Everything you want to know about mobile speed cameras There are plenty of things you 'know' about speed cameras and those mobile vans that appear at the side of roads or on overpasses. But how many of them are true? You probably think you can get away with speeding at up to 10 per cent over the limit, or that they'll only catch you on one side of the road. A speed reduction officer for the last seven years that wants to stay anonymous, let’s us inside his van to answer all the key questions and dispel some myths behind the mobile speed cameras. He said: “The aim of cameras is to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads.
Can officers only catch motorists travelling in one direction? No. Any car that passes a van is recorded on the officer’s camera. So if you’re exceeding the speed limit whether you’re driving in the same or opposite direction to the van, you can expect a speeding ticket. It is true that the 10% rule exists? Yes. You will not get a ticket provided your speed does not exceed the limit by more than 10%, plus 1 mile per hour (mph) on Bristol reads. So for example, travelling at 35mph or above in a 30mph zone will be recorded as a speeding offence. However, thresholds vary and can change without notice. Officially, any speeding offence occurs at 1mph above the limit, but most forces will allow a variance. Are officers revenue collectors for the Government?
“We prefer to educate drivers rather than punish them with fines and penalty points.”
No. He, explained: “We’re not here to get figures or to make money. We’re just here to catch the people who are speeding.
He also answered some questions about the mobile vans and speeding:
“If I get a day where I don’t get any drivers speeding, then I know I’ve done my job.
Is it true that speed vans have to be visible “If I’ve been working an eight hour shift, I just hope at least one person that day has at all times? escaped injury or a crash has been avoided.” No. There are no laws about visibility, so there is nothing stopping an officer operating in the dark. But they don’t often choose to do this, and maintain that being visible acts as a deterrent in its own right. He said: “Legally, we don’t have to be visible. I could camouflage myself if I wanted to - but it’s all about being fair, education and preventing an accident. “Even if I parked my van and went for a walk somewhere, it would deter people speeding
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