Driver Wins Speed Camera Appeal

RobBrady · Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2016 11:59 am Post subject: Driver Wins Speed Camera Appeal

Get Speed Camera Warnings For SatNavs
Get Speed Camera Warnings For iOS (iPhone and iPad)
Get Speed Camera Warnings For Android (phones and tablets)

A driver who was clocked at 85mph, and claimed he was only travelling at 29mph, has lawyered up and persuaded the authorities that the speed camera that clocked him was incorrect.

The incident happened in December last year, but he had to wait for his case to go to court, and was only eventually issued with a court summons in March.

Van delivery driver Thomas Baird was represented by Bobby Bell of BB Law, who commented: "Gatso cameras take two photos which are 0.5 seconds apart. We calculated the true speed of the vehicle by making an application to Staffordshire Police for a copy of the second photograph. Once the police disclosed this, we were able to calculate the speed by reference to the physical markings on the carriageway, proving he had been travelling at a maximum of 29.08mph."

He added: "If the suggested reading had not been so high Mr Baird probably would have just paid the fine. There aren't many people who can spend the time, effort and money fighting something they think the police are likely to win. This case is a stark reminder that these supposedly infallible devices can produce inaccurate and unreliable evidence. The most concerning fact about this case is that the police apparently still have no idea as to how or why this device managed to over-calculate my client's speed by a whopping 56mph."

Staffordshire Police consequently withdrew the prosecution and paid £2,000 to cover legal costs.

Superintendent Simon Tweats argued that: "This is the only time this type of error, to the best of our knowledge, has not been picked up prior to going to court. This was a one-off individual error."

How likely does everyone think this is?

Source

_________________
Robert Brady
Editor, Pocket GPS World
The Premier GPS / SatNav Resource for News, Reviews and Forums

Kremmen · Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2016 12:14 pm Post subject:

Surely a trained operator should have picked up the second photo position and realised it was wrong ?
_________________
Satnav:
Garmin DS61 LMT-D (Indoor test rig)
Garmin 2599 LMT-D (Indoor test rig 2)
DashCam:
Viofo A119 V3

M8TJT · Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2016 2:49 pm Post subject:

That assumes that they use trained operators K, not just someone who blindly issues the NIPs

Kremmen · Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2016 3:14 pm Post subject:

True

I thought someone visually checks the photos just in case. I've been flashed a few times knowing I was under the limit so I assumed common sense had kicked in for a false alarm.

Things do fly across the sensor giving these false alarms.
_________________
Satnav:
Garmin DS61 LMT-D (Indoor test rig)
Garmin 2599 LMT-D (Indoor test rig 2)
DashCam:
Viofo A119 V3

sussamb · Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2016 4:39 pm Post subject:

And speed cams can be set off by someone driving the other way, so if you're 'in the box' it's you who would get a ticket, except for the fact that someone is meant to do the visual check Wink

_________________
Where there's a will ... there's a way.

rf065 · Lifetime Member Joined: Oct 10, 2005 Posts: 80

Kremmen · Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2016 10:03 am Post subject:

I wonder if the latest digital Monitrons have similar issues.
_________________
Satnav:
Garmin DS61 LMT-D (Indoor test rig)
Garmin 2599 LMT-D (Indoor test rig 2)
DashCam:
Viofo A119 V3

MaFt · Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2016 6:57 pm Post subject:

At 85mph the car would cover 124 feet in that 1 second - that's nearly 38m. Versus the 44ft/13m at 30mph.

I didn't think the calibration lines would be 38m long. Either way, there's a clear difference between 13m and 38m on a photo - the length of a normal swimming pool, or 6 Ford Focus' tail-to-nose...

Kremmen · Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2016 5:19 am Post subject:

I thought I'd seen posted that you should get the 2 photos in the NIP pack so you can see for yourself.
_________________
Satnav:
Garmin DS61 LMT-D (Indoor test rig)
Garmin 2599 LMT-D (Indoor test rig 2)
DashCam:
Viofo A119 V3

M8TJT · Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2016 10:26 am Post subject:

MaFt · Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2016 2:04 pm Post subject:

Rondeco · Occasional Visitor Joined: Aug 24, 2013 Posts: 2

M8TJT · Posted: Fri Jun 17, 2016 8:52 am Post subject:

Wrong. The Gatso radar unit can be set for either approaching, receding or both. It has in the past been possible to set off my local cam (GATSO:2865@40) when travelling on the eastbound track. I know this for a fact, as I have several times been overtaken by cars that have done it. But I think that that are only licenced for receding traffic (but that might also be an urban myth).

sussamb · Posted: Fri Jun 17, 2016 9:13 am Post subject:

houghw · Posted: Fri Jun 17, 2016 9:39 am Post subject:

	PocketGPS
	Web