ok so i've just received my first ever speeding ticket... for driving 124 km/h in a 120 km/h zone.... that's a 3.3% speeding difference.
F'ing unbelievable!
10% +2mph is an urban myth. 0% +1 mph is all that's required to receive a fine. Other factors are taken into account, the camera setting, the officer's attitude, the location, the style of riding/driving be adopted, the weather, a whole host of factors. But 10% +2 just isn't true and not a margin to adopt as a policy.
That's the "better" cameras that are being used nowadays with finer calibration, or was it an average between two cameras, as on the Cat and Fiddle? Either way you can thank my cousin, he helped design them.
Manufacturers original speedometers are only garaunteed 10% accurate at 30 mph
Only "calibrated police speedometers" are "known" to be accurate and even then they can be challenged
Or so I have been told by traffic cops in the past
(I used to work with a few when I was instructing)
So I suspect that if a good solicitor challenged it you might get it recinded
Its worth a try, depending on the size of the fine and other penalties, the eventual outcome might not be worth the cost of the brief
Thats what they rely on
And I rode with the Essex Motorcycle Police and had a couple as friends. 10% is a myth.
If you do 35 in a 30, 10% +2, a camera will fire and a manned camera will also show you as being over the limit. But hey, you take the chance like we all do, just wait for the post and see what arrives.
The ACPOTC (Association of Chief Police Officers Traffic Committee) guidelines recommend the 10%+2. This is not to be lenient it is to minimise the number of disputed cases that tie up the courts. It is a guideline and has absolutely no legal status.
As the Construction and Use regs in the UK require that a speedometer should have a minimum accuracy of 90% prosecutions for speeding where you are less than 10% over the limit are unlikely to succeed unless there are other considerations which make it an aggravated offence.
The majority of English and Welsh "Safety Camera Partnerships" stick to the guidelines, Scotland is a little different.
The Prof is correct. The guidelines do indeed state 10%+2.
However, one point to remember is that they are only guidelines, nothing more. They are not law.
As such you could be caught for doing 1mph over the speed limit and it would be for you to argue in court that your speedo read on or below the limit.
In reality, it is rare (not unheard of, but rare) to be prosecuted for speeds below the 10%+2 rule.
Of course, I've just typed all that out, then read Prof's post properly to find that he's already said all this, so I'll shut up now!!
well one good thing here is that you dont get points etc. All u get is 4 euros for every 1 km/h over the limit... so my fine is just 16 euros and no points.
Still a kick in the teeth tho considering i set my cruise control to 120 km/h in the car!!!!