Speed Camera Loophole Spotted by Welsh Driver?

Ive come across this news story "Speed Camera Loophole Spotted by Welsh Driver" which is circulating the internet at the minute, because it seemed to me to be something that probably was not accurate I have done a search and information like this has been circulating the internet since at least 2003.

Extract from The Western Mail

Magistrates' courts could grind to a halt if thousands of motorists exploit a legal loophole unwittingly exposed by a Welsh driver. 

Magistrates had no choice but to find Phillip Dennis, of Whitford, Flintshire, not guilty of speeding when his case was heard on Thursday.

He had omitted to sign the standard form which is sent to the owner of each vehicle caught by a speed camera - and Mold magistrates said they couldn't accept the form as evidence.

Police have no power to compel car owners to sign the form and have been expecting someone to spot the loophole.

Yesterday the Association of British Drivers, representing about 2,500 motorists, predicted drivers would soon get wind of the court case. 

"Motorists are always very quick to seek any way to avoid paying for their speeding ticket, particularly when they've been caught by cameras because they resent very much the way the cameras operate," said spokesman Tony Vickers 

"The cameras have very much reduced public respect for the police and local authorities.

"People are only too glad to find a way to beat the system." 

He said motorists who receive a speeding ticket after being caught on camera could opt to have their case heard in court, rather than pay the fine without quibble.

"If a lot of people take up this option it will have another side-effect, which will be to clog up the magistrates' courts with hundreds or thousands of motorists all trying to avoid paying the fine. 

"The implications for the legal system are interesting, to say the least."

Although the ABD did not condone breaking the highway laws, it said it would place details of the loophole on its own website for other drivers to read.

"I'm sure a lot of people will try it on and see whether it gets them anywhere."

The prospect of using the loophole could look especially appealing to people who already had endorsements on their licences, said Mr Vickers.

I also came across this from "stu675" on http://www.675.cc/675/viewtopic.php?f=33&t=23283  which I think tells the real truth of the matter:

"A guy from Aldershot, whose name I can't remember, took this as far as the European Court and lost - about 6 or 7 years ago. The argument revolved around self-incrimination, as signing the form was, and is, taken by the Police, CPS and the courtd, as an admission of guilt. You can't be forced to do that. It was absolutely cast-iron, as far as I and many others were concerned but the system had too much to lose, so the case never stood a chance of success. So, if you don't sign, you will get charged with failure to provide information and you may get done for speeding as well."

So it looks like they will find a way to get you but possibly on a different charge, be wary if you think you might try see if not signing the form works!

FATAL 4 Operation Catches 42 Motorists

The FATAL4 ‘clinics’ are designed to reinforce concerns about 

• speeding
• using mobile phones behind the wheel
• not wearing seatbelts
• drink driving. 

On Friday, October 17, officers positioned themselves on the A6 Leicester Road for the latest FATAL4 operation. Some were plain clothes  officers who would radio ahead to uniformed officers to stop people in the checkpoint area

A 42 offences were recorded in total:

• 23 drivers using mobile phones
• 16 not wearing a seatbelt 
• 2 with no insurance
• 1 drink driving arrest.

Sergeant Simon Blincow said
“FATAL4 is an ongoing national operation to try and tackle the main four things that kill people on the roads.We want to influence and educate people because we see the other side of it. We go to the fatal collisions and see the bodies, we deal with the relatives, we see the tragic repercussions, that’s why we are so serious about trying to stop it.”

 

Bristol Speed Cameras to be Switched Back on

Four Bristol based speed cameras are to be switched back on for the first time in three years after being switched off in 2011. The locations are as follows:

• A4018 Westbury Road, north off Brecon Road;
• A4174 junction of Airport Road and Creswicke Road;
• A4174 junction of Hartcliffe Way and Novers Lane;
• B3122 St John’s Lane west of Littleton Road.

There are 52 static cameras remaining across the region that might also eventually be reactivated. Bristol City Council says:

"We are taking a staged approach to the switch on of cameras which will not mean that all sites are switched on at the same time. We do not have a date for switching on the cameras at these sites as we are still working with partners and suppliers to ensure all necessary procedures and permissions are in place."

Jeremy Clarkson Gets Points on Driving Licence For Speeding

Image: Evening Standard on Twitter

Writing in his weekly Sun newspaper column Clarkson has revealed that he was caught by a camera when he was driving too fast between Whitby and London, he also added that he was driving too speedily to be offered the option of taking a speed awareness course.

He said: “Last month I wrote in a blind fury about how many speed cameras I’d encountered on a drive from Whitby to London. Well, it seems one of them got to me. Sadly, I was going too quickly for the speed awareness course to be an option. Which means I’m getting some points on my licence. My first in 30 years.”

Clarkson who is one of the BBC’s highest paid presenters, was strongly criticised in 2008 for claiming to have driven 186mph on a public road, adding: “The speed limit’s annoying for people who have a job to do.”

This latest news comes just weeks after Clarkson and his fellow Top Gear presenters Richard Hammond and James May sparked protests in Argentina while filming the Top Gear Christmas special, after being accused of deliberately driving a Porsche with the registration number H982 FKL, which locals suggested referred to the Falklands conflict of 1982. The presenters, were forced to abandon filming by outraged people, the show maintain that they bought the car – complete with the number plate – in the UK because it was the best available vehicle of its type and the number plate had not been considered.

Jailed: Minicab Driver Who Said He Had Sold Car & Constantly Lied to Avoid Speeding Fines

Image Credit manchestereveningnews.co.uk

Mohammed Khawaja a 60-year-old from Oldham claimed he had sold his Ford Focus car to a fictitious person, a Mr Mohammed Saleem – but was spotted driving it by a licensing officer. That was the final nail in the coffin when combined with a host full of other evidence provided by the satellite tracking system in Khawaja’s taxi and the fact that he was found to be paying monthly insurance installments on the car.

The minicab driver who tried to avoid 5 speeding fines in total (between June and December 2013) by inventing another motorist has been jailed for 8 months by Manchester Crown Court.

He pleaded guilty to five counts of perverting the course of justice (for the 5 speeding fines) and one of providing false information (for producing a falsified a registration document).

It is highly unlikely that he will ever drive a minicab again

New Mexico Hopes 'Singing Road' Stops Drivers Speeding

New Mexico transportation officials are hoping a "singing road" along historic Route 66 will curb speeding.

Tigress Productions is creating the road between Albuquerque and the mountain community of Tijeras for a new National Geographic Channel series dubbed "Crowd Control" that will debut in November.

The road uses a series of rumble strips to create music. The driver will hear the tune as long as the speed limit is obeyed.

There are only a few such "singing roads" in the world.

Aside from getting drivers to slow down, state Transportation Secretary Tom Church says the rumble strips will keep drowsy drivers from falling asleep at the wheel.

He says the goal of the experiment is to change driver behaviour in a fun way by giving them a reward for obeying the speed limit.

The video below is of a different singing road but will show you how they work