for speeding checks , first ticket issued to …… chairman of the committee . the moaning seemed to stop after that .
That happened nr here too . Maybe we live in the same place
stoney middleton , derbyshire
rigsby:
stoney middleton , derbyshire
Middleton Stoney, Oxfordshire. They “dog watch” there in the layby. 
maga:
its all a big jolly for the blue rinse round here in the summer months. A group of 8-12 of them all at the side of the road on deckchairs passing a tea flask round while one desperately tries to catch anyone going over 40 (40 speed limit). Funny you never see them at lunch time or if the weathers got a bad forecast.I used to cruise past at 40 in second gear in old focus ST and ease off as I passed them banging and spitting flames out the back
Don’t mind the busy bodies doing this. As i stick to limits in villages.
What i hate is the said walking dead following me throu said zones up me chuff when I’m in my own motor.
I always turn on my antilag and drop a cog so the turbos on full spin at the speed limit poping banging etc.
Its when you clear the zone and boot it up a cog and incinerate the front of the blue rinsers car with over run.
Also a good way to sort out tailgating reps
mickharrow:
Got a letter from Wiltshire police saying I had been clocked by these busybodies so wrote under freedom of information to the police who confirmed that they can only report offenders to the police who will write to the driver.the police cannot take action as these people only have. 2 hours training and the machines they use are only calibrated every 3 years so if your number comes up to often the police will call and give you a verbal warning but they cannot prosecute on the word of the busybodies,
I’ve had half a dozen and no sign of the filth on the doorstep yet - all 50 in a 30 as well.
Passed one of these community speedwatch sites in Marlow less than thirty minutes ago. I’d just done a delivery so the fridge was wailing like a banshee trying to get the temperature down and they obviously heard the fridge and dashed out to see the speeding juggernaut bearing down on them. You could almost sense their glee turning to confusion and disappointment when their little electronic sign was flashing “24” over and over again! 
the maoster:
Passed one of these community speedwatch sites in Marlow less than thirty minutes ago. I’d just done a delivery so the fridge was wailing like a banshee trying to get the temperature down and they obviously heard the fridge and dashed out to see the speeding juggernaut bearing down on them. You could almost sense their glee turning to confusion and disappointment when their little electronic sign was flashing “24” over and over again!
nice one.
I encounter the extra special speedwatchers every now and again. Those that know in their senile demented mind that you’re speeding just because you’re in a lorry. They wave for you to slow even though you’re only doing 20odd mph. On rare occasions I’ve met people with silly placards and booing at the traffic (normally lorries). I find the best way to annoy them is to totally blank them and not acknowledge they’re even there. Just like I do with tin rattlers and Big Issue sellers.
The view from the other side of the hair dryer!!
Blue rinsed, busy body with a sad boring life, craving excitement playing Mr Plod after parking my Rover 45 calling… in the words of Basil Fawlty " Let me explain".
To be more exact ex MD of a transport company employing 250 people, exciting life thanks,surfer, sometimes rally driver and owner of a PHGV motorhome. Once booked at 106mph on M25 so no goody goody, Police volunteer driver and oh yes, take part in speedwatch sessions despite having plenty of better things to do. By the way I drive a Merc not a Rover 45.I have driven trucks in UK and Canada but compared to you guys that drive full time am a complete novice! 
So here are the FACTS as far as Devon and Cornwall Police go anyway! 
First busybodies have to undergo vetting, then have an interview which is about an hour where the number of brain cells you have are counted. If sufficient you go out under the supervision of Mr Plod for a minimum of five hours with an established group to an approved site to observe what happens and train. Yes in the p*ssing rain, 7am, lunchtime, in the middle of church service, you go anyway.
There must be at least three busybodies. The last group I was with consisted of myself, an ex military man, ex met officer and a female company director - none with blue hair and aged mid forties to mid sixties. We could all tell a Seat from a Skoda and know how to read and write, none were short sighted, or one legged. We do have older members but they are not allowed out without supervision, keeps them happy, bless.
The hairdryer is calibrated at the start of every session. It is also checked regularly by Mr Plod. The idea of the big sign before and after where we stand is so that motorists are reminded they are in a 30 limit BEFORE they get to us. Every vehicle we log exceeding the limit is a failure to remind the driver of that and in a perfect world we would ‘catch’ no one, then it would be off to the beach instead! Every number written down is verified by two people and the make/model/colour cross checked by two people, it the goes to a co-ordinator where it is checked on a database, but mistakes can still happen.
If you do get a letter by mistake, sorry, again though look at the flipside. A few months ago we logged a silver VW, the owner got a letter and he said he had never been to our area, he wasn’t happy. His car HAD been cloned and he would never had known had it not been for us! He later wrote to thank the local Plod! We also collect valuable information for road planning, count the numbers of passing vehicles etc, look out for rogue vehicles notified by Mr Plod etc.
So why do I (we) do it.I have no interest in playing Plod, booking people or craving some weird power trip but every driver I can convince not to exceed the limit in a potentially dangerous area could be another accident avoided.
In the last six months three people have lost their lives in separate crashes due to excess speed within a two miles of my house, a number have been injured and I have lost count of the minor bumps. Many on this forum would have had personal experience of losing family members through needless road accidents, myself included.
I am the first to accept the importance of on time delivery, the huge pressure put on professional drivers who do a magnificent job to get the trip done, I even accept at times it is safe to exceed speed limits, I do it myself. What I cannot accept is doing it in 30 limits or in built up areas where the vulnerable lurk and the dangers are so obvious.
