My misses had her workshop Monday night ( sure picked a good night for it eh ).
She came back in a very positive mood, especially since she was one of 6 people caught by the same camera ( possible club being started up? :-) ).
She said that it was very imformative, they were shown video of a real car hits person accident at 35 mph and got the statistics stuff as normal. She said it was scary seeing it but makes sense why 30 is important around town.
They also discussed the varying limits for different types of vehicles, how easy it is to creep over and how to manage your speed, the accuracy of your speedo etc etc.
She said it wasnt in the least patronising and was happy that a portion of the money raised went to the air ambulance and courses for young drivers.
They were also told that no matter how aggressively the driver behind behaves, you should not go over the limit because of it.
She also got a keyring, sticker for her back window in car and a copy of the Highway Code.
Took 2 hours all told and she said that she thought all those caught speeding should go on it as it was a really positive experience.
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Did they explain why police in North Yorkshire often pass speed cameras above the set limit whilst NOT attending an emergency shout and yet do not get fined, as mentioned in another thread on here. ?
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The course isnt run by the Police but the local council, so you best look elsewhere for those answers.
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North Yorkshire have a sensible policy regarding speed cameras and have not flooded tha county with them. Hence its would seem tolerant to those who inadvertently gove ovre the limit. So if the public have his why not Plod and how do you know Mr X that they do not have an exemption at law?????????
Not that NYP condone speed. Attention paid with hand held etc at spots that require it.
dvd
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North Yorkshire have a sensible policy regarding speed cameras and have not flooded tha county with them.
That set me thinking about where I live and it seems that Worcestershire have a similar attitude... there are a few in Worcester, but up where I live there's only mobile ones, which tend to be in areas that need them... Wonder how many other counties are similar and which are the worst?
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' While motorists see their car insurance premiums rise if they are caught speeding, this is not the case for the hundreds of police who are apparently escaping fines every year.
Under the Freedom of Information Act, the Yorkshire Evening Post discovered out of the 437 West Yorkshire Police officers caught speeding on non-emergency calls over the past two years only 29 paid a £60 penalty.
A total of 390 officers claimed the charge did not apply to them because they were on "urgent police duties", and no fines were issued in the remaining 18 cases because the police could not identify the officer who was driving.
The newspaper reported that none of the drivers were using blue flashing lights when they were caught, which usually indicates an emergency.
Police rules state officers are allowed to be exempt from fines and penalty points, as long as they can explain the reason for their speeding.'
No speed awareness course for them, no course fee.
I'm sure I could explain the 'reason" for my speeding ( if I were a speeder ).
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X,
North Yorkshire is a large, almost entirely rural, county with no need for fixed cameras. West Yorkshire embraces the Leeds/Bradford connurbation and many other large urban spreads - understandably its priorities are different.
Any number of reasons why officers on a shout may not use blues ranging from stealth to complaints from residents.
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AFAIK (and the speed camera maps seem to bear this out) North Yorkshire has no static cameras. The only ones I've ever seen are mobile units and Specs in the roadworks on the A1.
Is a police officer undertaking driver training on an emergency shout?
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Where are these speed cameras in north yorks?
As a NYorks resident I've never seen one, although I can think of a couple of places where they might be useful. (that village on the A19 north withthe steep hill and regular accidents for a start)
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If these speed workshops are so good, then maybe a version could be given to new drivers as part of their lessons, or on passing.
Edited by scribe on 04/02/2009 at 16:15
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No fixed speed cameras in County Durham.
The last chief constable said he didn't believe in them - too much of a blunt instrument.
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Stu,
Where was the camera?
SWMBO was caught by the mobile thingy in Pattishall a few years ago. Never saw the van, first thing she knew was the NIP in the post. Took the course option - then held @ Northants Cricket Club - and like your wife found it a +ve experience.
Edited by Bromptonaut on 04/02/2009 at 19:52
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I don't doubt these course have their merits, but I can't help but think of them as a 'Speeders Anonymous' meeting.
All sat around in a circle...
"Hi, My name is Ifithelps and I'm a rubbish driver."
"Thanks for that, Ifithelps, sit down and don't worry - we're all here for each other."
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Well I guess ' Stay pointless, stick to the limit as long as road conditions allow' would neither fit on a sticker, or cause more accidents with even more to read!
The sticker is about 2X9 inches sizewise. I guess some commitee came up with it, thought it was catchy!
Still, my misses has put it in her back window and so far, nobody has hung off the back bumper as per usual through our village ( its worth sticking to the limit regardless as they do sneaky mobile work outside the school ), so maybe it does have some effect.
My misses reckons that it should be a symbol of people who effectively got away with speeding but please dont hassle them for doing the limit cos they wont get away with it next time!
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Bromptonaut,
Camera was the infamous Harlestone one, one of those likley to be labelled a money maker rather than a safety one. Ive never got caught by it but its easy to pick up speed going down the hill on the approach ( I flick the misses car out of O/D to get the engine braking ).
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Camera was the infamous Harlestone one
Aaah, got flashed there myself c. 2000 but heard nothing more. The limit drops from NSL to 40 on the minor road from the Bramptons as you join the A428. Easy to miss the subsequent drop to 30 while checking mirrors etc after turning into the major road.
Edited by Bromptonaut on 04/02/2009 at 20:40
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Well apparently of the 6 people at the workshop who got caught, all had been coming from Harlestone Heath direction so there isnt any real excuse not seeing the camera even at night as its flourescent yellow.
I think the actual problem is that people coming past HH dont do 40, so when they hit the 30 signs, they have little time to react to the camera, but even if you went past the 30 signs at 40, you would be able to safely brake for the camera if thats how one deals with them.
Incidentally, have you seen that they have introduced a new 40 limit on the short stretch between Church Brampton and the railway cottages on the bridge? I suspect there may be a mobile unit start to stalk people there in time.
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'Incidentally, have you seen that they have introduced a new 40 limit on the short stretch between Church Brampton and the railway cottages on the bridge? I suspect there may be a mobile unit start to stalk people there in time. "
Is it an accident black spot that has claimed a few lives over the years or just a good place to make some money for the local speed camera partnership ?
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It has had some fatal crashes there yes.
An uncle and his young nephew died in an Impreza being driven too enthusiastically - not sure of the precise details but I remember seeing the damage to the verge and we couldnt work out how the car had ended up where it did, other than something insane.
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Impreza... says it all really.
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Stu - Last down there on a glorious Sunday in September en route t/f the Brampton valley way. Not clear if victims in the Impreza were your relatives, if so I apolgise if the response to X's comment in any way offends
X - Mile or so of open road, NSL, followed by a block of railway cottages and a bridge over the Northampton/Long Buckby/Rugby loop of the West Coast Main Line. Limited visbilty over bridge and walls/kerbs probably re-inforced in after shocks from the Great Heck accident. Sort of road that, unfortunately, the young/stupid use as a racetrack. Can well understand local residents pressing for a limit. Would probably never justify the cost of a fixed camera, but might
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Not anyone I knew personally, but I understand they were local.
If you go over that bridge from Harlestone direction, you could easily build up enough speed to leave the road alltogether and get some serious 'air'. Im sure its been done too.
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