Well guy’s n gals I’m after a bit of advice.
A couple of nights ago I was driving down the A5 towards Crickat 01.20,speeding (my fault nobody elses) and as I got past rugby truckstop in a layby behind a couple of wagons was a mobile speed detection van with flaps open aimed and ready for action.I’m pretty convinced I’ve been caught and I’m basically looking for advice on what I should write in a letter to the magistrate when I plead guilty.I’m not looking for a way of getting out of it or making lame excuses about how the wifes mother has got bird flu and I’m worried etc…
I’d just like a polite way of saying hands up I’m sorry I did it and can assure you that it’s definatley a case of lesson learned…I’ve never had to write to a court so have not got a clue how to go about it.
I know what a wally I’ve been so no need to tell me again.
Thanks all.
flub
Why write a letter ? just fill in the form and send it off…
Personally I’d hang in there till pod come knocking… No worse and you might get away with it.
“Say’s steve who’s never paid a parking in his life. And only once a speeding fine cause ‘er indoors let ‘em in”
have a look at a look at this site www.pepipoo.com see if it helps. 
No compromising photographs of the judge then ? 
camera vans out at 1.20am someones on some overtime 
.
out there to catch a few of them tnt boys that go flying up and down there.
jon
Are you sure it was speed detection and not something else like tax/insurance for example. As far as I’m aware they look very similar 
Dogmanbodie:
Are you sure it was speed detection and not something else like tax/insurance for example. As far as I’m aware they look very similar
i thought most of the dvla vans have got got tripods they either position in front or behind the van with 2 cameras on the tripod 
jon
jonboy:
i thought most of the dvla vans have got got tripods they either position in front or behind the van with 2 cameras on the tripod
jon
Mainly true but there are some Police ANPR vans with twin cameras in the rear windows. The was one on the M5 a couple of days ago and part of the Services was set out as a holding area. VOSA were there with weighing plates and they were bringing in light vans and suchlike. This was in the late afternoon, about 5.30pm, and they were still setting up, so it looked like they were intending to continue well into the evening.
I,m not having the plod where out on the A5 with a speeding van at 01:20
Mind saying that it wouldnt surprise me …
He must have meant 1:20 pm surely? Driver of mine got done doing 46 in a 40 on the A5 recently, height sensitive job. What gets me is all these static cameras only catch the people who are going marginally over the limit and driving in a safe manner condusive to their surroundings but not keeping an eye out for the cameras as they are paying more attention to their driving.
I drive fast mostly and when I do am always on the lookout for speed cameras and never get caught because of this, far better to have more mobile cameras with more chance of catching persistant speeders and introducing human common sense in deciding wether to laser.
Static cameras are a waste of time and mostly only catch people who don’t deserve to be caught. I’m not condoning speeding. The police mobile patrols have a sensible attitude, they won’t stop you if you are doing 80 or 90 on the M way but if you are doing this speed aggresively, they will stop you. To say you were speeding accept your punishment is a bit simplistic and unjust when some speed limits are hard to justify.
Just wait for the N.I.P. same happened to me at 02:00 one morning about six months ago. Van parked at side of road, flaps open, operator sat behind the device. Looked like he was open for business.
Never heard anything else about it. I have done some searching on the Internet and it seems that they don’t use these vans at night.
Humberside Police use these vans a lot during the day but switch to using the mobile GATSO’s at night. I think that seems to suggest that they cannot be used for enforcement during the hours of darkness.
They may have just being collecting statistics to justify a speed camera location. I believe they have to survey the possible sites for a new camera over a broad spectrum of time. It also works to their advantage to do it at night because a higher percentage of the traffic would be breaking the limit (cover of darkness/HGV breaking limit for type of vehicle/No truck drivers flashing each other) thereby pushing the percentage of offenders over the 85th percentile.
This link explains the 85th percentile
http://www.safespeed.org.uk/rules.html
Best of luck. The N.I.P may never come. If it does, just fill it out, send it back and wait for the fine to appear in the post. You don’t even have to deal with the magistrate’s court unless you were greatly over the limit or the points you are likely to receive will take you into a ban.
Thanks everybody for the replies.
I’ll just sit it out and see what happens.
Just to clarify it was 01.20 (AM) I drive nights so I’m sure it was then.
Also the same night at about the same time the police where at Bullington cross A34 south bound with a camera but they had a police bike to stop further down the road!!!
Anyway thanks all and I’ll post the outcome.
flub
Positive they don’t use mobile speed cameras at night…something about accuracy…+ how often do u normally see them at night…chill probably nothing…like said before…probably just a survey thing…If they could be used at night…police chiefs would be making killing…
The majority of new camera equipment (like the van with flaps in rear) need to be able to see the car at set distances and read the number plate at the beginning in order that photographic proof can be obtained of the time over distance check. I have yet to come across a unit that has night sensors attached to read plates at the distances required. Plus, most of these vans are manned by civilain staff and which force in their right mind would want to pay the extra money to have them out at night 
. Static Gatso cameras however are a different kettle of fish.
I have seen a camera van late at night before on A5 near stobarts a few times.
Very crafty that is…
But being paid by the hour why should i exceed the speed limit 
Nice and steady at 39 MPH…
Such an arciac law the 40MPH limit
andy187:
I have seen a camera van late at night before on A5 near stobarts a few times.
Very crafty that is…
But being paid by the hour why should i exceed the speed limit
Nice and steady at 39 MPH…
Such an arciac law the 40MPH limit
The Police do use the vans at night with the flaps. These tend to be ANPR vans and not speed ones. They set up at night to try and catch travelling criminals. The ANPR cameras work at close range.
luckyguye:
most of these vans are manned by civilian staff and which force in their right mind would want to pay the extra money to have them out at night .
They don’t have to worry about paying the overtime. The Operating costs (Including wages) can be taken out of the revenue raised from fines. That’s what the Safety Camera Partnership thing is all about.
Humberside Police and many others I suspect, man the vans with Police Officers on overtime. It’s the only overtime they can get in the current financial climate.
maybe they are trialing nighttime cameras?
Thames Valley’s finest “caught me” doing 49mph in a 40 zone…!!!
They are preparing to take case to court and i cant wait…!!!
Why…■■?
My Sat Nav print out shows me doing 35mph !!!1
The pretty pic they sent has also got another vehicle in it behind me, wonder if the car was pinged then i got the return ping…■■?
Tacho shows speed was decaying too…
Heard last week of a guy taken to court for doing 120mph…
Judge threw it out laughing as in the picture the guys was towing a caravan…!!!
Makes you wonder…