On a personal note, the dropping down a gear and flooring it, blasting the horn to make us jump and giving the finger approach really doesn’t impress me in any way, been there, got the T shirt, seen it 100 times. I will though always give a cheery wave and thanks to every trucker that comes through at around the limit, those are the professionals.
Thanks for allowing me this post, I promise it is GENUINE, sorry it is a bit long but hope it helps to dispel some of the myths and answers some questions.
Keep safe out there people! 
One more thing there are no exceptions, not for anyone… one of our members ‘booked’ her sister recently… wonder what she will get for Christmas 
can you add ‘misuse of fog lights to your repertoire’ … instead of sending a letter how about machine gunning the plonkers instead.
Groundhog:
The view from the other side of the hair dryer!!Blue rinsed, busy body with a sad boring life, craving excitement playing Mr Plod after parking my Rover 45 calling… in the words of Basil Fawlty " Let me explain".
To be more exact ex MD of a transport company employing 250 people, exciting life thanks,surfer, sometimes rally driver and owner of a PHGV motorhome. Once booked at 106mph on M25 so no goody goody, Police volunteer driver and oh yes, take part in speedwatch sessions despite having plenty of better things to do. By the way I drive a Merc not a Rover 45.I have driven trucks in UK and Canada but compared to you guys that drive full time am a complete novice!
So here are the FACTS as far as Devon and Cornwall Police go anyway!
First busybodies have to undergo vetting, then have an interview which is about an hour where the number of brain cells you have are counted. If sufficient you go out under the supervision of Mr Plod for a minimum of five hours with an established group to an approved site to observe what happens and train. Yes in the p*ssing rain, 7am, lunchtime, in the middle of church service, you go anyway.
There must be at least three busybodies. The last group I was with consisted of myself, an ex military man, ex met officer and a female company director - none with blue hair and aged mid forties to mid sixties. We could all tell a Seat from a Skoda and know how to read and write, none were short sighted, or one legged. We do have older members but they are not allowed out without supervision, keeps them happy, bless.
The hairdryer is calibrated at the start of every session. It is also checked regularly by Mr Plod. The idea of the big sign before and after where we stand is so that motorists are reminded they are in a 30 limit BEFORE they get to us. Every vehicle we log exceeding the limit is a failure to remind the driver of that and in a perfect world we would ‘catch’ no one, then it would be off to the beach instead! Every number written down is verified by two people and the make/model/colour cross checked by two people, it the goes to a co-ordinator where it is checked on a database, but mistakes can still happen.
If you do get a letter by mistake, sorry, again though look at the flipside. A few months ago we logged a silver VW, the owner got a letter and he said he had never been to our area, he wasn’t happy. His car HAD been cloned and he would never had known had it not been for us! He later wrote to thank the local Plod! We also collect valuable information for road planning, count the numbers of passing vehicles etc, look out for rogue vehicles notified by Mr Plod etc.
So why do I (we) do it.I have no interest in playing Plod, booking people or craving some weird power trip but every driver I can convince not to exceed the limit in a potentially dangerous area could be another accident avoided.
In the last six months three people have lost their lives in separate crashes due to excess speed within a two miles of my house, a number have been injured and I have lost count of the minor bumps. Many on this forum would have had personal experience of losing family members through needless road accidents, myself included.
I am the first to accept the importance of on time delivery, the huge pressure put on professional drivers who do a magnificent job to get the trip done, I even accept at times it is safe to exceed speed limits, I do it myself. What I cannot accept is doing it in 30 limits or in built up areas where the vulnerable lurk and the dangers are so obvious.
On a personal note, the dropping down a gear and flooring it, blasting the horn to make us jump and giving the finger approach really doesn’t impress me in any way, been there, got the T shirt, seen it 100 times. I will though always give a cheery wave and thanks to every trucker that comes through at around the limit, those are the professionals.
Thanks for allowing me this post, I promise it is GENUINE, sorry it is a bit long but hope it helps to dispel some of the myths and answers some questions.
Keep safe out there people!
Always good to get a different side to a story. But unfortunately when it comes to speeding, there are many on here who think the speed limits are only there to make it easier to raise revenue through speeding fines. Some on here just cant seem to see the fact that if no-one speeds then a camera doesnt raise any money. They are more concerned with it “making” x amount of millions rather than seeing the fact that x amount of people are speeding
In the past, ive gotten involved in many an argument with people on here who claim to be drivers yet argued their case as to why ,for example, doing 45 in a 30 was “ok as long as it was safe” and they just couldnt/wouldnt see that if it that were to ever became acceptable then it would end in disaster for the ones who “thought it was safe” when it turns out it wasnt. Its like talking to yourself though. To some, they are such good drivers nothing bad can ever happen as they know what they are doing
I too have lost someone due to a speeding driver and I never speed. Im no saint but when it comes to driving, im always watching and paying attention. It only takes one moment of misjudment and you change an entire families life forever. No one is a perfect driver (despite the way some talk on here as if they are) and mistakes and accidents happen. But the difference in casualities in a 30mph crash to a 45-50 mph crash are huge. Would my brother still be here if the guy who hit him had “only” been doing 25-30? I’ll never know. But I DO know, he’d have stood a better chance at 30 than he ever stood at 55.
Unfortunately you’ll never change some peoples attitude and the cutting of a visible police deterrent means more and more are pushing their luck. Even when they are sitting watching, you get the usual suspects moaning “they should be out catching real criminals” as if them speeding isnt a priority or worth worrying about.
So ANYTHING that keeps speeds down is welcome in my book.
You and your fellow speedwatchers crack on. There are some of us who have no problem with you as you will never affect us. The biggest moaners are usually the ones who want to boot it like the big red limit sign doesnt matter.