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pillboxman
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Joined: Oct 15, 2005
Posts: 123
Location: Somerset, England
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 Posted: Thu Feb 17, 2011 8:50 pm Post subject: Somerset Speed Camera partnership |
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Be aware that Avon & Somerset Police are now training civilians to operate hand held speed camera's.
My wife spotted them training at Donyatt (near Ilminster) last weekend.
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M8TJT
The Other Tired Old Man
Joined: Apr 04, 2006
Posts: 10118
Location: Bexhill, South Sussex, UK
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| Posted: Thu Feb 17, 2011 9:32 pm Post subject: |
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I suppose that they will be volunteers, so be SO MUCH cheaper then the Partnership  That's a good thing surely in the present financial climate, and still raise loads of cash for call me Dave |
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DennisN
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Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 14892
Location: Keynsham
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| Posted: Thu Feb 17, 2011 10:19 pm Post subject: |
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I think you'll find these are Community Speed Watch groups, not Mobile cameras - a picture of one in operation at another village (West Camel) just off the A303 is in the middle of this thread
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Dennis
If it tastes good - it's fattening.
Two of them are obesiting!! |
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pillboxman
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Joined: Oct 15, 2005
Posts: 123
Location: Somerset, England
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| Posted: Thu Feb 17, 2011 11:11 pm Post subject: |
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I am not sure that these are necessarily community speed watch.
There are a lot of so called "Community concern sites" http://www.safecam.org.uk/community_concern_sites/
These are enforced by the usual money making letters! 
The mobile camera at Lisieux Way, Taunton (30mph) Police ID76 seems to have been replaced by a team of locals with hand held cameras, I have seen them.
Edit to make Link work - Oldboy |
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DennisN
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Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 14892
Location: Keynsham
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| Posted: Thu Feb 17, 2011 11:27 pm Post subject: |
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That safecam link doesn't work.
We dropped that camera from the database two years ago, because it hadn't been seen again.
Are you suggesting that speed limit enforcement and issue of NIPs is being handed over to civilians? What's a 'usual money making letter'?
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Dennis
If it tastes good - it's fattening.
Two of them are obesiting!! |
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DennisN
Tired Old Man
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 14892
Location: Keynsham
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| Posted: Thu Feb 17, 2011 11:39 pm Post subject: |
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Extract from Avon and Somerset Police website....
| Quote: | What is the Community Speed Watch Scheme?
Community Speed Watch gives local people the ability to actively get involved in road safety.
* A Community Speed Watch can be set up in any village, small town, or urban area, governed by either a 30 or 40 miles per hour speed limit, to discourage drivers and motorcyclists from driving faster than the set speed limit.
* Community Speed Watch is a partnership between the Community, the Police, Fire Service, Parish Council, and County Council, with an aim to tackle the problem of speeding motorists, therefore improving the quality of life of the local residents.
* A Speed Watch consists of local residents, who are willing to volunteer a small amount of time each week to monitor speeds with speed detection equipment
* Persistent offenders will receive a second warning letter, and on a third occasion, offenders can expect further action by police.
* At present there are in excess of 100 Community Speed Watch schemes successfully running within the Avon and Somerset area. |
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Dennis
If it tastes good - it's fattening.
Two of them are obesiting!! |
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Andy_P
Pocket GPS Moderator
Joined: Jun 04, 2005
Posts: 19991
Location: West and Southwest London
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| Posted: Fri Feb 18, 2011 12:16 am Post subject: |
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| So no change? Mobile speed detectors still NOT enforceable if operated by civilians? |
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pillboxman
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Joined: Oct 15, 2005
Posts: 123
Location: Somerset, England
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| Posted: Fri Feb 18, 2011 12:17 am Post subject: |
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The Usual money making letter is the one that tells you they want 60 quid from you!
Sorry about the web site link it should be
http://www.safecam.org.uk/community_concern_sites/
The bit about warning letters is rubbish.
A Community Concern site cost me £60, the only time in over forty years of motoring. |
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Andy_P
Pocket GPS Moderator
Joined: Jun 04, 2005
Posts: 19991
Location: West and Southwest London
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| Posted: Fri Feb 18, 2011 12:36 am Post subject: |
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Are we at cross-purposes here?
I think there are two completely different scenarios:
Mobile cameras operated by nominated agencies (other than the police) such as Safecam, which can issue fines etc.
Civilian volunteers (trained by the police and sometimes using their equipment) which CANNOT issue NIPs only warning letters. |
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pillboxman
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Joined: Oct 15, 2005
Posts: 123
Location: Somerset, England
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| Posted: Fri Feb 18, 2011 11:15 am Post subject: |
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| I can only tell you that I was done by a Community Concern camera. |
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Guivre46
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| Posted: Fri Feb 18, 2011 12:04 pm Post subject: |
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Could the 'civilians' possibly be given Special Constable status? Though they presumably would need to wear the uniform.
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Mike R [aka Wyvern46]
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BigPerk
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| Posted: Fri Feb 18, 2011 1:44 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | Mobile cameras operated by nominated agencies (other than the police) such as Safecam, which can issue fines etc. |
pillboxman's link IS to the Safecam site where it says | Quote: | How often will the site be enforced?
Safecam will enforce at Community Concern Sites using 15% of enforcement time. Wherever resources will allow, the teams aim to visit a site as often as possible. |
Nothing is said about whether the operatives wear distinctive clothing.
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David
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DennisN
Tired Old Man
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
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Location: Keynsham
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| Posted: Tue Feb 22, 2011 9:55 am Post subject: |
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Refer to Andy's post above. The Donyatt operation sounds like speed watch, rather than community concern.
The link to Safecam leads also to links to "guidelines" for operating, including visibility criteria.
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Dennis
If it tastes good - it's fattening.
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Skippy
Pocket GPS Verifier
Joined: 24/06/2003 00:22:12
Posts: 2946
Location: Escaped to the Antipodies! 36.83°S 174.75°E
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| Posted: Tue Feb 22, 2011 3:51 pm Post subject: |
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| pillboxman wrote: | The bit about warning letters is rubbish.
A Community Concern site cost me £60, the only time in over forty years of motoring. |
How did you get fined? Did the police question you and you admitted speeding?
I made a similar mistake in my misspent youth, someone reported me to the Police for an offence and the police interviewed me about it. Foolishly, I admitted the offence and got fined. The police later told me that if I had simply denied it then no further action would have been taken as it would be "your word against theirs".
Moral of the story, is "You do not have to say anything and anything you DO say may be used in evidence against you". Now I never, ever admit anything unless I am legally compelled to do so (eg Identifying the driver - RTA S172).
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pillboxman
Lifetime Member
Joined: Oct 15, 2005
Posts: 123
Location: Somerset, England
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| Posted: Wed Feb 23, 2011 11:51 am Post subject: |
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Oh no, I received a letter from the police telling me that I was caught for doing 36 in a 30 limit and owed them £60.
In fact I challenged them and spent over six months challenging them over the matter. I know that I was not speeding (I had my 96 year old aunty in the front seat, she has brittle bone disease and even on major roads I rarely travel at above 35MPH when she is in the car. It's a pain, I have to keep pulling in to let convoys of cars pass me, but she does enjoy the trips.)
In the end I had a long chat with the head of the Speed Camera section in Taunton, he is a very nice chap, but I was unable to shift him.  |
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